Oviedo Woman's Club 75th Anniversary Scrapbook
A scrapbook for the 75th anniversary celebration of the Oviedo Woman's Club (OWC) on February 22, 1981. The scrapbook includes a sign-in sheet, notes, letters, envelopes
invitations, and photographs. The Oviedo Woman's Club was founded in 1906 as the Oviedo Magazine Club by seven charter members: H. B. McCall, Edith Meade, Georgia Lee Wheeler, Lillian Lee Lawton, Mattie Aulin Wheeler, Milcah Yonge, and Mary King. The first clubhouse was constructed in 1914 and also served as Oviedo's first library. In 1916, the club joined the FFWC and officially changed its name to the Oviedo Woman's Club. In 1923, the woman's club was federated under the umbrella of the General Federation of Woman's Clubs (GFWC). A new clubhouse was built in 1961 on property donated by R. L. Croom, a former member, which is located at 414 King Street. The Oviedo Woman's Club is involved in many civic projects, including the annual Great Day in the Country Arts and Crafts Festival, the Spring Fundraiser, Tasting Luncheons, and Celebrate Spring Teas.
Original scrapbook, 1981: Private Collection of Beatrice Gestrich.
Oviedo Woman's Club
The 75th anniversary celebration of the Oviedo Woman's Club (OWC) on February 22, 1981. The first photograph features, from left to right, Marguerite Partin, Judy Minter, Dick Perkins, Pat Perkins, Sharon Lindsey, and CheChe Isreal. Pictured in the second photogaph are Lindsey, Mimi Bruce, and Jane Dees. The third photograph shows Bruce, Herley Mae Waintwight-Moon. Pictured in the fourth photograph is Dees and Louise Martin. The fifth photograph features Bruce. The Oviedo Woman's Club was founded in 1906 as the Oviedo Magazine Club by seven charter members: H. B. McCall, Edith Meade, Georgia Lee Wheeler, Lillian Lee Lawton, Mattie Aulin Wheeler, Milcah Yonge, and Mary King. The first clubhouse was constructed in 1914 and also served as Oviedo's first library. In 1916, the club joined the FFWC and officially changed its name to the Oviedo Woman's Club. In 1923, the woman's club was federated under the umbrella of the General Federation of Woman's Clubs (GFWC). A new clubhouse was built in 1961 on property donated by R. L. Croom, a former member, which is located at 414 King Street. The Oviedo Woman's Club is involved in many civic projects, including the annual Great Day in the Country Arts and Crafts Festival, the Spring Fundraiser, Tasting Luncheons, and Celebrate Spring Teas.
Original black and white photographs, February 22, 1981: Private Collection of Beatrice Gestrich.
First United Methodist Church of Oviedo Pamphlet
The First United Methodist Church, located at 263 King Street in Oviedo, Florida. The Methodist Church has a far-reaching history in the South that goes back to the schism of 1844. Divided by the issue of slavery, Southern churches moved to create their own polity during a conference in Louisville, Kentucky. The Southern church eventually reunited with the elder Methodist Episcopal Church, as well as the Methodist Presbyterian Church in 1939, becoming a single polity. In 1940, more conservative congregations dissented from the merge and formed the Southern Methodist Church. The United Methodist Church was finally created on April 23, 1968, when the Evangelical United Brethren Church and the Methodist Church merged.
Original color photograph: Private Collection of Beatrice Gestrich.
First United Methodist Church, Oviedo, Florida
Letter from Dodie Livingston to the Oviedo Woman's Club (March 11, 1981)
A letter from Dodie Livingston to the Oviedo Woman's Club (OWC) dated March 11, 1981. On behalf of President Ronald Reagan, Livingston congratulates club members on the 75th anniversary celebration of the Oviedo Woman's Club, which was founded in 1906 as the Oviedo Magazine Club by seven charter members: H. B. McCall, Edith Meade, Georgia Lee Wheeler, Lillian Lee Lawton, Mattie Aulin Wheeler, Milcah Yonge, and Mary King. The first clubhouse was constructed in 1914 and also served as Oviedo's first library. In 1916, the club joined the Florida Federation of Women's Clubs (FFWC) and officially changed its name to the Oviedo Woman's Club. In 1923, the woman's club was federated under the umbrella of the General Federation of Woman's Clubs (GFWC). A new clubhouse was built in 1961 on property donated by R. L. Croom, a former member, which is located at 414 King Street. The Oviedo Woman's Club is involved in many civic projects, including the annual Great Day in the Country Arts and Crafts Festival, the Spring Fundraiser, Tasting Luncheons, and Celebrate Spring Teas.
Original letter from Dodie Livingston to the Oviedo Woman's Club, March 11, 1981: Private Collection of Beatrice Gestrich.
Invitation from the Oviedo Woman's Club to Mrs. Glen A. Mathews (February 19, 1981)
An invitation from the Oviedo Woman's Club (OWC) to Mrs. Glen A. Mathews to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the club. The Oviedo Woman's Club was founded in 1906 as the Oviedo Magazine Club by seven charter members: H. B. McCall, Edith Meade, Georgia Lee Wheeler, Lillian Lee Lawton, Mattie Aulin Wheeler, Milcah Yonge, and Mary King. The first clubhouse was constructed in 1914 and also served as Oviedo's first library. In 1916, the club joined the FFWC and officially changed its name to the Oviedo Woman's Club. In 1923, the woman's club was federated under the umbrella of the General Federation of Woman's Clubs (GFWC). A new clubhouse was built in 1961 on property donated by R. L. Croom, a former member, which is located at 414 King Street. The Oviedo Woman's Club is involved in many civic projects, including the annual Great Day in the Country Arts and Crafts Festival, the Spring Fundraiser, Tasting Luncheons, and Celebrate Spring Teas.
Original invitation from the Oviedo Woman's Club to Mrs. Glen A. Mathews, February 19, 1981: Private Collection of Beatrice Gestrich.
Invitation from the Oviedo Woman's Club to Mrs. John W. Mace (February 23, 1981)
An invitation from the Oviedo Woman's Club (OWC) to Mrs. John W. Mace (Mary Mace) to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the club. Mace was the President of the Florida Federation of Women's Clubs (FFWC). Mace was based in Cocoa Beach, Florida. The Oviedo Woman's Club was founded in 1906 as the Oviedo Magazine Club by seven charter members: H. B. McCall, Edith Meade, Georgia Lee Wheeler, Lillian Lee Lawton, Mattie Aulin Wheeler, Milcah Yonge, and Mary King. The first clubhouse was constructed in 1914 and also served as Oviedo's first library. In 1916, the club joined the FFWC and officially changed its name to the Oviedo Woman's Club. In 1923, the woman's club was federated under the umbrella of the General Federation of Woman's Clubs (GFWC). A new clubhouse was built in 1961 on property donated by R. L. Croom, a former member, which is located at 414 King Street. The Oviedo Woman's Club is involved in many civic projects, including the annual Great Day in the Country Arts and Crafts Festival, the Spring Fundraiser, Tasting Luncheons, and Celebrate Spring Teas.
Original invitation from the Oviedo Woman's Club to Mrs. John W. Mace, February 23, 1981: Private Collection of Beatrice Gestrich.
Oviedo Woman's Club Celebrates 75th Year
A newspaper article about the 75th anniversary of the Oviedo Woman's Club (OWC), which was founded in 1906 as the Oviedo Magazine Club by seven charter members: H. B. McCall, Edith Meade, Georgia Lee Wheeler, Lillian Lee Lawton, Mattie Aulin Wheeler, Milcah Yonge, and Mary King. The first clubhouse was constructed in 1914 and also served as Oviedo's first library. In 1916, the club joined the Florida Federation of Women's Clubs (FFWC) and officially changed its name to the Oviedo Woman's Club. In 1923, the woman's club was federated under the umbrella of the General Federation of Woman's Clubs (GFWC). A new clubhouse was built in 1961 on property donated by R. L. Croom, a former member, which is located at 414 King Street. The Oviedo Woman's Club is involved in many civic projects, including the annual Great Day in the Country Arts and Crafts Festival, the Spring Fundraiser, Tasting Luncheons, and Celebrate Spring Teas.
Original newspaper article: "Oviedo Woman's Club Celebrates 75th Year," 1981: Private Collection of Beatrice Gestrich.
A newspaper article highlighting local club news. The highlights include a meeting for the United Daughters of the Confederacy, as well as the 75th anniversary celebration of the Oviedo Woman's Club (OWC). Following the American Civil War, numerous associations were founded by women to organize the burials, funerals, commemorations, and monuments honoring the Confederacy. The majority of these individual associations were merged into the National Association of the Daughters of the Confederacy, led by Caroline Meriwether Goodlett and Anna Davenport Raines, on September 10, 1894 in Nashville, Tennessee, for daughters, granddaughters, and other female descendants of Confederate servicemen. In 1895, a meeting was held in Atlanta, Georgia, to change the name of the organization to the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC). The UDC was officially incorporated in Washington, D.C., on July 18, 1919. The Oviedo Woman's Club was founded in 1906 as the Oviedo Magazine Club by seven charter members: H. B. McCall, Edith Meade, Georgia Lee Wheeler, Lillian Lee Lawton, Mattie Aulin Wheeler, Milcah Yonge, and Mary King. The first clubhouse was constructed in 1914 and also served as Oviedo's first library. In 1916, the club joined the Florida Federation of Women's Clubs (FFWC) and officially changed its name to the Oviedo Woman's Club. In 1923, the woman's club was federated under the umbrella of the General Federation of Woman's Clubs (GFWC). A new clubhouse was built in 1961 on property donated by R. L. Croom, a former member, which is located at 414 King Street. The Oviedo Woman's Club is involved in many civic projects, including the annual Great Day in the Country Arts and Crafts Festival, the Spring Fundraiser, Tasting Luncheons, and Celebrate Spring Teas.
Original newspaper article: "Club News," February 19, 1981: Private Collection of Beatrice Gestrich.
Oviedo Woman's Club to Celebrate 75th Anniversary
Original newspaper article: "Oviedo Woman's Club to Celebrate 75th Anniversary," February 5, 1981: Private Collection of Beatrice Gestrich.
Letter from Paula Fickes Hawkins to the Oviedo Woman's Club (February 12, 1981)
A letter from Senator Paula Fickes Hawkins to the Oviedo Woman's Club (OWC) dated February 12, 1981. In the letter, Senator Hawkins declines an invitation to attend the 75th anniversary celebration of the Oviedo Woman's Club, which was founded in 1906 as the Oviedo Magazine Club by seven charter members: H. B. McCall, Edith Meade, Georgia Lee Wheeler, Lillian Lee Lawton, Mattie Aulin Wheeler, Milcah Yonge, and Mary King. The first clubhouse was constructed in 1914 and also served as Oviedo's first library. In 1916, the club joined the Florida Federation of Women's Clubs (FFWC) and officially changed its name to the Oviedo Woman's Club. In 1923, the woman's club was federated under the umbrella of the General Federation of Woman's Clubs (GFWC). A new clubhouse was built in 1961 on property donated by R. L. Croom, a former member, which is located at 414 King Street. The Oviedo Woman's Club is involved in many civic projects, including the annual Great Day in the Country Arts and Crafts Festival, the Spring Fundraiser, Tasting Luncheons, and Celebrate Spring Teas. Hawkins migrated to Winter Park, Florida, in 1955. In 1971, Hawkins became the Florida Republican National Committeewoman. In 1972, she became the first woman to be elected to a statewide office in Florida when she won a seat on the Florida Public Service Commission, a position to which she was re-elected in 1967. Hawkins ran for the Republican nomination in the U.S. Senate race in 1974, but lose. In 1978, she unsuccessfully ran for lieutenant governor. In 1980, Hawkins was elected to the U.S. Senate, effectively become Florida's first female elected to the Senate and the Sout's fifth woman. Hawkins' tenure as senate is best known for her activism in child welfare. She lost her reelection bid to then-Governor Bob Graham in 1986 and returned to her home in Winter Park in 1987. She served as the U.S. representative to the Organization of American States Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) for 7 years before retiring from politics.
Original letter from Paula Fickes Hawkins to the Oviedo Woman's Club, February 12, 1981: Private Collection of Beatrice Gestrich.
Oviedo Woman's Club 75th Anniversary Invitation
An invitation for the 75th anniversary celebration of the Oviedo Woman's Club (OWC), which was founded in 1906 as the Oviedo Magazine Club by seven charter members: H. B. McCall, Edith Meade, Georgia Lee Wheeler, Lillian Lee Lawton, Mattie Aulin Wheeler, Milcah Yonge, and Mary King. The first clubhouse was constructed in 1914 and also served as Oviedo's first library. In 1916, the club joined the Florida Federation of Women's Clubs (FFWC) and officially changed its name to the Oviedo Woman's Club. In 1923, the woman's club was federated under the umbrella of the General Federation of Woman's Clubs (GFWC). A new clubhouse was built in 1961 on property donated by R. L. Croom, a former member, which is located at 414 King Street. The Oviedo Woman's Club is involved in many civic projects, including the annual Great Day in the Country Arts and Crafts Festival, the Spring Fundraiser, Tasting Luncheons, and Celebrate Spring Teas.
Original invitation by Beatrice Gestrich, 1981: Private Collection of Beatrice Gestrich.
Letter from Shlora Bruth to Herly Mae Wainright (February 13, 1981)
A letter from Shlora Bruth to Herly Mae Wainright dated February 13, 1981. In the letter, Bruth declines an invitation to attend the 75th anniversary celebration of the Oviedo Woman's Club (OWC), which was founded in 1906 as the Oviedo Magazine Club by seven charter members: H. B. McCall, Edith Meade, Georgia Lee Wheeler, Lillian Lee Lawton, Mattie Aulin Wheeler, Milcah Yonge, and Mary King. The first clubhouse was constructed in 1914 and also served as Oviedo's first library. In 1916, the club joined the Florida Federation of Women's Clubs (FFWC) and officially changed its name to the Oviedo Woman's Club. In 1923, the woman's club was federated under the umbrella of the General Federation of Woman's Clubs (GFWC). A new clubhouse was built in 1961 on property donated by R. L. Croom, a former member, which is located at 414 King Street. The Oviedo Woman's Club is involved in many civic projects, including the annual Great Day in the Country Arts and Crafts Festival, the Spring Fundraiser, Tasting Luncheons, and Celebrate Spring Teas.
Original letter from Shlora Bruth to Herly Mae Wainright, February 13, 1981: Private Collection of Beatrice Gestrich.
Letter from Lawton Mainor Chiles, Jr. to Mrs. Brashears and Herly Mae Wainright (February 13, 1981)
A letter from Senator Lawton Mainor Chiles, Jr. to Mrs. Brashears and Herly Mae Wainright dated February 13, 1981. In the letter, Senator Chiles declines an invitation to attend the 75th anniversary celebration of the Oviedo Woman's Club (OWC), which was founded in 1906 as the Oviedo Magazine Club by seven charter members: H. B. McCall, Edith Meade, Georgia Lee Wheeler, Lillian Lee Lawton, Mattie Aulin Wheeler, Milcah Yonge, and Mary King. The first clubhouse was constructed in 1914 and also served as Oviedo's first library. In 1916, the club joined the Florida Federation of Women's Clubs (FFWC) and officially changed its name to the Oviedo Woman's Club. In 1923, the woman's club was federated under the umbrella of the General Federation of Woman's Clubs (GFWC). A new clubhouse was built in 1961 on property donated by R. L. Croom, a former member, which is located at 414 King Street. The Oviedo Woman's Club is involved in many civic projects, including the annual Great Day in the Country Arts and Crafts Festival, the Spring Fundraiser, Tasting Luncheons, and Celebrate Spring Teas. Chiles is best known for serving as the 41st Governor of Florida from 1991 to 1998. A veteran of the Korean War, Chiles attend law school in his home state of Florida. He began practicing in law in 1955 and was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 1958. In 1970, Chiles defeated the incumbent in his bid for the U.S. Senate. He retired from politics in 1989, but was convinced to run for Governor in 1990. Chiles again beat his incumbent. As Governor, his legacy consisted of health care reform, hurricane recovery from Hurricane Andrew, and education reforms. Chiles died of a heart attack while in office.
Original letter from Lawton Mainor Chiles, Jr. to Mrs. Brashears and Herly Mae Wainright, February 13, 1981: Private Collection of Beatrice Gestrich.
Mrs. John W. Mace at the 75th Anniversary of the Oviedo Woman's Club
A note acknowledging that Mrs. John W. Mace (Mary Mace) had accepted an invitation to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Oviedo Woman's Club (OWC). Mace was the President of the Florida Federation of Women's Clubs (FFWC). Mace was based in Cocoa Beach, Florida. The Oviedo Woman's Club, which was founded in 1906 as the Oviedo Magazine Club by seven charter members: H. B. McCall, Edith Meade, Georgia Lee Wheeler, Lillian Lee Lawton, Mattie Aulin Wheeler, Milcah Yonge, and Mary King. The first clubhouse was constructed in 1914 and also served as Oviedo's first library. In 1916, the club joined the FFWC and officially changed its name to the Oviedo Woman's Club. In 1923, the woman's club was federated under the umbrella of the General Federation of Woman's Clubs (GFWC). A new clubhouse was built in 1961 on property donated by R. L. Croom, a former member, which is located at 414 King Street. The Oviedo Woman's Club is involved in many civic projects, including the annual Great Day in the Country Arts and Crafts Festival, the Spring Fundraiser, Tasting Luncheons, and Celebrate Spring Teas.
Original note, 1981: Private Collection of Beatrice Gestrich.
A note detailing the history of the Oviedo Woman's Club (OWC), which was founded in 1906 as the Oviedo Magazine Club by seven charter members: H. B. McCall, Edith Meade, Georgia Lee Wheeler, Lillian Lee Lawton, Mattie Aulin Wheeler, Milcah Yonge, and Mary King. The first clubhouse was constructed in 1914 and also served as Oviedo's first library. In 1916, the club joined the Florida Federation of Women's Clubs (FFWC) and officially changed its name to the Oviedo Woman's Club. In 1923, the woman's club was federated under the umbrella of the General Federation of Woman's Clubs (GFWC). A new clubhouse was built in 1961 on property donated by R. L. Croom, a former member, which is located at 414 King Street. The Oviedo Woman's Club is involved in many civic projects, including the annual Great Day in the Country Arts and Crafts Festival, the Spring Fundraiser, Tasting Luncheons, and Celebrate Spring Teas.
A newspaper article published by The Central Florida Press on June 20, 1930. Written by troupe scribe Charley West, the article summarizes the meeting minutes for the Oviedo Boy Scouts. The meeting included a discussion of an invitation to the Orlando Chamber of Commerce's Mid-Year Luncheon.
Original newspaper article: "Oviedo Boy Scout Minutes." The Central Florida Press, Vol. 1, No. 9, June 20, 1930, page 2: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
A newspaper column published by The Central Florida Press on June 20, 1930. Written by Mrs. Harold Varn, the editor of the newspaper, the "Oviedo Mirror" column featured miscellaneous happenings in Oviedo, Florida, and its surrounding area. News topics include vacation and travel plans for various residents, car purchases, fishing trips, engagement announcements, local birthday parties, a sermon at the First Baptist Church of Orlando, Alene Cone's resignation from Southern Bell Telephone Company, a dinner held at Oak Island on Lake Conway, the opening of the Oviedo Public Library, Elizabeth Lawton's appendicitis operation at the Orange General Hospital in Orlando, bridge games hosted by Mrs. C. T. Niblack, a reception held in honor of J. A. Thompson and his wife, and a wedding reception and bridal shower held in honor of Allen Thompson and his wife.
Original newspaper column: "Oviedo Mirror." The Central Florida Press, Vol. 1, No. 9, June 20, 1930, page 4: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
The Oviedo Heritage, a supplement for The Oviedo Outlook, published on June 30, 1977. This article, by Randy Noles, briefly describes the life of Dr. Theodore Luqueer Mead (1852-1936), who was famous for hybridizing orchids, amaryllis, and caladiums. Dr. T. L. Mead migrated from New York to Eustis, Florida, in 1869, and then to Oviedo in 1886. At his 85-acre estate in the Lake Charm area, Dr. Mead conducted experiments and accumulated one of the world's largest butterfly collections.
Original newspaper article: Noles, Randy. "Mead Left His Mark." The Oviedo Heritage, June 30, 1977: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
Mead Botanical Gardens, Winter Park, Florida
The Oviedo Heritage, a supplement for The Oviedo Outlook, published on June 30, 1977. This article chronicles the history of the Citizens Bank of Oviedo, which Originally opened on East Broadway Street on July 2, 1946. The land on which the bank sits was Originally the Bill Browning celery farm. The Citizens Bank of Oviedo took in over half a million dollars in deposits on its first day, with B. F. Wheeler as president, C. R. Clonts as vice president, and Charles Shaffer as the cashier. In 1949, the bank moved to the Memorial Building, which is located at 38 South Central Avenue. On March 25, 1974, the Citizens' Bank of Oviedo reopened at 156 Geneva Drive. The bank is now the Citizens' Bank of Florida with locations throughout Seminole County.
Original newspaper article: Neely, Larry. "Citizens Bank Founded in 1946." The Oviedo Heritage, June 30, 1977: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
Citizens Bank of Oviedo, Oviedo, Florida
Farming Success Came Hard for Andrew Duda and Family
The Oviedo Heritage, a supplement for The Oviedo Outlook, published on June 30, 1977. This article describes the history of Andrew Duda, Sr., a celery and citrus farmer and early pioneer in Slavia, an unincorporated community southwest of Oviedo, Florida. Duda immigrated from Slovakia to Cleveland, Ohio, in 1909, later settling in Central Florida to try his hand at farming. Initially successful growing Irish potatoes, the market value of the crop could not cover shipping costs and the Duda family struggled financially to survive. Soon after they returned to Cleveland, where Duda and his sons worked in a factory to support the family. By 1926, the Duda family had saved enough money to return to Slavia. This time, their crops prospered and they formed A. Duda and Sons. The family owned company remains in existence today and is an international brand with locations across the globe.
Original newspaper article: "Farming Success Came Hard for Andrew Duda and Family." The Oviedo Heritage, June 30, 1977: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
A. Duda and Sons Celery Farm, Slavia, Florida
The Oviedo Heritage, a supplement for The Oviedo Outlook, published on June 30, 1977. This article, by Donna Neely of the Oviedo Historical Society, chronicles the history of Oviedo, Florida. According to the article, Oviedo began on the south shore of Lake Jessup as a settlement called Solaria's Wharf. Some of its early settlers include Dr. Henry Foster, Joseph Watts, and Steen Nelson. Citrus and celery dominated the area's farmland, although Central Florida suffered a severe freeze in 1894. Oviedo suffered another disaster in 1914 when a fire wiped out much of the downtown section. Disaster hit again in 1929 with the Wall Street Crash and the beginning of the Great Depression. That same year, Oviedo's fruit crops were decimated by a fruit fly infestation. Another fire destroyed the Wheeler Fertilizer Plant in 1946. Nonetheless, Oviedo continued to grow, with new paved roads going to Geneva and Chuluota and the opening of the Citizens Bank of Oviedo in 1948. In 1949, Oviedo began receiving once-a-day bus service to Orlando from Greyhound Lines. By 1950, Oviedo was the second largest town in Seminole County, following Sanford. The Oviedo City Hall was built that same year and in 1968, Florida Technological University (present-day University of Central Florida) opened, bringing new residents to the area.
Original newspaper article: Neely, Donna. "Oviedo Began as Solaria's Wharf." The Oviedo Heritage, June 30, 1977: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
First Baptist Church of Oviedo, Oviedo, Florida
First United Methodist Church of Oviedo, Oviedo, Florida
Wheeler Fertilizer Plant, Oviedo, Florida
Florida Technological University, Orlando, Florida
The Oviedo Heritage, a supplement for The Oviedo Outlook, published on June 30, 1977. The Oviedo Outlook was published every Thursday at 173 West Broadway Street in Oviedo, Florida. The newspaper was operated by the NPN Corporation, president and general manager Lawrence E. Neely, vice president and managing editor James "Randy" R. Noles, and secretary-treasurer and business manager Marilyn Neely. Topics discussed in various articles in this issue include the history of Oviedo, Andrew Duda and his family, the history of the Citizens Bank of Oviedo, and the life of Dr. Theodore Luqueer Mead (1852-1936).
Original 8-page newspaper supplement: The Oviedo Heritage, June 30, 1977: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
Reception in Honor of Mr. and Mrs. Thompson: Community Welcomes Newly Married Couple at Baptist Church
A newspaper article published by The Central Florida Press on June 20, 1930. The article describes a reception held in honor of Allen Thompson and his bride. The reception was held at the First Baptist Church of Oviedo on June 16, 1930. The Thompson had migrated to Oviedo from Macon, Georgia, where they were married a week earlier.
Original newspaper article: "Reception in Honor of Mr. and Mrs. Thompson: Community Welcomes Newly Married Couple at Baptist Church." The Central Florida Press, Vol. 1, No. 9, June 20, 1930, page 3: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
A newspaper article published by The Central Florida Press on June 20, 1930. The article reports news in Slavia, an unincorporated community southwest of Oviedo, Florida. News topics include the silver wedding anniversary of Andrew Jakubcin and Barbara Jakubcin; the annual meeting of the Slavia Drainage District, the return of Andrew Duda, John Duda, and Joe Mikler from Chicago; and the shipment of vegetables, especially celery, from Slavia.
Original newspaper article: "Slavia News." The Central Florida Press, Vol. 1, No. 9, June 20, 1930, page 3: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
A newspaper article published by The Central Florida Press on June 20, 1930. The article reflects on the different kinds of religions by discussing rites and rituals, worldviews, faith, and morality.
Original newspaper article: "Many Kinds of Religion." The Central Florida Press, Vol. 1, No. 9, June 20, 1930, page 2: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
A newspaper article published by The Central Florida Press on June 20, 1930. This article lists a number of predicts for Oviedo in 1940. Predicts include population growth, expansion of land cleared in Black Hammock, the operation of a canning factory and a crate factory, the success of a bank, the operation of a plant for persevering fruit juices and citrus products, the establishment of a bakery, the construction of a road to Winter Park, the widening of a road to Chuluota, and the addition of a bus line or railroad from Sanford or Orlando to the east coast.
Original newspaper article: "Prediction for 1940." The Central Florida Press, Vol. 1, No. 9, June 20, 1930, page 2: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
Rev. A. L. Medcalf at Baptist Church: Will Preach on the Subject of Pentecost Sunday Morning
A newspaper article published by The Central Florida Press on June 20, 1930. According to the article, Reverend A. L. Medcalf was slated to preach about the Pentecost at the Baptist Church of Oviedo on June 23. The end of the article appears to be cut off. The first service for the First Baptist Church was led by Reverend W. G. Powell on the property of W. H. Luther, located along Lake Jessup Avenue, in 1869. The first church building was made of wood and was located on what was the property of Lois Ruddell. The old building served the church until 1887 and later became the house of the Beasley family, which was later torn down. A new wooden church building was erected in 1887 and remained in use until 1926.
Original newspaper article: "Rev. A. L. Medcalf at Baptist Church: Will Preach on the Subject of Pentecost Sunday Morning." The Central Florida Press, Vol. 1, No. 9, June 20, 1930, page 1: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
A newspaper article published by The Central Florida Press on June 20, 1930. According to the article, Edson Goit, a resident from Geneva, had volunteered to repaint Oviedo Masonic Lodge No. 243. In 1884, Andrew Aulin, the postmaster of Oviedo, applied for dispensation for the lodge, which was granted by Deputy Grand Master George S. Hallmark, who was acting as the Most Worshipfull Grand Master. The Ionic Lodge No. 68 was chartered by Robert J. Perry, the Most Worshipfull Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Florida, on January 22, 1885. Lodge members met in a building owned by Aulin for the next 10 years. However, the lodge lost its charter in 1895, due to lack of members, which was likely caused by a number of freezes driving members out of Oviedo By 1914, Oviedo's economy had recovered. Seminole County separated from Orange County, allowing Oviedo to come out of the shadow of Orlando. Additionally, the Big Oviedo Fire of 1914 forced the town to rebuild several important building. As a result, Oviedo grew rapidly. On October 31, 1916, the Grand Lodge of Florida authorized the charter for Oviedo Masonic Lodge No. 243. Brethren met in the Hunt Building, which is located at 534 King Street.
Original newspaper article: "Masonic Lodge Hall is Being Repainted." The Central Florida Press, Vol. 1, No. 9, June 20, 1930, page 1: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
Oviedo Masonic Lodge No. 243, Oviedo, Florida
A newspaper article published by The Central Florida Press on June 20, 1930. The article reports that Reverend C. W. Mathison, the pastor of the Oviedo Methodist Church, left on a trip to West Palm Beach, Florida, for the Florida Methodist Conference. which was to be presided over Bishop John Moore of St. Augustine. Mathison was a Methodist pastor from North Alabama who preached in Florida. Mathison passed away on May 3, 1940, in Fernandina. The First United Methodist Church, located at 300 Ruth Street in Oviedo, Florida. The program covers the events of the day, centennial celebrations, the church history, and a number of hymns and sermons. The Methodist Church has a far-reaching history in the South that goes back to the schism of 1844. Divided by the issue of slavery, Southern churches moved to create their own polity during a conference in Louisville, Kentucky. The Southern church eventually reunited with the elder Methodist Episcopal Church, as well as the Methodist Presbyterian Church in 1939, becoming a single polity. In 1940, more conservative congregations dissented from the merge and formed the Southern Methodist Church. The United Methodist Church was fin ally created on April 23, 1968, when the Evangelical United Brethren Church and the Methodist Church merged.
Original newspaper article: "Rev. C. W. Mathison Leaves for Meeting." The Central Florida Press, Vol. 1, No. 9, June 20, 1930, page 1: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
Believe It or Not—Quail Hatches Out Hen Egg in Oviedo
A newspaper article published by The Central Florida Press on June 20, 1930. The article describes a "freak happening" in which a quail hatched a hen egg in Oviedo, Florida. The quail was owned by Max Leinhart, who appeared on the radio program Ripley's Believe It or Not!. The radio show premiered on April 14, 1930 and was hosted by its founder, Robert Ripley, and ran until 1948, when Ripley began to convert the show to a television program.
Original newspaper article: "Believe It or Not—Quail Hatches Out Hen Egg in Oviedo." The Central Florida Press, Vol. 1, No. 9, June 20, 1930, page 1: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
Methodist Pastor Delivers Sermon on Righteousness
A newspaper article published by The Central Florida Press on June 20, 1930. The article describes a sermon on righteousness delivered by C. W. Mathison. Mathison was a Methodist pastor from North Alabama who preached in Florida. Mathison passed away on May 3, 1940, in Fernandina.
Original newspaper article: "Methodist Pastor Delivers Sermon on Righteousness." The Central Florida Press, Vol. 1, No. 9, June 20, 1930, page 1: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
The Central Florida Press, Vol. 1. No. 9, June 20, 1930
Volume 1, number 9 of The Central Florida Press, published on June 20, 1930. The Central Florida Press was a weekly newspaper published in Oviedo, Florida. At the time that this issue was printed, C. J. Broom was the editor. Topics discussed in various articles include a missing 19-year-old names Charles W. Summersill; plans for a new bank in Sanford, the primary election for Florida Attorney General, floods along St. Johns River and Lake Monroe, public opinion on a new luxury tax, the decision to keep a railroad station in Geneva open, a Ripley's Believe It or Not! program featuring a quail that hatched a hen in Oviedo, the Sanford Atlantic National Bank's declaration of a dividend, Reverend C. W. Mathison's sermon on righteousness, statewide construction of hotels and other types of housing, Florida's standing in administrative salaries in the Florida Department of Education, a Gold Star Mother's return to Orlando, a legal decision requiring men to call a doctor if a family member falls ill, C. W. Mathison's trip to West Palm Beach, renovations on Oviedo Masonic Lodge No. 243, A. L. Medcalf's sermon at the First Baptist Church of Oviedo, predictions for 1940, automobile accident deaths in 1929, the types of religions, packing houses in Fort Pierce and Avon Park, a logrolling convention hosted by the Central Florida Log Rollers' Association, the minutes for an Oviedo Boy Scouts meeting, local news for towns around Oviedo (Longwood, Slavia, Chuluota, and Geneva), and a reception in honor of Allen Thompson and his bride. This issue also includes a number of advertisements feature local businesses, as well as a column called "Oviedo Mirror."
Original 4-page newspaper edition: The Central Florida Press, Vol. 1, No. 9, June 20, 1930: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
First National Bank No. 2, Sanford, Florida
Sanford Atlantic National Bank, Sanford, Florida
Aisne-Marne American Cemetery and Memorial, Belleau, France
Fort Pierce Growers' Association, Fort Pierce, Florida
A newspaper article published by The Oviedo Outlook on May 26, 1977. The article the election of officers to the Parent-Teacher Association for Jackson Heights Middle School, located at 41 Academy Avenue in Oviedo, Florida. Jean Rumsey Bob Szelc , Gordon Hathaway, Charles Mays, and Helen Hill were elected president, first vice president, second vice president, treasurer, and secretary, respectively.
Original newspaper article: "Jackson Hts. PTA Elects Officers." The Oviedo Outlook, Vol. 4, No. 40, May 26, 1977, page 9: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
Jackson Heights Middle School, Oviedo, Florida
A newspaper article published by The Oviedo Outlook on May 26, 1977. The article lists the local graduates of Florida Technological University (present-day University of Central Florida) during the spring semester of 1977. Lee R. Scherer, Director of the John F. Kennedy Space Center, was the guest speaker at the commencement ceremony to be held on June 10. Florida Technological University (FTU) was founded by the Florida Legislature in 1963 and opened in 1968. The intended goal of the university was to train personnel to support the U.S. space program at the John F. Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. In 1978, Reubin Askew renamed FTU the University of Central Florida (UCF). By 2014, enrollment preacher over 60,000 students. While the main campus is located at 4000 Central Florida Boulevard in Orlando, there are also 12 satellite campuses.
Original newspaper article: "FTU Grads Named." The Oviedo Outlook, Vol. 4, No. 40, May 26, 1977, page 3: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
A newspaper article published by The Oviedo Outlook on May 26, 1977. The article announces the death of Lillian Della Lee Lawton (ca. 1883-1977). Lawton was the daughter of former Orange County Commissioner James Hiram Lee, Sr. (1844-1920) and Laura Agusta Barnett Lee (1851-1940). She married Winborn Joseph Lawton, Sr. (1881-1971), who served as a trustee of the First Baptist Church of Oviedo, a secretary and treasurer for the church's Sunday school, an insurance agent, and a citrus grower. Together, the couple had four children: Elizabeth Lawton Laney, Kathryn Lawton, John. K. Lawton, and Winborn Joseph Lawton, Jr. Lawton was a charter member and the former present of the Oviedo Woman's Club (OWC), the former president of the Woman's Missionary Society, and a lifelong member of the First United Methodist Church of Oviedo.
Original newspaper article: "Lifelong Resident, Mrs. Lawton Dies." The Oviedo Outlook, Vol. 4, No. 40, May 26, 1977, page 3: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
Home of Lillian Della Lee Lawton, Oviedo, Florida
A newspaper article published by The Oviedo Outlook on May 26, 1977. The article details the arrest of three youths who were committing burglary at T. W. Lawton Elementary School, located at 151 Graham Avenue in Oviedo, Florida. Originally called the T. W. Lawton Elementary School, the one-room schoolhouse was first constructed in 1876 in order to serve the three families that lived on Old Orlando Road, near Bear Bully. Julia Golden was the first teacher and most of the students were African Americans. When one of the families moved to Clonts Quarters during the first year, the school moved with them. In 1899, the school was moved to the middle of town. In 1922, Seminole County built a four-room brick schoolhouse with an auditorium seating 500. White students attended the new schoolhouse, while black students remained at the Original school, then called Oviedo Elementary School and later renamed Jackson Heights. In 1923, the new school had its first graduating class. H. J. Laney was the school principal at the time that this photograph was taken and Thelma Lee Clonts, the contributor of the picture, was beginning her education at the school with Katy Walken as her teacher. The school's name was later changed to T. W. Lawton Elementary School and is now known as Lawton Elementary School.
Original newspaper article: "Police Arrest Youths." The Oviedo Outlook, Vol. 4, No. 40, May 26, 1977, page 9: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
T. W. Lawton Elementary School, Oviedo, Florida
A newspaper article published by The Oviedo Outlook on May 26, 1977. The article describes the winners of a literary contest sponsored by the Seminole County Language Reading Arts Council. According to the article, ten students from Jackson Heights Middle School, located at 41 Academy Avenue in Oviedo, were selected to have their works published in the Seminole County Literary Magazine. Additionally, an annual authors' luncheon was to be held at the Langford Resort Hotel in Winter Park.
Original newspaper article: "Students Honored for Poetry." The Oviedo Outlook, Vol. 4, No. 40, May 26, 1977, page 9: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
Langford Resort Hotel, Winter Park, Florida
OHS Honors Outstanding Athletes at Banquet
A newspaper article published by The Oviedo Outlook on May 26, 1977. The article describes Oviedo High School's Athletic Banquet that was held at the Sanford Civic Center and lists the various awards and recipients. Oviedo High School is a Seminole County Public School located in Oviedo, Florida. Originally called the Oviedo School, the institution was first established in 1922 as a K-12 school. In 1948, the secondary grades separated from the elementary school. The upper grade levels formed Oviedo High School and moved to the campus at 601 King Street. Oviedo High School is notable for The Lion's Tale, the award-winning school newspaper recognized by various national and state scholastic press associations of its high ratings from the Governor's A+ Plan for Education of and its successful athletics programs.
Original newspaper article: "OHS Honors Outstanding Athletes at Banquet." The Oviedo Outlook, Vol. 4, No. 40, May 26, 1977, page 2: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
A newspaper article published by The Oviedo Outlook on May 26, 1977. The describes the fundraising efforts by Gary Metcalf, a former drum major at Oviedo High School, who was trying to raise money to travel with the Continental Singers to Europe. At the time that the article was posted, Metcalf was attending North Texas State University. Metcalf received contributions from Wayne Johnson of Orangewood Feed and Tack and the First Baptist Church of Oviedo.
Original newspaper article: "Metcalf Fund Short." The Oviedo Outlook, Vol. 4, No. 40, May 26, 1977, page 2: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
A newspaper column published by The Oviedo Outlook on May 26, 1977. "Over the Coffee" was a weekly column by Donna Neely and Ralph Neely. This week's column discussed the work of archaeologist Dr. Ron Wallace of Florida Technological University (FTU) in Chuluota, renovations on Oviedo City Hall, the Florida Road Department, and handicap parking. The column also includes a quote by investor and statesman Bernard Baruch and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Original newspaper column: "Over the Coffee." The Oviedo Outlook, Vol. 4, No. 40, May 26, 1977, page 2: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
Oviedo City Hall, Memorial Building, Downtown Oviedo, Florida
Something to Think About: Rape Ruling a Travesty
A newspaper article published by The Oviedo Outlook on May 26, 1977. The article discusses a recent ruling by Circuit Judge Robert McGregor regarding a rape case in the Seminole-Brevard Circuit Court. According to the article, Judge McGregor dismissed sexual battery charges against a convicted rapist because the victim did not resist "to the degree that the law expects." Larry Neely, the author of the article, argues that the ruling is in appropriate and that victim's rights should be respected.
Original newspaper article: Neely, Larry. "Something to Think About: Rape Ruling a Travesty." The Oviedo Outlook, Vol. 4, No. 40, May 26, 1977, page 2: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
Seminole County Criminal Justice Center, Sanford, Florida
Letters From the People: VICA Sponsor Thanks Citizens
A newspaper article published by The Oviedo Outlook on May 26, 1977. The article features a letter to the editor by Wayne E. Lanham, an instructor at Oviedo High School and the sponsor of the school's chapter of Vocational Industrial Clubs of America (VICA). VICA is career and technical student organization founded in 1965. In the letter, Lanham thanks members and sponsors of the high school's VICA. In 1999, the national organization changed its name to SkillsUSA-VICA and then shortened it to SkillsUSA in 2004.
Original newspaper article: "Letters From the People: VICA Sponsor Thanks Citizens." The Oviedo Outlook, Vol. 4, No. 40, May 26, 1977, page 2: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
Oviedo's Plan: A Variety of Rules on Everything from Roads to Recreation
A newspaper article published by The Oviedo Outlook on May 26, 1977. The article describes the Oviedo Comprehensive Plan developed by the Local Planning Agency (LPA). Plans include rules and regulations for land use, natural resources, housing, community services and facilities, transportation, parks and recreation, potable water, and sewage and solid waste disposal.
Original newspaper article: Noles, Randy. "Oviedo's Plan: A Variety of Rules on Everything from Roads to Recreation." The Oviedo Outlook, Vol. 4, No. 40, May 26, 1977, page 1 and 4: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
A newspaper article published by The Oviedo Outlook on May 26, 1977. The article discusses a fish fry to raise money for former Oviedo Chief of Police, George Kelsey, who had undergone surgery for a degenerative bone ailment. The event was held at the Fin and Feather Restaurant on June 4 and was sponsored by the Greater Oviedo Junior Chamber of Commerce and the Oviedo Police Benevolent Association (PBA). The continuation of the article is missing.
Original newspaper article: "Kelsey Fish Fry Slated June 4." The Oviedo Outlook, Vol. 4, No. 40, May 26, 1977, page 1: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
Suspicious Councilmen Agree to Meet with Commissioners
A newspaper article published by The Oviedo Outlook on May 26, 1977. The article discusses the planned meeting between members of the Oviedo city council and Dick Williams, chairman of the Seminole County Commission, on June 2, 1977. According to the article, city council members were suspicious of the county's plans. The continuation of the article is missing.
Original newspaper article: "Suspicious Councilmen Agree to Meet with Commissioners." The Oviedo Outlook, Vol. 4, No. 40, May 26, 1977, page 1: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
The Oviedo Outlook, Volume 4, Number 40, May 26, 1977
Volume 4, number 40 of The Oviedo Outlook, published on May 26, 1977. The Oviedo Outlook was published every Thursday at 173 West Broadway Street in Oviedo, Florida. The newspaper was operated by the NPN Corporation, president and general manager Lawrence E. Neely, vice president and managing editor James "Randy" R. Noles, and secretary-treasurer and business manager Marilyn Neely. Topics discussed in various articles in this issue include a meeting between Oviedo City Council members and Seminole County Commissioners, a fish fry held in honor of former Chief of Police George Kelsey, Oviedo's new city plan, the history of the First Baptist Church of Chuluota, Oviedo High School's (OHS) Vocational Industrial Clubs of America (VICA) chapter, Circuit Judge Robert McGregor's ruling on a rape case, athlete awards at OHS, poetry wards for students of Jackson Heights Middle School (JHMS), a burglary at T.W. Lawton Elementary School, the death of Lillian Della Lee Lawton, graduation at Florida Technological University (present-day University of Central Florida), Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) elections at JHMS, and results of the Oviedo Little League. This issue also includes a classified section and numerous advertisements through the issue. This issue is missing pages 5 through 8.
Original 8-page newspaper edition: The Oviedo Outlook, Vol. 4, No. 40, May 26, 1977: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
First Baptist Church of Chuluota, Chuluota, Florida
The centennial edition of The Oviedo Outlook published in 1979 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of Oviedo, Florida. The newspaper begins with a brief history of Oviedo, followed by articles devoted to important members of the community, including Evelyn Cheek Lundy and John Lundy, Thad Lee Lingo, Jr. and Lacy Aire Lingo, Clare Wheeler Evans, Wayne Jacobs and Karen Jansen Jacobs, Thomas Moon, Marguerite Partin, Frank Wheeler, Katherine Lawton, Tom Estes, Ed Yarborough and Ima Jean Bostick Yarborough, Virginia Balkcom Mikler, Paul Mikler, Sparks Lingo Ridenour and John Ridenour, Ray "Rex" Clonts and Thelma Lee Clonts, Jean Jordan and Harold Jordan, the Malcolm family, Edward Duda, Penny Mitchem Olliff and Leon Olliff, Louise Wheeler Martin and Bill Martin, Miriam "Mimi" Wheeler Bruce and Douglas Allen, Viola Smith, and Cay Westerfield.
Original 28-page booklet: The Oviedo Outlook: Centennial Edition, 1979: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
First Methodist Church of Oviedo, Oviedo, Florida
St. Luke's Lutheran Church, Slavia, Oviedo, Florida
History of the First Baptist Church, Oviedo, Florida: First 100 Years, 1869-1969
A history of the First Baptist Church of Oviedo from its founding in 1869 to its centennial celebration in 1969. The book begins with a brief history of the Central Florida area, followed by a history of Oviedo. The first service for the First Baptist Church was led by Reverend W. G. Powell on the property of W. H. Luther, located along Lake Jessup Avenue. The first church building was made of wood and was located on what was the property of Lois Ruddell at the time that this book was written. The old building served the church until 1887, later became the house of the Beasley family, and was finally torn down. A new wooden church building was erected in 1887 and remained in use until 1926. The brick church building constructed later on is still in use by CrossLife Church.
Original 32-page booklet: History of the First Baptist Church, Oviedo, Florida: First 100 Years, 1869-1969, 1969: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
The Nelson and Company Packing Plant, located in what is now the Nelson and Company Historic District, in 1979. The company was Originally founded by Steen Nelson and Gus Nelson and called Nelson Brothers. The company changed its name to Nelson and Company after it became a three-way partnership between the brothers and Benjamin Franklin Wheeler. In 1923, Wheeler became sole owner after buying out the company. The 80-acre historic district was incorporated in September of 2001 and encompasses four of Nelson and Company's historic buildings.
Original black and white photograph, 1979: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
Nelson and Company Packing Plant, Downtown Oviedo, Florida
Thomas Willington Lawton and Winborn Joseph Lawton, Sr. at the Lawton General Store
Thomas Willington Lawton (1882-1963) and his brother, Winborn Joseph Lawton, Sr. (1881-1971), at the Lawton General Store in Oviedo, Florida. T. W. Lawton graduated from Rollins College in 1903. He later received his master's degree from Andover Newton College in Boston, Massachusetts. Following college, Lawton returned to Oviedo, where he married Charlotte "Lottie" Lee (1887-1984) and served as the principal of the Oviedo School from 1905 to 1907. In 1916, he became the first elected Superintendent of Schools of Seminole County. He held that post until 1952 and passed away 11 years later in 1963. Lawton Elementary School is named in his honor. W. J. Lawton, Sr. served as a trustee of the First Baptist Church of Oviedo, as well as a secretary and treasurer for the church's Sunday school. He graduated from Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, in 1900. Lawton married Lillian Della Lee (ca. 1883-1977) and had four children: Elizabeth Lawton Laney, Kathryn Lawton, John. K. Lawton, and Winborn Joseph Lawton, Jr. Lawton was in the mercantile business, worked as an insurance agent, and grew citrus.
Original black and white photograph: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
A Fourth of July barbecue at Sweetwater Park, located at 201 East Magnolia Street in Oviedo, Florida. Theodore Luqueer Mead and his wife, Edith Katharine Antill Edwards Mead, donated five acres of wooded hammock land to be used for the park. The Oviedo Woman's Club (OWC) Originally spent a number of years trying to develop the park, but ultimately deferred the project to the Town of Oviedo. The OWC later donated benches to the park in 1950. The event was hosted by American Legion Post 243 to raise funds for a chlorinator for the town swimming pool. Post 243 is currently located at A491 West Broadway Street. The American Legion is a social veterans' organization for former and current members of the United States Armed Forces. The organization was chartered by the United States Congress on September 16, 1919, following World War I. The American Legion has been active in influencing political and social change, such as the founding of the U.S. Veterans Bureau, which was the forerunner of the Veterans Administration and later the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA); efforts to pass a constitutional amendment prohibiting the physical desecration of the American flag; the creation of the American Legion Baseball program; the passing of the Servicemen's Readjustment Act, commonly known as the GI Bill of Rights; contributing to the launch of the National Association for Mental Health; sponsorship of an independent study on the effects of the exposure of Agent Orange, a herbicidal weapon, on veterans of the Vietnam War; as well as many other activities and achievements.
Northbound on Central Avenue in Downtown Oviedo, Florida, in 1974. A number of businesses can be seen in the photograph, including Oviedo Florists, located at 40 West Broadway Street; Oviedo City Cleaners, Inc., located at 30 West Broadway Street, and Citizens Bank of Oviedo, located at 156 Geneva Drive. Oviedo City Cleaners was established on April 5, 1976, with Frances A. Crews as its Director. The company filed for dissolution on September 26, 2008. Citizens Bank of Oviedo opened on July 1, 1946. The land on which the bank sits was Originally the Bill Browning celery farm. The Citizens Bank of Oviedo took in over half a million dollars in deposits on its first day, with B. F. Wheeler as president and Charles Shaffer as the cashier. Citizens' Bank of Oviedo is now the Citizens' Bank of Florida with locations throughout Seminole County.
Original color newspaper photograph, 1974: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
Oviedo City Cleaners, Inc., Oviedo, Florida
The Memorial Building, located at 38 South Central Avenue in Downtown Oviedo, Florida, in 1974. The building was dedicated during the tenure of Mayor Lee Gary in honor of Oviedo's veterans. At the time that the photograph was taken, the Memorial Building housed Oviedo City Hall, which include the Mayor's Office, the City Clerk's Office, the Oviedo Water Department, the Oviedo Municipal Court, and the Oviedo Police Department. The city hall and the police department are now located at 400 Alexandria Boulevard. The Memorial Building is currently being used for event rentals.
A map of Lake Charm, a 19-acre lake located in the Lake Jesup Watershed of Oviedo, Florida, sometime between 1865 and 1870. The map shows mostly orange groves and farmland owned by a handful of individuals: Walter Gwynn, Dr. Henry Foster, Mary E. Foster, and Catherine M. Remington. Walter Gwynn (1828-1897), comptroller for the State of Florida, bought the land south of Lake Jesup in 1859 and built his home on Lake Charm in 1868. His daughter, Martha Gwynn, is credited with naming the lake. In 1870, Dr. Henry Foster migrated to Lake Charm from New York and began growing oranges. He later developed the area as a resort in the 1880s.
Original map: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
Old Downtown Oviedo, Florida. The Timucuan Native Americans Originally inhabited the area of present-day Oviedo, although the remains of their settlements have disappeared. Homesteaders arrived along the shores of Lake Jesup in 1865 just after the Civil War ended and began growing celery and citrus. The area was called the Lake Jesup Community until March 13, 1879, when postmaster Andrew Aulin, a Swedish immigrant, chose the name Oviedo.
Joe Lee on Charles Simeon Lee's Celery Farm
Joe Lee, an African-American laborer, with Blue Goose celery at Charles Simeon Lee, Sr.'s farm in Oviedo, Florida, in 1928. The two Lees were of no relation. C. S. Lee (1892-1991) was born on October 27, 1892, and married Goldie Eva Beckley Lee (1892-1976) on April 21, 1915. During the Great Depression, Lee grew celery and bought 20,000 acres to start a cattle ranch. He passed away on November 9, 1991.
Original black and white photograph, 1928: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
The Oviedo band at a Sunday school picnic at White's Wharf, located near Lake Jesup in Oviedo, Florida, in 1911. Some of the individuals appearing in the photograph are Cater Lawton, Karl Graff, Hugh White, bandmaster Stuman, John McCulley, McKnight, Joe Leinhart, McKnight, Edward McCall; Henry Bun McCall, Charles Lee, and Seaboard Air Line Railroad agent Koppel. White's Wharf marks the approximate location where John Bartram and William Bartram camped during their excursion along the St. Johns River in 1765-1766. William g. White migrated to the area in the late 1870s and built a store here in 1879. White moved his store to Orlando in the 1880s. The site was also known as Clifton Springs, which is a name in honor of the hometown of Dr. Henry Foster, a wealthy grower from Lake Charm in Oviedo. Many Oviedo residents used the site as the location for their annual May picnics, which began in 1880. The picnics were hosted by a joint committee of the local Baptist and Methodist churches. The wharf is now known as Hiley's Fish Camp.
Original black and white photograph, December 13, 1911: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
Laura Agusta Barnett Lee (1851-1940), who migrated to the Oviedo area from Columbia County, Florida. Barnett married James Hiram Lee, Sr. (1844-1920), a veteran of the Confederate military, in 1867 and the couple settled near Lake Charm in the Lake Jesup community (present-day Oviedo) in 1874. Her husband served as an Orange County Commissioner, before Seminole County was established. The county courthouse was constructed in 1892, while Lee was chairman of the commission. Together, the Lees had nine children, including William "Wiley" Lee (1869-1905); John Theodore Lee (1871-1959); Mary Louise Lee (1876-1877); Annie Ethel Lee Carter; James Hiram Lee, Jr. (1890-1959); Charles Simeon Lee (1892-1991), George Lee Wheeler, and Lillian Della Lee Lawton (ca. 1883-1977).
Photocopy of original black and white photograph: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
James Hiram Lee, Sr. (1844-1920). a veteran of the Confederate military. Lee served as an Orange County Commissioner, before Seminole County was established. The county courthouse was constructed in 1892, while Lee was chairman of the commission. Lee's wife, Laura, migrated from Columbia County to Oviedo and married Lee in 1867. The couple settled near Lake Charm in the Lake Jesup community (present-day Oviedo) in 1874 and had nine children, including William "Wiley" Lee (1869-1905); John Theodore Lee (1871-1959); Mary Louise Lee (1876-1877); Annie Ethel Lee Carter; James Hiram Lee, Jr. (1890-1959); Charles Simeon Lee (1892-1991), George Lee Wheeler, and Lillian Della Lee Lawton (ca. 1883-1977).
T. W. Lawton Elementary School, located at 151 Graham Avenue in Oviedo, Florida. Originally called the T. W. Lawton Elementary School, the one-room schoolhouse was first constructed in 1876 in order to serve the three families that lived on Old Orlando Road, near Bear Bully. Julia Golden was the first teacher and most of the students were African Americans. When one of the families moved to Clonts Quarters during the first year, the school moved with them. In 1899, the school was moved to the middle of town. In 1922, Seminole County built a four-room brick schoolhouse with an auditorium seating 75-80. White students attended the new schoolhouse, while black students remained at the original school, then called Oviedo Colored Elementary School and later renamed Jackson Heights. In 1923, the new school had its first graduating class. H. J. Laney was the school principal at the time that this photograph was taken and Thelma Lee Clonts, the contributor of the picture, was beginning her education at the school with Katy Walken as her teacher. The school's name was later changed to T. W. Lawton Elementary School and is now known as Lawton Elementary School.
Original color photographs: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
Robert Floyd King and Minnie Lee King at a Black Hammock Celery Field
Robert Floyd King and Minnie Lee King (ca. 1918-2002) at a celery field in Black Hammock, an area in Oviedo, Florida, in the early 1920s, when Minnie was four or five. Minnie graduated from Oviedo High School in 1936 and later married George C. Means. As an active members of the community Minnie Lee King Means helped organize the Oviedo Garden Club and the Oviedo Historical Society. She was also a member of the Oviedo Woman's Club. Minnie's husband was a salesman for the Wheeler Fertilizer Company from 1947 to 1985.
The Whitney-Wolcott House, located at 6297 Lake Charm Circle, near Lake Charm in Oviedo, Florida. After buying property from Dr. Henry Foster in 1886, Calvin Whitney built his Victorian Revival-style, two-story winter home near Lake Charm. Whitney, who was the president of the A.B. Chase Piano Company, partnered with Dr. Foster in 1889-1890 to form the Lake Charm Improvement Company, which built a bulkhead, drained from the lake, and removed muck from the bottom. Whitney and Dr. Foster hired a Philadelphia-based mason to construct a sidewalk around the lake. The home was later owned by O. Gus Wolcott. Another well-known inhabitant of the house was Wyatt Wyatt, author of Catching Fire and Deep in the Heart, in the 1990s.
James Hiram Lee, Jr. and Charles Simeon Lee with Friends
James Hiram Lee, Jr. (1890-1959) and Charles Simeon Lee (1892-1991), sons of James Hiram Lee, Sr. (1844-1920) and Laura Agusta Barnett Lee (1851-1940), with other children in Oviedo, Florida. C. S. Lee was born on October 27, 1892, and married Goldie Eva Beckley Lee (1892-1976) on April 21, 1915. During the Great Depression, Lee grew celery and bought 20,000 acres to start a cattle ranch. He passed away on November 9, 1991. Other boys seen in the photograph include blue Anderson, Joe Leinhart, a McKnight boy, Cater Lawton, Robert Lawton, William Clark, and Fred Poiller.
The Lee Family on the front porch of their home along Lake Charm in Oviedo, Florida. Photographed standing, from left to right, are Lillian Della Lee (ca. 1883-1977); William "Wiley" Lee (1869-1905); John Theodore Lee (1871-1959); George Lee; B. F. Wheeler; and James Hiram Lee, Sr. (1844-1920). Seated in the photograph are Annie Ethel Lee; Laura Agusta Barnett Lee (1851-1940); James Hiram Lee, Jr. (1890-1959); and Charlotte "Lottie" Lee (1887-1984). The family patriarch, James Hiram Lee, Sr., was a veteran of the Confederate military, Lee served as an Orange County Commissioner, before Seminole County was established. The county courthouse was constructed in 1892, while Lee was chairman of the commission. Lee's wife, Laura, migrated from Columbia County to Oviedo and married Lee in 1867. The couple settled near Lake Charm in the Lake Jesup community (present-day Oviedo) in 1874 and had nine children. Wiley Lee married Fannie Vaughan Lee (1873-1944) and later committed suicide in 1905. James, Jr. served in the military during World War I. Lottie married Thomas Willington Lawton (1882-1963), the first elected Superintendent of Schools of Seminole County. Lillian married Winborn Joseph Lawton, Sr. (1881-1971), who served as a trustee of the First Baptist Church of Oviedo, a secretary and treasurer for the church's Sunday school, an insurance agent, and a citrus grower. She was also a charter member and the former present of the Oviedo Woman's Club (OWC), the former president of the Woman's Missionary Society, and a lifelong member of the First United Methodist Church of Oviedo. Annie married Walter Pascal Carter (1879-1939). George married Benjamin Franklin Wheeler, a prominent citrus grower, celery cultivator, and politician.
T. W. Lawton Elementary School, located at 151 Graham Avenue in Oviedo, Florida, in 1931. Originally called the T. W. Lawton Elementary School, the one-room schoolhouse was first constructed in 1876 in order to serve the three families that lived on Old Orlando Road, near Bear Gully. Julia Golden was the first teacher and most of the students were African Americans. When one of the families moved to Clonts Quarters during the first year, the school moved with them. In 1899, the school was moved to the middle of town. In 1922, Seminole County built a four-room brick schoolhouse with an auditorium seating 75-80. White students attended the new schoolhouse, while black students remained at the original school, then called Oviedo Colored Elementary School and later renamed Jackson Heights. In 1923, the new school had its first graduating class. H. J. Laney was the school principal at the time that this photograph was taken and Thelma Lee Clonts, the contributor of the picture, was beginning her education at the school with Katy Walken as her teacher. The school's name was later changed to T. W. Lawton Elementary School and is now known as Lawton Elementary School.
Photocopy of original black and white photograph, October 1, 1931: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
A Sunday school picnic at White's Wharf, located near Lake Jesup in Oviedo, Florida, in 1910. Some of the individuals appearing in the photograph are J. C. Brainan, J. H. Lee, Olauc Howard-Huret, Frank Anderson, Sid Brown and his wife, H. B. McCall, and Hugh White. White's Wharf marks the approximate location where John Bartram and William Bartram camped during their excursion along the St. Johns River in 1765-1766. William G. White migrated to the area in the late 1870s and built a store here in 1879. White moved his store to Orlando in the 1880s. The site was also known as Clifton Springs, which is a name in honor of the hometown of Dr. Henry Foster, a wealthy grower from Lake Charm in Oviedo. Many Oviedo residents used the site as the location for their annual May picnics, which began in 1880. The picnics were hosted by a joint committee of the local Baptist and Methodist churches. The wharf is now known as Hiley's Fish Camp.
Original black and white photograph, November 12, 1910: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
The Nelson and Company Packing Plant, located in what is now the Nelson and Company Historic District. The company was Originally founded by Steen Nelson and Gus Nelson and called Nelson Brothers. The company changed its name to Nelson and Company after it became a three-way partnership between the brothers and Benjamin Franklin Wheeler. In 1923, Wheeler became sole owner after buying out the company. The 80-acre historic district was incorporated in September of 2001 and encompasses four of Nelson and Company's historic buildings.
The Oviedo Depot, located at 636 South Lake Jessup Road in Oviedo, Florida, in 1975. The depot was Originally constructed at 520 South Lake Jessup Avenue in 1886 as part of the Henry Bradley Plant railroad system. The design of the depot was based on the design standards set by the Plant System. This standardized system for the Florida lines had three depot styles based on the population of the town or city it serviced. The Oviedo design was the small town wooden depot design, as opposed to the larger cities that had brick depots. The depot was later moved to its present location at 636 South Lake Jessup Road. During World War II, the roof of the depot was used as guide for patrolling planes that flew out of Sanford Airport. Along with the depot, there was Originally a red warehouse for the produce and a water tank used for the train engines. In the 1970s, the depot was sold to the Connolly family, which chose to preserve it from demolition. The depot now sits on the Connolly's property as a guesthouse and its exterior is fully restored.
Chuluota Baptist Church Sixty-Fifth Anniversary
A history of the Chuluota Baptist Church from its founding to its 65th anniversary in 1939. The congregation's first services were held in November of 1874 in the home of W. C. Jacobs with Reverend R. W. Lawton and Reverend George Gandez leading religious services. Many of the church's founding congregants were migrants from Whiteville, North Carolina. The church was officially founded two months later as Harmony Baptist Church on January 8, 1875. A log church was constructed about one mile east of Chuluota, near Lake Pickett. In 1883, church meetings were moved to a schoolhouse near the southern portion of Chuluota. A new church building was built and dedicated as Harmony Baptist Church of Chuluota, located at 201 Lake Mills Road, in 1888. The Sunday school was established on November 10, 1889. Construction for a new concrete building began in 1955 and was dedicated in 1956. An education wing was added in 1961. The church is now known as the First Baptist Church of Chuluota.
Original typewritten document, November 16, 1939: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
Harmony Baptist Church, Chuluota, Florida
Chuluota Baptist Church, Chuluota, Florida
Old Downtown Oviedo, Florida, looking east from the intersection of Broadway Street/County Road 419/Florida State Road 426 and Florida State Road 434/Florida State Road 419. A Coca-Cola sign can be seen the right side of the photograph. The two-story building on the left was later replaced by the Townhouse Restaurant, which is located at 9 East Broadway Street.
Seaboard Air Line Railroad Train in Black Hammock
A Seaboard Air Line Railroad (SAL) train in Black Hammock of Oviedo, Florida, on May 25, 1927. The train was shipping Sunrise and Big Win brands of celery. Oviedo's earliest settlers grew citrus and celery on the area's mucky, rich topsoil. While citrus was the dominant crop for sometime, celery took the lead after the Great Freeze of 1894-1895, which destroyed many citrus groves in the Central Florida area. Oviedo's celery industry flourished, especially during World War II, and thus contributed to Central Florida's unprecedented growth and development during that period.
Original black and white photograph, May 25, 1927: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
Charles Simeon Lee on Lettuce Farm in Black Hammock
Charles Simeon Lee (1892-1991) on his lettuce farm in Black Hammock, an area along Lake Jesup in Oviedo known for its groves, farms, and nurseries. Early settlers to the area grew citrus, celery, lettuce, and other vegetables on Oviedo's mucky, rich topsoil. A farmer and the youngest son of Orange County Commissioner James Hiram Lee, Sr. (1844-1920) and Laura Agusta Barnett Lee (1851-1940). Lee was born on October 27, 1892, and married Goldie Eva Beckley Lee (1892-1976) on April 21, 1915. During the Great Depression, Lee grew celery and bought 20,000 acres to start a cattle ranch. He passed away on November 9, 1991.
Three African-American farm workers on a celery field in Oviedo's Black Hammock. Oviedo's earliest settlers grew citrus and celery on the area's mucky, rich topsoil. While citrus was the dominant crop for some time, celery took the lead after the Great Freeze of 1894-1895, which destroyed many citrus groves in the Central Florida area. Oviedo's celery industry flourished, especially during World War II, and thus contributed to Central Florida's unprecedented growth and development during that period.
The Dance Floor at Sweetwater Park, located at 201 East Magnolia Street in Oviedo, Florida, circa 1942. In 1926, Theodore Luqueer Mead and his wife, Edith Katharine Antill Edwards Mead, donated five acres of wooded hammock land to be used for the park. The Oviedo Woman's Club (OWC) Originally spent a number of years trying to develop the park, but ultimately deferred the project to the Town of Oviedo. The OWC later donated benches to the park in 1950.
Lake Charm Fruit Company Packing House, 1942
The Lake Charm Fruit Company Packing House, located along Geneva Road, on the south side of County Road 419 in Oviedo, Florida, in 1942. The Lake Charm Fruit Co. was established on January 22, 1923. Although the backside of the photograph states that the packing house burned down in the 1970s, it was actually destroyed in a fire in 1961. The company officially dissolved on October 21, 1974.
Original black and white photograph, 1942: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
Lake Charm Fruit Company Packing House, Oviedo, Florida
Looking west along East Broadway Street towards Central Avenue in Oviedo, Florida. The shops in the photograph include a pet food and supply store, Pot Latch, a barber shop, and Albert's Jewelers, which was located at 24 East Broadway Street.
Oviedo Drug and Meat World, two local stores located in Oviedo, Florida, in 1979. The two stores were located on the corner of East Broadway Street/County Road 419 and Florida State Road 426.
Oviedo Florists and Oviedo City Cleaners, Inc.
The intersection of Broadway Street and Central Avenue in Downtown Oviedo, Florida. Oviedo Florists was located on the corner of the intersection at 40 West Broadway Street, with Oviedo City Cleaners, Inc. just next door at 30 West Broadway Street. The laundromat was established on April 5, 1976, with Frances A. Crews as its Director. The company filed for dissolution on September 26, 2008.
Original black and white photograph: Oviedo Historical Society, Downtown Oviedo, Florida.
Oviedo Florists, Downtown Oviedo, Florida
Oviedo City Cleaners, Inc., Downtown Oviedo, Florida
Browdy's Mini-Mart, a convenience store located at the north side of the intersection of Avenue B and East Broadway Street/County Road 419 in Downtown Oviedo, Florida.
Browdy's Mini-Mart, Downtown Oviedo, Florida
Whitaker's Old Country Store, a junk resale store located on East Broadway Street across the street from the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, near the old railroad tracks of the Orlando-Winter Park Railroad, also known as the Dinky Line.
Whitaker's Old Country Store, Downtown Oviedo, Florida
Homestead Documentation for Henry Jackson
The homestead documentation for Henry Jackson. Jackson, an African American raised by a white family, homesteaded 40 acres on both sides of Long Lake in Oviedo, Florida. The area became a predominantly black settlement, now known as Jackson Heights. For 25 years he worked for Oliver P. Swope and N. F. Lezette clearing land.
Original homestead document: Private Collection of Kathy Parry.
Henry Jackson Homestead, Jackson Heights, Oviedo, Florida
Homestead Documentation for Colnel B. Holmes
The homestead documentation for Colnel B. Holmes. Holmes' homestead was located in Oviedo, Florida. According to the documentation, Holmes was born in Marietta, Georgia, and grew potatoes and corn were on his homestead. Little else is known of this homesteader.
Homestead Documentation for Benjamin James
The homestead documentation for Benjamin James. James' homestead was located in the southwestern portion of present-day Oviedo. James was born Savannah, Georgia, and migrated to Hastings, Florida, where he met his wife, Esther James. The couple married on January 24, 1913, at what then was called The Woods, on the eastern side of the town of Gabriella, near Bear Gully Lake. The couple had nine children, in addition to the four children from Esther's previous marriage. On July 8, 1921, James filed a homestead for 160 acres for his growing family at The Woods. Following a hurricane devastated Miami on September 11, 1926, the James family opened their property to Floridians left homeless in the aftermath. These refugees became the first settlers of the Jamestown and included Bob and Flossie Wells, George and Nettie Davis, and Morris J. "Preacher" and Margaret Williams, the Nails, the Olivers, the Perrys, the Bryants, the Evans, the Brannons, the Walkers, and the Ryans. James is the only African American to have a Central Florida town named after him.
Benjamin James Homestead, Jamestown, Oviedo, Florida
R. W. Estes Celery Company Ledger, 1947-1950
An account ledger for the R. W. Estes Celery Company, Estes' personal accounts, and the personal accounts of Estes' wife, Ruth H. Estes. R. W. Estes Celery Company was a celery growing and shipping business in Oviedo, Florida. The R. W. Estes Celery Company Precooler Historic District is located at 159 North Central Avenue and was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on September 20, 2001.
Original ledger: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
R. W. Estes Celery Company, Oviedo, Florida
Antioch Missionary Baptist Church of Oviedo
The Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, located at 311 East Broadway Street in Oviedo, Florida, sometime between 1875 and 1950. In 1875, members of the African-American community came together to build a small place of worship. Adjacent to the church was a traditional one room "Red School House." By 1913, another room was added due to the increase in students. In the "little room," first through fourth grades were taught, while fifth through eighth grades were taught in the "big room." By 1923, the building had begun to deteriorate and $2,000 were appropriated to renovate. However, plans were made to purchase a building that was formerly used for white students on South Division Street. For 10 years, three teachers taught with little to no resources. By 1950, a number of classrooms were added and the ninth and tenth grades were added to the school. During the 1950s, all of the Oviedo area colored schools were consolidated. A new site was built where the younger grades were held, while the older grades remained at the old site. The school went through a variety of names: Orange Academy, Seminole Academy, Oviedo Junior High School, and Oviedo Elementary School. On December 8, 1961, the Seminole County School Board officially approved the name chosen by students and the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) members: Jackson Heights.
Original black and white photograph: The World Outside Reunion, "A Written and Pictorial History of the Oviedo Area Colored Schools": Judith Smith Publishing: Private Collection of Ida Boston.
Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, Oviedo, Florida
An oral history of Ida Boston, conducted by Porsha Dossie on April 18, 2015. Boston is a resident of Oviedo, Florida, and a retired school bus driver for the Seminole County Public Schools. In 1956, she married her husband, Russell Boston, who is the grandson of Prince Butler Boston, a leading figure in Oviedo's black community. In this oral history, Boston discusses the legacy of Prince Butler Boston, establishing a colored cemetery, funding colored schools in the Oviedo area, and the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church. Boston also discusses black life in Oviedo, including membership in the Oviedo Citizens in Action Committee (OCIAC), which desegregated public places in Oviedo and fought for integration of Oviedo's schools.
Boston, Ida. Interviewed by Porsha Dossie, April 18, 2015. Audio/video record available. Oviedo History Harvest, Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
RICHES of Central Florida
Home of the Boston Family, Oviedo, Florida
Home of Prince Butler Boston, Oviedo, Florida
In Memory of Harry "Big Newt" Boston, Sr.
This is the dedication from former members of the Oviedo Black Hawks baseball team for Harry "Big Newt" Homer, Sr. Boston, who was an integral part of Oviedo's African-American community. Originally from Valdosta, Georgia, he graduate from Valdosta State College (now Valdosta State University). After college, he joined the U,S, Army, where he served as a medic during World War II. After migrating to Oviedo, Florida, Boston built a baseball diamond where local black youths played. The teams were known as the Oviedo Black Hawks for boys and Oviedo Lady Black Hawks for girls. On his bus, affectionately nicknamed the "Big Newt Bus," Boston would take the teams to games across Florida and other states as far north as Tennessee. The City of Oviedo honored him by naming Boston Hill Park, located at 777 South Central Avenue, in his honor. On May 21, 1994, the city also proclaimed that date Harry "Big Newt" Boston Day. Boston passed away on October 3 of that same year at the Winter Park Memorial Hospital in Winter Park.
Original 4-page pamphlet by the Oviedo Black Hawks, May 2000: Private Collection of Jacqueline Morgan.
The funeral program for Harry "Big Newt" Homer, Sr. Boston, who was an integral part of Oviedo's African-American community. Originally from Valdosta, Georgia, he graduate from Valdosta State College (now Valdosta State University). After college, he joined the U,S, Army, where he served as a medic during World War II. After migrating to Oviedo, Florida, Boston built a baseball diamond where local black youths played. The teams were known as the Oviedo Black Hawks for boys and Oviedo Lady Black Hawks for girls. On his bus, affectionately nicknamed the "Big Newt Bus," Boston would take the teams to games across Florida and other states as far north as Tennessee. The City of Oviedo honored him by naming Boston Hill Park, located at 777 South Central Avenue, in his honor. On May 21, 1994, the city also proclaimed that date Harry "Big Newt" Boston Day. Boston passed away on October 3 of that same year at the Winter Park Memorial Hospital in Winter Park.
Original 6-fold program, 1994: Private Collection of Jacqueline Morgan.
Golden's Funeral Homes, Inc., Winter Park, Florida
The transcription of a eulogy given by Harry H. Boston, Jr. after the death of his father, Harry "Big Newt" Homer, Sr. Boston, who was an integral part of Oviedo's African-American community. Originally from Valdosta, Georgia, he graduate from Valdosta State College (now Valdosta State University). After college, he joined the U.S. Army, where he served as a medic during World War II. After migrating to Oviedo, Florida, Boston built a baseball diamond where local black youths played. The teams were known as the Oviedo Black Hawks for boys and Oviedo Lady Black Hawks for girls. On his bus, affectionately nicknamed the "Big Newt Bus," Boston would take the teams to games across Florida and other states as far north as Tennessee. The City of Oviedo honored him by naming Boston Hill Park, located at 777 South Central Avenue, in his honor. On May 21, 1994, the city also proclaimed that date Harry "Big Newt" Boston Day. Boston passed away on October 3 of that same year at the Winter Park Memorial Hospital in Winter Park.
Original 1-page typed transcription by Harry H. Boston, Jr., 1994: Private Collection of Jacqueline Morgan.
Intersection at Lockwood Boulevard and East Mitchell Hammock Road
Lockwood Boulevard was a dirt road until 1990, when the City of Oviedo and the Anden Group, a local developer, paved Mitchell Hammock Road between Florida State Road 426 and Lockwood Boulevard, in order to alleviate traffic congestion due to the growth of the Alafaya Woods and Twin Rivers developments. Construction began in 1989 and was completed in 1990. Since 1990, the pasture and woodland that surrounded Longwood Boulevard have become the Twin Rivers development and golf course, as well as Riverside Park.
Original 3 x 5 inch color photographs by Karen Jacobs, 1989: Private Collection of Karen Jacobs.
Lockwood Boulevard and East Mitchell Hammock Road, Oviedo, Florida
Mitchell Hammock Road when it was being paved in 1989. Oviedo City Council members signed a deal with Seminole County officials and a developer to pave Mitchell Hammock Road and turn it into a major highway. The developer, the Anden Group, paid for the road to be paved from Lockwood Road to Florida State Road 426. The City of Oviedo would pay for the addition of two lanes. Developing Mitchell Hammock became a priority because of the development of the Twin Rivers and Alafaya Woods communities by the Anden Group, which would generate a huge amount of traffic congestion, thus necessitating pavement.
East Mitchell Hammock Road, Oviedo, Florida
Mitchell Hammock Road in 1990, just after being paved. Oviedo City Council members signed a deal with Seminole County officials and a developer to pave Mitchell Hammock Road and turn it into a major highway. The developer, the Anden Group, paid for the road to be paved from Lockwood Road to Florida State Road 426. The City of Oviedo would pay for the addition of two lanes. Developing Mitchell Hammock became a priority because of the development of the Twin Rivers and Alafaya Woods communities by the Anden Group, which would generate a huge amount of traffic congestion, thus necessitating pavement.
Original 3 x 5 inch color photographs by Karen Jacobs, 1990: Private Collection of Karen Jacobs.
Mitchell Hammock Road when it was an unpaved dirt road in Oviedo, Florida, in 1989. Oviedo City Council members signed a deal with Seminole County officials and a developer to pave Mitchell Hammock Road and turn it into a major highway. The developer, the Anden Group, paid for the road to be paved from Lockwood Road to Florida State Road 426. The City of Oviedo would pay for the addition of two lanes. Developing Mitchell Hammock became a priority because of the development of the Twin Rivers and Alafaya Woods communities by the Anden Group, which would generate a huge amount of traffic congestion, thus necessitating pavement.
A newspaper article that examines Oviedo's growth through the creation of number of subdivisions, most notably Mead Manor. Named for horticulturalist Dr. Theodore Luqueer Mead, Mead Manor was developed by the Oviedo Land Company, which was formed by B. F. Wheeler, John Evans, Bill Martin, Ben Ward, Rex Clonts, Robert Lee, Bernie Blackwood, and Bob Williams. With the advent of Florida Technological University (present-day University of Central Florida) during the 1960s, development began in order to take advantage of the arrival of faculty and staff from the university. Mead Manor is credited with beginning the land development boom in Oviedo, leading to other residential subdivisions, such as Alafaya Woods and Grove Hill.
Photocopy of original newspaper article: "Oviedo." Homebuyer, Spring 2000: Private Collection of Colene Ward.
Ben Ward, Jr. at the Mead Manor subdivision in Downtown Oviedo, Florida. This photograph from a newspaper article about the history of Mead Manor and Ward, a real estate developer, and his involvement in the project, as well as other ongoing development projects, such as Grove Hill. Named for horticulturalist Dr. Theodore Luqueer Mead, Mead Manor was developed by the Oviedo Land Company, which was formed by B. F. Wheeler, John Evans, Bill Martin, Ben Ward, Rex Clonts, Robert Lee, Bernie Blackwood, and Bob Williams. With the advent of Florida Technological University (present-day University of Central Florida) during the 1960s, development began in order to take advantage of the arrival of faculty and staff from the university. Mead Manor is credited with beginning the land development boom in Oviedo, leading to other residential subdivisions, such as Alafaya Woods and Grove Hill.
Photocopy of original 4 x 3 inch black and white newspaper photograph: Private Collection of Colene Ward.
A newspaper photograph published by The Oviedo Outlook on July 7, 1971. This photograph shows a car stuck in a ditch off of Florida State Road 426 in Slavia, Florida. According to the caption, the driver's car slipped off the road when it was raining.
Original newspaper article: "...And Another Learns His Lesson." The Oviedo Outlook, Vol. 1, No. 3, July 7, 1971: Private Collection of Dan Beistel.
The Oviedo Outlook
A newspaper article published by The Oviedo Outlook on July 7, 1971. This article reports that the Oviedo City Police Department will begin to have 24-hour police protection.
Original newspaper article: "Oviedo with 24 Hour Police Protection." The Oviedo Outlook, Vol. 1, No. 3, July 7, 1971: Private Collection of Dan Beistel.
Oviedo City Police Department, Oviedo, Florida
A newspaper article published by The Oviedo Outlook on July 7, 1971. This article discusses the Seminole-Goldenrod Fire Association membership drive. Goldenrod formed its volunteer fire department in the 1950s with its own trucks and erected a building on Palmetto Avenue in Goldenrod, Florida, to serve both Orange County and Seminole County residents. Around 1969, Orange County established a fire department at that location at 4755 Palmetto Avenue. In order to service the Seminole County residents of Goldenrod, the volunteer fire department moved to this location and became the Seminole-Goldenrod Volunteer Fire Department. The location was later taken over by Seminole County and renamed the Seminole County Fire Station 23.
Original newspaper article: Mathers, Marilyn. "Fire Association to Begin Drive." The Oviedo Outlook, Vol. 1, No. 3, July 7, 1971: Private Collection of Dan Beistel.
Seminole-Goldenrod Volunteer Fire Department, Goldenrod, Florida
A newspaper article published by The Oviedo Outlook on July 7, 1971. This article is the publication of an open letter by Oviedo High School band director, Richard A. Feinberg, asking for donations for the marching band. The article also outlines upcoming football games and marching band performances. Oviedo High School is a Seminole County Public School located in Oviedo, Florida. Originally called the Oviedo School, the institution was first established in 1922 as a K-12 school. In 1948, the secondary grades separated from the elementary school. The upper grade levels formed Oviedo High School and moved to the campus at 601 King Street. Oviedo High School is notable for The Lion's Tale, the award-winning school newspaper recognized by various national and state scholastic press associations; its high ratings from the Governor's A+ Plan for Education; and its successful athletics programs.
Original newspaper article: Feinberg, Richard A.. "Patron Donations Help Band." The Oviedo Outlook, Vol. 1, No. 3, July 7, 1971: Private Collection of Dan Beistel.
Mr. and Mrs. Ed Hayslett Win Freezer and Beef
A newspaper article published by The Oviedo Outlook on July 7, 1971. This article is about Oviedo's Fourth of July celebration that took place the previous weekend. According to the article, Mr. and Mrs. Ed Hayslett of Chuluota, Florida, won a General Electric freezer and a side of beef. A number of businesses and local community members participated in the celebration and sponsored a several games and prizes.
Original newspaper article: "Mr. and Mrs. Ed Hayslett Win Freezer and Beef." The Oviedo Outlook, Vol. 1, No. 3, July 7, 1971: Private Collection of Dan Beistel.
John Courier Field, Oviedo High School, Oviedo, Florida