EATONVILLE, Florida. – The City of Eatonville celebrated its 137th Founders Day with a breakfast and celebration.

News 6 stopped by the community breakfast on Saturday, where Ruthie Critton, a fifth-generation Eatonville resident, was the keynote speaker.

“137 years is a really long time. It shows perseverance in the face of opposition and adversity and it just shows determination, resilience and strength of will,” Critton said. “I’m glad to be a part of it.”

According to the city’s website, Eatonville was incorporated on August 15, 1887, when 27 electors elected the mayor, aldermen and other city officials, making Eatonville the first city organized, governed and incorporated by African-American citizens.

(EXCLUSIVE: Become a News 6 Insider (free) | PINIT! Share your photos)

Critton is now raising her children as sixth-generation residents.

“To be able to come home and then raise the next generation and allow my children to experience the same wonderful things that I was able to experience as a child is overwhelmingly amazing,” Critton said.

Bruce and Shana Mount also have strong ties to Eatonville, as their father, Bruce Mount, was the town’s former mayor. They were also present at Saturday’s breakfast to kick off the 137th Founders Day celebration.

They hope that the younger generations who take part in the celebrations will recognize the values ​​that the city’s founders instilled 137 years ago.

“Even though everything isn’t perfect, it’s ours,” Mount said. “It’s our city and it’s up to us as the next generation to stay true to those values, but also embrace things like modern technology and use those thought leaders to take action that takes it to the next level.”

Eatonville Mayor Angie Gardner said not only is the town celebrating Founders Day, but residents are also excited about the opening of the new early voting polling place that opened this year.

“We’re both celebrating together to remember and honor what they’ve accomplished and what we’ve been able to accomplish and sustain over the years,” Gardner said. “That’s pretty big.”

Although the Founder’s Day breakfast is over, a celebration will still take place on Hungerford Field from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

The headlines of the day in a few minutes with Your Florida daily newspaper: