This Tree House Tops All
Oviedo (Fla.)
Treehouses
Cypresses
Trees--Florida
A newspaper article about farmer George M. Arie who built a treehouse off State Road 419 in an area known as Arie Corner. The article details how it moved the tree, built the treehouse and where he resided at the time of publication.
Frey, Bob
Original newspaper article: Frey, Bob. "This Tree House Tops All." <em>The Seminole Star</em>: Private Collection of Sue Blackwood.
<em>The Seminole Star</em>
Blackwood, Sue
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Arie Corner, Oviedo, Florida
Big Tree Park, the Oldest and Largest Cypress Tree in U.S.A. Postcard
Longwood (Fla.)
Parks--Florida
A photographic postcard featuring The Senator, the giant bald cypress tree that was once the oldest and largest cypress tree in the country. At the time that the photograph was taken, The Senator was 3,500 yers old, 126 feet and 3 inches tall, and 47 feet in circumference.<br /><br />As early as the late 1800s, this centuries-old tree was considered a tourist attraction, but it wasn't until 1927 that a park was established around the tree. Senator Moses O. Overstreet donated six acres of land, which included the tree, to Seminole County to establish a park with the stipulation that a road would be built to take visitors into the park. The generosity of Sen. Overstreet inspired residents to name the giant cypress tree "The Senator."<br /><br />Located at 761 General Hutchinson Parkway in present-day Longwood, Florida, the new park was named the Seminole Big Tree Park in honor of the main attraction. In 1929, President Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933) dedicated a bronze plaque at the site of the tree. The plaque was stolen in 1945, which would place this photograph sometime between 1940 and 1945. Based on a core sample taken by the American Forestry Association, The Senator was estimated to be 3500 years old in 1946. The Big Tree Park also features another giant cypress estimated to be 2000 years old. In 2005, local elementary students named the tree Lady Liberty. It was considered to be the companion tree to The Senator, as they were only 40 feet apart. The Senator continued to be a tourist attraction and local landmark until January 16, 2012, when it was lost in a fire.
Original 14 x 9 centimeter black and white photographic postcard: "Big Tree Park." <a href="http://library.ucf.edu/about/departments/special-collections-university-archives/" target="_blank">Special Collections & University Archives</a>, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.
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Seminole Big Tree Park, Longwood, Florida
A History of Central Florida, Episode 15: Cracker House
Architecture--Florida
Pioneers--Florida
Osceola County (Fla.)
Kissimmee (Fla.)
Episode 15 of A History of Central Florida podcasts: Cracker House. A History of Central Florida Podcast series explores Central Florida's history through the artifacts found in local area museums and historical societies. These podcasts can involve the participation or cooperation of local area partners.<br /><br />Episode 15 features the Lanier House, an exemplary structure of cracker architecture. This podcast also includes interviews with Dr. Mark Howard Long of the University of Central Florida, Dr. Ronald W. Haase of the University of Florida, David Haase, and Dr. Charlie Hailey of the University of Florida.
Clarke, Bob
Original 12-minute and 55-second podcast by Bob Clarke, 2014: "A History of Central Florida, Episode 15: Cracker House." <a href="http://riches.cah.ucf.edu/podcastsblog.php" target="_blank">A History of Central Florida</a>, Orlando, Florida.
<a href="http://riches.cah.ucf.edu/" target="_blank">RICHES</a>
Long, Mark Howard
Haase, Ronald W.
Haase, David
Hailey, Charlie
Cassanello, Robert
Ford, Chip
Gibson, Ella
Hazen, Kendra
Kelley, Katie
Velásquez, Daniel
DiBiase, Benjamin
<a href="http://osceolahistory.org/ochs1213/" target="_blank">Osceola County Welcome Center & History Museum</a>
<a href="http://www.floridamemory.com/" target="_blank">Florida Memory Project</a>
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Osceola County Welcome Center and History Museum, Kissimmee, Florida
Oral History of Harold Haldeman
Sawmills--United States
Maitland (Fla.)
Lumber industry
Cypress
Great Depression, 1929-1939
An oral history of Harold Haldeman, conducted by Daniel Motta on July 11, 2012. Haldeman was born on November 12, 1924, in Tampa, Florida, but spent much of his life in Osceola. In the interview, Haldeman discusses his childhood, migration to Osceola, the differences between Maitland and Osceola, the sawmill in Osceola, the lumber industry, race relations in Central Florida, the effect of the Great Depression and World War II on industry, the Geneva airfield, and education in Geneva during the Depression.
Motta, Daniel
Haldeman, Harold
Original oral history: Haldeman, Harold. Interviewed by Daniel Motta. July 11, 2012. <a href="http://www.seminolecountyfl.gov/departments-services/leisure-services/parks-recreation/museum-of-seminole-county-history/" target="_blank">Museum of Seminole County History</a>, Sanford, Florida.
Vickers, Savannah
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Tampa, Florida
Maitland, Florida
Osceola, Florida
University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
Seminole County Landfill, Geneva, Florida
Letter from Chase & Company to G. T. Smith (January 30, 1926)
Windermere (Fla.)
Chase and Company (Sanford, Fla.)
Winter Garden (Fla.)
An original letter of correspondence between one of the Chase & Company and G. T. Smith, chairman of the Light and Water Committee of Winter Garden, Florida. Topics discussed in the letter include the committee's request about utilizing the cypress trees at Isleworth Grove and Chase & Company's decline of the proposition.<br /><br />Chase & Company was established by brothers Sydney Octavius Chase and Joshua Coffin Chase in 1884. The company sold insurance and later invested in storage facilities and fertilizer sales. Chase & Company was known mainly for its agricultural interests and maintained a series of citrus groves throughout Central Florida. The company was based out of Sanford and became one of the city's largest employers into the early twentieth century. By 1886, the Chase brothers purchased several citrus groves to expand their business, including Isleworth Grove in Windermere, Florida. Isleworth Grove covered a total of 1,300 acres along the Butler Chain of Lakes. Between 1894 and 1895, Central Florida was hit by several freezes and most of the citrus crop was destroyed. Chase & Company did not grow citrus crops again until 1904 when Joshua came back from an extended stay in California. Between 1894 and 1900, different types of pesticide equipment was created, including equipment driven by steam, machines, and horses.Randall Chase joined in the family business soon after his brother, Sydney Chase, Jr., did in 1922. Randall became the president of Chase & Company from 1948-1965. The Isleworth property stayed in the Chase family until 1984 when Franklin Chase, the son of Sydney Chase, sold the property to famed golfer Arnold Palmer.
Chase, Joshua Coffin
Original letter from Chase & Company to G. T. Smith, January 30, 1926: box 49, folder 20.84, <a href="http://web.uflib.ufl.edu/spec/pkyonge/chase.htm" target="_blank">Chase Collection (MS 14)</a>, Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
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Isleworth Grove, Windermere, Florida
Winter Garden, Florida
Celery Capital
Sanford (Fla.)
Farmers' markets--Florida
Seminole County (Fla.)
Longwood (Fla.)
Celery industry
Newspaper article in the <em>Florida Grower</em> on the Sanford State Farmers' Market in 1940. The article also discusses other features of Central Florida.<br /><br /><span><span>The Sanford State Farmers' Market, located at 1300 South French Avenue, was founded in 1934 in order to provide a central location in which farmers would sell their produce directly to consumers. The idea for the Sanford State Farmers' Market was devised by Fred Dorner and Gus Schmach, both members of the Seminole Agricultural Club. Sanford Chamber of Commerce president Harry M. Papworth also contributed to the development of the market. The Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) authorized construction plans on June 11, 1934. On June 20, 1934, the City of Sanford donated a portion of the Alex V. French properties to the State Marketing Board, which selected the northwest corner of French Avenue and Thirteenth Street. The board approved the installation of telegraph and telephone equipment, as well as a three-pump filling station. The Sanford State Farmer's Market opened on December 18, 1934. By 1939, the Farmers' Market was bringing a total volume of business of $627,065.81. In 1941, business volume reached over $700,000. On April 4, 1957, a fire destroyed the building and caused damages estimated at $2.5 million. Reconstruction began almost immediately and the Farmers' Market was expected to re-open by the fall of 1957. In 1991, plans were created to restore, preserve, and convert the citrus packing house into a museum.</span></span>
Dawson, C. R.
Photocopy of original newspaper article: "Celery Capital." <a href="http://www.growingproduce.com/" target="_blank"><em>Florida Grower</em></a>, May 1940, pages 6 and 12: State Farmers' Market Collection, <a href="http://www.seminolecountyfl.gov/departments-services/leisure-services/parks-recreation/museum-of-seminole-county-history/">Museum of Seminole County History</a>, Sanford, Florida.
American Fruit Grower Publishing Company
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Sanford State Farmers' Market, Sanford, Florida
Seminole Big Tree Park, Longwood, Florida
Florida Cypress Gardens Booklet
Cypress Gardens (Winter Haven, Fla.)
Winter Haven (Fla.)
Amusement parks--Florida
Botanical gardens--Florida--Orlando
Flowers--Florida
Cypress Gardens Booklet from the 1950s that includes information on plants, Cypress Gardens' water-ski show, and motion pictures filmed at Cypress Gardens. Billed as Florida's first commercial tourist theme park, Cypress Gardens opened on January 2, 1936 as a botanical garden planted by Dick Pope Sr. and his wife Julie. Over the years, it became one of the biggest attractions in Florida, known for its water ski shows, lush gardens, and Southern Belles. It became known as the "Water Ski Capital of the World" because many of the sport's landmark firsts and the over 50 world records broken there. Numerous motion pictures were filmed at the Cypress Gardens, including portions of <em>This is Cinerama</em>, the first feature filmed in the wide-screen format, as well as a string of Esther Williams films and television specials in the 1950s and 1960s. In the 1950s, young women dressed in the crinolines reminiscent of the Antebellum South. During the American Civil War Centennial, young men dressed in Confederate uniforms would be photographed with the Southern Belles. With the addition of a custom photography boat named Miss Cover Girl in the early 1960s, the park became a popular site for the filming of television commercials. However, Cypress Gardens closed in 2009. Legoland occupies the former lot.
Original booklet: <em>Florida Cypress Gardens</em> (Orlando, Florida: Litho U.S.A. Vaughan). Private Collection of Thomas Cook.
Litho U.S.A. Vaughan
Middleton, Grace
Cook, Thomas
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Winter Haven, Florida
Winter Haven, Florida
Cypress Gardens Booklet
Cypress Gardens (Winter Haven, Fla.)
Winter Haven (Fla.)
Amusement parks--Florida
Water skiing
Botanical gardens--Florida--Orlando
Flowers--Florida
Cypress Gardens booklet from the 1950s that includes information on plants, Cypress Gardens' water-ski show, and motion pictures filmed at Cypress Gardens. Billed as Florida's first commercial tourist theme park, Cypress Gardens opened on January 2, 1936 as a botanical garden planted by Dick Pope, Sr. and his wife, Julie. Over the years, it became one of the biggest attractions in Florida, known for its water ski shows, lush gardens, and Southern Belles. It became known as the "Water Ski Capital of the World" because many of the sport's landmark firsts and the over 50 world records broken there. Numerous motion pictures were filmed at the Cypress Gardens, including portions of <em>This is Cinerama</em>, the first feature filmed in the wide-screen format, as well as a string of Esther Williams films and television specials in the 1950s and 1960s. In the 1950s, young women dressed in the crinolines reminiscent of the Antebellum South. During the American Civil War Centennial, young men dressed in Confederate uniforms would be photographed with the Southern Belles. With the addition of a custom photography boat named <em>Miss Cover Girl</em> in the early 1960s, the park became a popular site for the filming of television commercials. Cypress Gardens closed in 2009. Legoland occupies the former lot.
Original booklet: Private Collection of Thomas Cook.
Cook, Thomas
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Winter Haven, Florida