Edward Bok (1863-1930) retired to the town of Lake Wales, located south of Orlando. Bok set out a plan to establish a natural garden and bird sanctuary where people to visit to quietly enjoy nature. He engaged Frederick Law Olmstead, Jr. (1870-1957) to design the grounds and asked architect Milton Bennett Medary (1874-1929) to design and build a carillon tower. Lee Lawrie (1877-1963), a noted sculptor from New York, designed the elaborate marble sculpture that adorns the tower. Work was completed in 1928 and on February 1, 1929, President Calvin Coolidge dedicated the Sanctuary. Bok died less than a year later in 1930 and was buried at the foot of the tower.

The tower and the carillon housed inside is Bok Tower Gardens' most distinctive feature. The carillon consists of 60 bells, ranging in size from 16 pounds to just under 12 tons. The bells are played like an organ with the keys connected to the clappers of each bell. Bok Tower has had only three regular carillonneurs in its more than 70 years. The Sanctuary's first carillonneur was Anton Brees, serving as the only carillonneur from 1928 until 1967. Milford Myhre has been the resident carillonneur since 1968. William De Turk has been the assistant carillonneur since 1993. De Turk is also the librarian of the Anton Brees Carillon Library, which is reportedly the largest and most comprehensive carillon library in the world.]]>
Lake Wales Collection, Polk County Collection. RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>

Episode 2 examines the legacy of the Ocoee Race Riot and the efforts to commemorate the African-American experience in 21st-century Ocoee. This podcast includes interviews with William Maxwell of the Ocoee Human Relations Diversity Board.

The Ocoee Race Riot erupted on Election Day, November 2, 1920. Up to 56 African Americans were killed and many African-American buildings were razed. Those who survived were threatened or forced to leave. The riot began as a white mob responded to Moses Norman's persistence of voting in the presidential election. The mob also targeted Julius "July" Perry, a wealthy African-American farmer and contractor, who was believed to be hiding Norman.]]>
0:01:30 Martin Luther King Unity Parade and Celebration
0:02:50 Ocoee Race Riot
0:05:06 Cover-up by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
0:06:47 Post-riot racial tensions
0:08:32 How Ocoee has changed
0:09:17 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day parade
0:10:26 Reconciliation
0:11:48 Ocoee Human Relations Diversity Board
0:13:47 African-American cemetery
0:14:28 Tulsa Race Riot
0:15:26 Changing white perspective on the Ocoee Race Riot
0:16:30 Public knowledge and awareness
0:17:04 Addressing dark history
0:18:57 Conclusion]]>
RICHES Podcast Documentaries, Orlando, Florida.]]> RICHES]]> RICHES Podcast Documentaries, Orlando, Florida.]]> RICHES Podcast Documentaries, Orlando, Florida.]]> RICHES Podcast Documentaries Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES Podcast Documentaries, RICHES Podcast Update." RICHES of Central Florida. https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka2/items/show/2479.]]> QuickTime.]]> RICHES.]]> RICHES]]>