History of Evinston
The town of Evinston got its start in 1882 when Captain William Drayton Evins granted a right-of-way for the narrow gauge Florida Southern railroad through his property that was originally part of the Arredondo Grant (1817). The Evinston post office was established in 1882. Citrus production was the most important industry until the devastating freezes of 1894-95 and 1899. The railroad depot and black-smith shops that were once a part of the landscape are gone; but descendants of the original settlers continue to live in Evinston and preserve what remains of the town's historical past. The annual migration of Sandhill Cranes to the area attracts visitors from around the world.