Oral History of Warren McFarland
Orlando (Fla.)
Avon Park (Fla.)
Telegraph
Railroads--Florida
An oral history interview of Warren McFarland, a telegrapher, train dispatcher, railroad station agent, grocery clerk, Railroad Safety and Service Agent, Assistant Regional Director and Regional Manager for the Interstate Commerce Commission, and Director of the Office of Compliance and Consumer Assistance. The interview was conducted by Geoffrey Cravero at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida, on January 28, 2016. Some of the interview topics covered include McFarland’s early years and formative experiences, his family life, growing up as the son of a railroad station agent and telegrapher in a railroad depot, World War II, railroad work and telegraphy in his time versus his father’s time, his first job as a grocery clerk, the “extra board” and railroad seniority, working for the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC), the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System, the Morse Telegraph Club, female telegraphers, American Morse Code versus International Morse Code, acquiring a piece of the first transcontinental telegraph line, train dispatching, overcoming communication limits, an explanation of telegrapher’s paralysis, and Guglielmo Marconi’s contributions to wireless telegraphy.
McFarland, Warren
Cravero, Geoffrey
McFarland, Warren. Interviewed by Geoffrey Cravero. Audio/video record available. <a href="http://riches.cah.ucf.edu/" target="_blank">RICHES of Central Florida</a>, Orlando, Florida.
<a href="http://riches.cah.ucf.edu/" target="_blank">RICHES of Central Florida</a>
video/mp4
application/pdf
eng
Moving Image
Ohio
Avon Park Atlantic Coast Line Train Station, Avon Park, Florida
Ocala Union Station, Ocala, Florida
Chicago, Illinois
Atlanta, Georgia
San Francisco, California
Frances Perkins Building, Washington, D.C.
Golden Spike National Historic Site, Brigham City, Utah
Church Street Station, 2013
Orlando (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
Church Street Station, located at 127 West Church Street in Orlando, Florida. The station was first constructed in 1880 connecting Orlando to Sanford. After the railroad was bought up by the Plant System in 1883 from the South Florida Railroad it was extended to Tampa. This brought a large boom to Orlando's economy shipping cattle and lumber, but chiefly citrus. By 1926, the depot was becoming too small for the volume of trade going through, so the depot was moved south to what is today the Amtrak Station. The depot became run down until the mid-1970s when Church Street Station opened up around the depot and stayed open until the early 2000s. Now the station is used as a stop along the Sunrail Tram system.
Original color digital image, 2007.
Covington, Adrian
image/jpg
Still Image
Church Street Station, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Map of St. Lucie County, 1907
Railroads--Florida
Fort Pierce (Fla.)
St. Lucie County (Fla.)
St. Lucie (Fla.)
Indian River (Fla.)
Hutchinson Island (Fla.)
Eden (Fla.)
A map of St. Lucie County, Florida, in 1907. Present-day St. Lucie County was originally inhabited by the Ais tribe. During the early 19th century, Spain issued a 2,000 land grant to James Hutchinson, but the area remained largely uninhabited. During the mid-19th century, Seminoles and runaway slaves took refuge in the area. The county seat, Fort Pierce, was established in 1837 during the Second Seminole War and named after Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin K. Pierce. Under the Armed Occupation Act, the U.S. government began issuing land grants to American settlers. Fort Capron was established in present-day St. Lucie Village during the Third Seminole War in 1851.
Henry Flagler's (1830-1913) railroad system expanded to the present-day St. Lucie County area in the 1890s, allowing the area's pineapple, fishing, seafood canning, and cattle industries to expand. Citrus became another prosperous industry in the area during the early 20th century. St. Lucie County was officially created from the southern portion of Brevard County in 1905. Indian River County separated to form its own county in 1925 and Martin County was established from the southeastern portion of St. Lucie County and the northern portion of Palm Beach County that same year. The western part of the county was used to form Okeechobee County in 1917.
St. Lucie County benefited from Florida's land boom in the 1920s, but was also affected by Florida's bust in 1929 and the Great Depression in the 1930s. During World War II, the U.S. Naval Amphibious Training Base was established in Fort Pierce, marking the beginning of the county's population boom that would last throughout the 1950s. St. Lucie County saw a population boom in the late 20th century. In the 21st century, the county was devastated by two major hurricanes in 2004 and from the financial collapse beginning in 2008.
Digital reproduction of original color map: <em>New Encyclopedia and Gazetteer</em>: Chicago: Dodd, Mead, & Company, 1907: <a href="http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/maps/" target="_blank"><em>Exploring Florida Maps</em></a>, Florida Center for Instructional Technology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida.
Dodd, Mead, & Company
Winkelman, Roy
image/jpg
eng
Still Image
Fort Pierce, Florida
Port St. Lucie, Florida
Hutchinson Island, Florida
Fort Pierce Pineapple Packing House
Fort Pierce (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
Fort Pierce (Fla.)
Packing-houses--United States
Pineapple
A pineapple packing house in Fort Pierce, Florida, located long the Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) siding. The Fort Pierce train station was located along the tracks that now run through Downtown Fort Pierce. Henry Flagler (1830-1913) expanded his Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) down the Florida east coast from Jacksonville in 1894, forever transforming the economic development of Florida. In 1911, Fort Pierce was established as a division point for the FEC. This new and efficient form of transportation began to take the place of coastal and canal transportation such as cargo shipping and commuter travel and significantly developed the connection between northern markets and southern products. Citrus, sugar, and pineapple farmers and fishermen located on the coast established packinghouses near the station. It also affected the population growth of these areas, as passengers found it easier, faster, and more comfortable to travel further south. New employment opportunities also drew in a heavy population, rapidly expanding the agricultural economy of Fort Pierce, which economically benefited immensely from this expansion.<br /><br />The original Fort Pierce train station was torn down and replaced in 1967. A replica of the old depot is located at the entrance of the St. Lucie County Regional History Center building and also houses the "Train Station Room," which includes dioramas, models, murals and photographs of historic Fort Pierce.
Digital reproduction of <a href="http://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/140547" target="_blank">original 4 x 5 inch black and white photonegative</a>: General Collection, image number N031005, Florida Photographic Collection, <a href="http://dlis.dos.state.fl.us/index_Researchers.cfm" target="_blank">State Library and Archives of Florida</a>.
<a href="http://dlis.dos.state.fl.us/index_Researchers.cfm" target="_blank">State Library and Archives of Florida</a>
Moore, Samantha
image/jpg
Still Image
Fort Pierce, Florida
St. Lucie County Regional History Center
Fort Pierce (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
Museums--Florida
St. Lucie County Regional History Center, located at 414 Seaway Drive in Fort Pierce, Florida, in 2014. The history center is located in what was once the Fort Pierce train station.<br /><br />The Fort Pierce train station was located along the tracks that now run through downtown Fort Pierce, Florida. <span>Henry Flagler (1830-1913)</span> expanded his railroad down the Florida east coast from Jacksonville in 1894, forever transforming the economic development of Florida. In 1911, Fort Pierce was established as a division point for the Florida East Coast Railway Company. This new and efficient form of transportation began to take the place of coastal and canal transportation such as cargo shipping and commuter travel and significantly developed the connection between northern markets and southern products. Citrus, sugar, and pineapple farmers and fishermen located on the coast established packinghouses near the station. It also affected the population growth of these areas, as passengers found it easier, faster and more comfortable to travel further south. New employment opportunities also drew in a heavy population, rapidly expanding the agricultural economy of Fort Pierce, which economically benefited immensely from this expansion.<br /><br />The original Fort Pierce train station was torn down and replaced in 1967. A replica of the old depot is located at the entrance of the St. Lucie County Regional History Center building and also houses the "Train Station Room", which includes dioramas, models, murals and photographs of historic Fort Pierce.
Moore, Samantha
Original color digital image by Samantha Moore, 2014.
Moore, Samantha
image/jpg
eng
Still Image
St. Lucie County Regional History Center, Fort Pierce, Florida
Fort Pierce Railroad Station
Fort Pierce (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
City halls--United States
Churches--Florida
Avenue A in Fort Pierce, Florida. To the left is the first Fort Pierce City Hall, with the Hendry House and First Baptist Church of Fort Pierce just behind it. To the right of the church and across the street is the East Coast Lumber and Supply Company. On the far right is the Fort Pierce Train Station, Florida East Coast Railway main line in the early 1900s.<br /><br />The Fort Pierce train station was located along the tracks that now run through Downtown Fort Pierce. Henry Flagler (1830-1913) expanded his Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) down the Florida east coast from Jacksonville in 1894, forever transforming the economic development of Florida. In 1911, Fort Pierce was established as a division point for the FEC. This new and efficient form of transportation began to take the place of coastal and canal transportation such as cargo shipping and commuter travel and significantly developed the connection between northern markets and southern products. Citrus, sugar, and pineapple farmers and fishermen located on the coast established packinghouses near the station. It also affected the population growth of these areas, as passengers found it easier, faster, and more comfortable to travel further south. New employment opportunities also drew in a heavy population, rapidly expanding the agricultural economy of Fort Pierce, which economically benefited immensely from this expansion.<br /><br />The original Fort Pierce train station was torn down and replaced in 1967. A replica of the old depot is located at the entrance of the St. Lucie County Regional History Center building and also houses the "Train Station Room," which includes dioramas, models, murals and photographs of historic Fort Pierce.
Digital reproduction of <a href="http://floridamemory.com/items/show/3204" target="_blank">original 8 x 10 inch black and white photograph</a>: Print Collections, image number C0PR03369, Florida Photographic Collection, <a href="http://dlis.dos.state.fl.us/index_Researchers.cfm" target="_blank">State Library and Archives of Florida</a>, Tallahassee, Florida.
<a href="http://dlis.dos.state.fl.us/index_Researchers.cfm" target="_blank">State Library and Archives of Florida</a>
Moore, Samantha
image/jpg
Still Image
Florida East Coast Railway Station, Fort Pierce, Florida
Fort Pierce Florida East Coast Depot
Fort Pierce (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
The Fort Pierce Florida East Coast Depot in the 1940s. The Fort Pierce train station was located along the tracks that now run through Downtown Fort Pierce. Henry Flagler (1830-1913) expanded his Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) down the Florida east coast from Jacksonville in 1894, forever transforming the economic development of Florida. In 1911, Fort Pierce was established as a division point for the FEC. This new and efficient form of transportation began to take the place of coastal and canal transportation such as cargo shipping and commuter travel and significantly developed the connection between northern markets and southern products. Citrus, sugar, and pineapple farmers and fishermen located on the coast established packinghouses near the station. It also affected the population growth of these areas, as passengers found it easier, faster, and more comfortable to travel further south. New employment opportunities also drew in a heavy population, rapidly expanding the agricultural economy of Fort Pierce, which economically benefited immensely from this expansion.<br /><br />The original Fort Pierce train station was torn down and replaced in 1967. A replica of the old depot is located at the entrance of the St. Lucie County Regional History Center building and also houses the "Train Station Room," which includes dioramas, models, murals and photographs of historic Fort Pierce.
Monypenny, William
Digital reproduction of <a href="http://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/140547" target="_blank">original 4 x 5 inch black and white photonegative</a> by William Monypenny: General Collection, image number N029509, Florida Photographic Collection, <a href="http://dlis.dos.state.fl.us/index_Researchers.cfm" target="_blank">State Library and Archives of Florida</a>, Tallahassee, Florida.
<a href="http://dlis.dos.state.fl.us/index_Researchers.cfm" target="_blank">State Library and Archives of Florida</a>
Moore, Samantha
image/jpg
Still Image
Florida East Coast Railway Station, Fort Pierce, Florida
Florida East Coast Railway Fort Pierce Station
Fort Pierce (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
The Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) Fort Pierce Station in Fort Pierce, Florida, in the 1900s. The Fort Pierce train station was located along the tracks that now run through downtown Fort Pierce, Florida. Henry Flagler expanded his railroad down the Florida east coast from Jacksonville in 1894, forever transforming the economic development of Florida. In 1911, Fort Pierce was established as a division point for the Florida East Coast Railway Company. This new and efficient form of transportation began to take the place of coastal and canal transportation such as cargo shipping and commuter travel and significantly developed the connection between northern markets and southern products. Citrus, sugar, and pineapple farmers and fishermen located on the coast established packinghouses near the station. It also affected the population growth of these areas, as passengers found it easier, faster and more comfortable to travel further south. New employment opportunities also drew in a heavy population, rapidly expanding the agricultural economy of Fort Pierce, which economically benefited immensely from this expansion.<br /><br />The original Fort Pierce train station was torn down and replaced in 1967. A replica of the old depot is located at the entrance of the St. Lucie County Regional History Center building and also houses the "Train Station Room," which includes dioramas, models, murals and photographs of historic Fort Pierce.
Digital reproduction of <a href="http://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/798" target="_blank">original 8 x 10 inch black and white photoprint</a>: Print Collections, image number PR00824, Florida Photographic Collection, <a href="http://dlis.dos.state.fl.us/index_Researchers.cfm" target="_blank">State Library and Archives of Florida</a>, Tallahassee, Florida.
<a href="http://dlis.dos.state.fl.us/index_Researchers.cfm" target="_blank">State Library and Archives of Florida</a>
Moore, Samantha
image/jpg
eng
Still Image
Florida East Coast Railway Station, Fort Pierce, Florida
Ocala Union Station
Ocala (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
The Ocala Union Station, located at 531 Northeast First Avenue in Ocala, Florida, in the 1920s. Built in 1917, the Ocala Union Station was not the pioneer depot for Ocala's booming phosphorus mining, citrus cultivation, and Silver Springs tourism. Ocala was a developing city for transportation long before Seaboard Air Line Railroad (SAL) and Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL) crossed lines and created Union Station. According to the Historic Ocala website, Ocala had achieved its population, well-developed system of transportation, and prosperous economy by 1895, well before the arrival of the Ocala Union Station,<br /><br />Periodic recessions, however, from 1890 to 1920 took an especially hard toll on Florida. U.S. Census data shows that the Marion County population fell from 26,941 in 1910 to 23,968 in 1920—an 11 percent drop. As the Ocala Union Station grew as a result of tourism, trade, and the Florida Land Boom, it helped reverse the trend. Census data from 1930 shows 29,578 people living in Marion County, which houses the station to this day.
Digital reproduction of reprinted black and white photograph: Kevin McCarthy and Ernest Jernigan. <a href="http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/48948548" target="_blank"><em>Ocala</em></a>. Charleston, SC: Arcadia, 2001.
<a href="https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/" target="_blank">Arcadia Publishing</a>
Mercado, Carlos R.
image/jpg
eng
Still Image
Ocala Union Station, Ocala, Florida
Community Redevelopment Area Design Studio
Ocala (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
A sign for the Community Redevelopment Area Design Studio, located at the Ocala Union Station at 531 Northeast First Avenue in Ocala, Florida, in 2014. The Office of Long Term Planning & Sustainability in Ocala has designated Ocala Union Station as a redevelopment area and hosts weekly lectures, presentations, and design exercises. <br /><br />Built in 1917, the Ocala Union Station was not the pioneer depot for Ocala's booming phosphorus mining, citrus cultivation, and Silver Springs tourism. Ocala was a developing city for transportation long before Seaboard Air Line Railroad (SAL) and Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL) crossed lines and created Union Station. According to the Historic Ocala website, Ocala had achieved its population, well-developed system of transportation, and prosperous economy by 1895, well before the arrival of the Ocala Union Station,<br /><br />Periodic recessions, however, from 1890 to 1920 took an especially hard toll on Florida. U.S. Census data shows that the Marion County population fell from 26,941 in 1910 to 23,968 in 1920—an 11 percent drop. As the Ocala Union Station grew as a result of tourism, trade, and the Florida Land Boom, it helped reverse the trend. Census data from 1930 shows 29,578 people living in Marion County, which houses the station to this day.
Mercado, Carlos R.
Original color digital image by Carlos R. Mercado, March 12, 2014.
Mercado, Carlos R.
image/jpeg
eng
Still Image
Ocala Union Station, Ocala, Florida
Church Street Station, 2012
Orlando (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
Church Street Station, located at 127 West Church Street in Downtown Orlando, Florida, in 2012. The station was first constructed in 1880 connecting Orlando to Sanford. After the railroad was bought up by the Plant System in 1883 from the South Florida Railroad it was extended to Tampa. This brought a large boom to Orlando's economy shipping cattle and lumber, but chiefly citrus. By 1926, the depot was becoming too small for the volume of trade going through, so the depot was moved south to what is today the Amtrak Station. The depot became run down until the mid-1970s when Church Street Station opened up around the depot and stayed open until the early 2000s. Now the station is used as a stop along the SunRail tram system.
Original color digital image, 2012.
Covington, Adrian
image/jpg
Still Image
Church Street Station, Downtown Orlando, Florida
ACL Depot, Orlando, Fla. Postcard
Orlando (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
A postcard of Church Street Station, located at 127 West Church Street in Downtown Orlando, Florida. The station was first constructed in 1880 connecting Orlando to Sanford. After the railroad was bought up by the Plant System in 1883 from the South Florida Railroad it was extended to Tampa. This brought a large boom to Orlando's economy shipping cattle and lumber, but chiefly citrus. By 1926, the depot was becoming too small for the volume of trade going through, so the depot was moved south to what is today the Amtrak Station. The depot became run down until the mid-1970s when Church Street Station opened up around the depot and stayed open until the early 2000s. Now the station is used as a stop along the SunRail tram system.
Original color postcard.
Covington, Adrian
image/jpg
eng
Still Image
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Depot, Orlando, Florida
Ocala Union Station, 2014
Ocala (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
The Ocala Union Station, located at 531 Northeast First Avenue in Ocala, Florida, in 2014. Built in 1917, the Ocala Union Station was not the pioneer depot for Ocala's booming phosphorus mining, citrus cultivation, and Silver Springs tourism. Ocala was a developing city for transportation long before Seaboard Air Line Railroad (SAL) and Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL) crossed lines and created Union Station. According to the Historic Ocala website, Ocala had achieved its population, well-developed system of transportation, and prosperous economy by 1895, well before the arrival of the Ocala Union Station,<br /><br />Periodic recessions, however, from 1890 to 1920 took an especially hard toll on Florida. U.S. Census data shows that the Marion County population fell from 26,941 in 1910 to 23,968 in 1920—an 11 percent drop. As the Ocala Union Station grew as a result of tourism, trade, and the Florida Land Boom, it helped reverse the trend. Census data from 1930 shows 29,578 people living in Marion County, which houses the station to this day.
Mercado, Carlos R.
Original color digital images by Carlos R. Mercado, March 12, 2014.
Mercado, Carlos R.
image/jpg
eng
Still Image
Ocala Union Station, Ocala, Florida
Church Street Station
Orlando (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
Church Street Station, located at 127 West Church Street in Downtown Orlando, Florida, in 2007. The station was first constructed in 1880 connecting Orlando to Sanford. After the railroad was bought up by the Plant System in 1883 from the South Florida Railroad it was extended to Tampa. This brought a large boom to Orlando's economy shipping cattle and lumber, but chiefly citrus. By 1926, the depot was becoming too small for the volume of trade going through, so the depot was moved south to what is today the Amtrak Station. The depot became run down until the mid-1970s when Church Street Station opened up around the depot and stayed open until the early 2000s. Now the station is used as a stop along the Sunrail Tram system.
Ebyabe
Original color digital image by Ebyabe, April 21, 2007.
Covington, Adrian
image/jpg
eng
Still Image
Church Street Station, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Port Orange Train Station
Port Orange (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
The Port Orange Train Station in Port Orange, Florida. Originally built in 1894, the Port Orange Train Station was a part of the Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) and was used as a flag stop for freight and passenger transport as late as 1955. In 1966, it was moved 500 feet north of its original location. On February 5, 1998, the station was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. The building is now privately owned and used as a storage facility for a construction company.
McKinney, Roy
Original color digital images by Roy McKinney, April 2, 2014.
McKinney, Roy
image/jpg
eng
Still Image
Port Orange Train Station, Port Orange, Florida
U.S. National Register of Historic Places Dedication Marker for the Lake Wales Train Depot
Lake Wales (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
Museums--Florida
The U.S. National Register of Historic Places dedication marker for the Lake Wales Train Depot. The Lake Wales Train Depot, which is currently the Lake Wales Depot Museum, was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, along with several other buildings in Lake Wales, Florida, in 1990. The train depot was built in 1928 by R. W. Burrows Construction Company. It was the second train depot to be constructed along the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL) in Lake Wales. It was built to house the large influx of train traffic through the city. The Lake Wales Depot Museum is located at 325 South Scenic Highway.
Campbell, Tyler
Original color digital image by Tyler Campbell, February 21, 2014.
Campbell, Tyler
image/jpg
eng
Still Image
Lake Wales Train Depot, Lake Wales, Florida
Orange Blossom Special Comes to Lake Wales
Lake Wales (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
The Orange Blossom Special at the Lake Wales Train Depot. The coming of the railroad to Lake Wales, Florida, brought with it a connection to civilization. Prior to the coming of the railroad there was very little if any development in the area. The first rail line came to Lake Wales in 1919 and from that point until the end of the boom period of Florida history the city expanded extensively. This photograph shows the inaugural run of the Orange Blossom Special from New York to West Palm Beach on the second rail line to arrive in Lake Wales, the Seaboard Air Line Railroad (SAL) , on November 22, 1925. The Lake Wales Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Depot is located at 325 South Scenic Highway.
Original 7 x 11 inch black and white photograph, November 22, 1925: <a href="http://www.cityoflakewales.com/439/Depot-Museum" target="_blank">Historic Lake Wales Society</a>, Lake Wales, Florida.
Campbell, Tyler
image/jpg
eng
Still Image
Lake Wales Train Depot, Lake Wales, Florida
Mount Dora Train Station
Mount Dora (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
The Mount Dora Train Station, located at 341 North Alexander Street in Mount Dora, Florida. 1886 was when the first railroad stopped in Mount Dora, connecting Jacksonville to Tampa. The Mount Dora Depot cost $8,223 to build. The last passenger train left Mount Dora in 1950 and freight was discontinued in 1973. On March 5, 1992, the station was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
<a href="http://www.examiner.com/slideshow/virtual-tour-of-the-mount-dora-historic-inn-bed-and-breakfast" target="_blank">Original color digital image</a>: <a href="http://www.examiner.com/slideshow/mount-dora-photo-tour#slide=7" target="_blank">Examiner.com</a>.
Gray, Mark
image/jpg
eng
Still Image
Mount Dora Train Station, Mount Dora, Florida
Avon Park Depot Museum
Avon Park (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
Museums--Florida
The Seaboard Air Line (SAL) Depot, located at 3 North Museum Avenue in Avon Park, Florida, was built in 1924 after the company acquired the right of way in Avon Park. The station primarily carried freight, including consumer goods shipped to Avon Park and citrus that was exported from the town. It also carried passengers, including tourists from the North on the famous Orange Blossom Express that went from New York to Miami. The line also carried soldiers and their families during World War II.<br /><br />In 1967, SAL merged with Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL) to form the the depot became the Seaboard Coast Line (SCL). After this SCL Depot was closed in 1978, it was purchased by the City of Avon Park. It was then leased by the Historical Society of Avon Park and has operated as a museum since 1981. It is located in the Avon Park Historic District which was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1990.
Simons, Nicholas
Original color digital image by Nicholas Simons, March 13, 2014.
Simons, Nicholas
image/jpg
eng
Still Image
Avon Park Depot Museum, Avon Park, Florida
Avon Park Atlantic Coast Line Train Station
Avon Park (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
The Atlantic Coast Line (ACL) Train Station was first built in 1912 in Avon Park, Florida. The station primarily carried freight, including consumer goods shipped to Avon Park and citrus that was exported from the town. It also carried passengers, including tourists from the North on the famous Orange Blossom Express that went from New York to Miami. The line also carried soldiers and their families during World War II.<br /><br />In 1967, the Seaboard Air Line Railroad (SAL) merged with Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL) to form the the depot became the Seaboard Coast Line (SCL). After this SCL Depot was closed in 1978, it was purchased by the City of Avon Park. It was then leased by the Historical Society of Avon Park and has operated as a museum since 1981. It is located in the Avon Park Historic District which was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1990.
Original black and white photograph, 1912: Railroad Collection, <a href="http://hsaponline.net/" target="_blank">Avon Park Depot Museum</a>, Avon Park, Florida.
Simons, Nicholas
image/jpg
eng
Still Image
Avon Park Atlantic Coast Line Train Station, Avon Park, Florida
Avon Park Seaboard Air Line Depot
Avon Park (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
The Seaboard Air Line Railroad (SAL) Depot, located at 3 North Museum Avenue in Avon Park, Florida, was built in 1924 after the company acquired the right of way in Avon Park. The station primarily carried freight, including consumer goods shipped to Avon Park and citrus that was exported from the town. It also carried passengers, including tourists from the North on the famous Orange Blossom Express that went from New York to Miami. The line also carried soldiers and their families during World War II.<br /><br />In 1967, SAL merged with Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL) to form the the depot became the Seaboard Coast Line (SCL). After this SCL Depot was closed in 1978, it was purchased by the City of Avon Park. It was then leased by the Historical Society of Avon Park and has operated as a museum since 1981. It is located in the Avon Park Historic District which was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1990.
Original black and white photograph, 1924: Railroad Collection, <a href="http://hsaponline.net/" target="_blank">Avon Park Depot Museum</a>, Avon Park, Florida.
Simons, Nicholas
image/jpg
Still Image
Avon Park Seaboard Air Line Depot, Avon Park, Florida
Amtrak Seaboard Coast Line Railroad Station
Orlando (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
The Amtrak Seaboard Coast Line Railroad (SCL) Station, located at 1400 Sligh Boulevard in Orlando, Florida, in 2014. This station was constructed in 1926 at a cost of $500,000 and was originally part of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL). However, in 1967, the station was acquired by the SCL after a merger with the ACL. With stucco facade and towers flanking its entrance, the station has been studied for its Mission Revival-style architecture. After being in operation for 65 years, the station, then owned by Amtrak, was in desperate need of renovations. In 1991, a collective of local organizations, companies and groups came together to fund the needed renovations.
Clemente, Chris
Original color digital images by Chris Clemente, March 24, 2014.
Clemente, Chris
image/jpg
eng
Still Image
Amtrak Seaboard Coast Line Railroad Station, Orlando, Florida
Lake Wales Depot Museum Dedication Ceremony
Lake Wales (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
Museums--Florida
The dedication of the Lake Wales Depot Museum, located at 325 South Scenic Highway, was part of a project in Lake Wales, Florida, to commemorate the Bicentennial of the United States on July 4, 1976. The museum still exists today and houses a variety of exhibits on local and state topics. Mimi Hardman, depicted in the colonial outfit on the right, was instrumental in the renovation project of the train depot and still acts as the head of the Lake Wales Historical Society and runs the depot museum.<br /><br />The Lake Wales Depot Museum is housed in the Lake Wales Train Depot that was built in 1928 by the R. W. Burrows Construction Company along the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL). It was the second station built in Lake Wales since the coming of the railroad in 1911. It continued to operate as a functioning railroad depot for several decades. In 1978, the depot was dedicated as the Lake Wales Depot Museum, housing the local history of the Railroad Depot and the City of Lake Wales.
Original black and white photograph, July 4, 1976: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/lakewalespubliclibrary/" target="_blank">Lake Wales Public Library Archives</a>, Lake Wales Public Library, Lake Wales, Florida.
Campbell, Tyler
image/jpg
Still Image
Lake Wales Depot Museum, Lake Wales, Florida
Florida East Coast Railway Company Engine No. 30 in Fort Pierce
Fort Pierce (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
The Florida East Coast Railway Company (FEC) Engine No. 30 in Fort Pierce, Florida. This photograph is of the northbound FEC train and was taken from the viewpoint of the water tank.<br /><br />The Fort Pierce train station was located along the tracks that now run through Downtown Fort Pierce. Henry Flagler (1830-1913) expanded his Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) down the Florida east coast from Jacksonville in 1894, forever transforming the economic development of Florida. In 1911, Fort Pierce was established as a division point for the FEC. This new and efficient form of transportation began to take the place of coastal and canal transportation such as cargo shipping and commuter travel and significantly developed the connection between northern markets and southern products. Citrus, sugar, and pineapple farmers and fishermen located on the coast established packinghouses near the station. It also affected the population growth of these areas, as passengers found it easier, faster, and more comfortable to travel further south. New employment opportunities also drew in a heavy population, rapidly expanding the agricultural economy of Fort Pierce, which economically benefited immensely from this expansion.<br /><br />The original Fort Pierce train station was torn down and replaced in 1967. A replica of the old depot is located at the entrance of the St. Lucie County Regional History Center building and also houses the "Train Station Room," which includes dioramas, models, murals and photographs of historic Fort Pierce.
Digital reproduction of <a href="http://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/146840" target="_blank">original 4 x 5 inch black and white photonegative</a>: General Collection, image number N038573, Florida Photographic Collection, <a href="http://dlis.dos.state.fl.us/index_Researchers.cfm" target="_blank">State Library and Archives of Florida</a>, Tallahassee, Florida.
<a href="http://dlis.dos.state.fl.us/index_Researchers.cfm" target="_blank">State Library and Archives of Florida</a>
Moore, Samantha
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Florida East Coast Railway Company Railroad, Fort Pierce, Florida
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Passenger Cars at Fort Pierce
Fort Pierce (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL) passenger cars at the depot in Fort Pierce, Florida, during the 1950s. The Fort Pierce train station was located along the tracks that now run through Downtown Fort Pierce.<br /><br />Henry Flagler (1830-1913) expanded his Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) down the Florida east coast from Jacksonville in 1894, forever transforming the economic development of Florida. In 1911, Fort Pierce was established as a division point for the FEC. This new and efficient form of transportation began to take the place of coastal and canal transportation such as cargo shipping and commuter travel and significantly developed the connection between northern markets and southern products. Citrus, sugar, and pineapple farmers and fishermen located on the coast established packinghouses near the station. It also affected the population growth of these areas, as passengers found it easier, faster, and more comfortable to travel further south. New employment opportunities also drew in a heavy population, rapidly expanding the agricultural economy of Fort Pierce, which economically benefited immensely from this expansion.<br /><br />The original Fort Pierce train station was torn down and replaced in 1967. A replica of the old depot is located at the entrance of the St. Lucie County Regional History Center building and also houses the "Train Station Room," which includes dioramas, models, murals and photographs of historic Fort Pierce.
Wolfe, Harry
Digital reproduction of <a href="https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/27256" target="_blank">original 8 x 10 inch black and white photoprint</a> by Harry Wolfe: Reference Collection, shelf number 14025, image number RC03667, Florida Photographic Collection, <a href="http://dlis.dos.state.fl.us/index_Researchers.cfm" target="_blank">State Library and Archives of Florida</a>, Tallahassee, Florida.
<a href="http://dlis.dos.state.fl.us/index_Researchers.cfm" target="_blank">State Library and Archives of Florida</a>
Moore, Samantha
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Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, Fort Pierce, Florida
Punta Gorda Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Depot
Punta Gorda (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
Segregation--Florida
The Punta Gorda Train Depot, also known as the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Depot, was erected in Punta Gorda, Florida, in 1928. The depot was built with in Spanish style that was popular at the time and resembles a Mediterranean resort. It was built to service mostly freight but passengers were also carried. On east side of the building lay the tracks. During the segregation era, the depot's entrance had different doors for "whites" and "coloreds." Two different waiting areas and bathrooms were built to separate passengers.
Ortner, Joseph
Original color digital images by Joseph Ortner, March 2014.
Ortner, Joseph
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Punta Gorda Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Depot, Punta Gorda, Florida
Mount Dora Train Station Historic Marker
Mount Dora (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
The U.S. National Register of Historic Places plaque at the Mount Dora Train Station, located at 341 North Alexander Street in Mount Dora, Florida, in 2007. 1886 was when the first railroad stopped in Mount Dora, connecting Jacksonville to Tampa. The Mount Dora Depot cost $8,223 to build. The last passenger train left Mount Dora in 1950 and freight was discontinued in 1973. On March 5, 1992, the station was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
Ebyabe
Original color digital image by Ebyabe, May 20, 2007.
Gray, Mark
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eng
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Mount Dora Train Station, Mount Dora, Florida
Mount Dora Train Station, 1920
Mount Dora (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
The Mount Dora Train Station, located at 341 North Alexander Street in Mount Dora, Florida, in 1920. 1886 was when the first railroad stopped in Mount Dora, connecting Jacksonville to Tampa. The Mount Dora Depot cost $8,223 to build. The last passenger train left Mount Dora in 1950 and freight was discontinued in 1973. On March 5, 1992, the station was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
Print reproduction of original black and white postcard, 1920: Lynn M. Homan and Thomas Reilly. <a href="http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/45710359" target="_blank"><em>Mount Dora</em></a>. Charleston, SC: Arcadia, 2000.
<a href="https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/" target="_blank">Arcadia Publishing</a>
Gray, Mark
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Mount Dora Train Station, Mount Dora, Florida
Last Train at the Mount Dora Train Station
Mount Dora (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
The last passenger train at the Mount Dora Train Station, located at 341 North Alexander Street in Mount Dora, Florida, in 2012. 1886 was when the first railroad stopped in Mount Dora, connecting Jacksonville to Tampa. The Mount Dora Depot cost $8,223 to build. The last passenger train left Mount Dora in 1950 and freight was discontinued in 1973. On March 5, 1992, the station was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
Andrusia, Kevin
Digital reproduction of <a href="http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=424180&nseq=0" target="_blank">original color image</a> by Kevin Andrusia on RailPictures.Net, January 2012.
Palmieri, Pat
Gray, Mark
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Mount Dora Train Station, Mount Dora, Florida
Mount Dora Train Station, 1915
Mount Dora (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
The Mount Dora Train Station, located at 341 North Alexander Street in Mount Dora, Florida, in 1915. 1886 was when the first railroad stopped in Mount Dora, connecting Jacksonville to Tampa. The Mount Dora Depot cost $8,223 to build. The last passenger train left Mount Dora in 1950 and freight was discontinued in 1973. On March 5, 1992, the station was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
Digital reproduction of <a href="http://www.flheritage.com/facts/reports/places/index.cfm?fuseaction=FullImage&id=674" target="_blank">original black and white photograph</a>, 1915: Division of Historical Resources, Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida.
Gray, Mark
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Mount Dora Train Station, Mount Dora, Florida
Lake Wales Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Depot and Lake Wales Depot Museum
Lake Wales (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
Museums--Florida
The Lake Wales Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Depot, located at 325 South Scenic Highway, in Lake Wales, Florida, in 2014. The depot was established in 1928 by the R. W. Burrows Construction Company. It was the second station built in Lake Wales since the coming of the railroad in 1911. It continued to operate as a functioning railroad depot for several decades. In 1978, the depot was dedicated as the Lake Wales Depot Museum, housing the local history of the Railroad Depot and the City of Lake Wales.
Campbell, Tyler
Original color digital image by Tyler Campbell, February 21, 2014.
Campbell, Tyler
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Lake Wales Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Depot and Lake Wales Depot Museum, Lake Wales, Florida
Kissimmee Railroad Station
Kissimmee (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
The Kissimmee Railroad Station, located at 111 Dakin Avenue, in Kissimmee, Florida, in 2014. This train station was first created in 1882 by the South Florida Railroad Company. It originally served as a means for the people of Allendale (present-day Kissimmee) to ship off their lumber and animal skins. As time went on, this depot was where orange farmers and cattle ranchers shipped their produce. Now this station is owned by Amtrak and serves as destination where railroad-bound tourists can go take the Greyhound bus to Walt Disney World or other locations.
Santos, Marina
Original color digital images by Marina Santos, March 2, 2014.
Santos, Marina
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Kissimmee Railroad Station, Kissimmee, Florida
Church Street Station, 2007
Orlando (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
The Old Orlando Railroad Depot, located at 127 West Church Street in Orlando, Florida, in 2007. The station was first constructed in 1880 connecting Orlando to Sanford. After the railroad was bought up by the Plant System in 1883 from the South Florida Railroad, it was extended to Tampa. This brought a large boom to Orlando's economy shipping cattle and lumber, but chiefly citrus. By 1926, the depot was becoming too small for the volume of trade going through, so the depot was moved south to what is today the Amtrak Station. The depot became run down until the mid-1970s when Church Street Station opened up around the depot and stayed open until the early 2000s. Now the station is used as a stop along the SunRail Tram system.
Bradley, John
<a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Orlando_Railroad_Depot05.jpg" target="_blank">Original color photograph</a> by John Bradley, April 21, 2007: Wikimedia Commons.
<a target="_blank">Wikimedia Commons</a>
Owen, Christopher
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Church Street Station, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Rundown Church Street Station
Orlando (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
The Old Orlando Railroad Depot, located at 127 West Church Street in Orlando, Florida, in the 1970s. The station was first constructed in 1880 connecting Orlando to Sanford. After the railroad was bought up by the Plant System in 1883 from the South Florida Railroad, it was extended to Tampa. This brought a large boom to Orlando's economy shipping cattle and lumber, but chiefly citrus. By 1926, the depot was becoming too small for the volume of trade going through, so the depot was moved south to what is today the Amtrak Station. The depot became run down until the mid-1970s when Church Street Station opened up around the depot and stayed open until the early 2000s. Now the station is used as a stop along the SunRail Tram system.
Digital reproduction of <a href="http://floridamemory.com/items/show/12113" target="_blank">original 7 x 10 inch black and white photograph</a>: Prints Collection, call number PR13725, Florida Photographic Collection, <a href="http://dlis.dos.state.fl.us/index_Researchers.cfm" target="_blank">State Library and Archives of Florida</a>, Tallahassee, Florida.
<a target="_blank">State Library and Archives of Florida</a>
Owen, Christopher
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Church Street Station, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Old Orlando Railroad Depot
Orlando (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
The Old Orlando Railroad Depot, located at 127 West Church Street in Orlando, Florida, sometime between 1881 and 1890. The station was first constructed in 1880 connecting Orlando to Sanford. After the railroad was bought up by the Plant System in 1883 from the South Florida Railroad, it was extended to Tampa. This brought a large boom to Orlando's economy shipping cattle and lumber, but chiefly citrus. By 1926, the depot was becoming too small for the volume of trade going through, so the depot was moved south to what is today the Amtrak Station. The depot became run down until the mid-1970s when Church Street Station opened up around the depot and stayed open until the early 2000s. Now the station is used as a stop along the SunRail Tram system.
Digital reproduction of <a href="http://floridamemory.com/items/show/40046" target="_blank">original 8 x 10 inch black and white photoprint</a>: Reference Collection, shelf number 12360, call number RC18768, Florida Photographic Collection, <a href="http://dlis.dos.state.fl.us/index_Researchers.cfm" target="_blank">State Library and Archives of Florida</a>, Tallahassee, Florida.
<a target="_blank">State Library and Archives of Florida</a>
Owen, Christopher
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Old Orlando Railroad Depot, Orlando, Florida
Oviedo Train Depot
Railroads--Florida
Oviedo (Fla.)
The Oviedo Depot, originally located at 520 South Lake Jessup Avenue in Oviedo, Florida, in 2014. The depot was built in 1886 as part of Henry B. Plant's (1819-1899) railroad system. The Plant System ran from Jacksonville to Key West. 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. <br /><br />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.
Smalls, Eric
Original 5 x 4 inch color photographs by Eric Smalls, March 2014.
Smalls, Eric
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Oviedo Train Depot, Oviedo, Florida
Apopka Seaboard Air Line Railroad Depot, 1988
Apopka (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
The Apopka Seaboard Air Line Railway Station, located at 36 East Station Street in Apopka, Florida, in 1988. The depot was built in 1918 after a tornado destroyed the original brick building. It operated until the 1960s as a train station, primarily for passenger service though it did have a freight bay. The building was sold to a man who owned a meat store, and was used for storage until Matt Jordan, the current owner, bought the building. The building was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1993. This photograph was taken by a Seaboard Air Line railway operator.
Photocopy of original black and white photograph, 1988: <a href="http://apopkamuseum.org/" target="_blank">Apopka Historical Society and Museum of the Apopkans</a>, Apopka, Florida.
Connolly, Lehman
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Apopka Seaboard Air Line Railroad Depot, Apopka, Florida
Apopka Seaboard Air Line Railroad Depot
Apopka (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
The Apopka Seaboard Air Line Railway Station, located at 36 East Station Street in Apopka, Florida, in 2014. The depot was built in 1918 after a tornado destroyed the original brick building. It operated until the 1960s as a train station, primarily for passenger service though it did have a freight bay. The building was sold to a man who owned a meat store, and was used for storage until Matt Jordan, the current owner, bought the building. The building was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1993.
Connolly, Lehman
Original color digital images by Lehman Connolly, February 7, 2014.
Connolly, Lehman
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Apopka Seaboard Air Line Railroad Depot, Apopka, Florida
Downtown Orlando Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Station Postcard
Orlando (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
A postcard featuring the Atlantic Coast Line (ACL) Railway Company station, located at 127 West Church Street in Downtown Orlando, Florida, in the early 20th century. The station was first constructed in 1880, connecting Orlando to Sanford. After the railroad was bought up by the Plant System in 1883 from the South Florida Railroad, it was extended to Tampa. This brought a large boom to Orlando's economy shipping cattle and lumber, but chiefly citrus. By 1926, the depot was becoming too small for the volume of trade going through, so the depot was moved south to what is today the Amtrak Station. This depot became run down until the mid-1970s, when Church Street Station opened up around the depot and stayed open until the early 2000s. Now, the station is used as a stop along the Sunrail Tram system.
Original 9 x 14 centimeter color postcard: "Atlantic Coast Line Depot, Orlando, Fla." H. and W. B. Drew Company, Orlando, Florida: <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.
H. and W. B. Drew Company
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Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company Station, Downtown Orlando, Florida
New Smyrna Railway Station Postcard
New Smyrna Beach (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
A color postcard featuring the railway station in New Smyrna, Florida, in the 1890s. Although the postcard does not specify, this railway station was likely the Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Indian River Railway Company (later part of the Florida East Coast Railway Company) station within the city. In 1892, Henry Flagler (1830-1913) extended the Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Indian River Railway Company to New Smyrna, which resulted in increased growth for the town.
Original 9 centimeter x 14 centimeter color postcard: "New Smyrna, Fla. Railway Station." Hugh C. Leighton Company, Portland, Maine: <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.
Hugh C. Leighton Company
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New Smyrna, Florida
Orange Blossom Special, 1989
Orlando (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
The Orange Blossom Special, the last train at the Church Street Railroad Station, located at 76 West Church Street in Downtown Orlando, Florida, in 1989. The original site was occupied by a railroad depot built around 1883. That building was demolished around 1890 and the current Church Street Station Depot was constructed by the South Florida Railroad on the same lot. The site also served the Tavares, Orlando and Atlantic Railroad and the Orlando and Winter Park Railway. In 1926, the Orlando Health/Amtrak station took over passenger operations, but Church Street Station continued to serve as a ticket outlet and freight station until 1972. The last train, called the Orange Blossom Special, remained at the station until January of 2012. The 100-year-old engine was transported to the Florida Railroad Museum in Parrish in order to make room for the new SunRail platform. Church Street Station is on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
Original color photograph, 1989: Private Collection of Nancy Lynn Cepero.
Cepero, Nancy Lynn
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Church Street Station, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Rosie O'Grady's Good Time Emporium, 1992
Orlando (Fla.)
Restaurants--Florida
Rosie O'Grady's Good Time Emporium in 1992. The siblings pictured in the photograph are, from left to right: David Cepero (b. 1978), Dennis Cepero (b. 1986), Laura Lynn Cepero (b. 1987), and Alicia Lynn Cepero (b. 1975). Gertrude Welsh, the great-aunt of the children, is standing in the back.<br /><br />Rosie O'Grady's was a restaurant that was once part of the Church Street Station entertainment complex in Downtown Orlando, Florida. The original site was occupied by a railroad depot built around 1883 for the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL). The depot was designed by T. B. Cotter in the Queen Anne/Eclectic Victorian style and constructed by Henry B. Plant (1819-1899). The building was demolished around 1890 and the current Church Street Station Depot was constructed by the South Florida Railroad on the same lot. The site also served the Tavares, Orlando and Atlantic Railroad, and the Orlando and Winter Park Railway. In 1926, the Orlando Health/Amtrak station took over passenger operations, but Church Street Station continued to serve as a ticket outlet and freight station until 1972.<br /><br />In 1973, a Dixieland-theme entertainment complex was established between the railroad tracks and Garland Avenue in seven vacant buildings for $22 million. The depot itself houses retail shops. The depot was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1976 and named an Orlando Historic Landmark in 1978. In 1988, the complex was expanded to include the Church Street Exchange and the Church Street Market. The development was led by Bob Snow and Steve Fuller and sold in 1989 for $61 million. The complex peaked in the 1980s, drawing approximately 1.7 million visitors a year. Due to failure to compete with major theme parks, visitor attendance dwindled and the complex was sold in 2001, only to close shortly after.
Cepero, Nancy Lynn
Original color photograph by Nancy Lynn Cepero, 1992: Private Collection of Nancy Lynn Cepero.
Cepero, Nancy Lynn
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Rosie O'Grady's Good Time Emporium, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Street Performer at Church Street Station, 1998
Orlando (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
A street performer at Church Street Station, located at 76-135 West Church Street in Downtown Orlando, Florida, in March of 1998. The original site was occupied by a railroad depot built around 1883 for the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL). The depot was designed by T. B. Cotter in the Queen Anne/Eclectic Victorian style and constructed by Henry B. Plant (1819-1899). The building was demolished around 1890 and the current Church Street Station Depot was constructed by the South Florida Railroad on the same lot. The site also served the Tavares, Orlando and Atlantic Railroad, and the Orlando and Winter Park Railway. In 1926, the Orlando Health/Amtrak station took over passenger operations, but Church Street Station continued to serve as a ticket outlet and freight station until 1972.<br /><br />In 1973, a Dixieland-theme entertainment complex was established between the railroad tracks and Garland Avenue in seven vacant buildings for $22 million. The depot itself houses retail shops. The depot was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1976 and named an Orlando Historic Landmark in 1978. In 1988, the complex was expanded to include the Church Street Exchange and the Church Street Market. The development was led by Bob Snow and Steve Fuller and sold in 1989 for $61 million. The complex peaked in the 1980s, drawing approximately 1.7 million visitors a year. Due to failure to compete with major theme parks, visitor attendance dwindled and the complex was sold in 2001, only to close shortly after.
Original color photograph, March 1998: Private Collection of Nancy Lynn Cepero.
Cepero, Nancy Lynn
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Church Street Station, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Church Street Station, 1989
Orlando (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
Church Street Station, located at 76-135 West Church Street in Downtown Orlando, Florida, in January of 1989. The original site was occupied by a railroad depot built around 1883 for the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL). The depot was designed by T. B. Cotter in the Queen Anne/Eclectic Victorian style and constructed by Henry B. Plant (1819-1899). The building was demolished around 1890 and the current Church Street Station Depot was constructed by the South Florida Railroad on the same lot. The site also served the Tavares, Orlando and Atlantic Railroad, and the Orlando and Winter Park Railway. In 1926, the Orlando Health/Amtrak station took over passenger operations, but Church Street Station continued to serve as a ticket outlet and freight station until 1972.<br /><br />In 1973, a Dixieland-theme entertainment complex was established between the railroad tracks and Garland Avenue in seven vacant buildings for $22 million. The depot itself houses retail shops. The depot was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1976 and named an Orlando Historic Landmark in 1978. In 1988, the complex was expanded to include the Church Street Exchange and the Church Street Market. The development was led by Bob Snow and Steve Fuller and sold in 1989 for $61 million. The complex peaked in the 1980s, drawing approximately 1.7 million visitors a year. Due to failure to compete with major theme parks, visitor attendance dwindled and the complex was sold in 2001, only to close shortly after.
Original color photographs, 1989: Private Collection of Nancy Lynn Cepero.
Cepero, Nancy Lynn
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eng
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Church Street Station, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Rosie O'Grady's Good Time Emporium, 1989
Orlando (Fla.)
Restaurants--Florida
Gertrude Welsh at Rosie O'Grady's Good Time Emporium in 1989. Rosie O'Grady's was a restaurant that was once part of the Church Street Station entertainment complex in Downtown Orlando, Florida. The original site was occupied by a railroad depot built around 1883 for the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL). The depot was designed by T. B. Cotter in the Queen Anne/Eclectic Victorian style and constructed by Henry B. Plant (1819-1899). The building was demolished around 1890 and the current Church Street Station Depot was constructed by the South Florida Railroad on the same lot. The site also served the Tavares, Orlando and Atlantic Railroad, and the Orlando and Winter Park Railway. In 1926, the Orlando Health/Amtrak station took over passenger operations, but Church Street Station continued to serve as a ticket outlet and freight station until 1972.<br /><br />In 1973, a Dixieland-theme entertainment complex was established between the railroad tracks and Garland Avenue in seven vacant buildings for $22 million. The depot itself houses retail shops. The depot was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1976 and named an Orlando Historic Landmark in 1978. In 1988, the complex was expanded to include the Church Street Exchange and the Church Street Market. The development was led by Bob Snow and Steve Fuller and sold in 1989 for $61 million. The complex peaked in the 1980s, drawing approximately 1.7 million visitors a year. Due to failure to compete with major theme parks, visitor attendance dwindled and the complex was sold in 2001, only to close shortly after.
Original color photograph, 1989: Private Collection of Nancy Lynn Cepero.
Cepero, Nancy Lynn
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eng
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Rosie O'Grady's Good Time Emporium, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Interior of Church Street Station, 1989
Orlando (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
Gertrude Welsh and Lynn Lenahan at Church Street Station, located at 76-135 West Church Street in Downtown Orlando, Florida, in January of 1989. The original site was occupied by a railroad depot built around 1883 for the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL). The depot was designed by T. B. Cotter in the Queen Anne/Eclectic Victorian style and constructed by Henry B. Plant (1819-1899). The building was demolished around 1890 and the current Church Street Station Depot was constructed by the South Florida Railroad on the same lot. The site also served the Tavares, Orlando and Atlantic Railroad, and the Orlando and Winter Park Railway. In 1926, the Orlando Health/Amtrak station took over passenger operations, but Church Street Station continued to serve as a ticket outlet and freight station until 1972.<br /><br />In 1973, a Dixieland-theme entertainment complex was established between the railroad tracks and Garland Avenue in seven vacant buildings for $22 million. The depot itself houses retail shops. The depot was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1976 and named an Orlando Historic Landmark in 1978. In 1988, the complex was expanded to include the Church Street Exchange and the Church Street Market. The development was led by Bob Snow and Steve Fuller and sold in 1989 for $61 million. The complex peaked in the 1980s, drawing approximately 1.7 million visitors a year. Due to failure to compete with major theme parks, visitor attendance dwindled and the complex was sold in 2001, only to close shortly after.
Cepero, Nancy Lynn
Original color photograph by Nancy Lynn Cepero by Nancy Lynn Cepero, 1989: Private Collection of Nancy Lynn Cepero.
Cepero, Nancy Lynn
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Church Street Station, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Old Railroad Spur at South Florida Railroad Station
Sanford (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
South Florida Railroad Company
Old railroad spur at the South Florida Railroad station, located at 209 North Oak Avenue in Sanford, Florida, with the Plant Investment Company (PICO) office to the far left of the photograph. The Lake Monroe and Orlando Railroad was organized in 1875. The charter planned to constructed a railroad from the St. Johns River port in Sanford south to Orlando. On October 16, 1878, the South Florida Railroad was incorporated but did not receive a charter until December 9, 1879, when it gained control over the Lake Monroe and Orlando Railroad charter. The first train on the new railroad ran between Sanford and Orlando on November 11, 1880. Henry Plant and his Plant System purchased three-fifths of the South Florida Railroad stock on May 4, 1883 and soon began laying tracks towards Tampa, whose railroad station opened on December 10, 1883. In 1893, the Savannah, Florida and Western Railway, which was also a part of the Plant System, acquired the South Florida Railroad. The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL) acquired the entire Plant System in 1902. In 1967, the ACL merged with the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad, which is now operated by CSX.
Original 8.5 inch x 5.25 inch black and white photograph: <a href="http://www.sanfordfl.gov/index.aspx?page=456" target="_blank">Sanford Museum</a>, Sanford, Florida.
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Plant Investment Company, Sanford, Florida
South Florida Railroad Station, Sanford, Florida
Old Sanford Railroad Depot
Sanford (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
South Florida Railroad Company
On January 10, 1880, the City of Sanford broke ground for the construction of the South Florida Railroad station on Oak Avenue in Sanford, Florida. President Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885) famously participated in the groundbreaking ceremony. Originally only a 10-mile track between Sanford and Longwood, the line expanded to Orlando within the first six months of its operation. By 1883, Henry B. Plant (1819-1899) had purchased three-fifths of the South Florida Railroad Company and made it part of his Plant System and the Plant Investment Company (PICO). Shortly thereafter, in the winter of 1894-1895, a freeze hit Central Florida, destroying the entire citrus crop. This brought an end to what had been Sanford’s thriving citrus industry prompting the development of its vegetable industry. By the 1900s, Sanford was one of the largest vegetable shipping centers in the United States gaining the nickname of "The Celery City" for its most successful crop.<br /><br />Upon Plant's death in 1902, his widow sold his railroad system to the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL). The arrival of the ACL in Sanford brought many new railroad workers as the city grew into a hub for shipping produce to surrounding areas. Rand Yard, ACL’s freight yard, housed a car shop, engine servicing facility, small locomotive shop, and the state's largest railroad ice plant.<br /><br />In the early 1900s, Lake Jesup farmers demanded that the ACL build a line for them to ship their produce into town, but the railroad company refused. In response, the largest growers chartered the Sanford and Everglades Railroad with Sydney Octavius Chase (1860-1941) as the president. The new line was completed as an ACL branch at Lake Charm. The ACL purchased the new line in 1913 when the Seaboard Air Line Railroad (SAL) showed interest in buying it. The branch became the most profitable in the ACL system.<br /><br />By the mid-1900s, the amount of good farmland was shrinking in Sanford due to development, driving farmers further south to farms with more acreage. This, coupled with the establishment of a U.S. Naval Air Station in the town, turned the city's focus from agriculture to the military. In 1967, the ACL merged with the Seaboard Coast Line (SCL) Railroad and later was acquired by CSX. Today, the railroad station originally built by the ACL is no longer in use.
Original 7 x 5 inch black and white photograph: Vincent Collection, <a href="http://www.sanfordfl.gov/index.aspx?page=456" target="_blank">Sanford Museum</a>, Sanford, Florida.
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Plant Investment Company, Sanford, Florida
South Florida Railroad Station, Sanford, Florida
Central Florida Railroad Museum
Winter Garden (Fla.)
Museums--Florida
Railroads--Florida
The Central Florida Railroad Museum, located at 101 South Boyd Street in Winter Garden, Florida. Originally the Tavares and Gulf Railroad Depot, the building was constructed in 1913 at a cost of $1,765. The western portion, built of Florida sand brick, contained the agent's office and passengers' waiting rooms. The eastern portion of the building, made of wood covered with tin, was used for freight and baggage storage. This building replaced the original 1899 structure that was located on the other end of the block facing Main Street.<br /><br />The T&G Railroad was well known for both excellent customer service and frequent derailments. It had many nicknames, including "the Turtle and Gopher," "the Tug and Grunt," and "the Try and Go." Even with only 32 miles of track running from Tavares to Ocoee and a 6-mile spur to Clermont, the railroad was active and productive when Winter Garden was the largest citrus shipping point in the world. In 1949, the T&G generated more perishable freight per mile of track than any Class I railroad in the United States.<br /><br />On December 31, 1969, the line between Winter Garden and Astatula was abandoned. The station continued to operate as an agency for the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad until March 1978, when it was closed and all services were transferred to a mobile agency. In 1979, the Central Florida Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society purchased and rehabilitated the building for use as its headquarters. The railroad museum opened in 1983. In 2003, the museum became part of the Winter Garden Heritage Foundation.
Original color digital image: <a href="http://www.wghf.org/" target="_blank">Winter Garden Heritage Foundation</a>, Winter Garden, Florida.
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Tavares and Gulf Railroad Depot, Winter Garden, Florida
National Railway Historical Society Headquarters, Winter Garden, Florida
Central Florida Railroad Museum, Winter Garden, Florida
Plant Railroad Station
Plant System
Buildings--Florida
Sanford (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
A railroad station in the Plant System in 1872. The Lake Monroe and Orlando Railroad was organized in 1875. The charter planned to construct a railroad from the St. Johns River port in Sanford south to Orlando. On October 16, 1878, the South Florida Railroad was incorporated, but did not receive a charter until December 9, 1879, when it gained control over the Lake Monroe and Orlando Railroad charter. The first train on the new railroad ran between Sanford and Orlando on November 11, 1880. Henry B. Plant (1819-1889) and his Plant System purchased three-fifths of the South Florida Railroad stock on May 4, 1883. Plant standardized the track sizes, stations, and equipment of the existing railroads and began laying tracks towards Tampa, whose railroad station opened on December 10, 1883. In 1893, the Savannah, Florida and Western Railway, which was also a part of the Plant System, acquired the South Florida Railroad. The Atlantic Coast Line (ACL) Railroad Company acquired the entire Plant System in 1902. In 1967, the ACL merged with the Seaboard Coast Line (SCL) Railroad, which is now operated by CSX. By the mid-1880s, Sanford, Florida had become a major distribution center due to the city's strategic location along Lake Monroe and the St. Johns River.
Ensminger Brothers
Original 8.5 inch x 5.25 inch black and white photograph by the Ensminger Brothers, 1892: Vincent Collection, <a href="http://www.sanfordfl.gov/index.aspx?page=456" target="_blank">Sanford Museum</a>, Sanford, Florida.
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Sanford, Florida