Explore the real-world places that appear in Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank. Each location on the map shows what happens there in the novel, the real history of the place, and what's there today. Featured locations include Randy Bragg's House (Fort Repose Home), Downtown Fort Repose Main Street, Lake Dora, Mount Dora Lighthouse, Fort Repose Bank and 5 more.
Lakefront Mount Dora area — the Bragg family homestead
Randolph Bragg inherits the rambling old family house and becomes the informal leader of the survivors. After his brother Mark's telegram 'Alas, Babylon' warns of war, Randy stocks up and takes in his sister-in-law Helen and her children Ben Franklin and Peyton, later adding neighbors to the household. The house becomes the hub of survival, with the Braggs sharing food, a well and defense.
Frank based Fort Repose on Mount Dora and the Florida lake country, where he lived and wrote. Old frame homes near the lakes date from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when the town grew as a citrus and tourist center.
The lakefront neighborhoods contain historic homes, most privately owned. The area is a popular retirement and tourism community.
Donnelly Street, Mount Dora — the town's commercial core
After the attack, Fort Repose's stores empty out and money becomes worthless. Residents like banker Edgar Quisenberry and shop owners struggle as barter replaces cash. Randy and Dan Gunn work to organize the community's survival and trade, and a militia of townsmen emerges to deal with marauding outlaws.
Mount Dora's downtown grew around the railroad and citrus trade in the 1880s. Its walkable brick-fronted streets became an antique and arts center.
Downtown Mount Dora has shops, restaurants, galleries and festivals. It is a busy tourist destination.
Visit: Downtown Mount Dora Historic District (landmark)
Mount Dora — the model for Fort Repose's lake and fishing
The lake and river provide the town's crucial fish and water. Survivors fish for bream and bass to supplement their diets, and Randy and his companions rely on the water as one of their few reliable resources. Salt shortage and lack of supplies make the natural environment essential.
Lake Dora is part of the Harris Chain of Lakes, which has long supported fishing, citrus transport and tourism.
The lake supports boating, fishing and waterfront parks. Boat tours depart from Mount Dora.
Visit: Gilbert Park, Lake Dora (park)
Grantham Point — lakefront landmark
Not named in the novel, the lakeshore setting matches the waterfront where the Fort Repose community gathers and watches over the water. The lake serves as the survivors' lifeline and a lookout against threats.
The small Mount Dora Lighthouse was built in 1887 as a navigational and scenic feature on the lake, later rebuilt as a landmark.
The lighthouse stands as a photogenic landmark at Grantham Point Park, popular with walkers and visitors.
Visit: Mount Dora Lighthouse (landmark)
Downtown commercial district — Edgar Quisenberry's bank
Banker Edgar Quisenberry sits on his useless wealth when the dollar collapses. His reluctance to accept the new reality contrasts with Randy's adaptability, and the bank becomes a symbol of how the old economy ended.
Small-town banks like those in central Florida were vital to the citrus economy in the early 20th century.
Downtown Mount Dora holds modern bank branches in historic commercial buildings, not tied to the novel.
Downtown — the town's physician and moral anchor
Dr. Dan Gunn, a former Navy man and the town's doctor, battles disease and dwindling medicine, including Peyton's appendicitis crisis and an anthrax threat. His dwindling supplies, including insulin for Alice Cook, create some of the story's most agonizing moments.
Small-town practitioners served central Florida communities through the mid-20th century, often making house calls.
Modern medical offices occupy the area, and the old practice has no marker.
Orlando — nearby military target
Nearby Florida military bases, including Orlando and Homestead targets, are hit in the war. Fort Repose sees flashes and a glow on the horizon, and the attack on Orlando and Tampa isolates the town without power or communications.
McCoy Air Force Base, a Strategic Air Command base, operated near Orlando during the Cold War and was involved in the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.
The site is now Orlando International Airport, which serves millions of passengers each year.
Tampa — nuclear target seen in the novel
Tampa and MacDill are among the Florida targets struck in the opening attack. The town of Fort Repose sees the destruction at a distance, while the loss of cities means no help is coming and survivors must rely on themselves.
MacDill Air Force Base opened in 1941 and became a key Cold War facility, home to Strategic Air Command units.
MacDill remains an active military installation, home to U.S. Central Command and Special Operations Command.
North of Mount Dora — rural waterways
The wilder waterways and rural lands around Fort Repose supply fish, game and hiding places. Survivors venture out for food and the countryside figures in the fights with outlaws.
The Ocklawaha River flows through central Florida and was historically a steamboat route to Silver Springs.
Much of the river lies within Ocala National Forest and the Ocklawaha Greenway, with kayaking and wildlife viewing.
Visit: Ocklawaha River Greenway (park)
Alexander Street area — Fort Repose's rail link
Rail and highway connections fail as the nation collapses, leaving Fort Repose cut off. The loss of transport shows how dependent the town was on the outside world.
The Atlantic and Gulf Coast railroad reached Mount Dora in the 1880s, helping the citrus and tourist trade; the former depot still stands.
The old depot has been preserved as a local landmark in the Mount Dora historic area.
Visit: Mount Dora Historic Train Depot (historic site)
More by Pat Frank: All Pat Frank books
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