A postcard displaying a drawing of the new Downtown Orlando Post Office building, located at 51 East Jefferson Street in Downtown Orlando, Florida. The post office was built and finished in 1941 as a result of funding provided by the federal government. The land it was built upon had formerly been the site of a Catholic school, but was sold during the Great Depression. The post office building, after debuting in 1941, served Downtown dutifully through the middle of the 20th century in numerous capacities. It served as a post office, a courthouse, and a base for the United States Marshals Service (USMS), as well as several important roles in government adjudication at a federal and local level. In 1989, the Federal Building at Jefferson Street was declared a landmark in the city of Orlando.
Original color postcard: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida.
Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Letter from J. D. Beggs (March 13, 1941)
A letter of correspondence concerning the formal dedication of the new Downtown Orlando Post Office building, located at 51 East Jefferson Street in Downtown Orlando, Florida. The ceremony was sponsored by the Greater Orlando Chamber of Commerce. The letter is from J. D. Beggs, acting postmaster, to another postmaster concerning his attendance. The ceremony took place on April 15, 1941. Beggs sought to make the ceremony grand, and many prominent guests were there including then U.S. Senator Charles O. Andrews (1877-1946).
Original typewritten letter from J. D. Beggs, March 13, 1941: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida.
In 1922, the letter carrier’s badge was redesigned. The new badge was solid, of nickel-plated metal, elliptical in shape, and topped with a 1/2 inch tall eagle with wings spread two inches wide. The numbers, raised in the center of the badge, were 9/16ths of an inch long. The words "U. S. Post Office" were raised along the top, and the name of the Post Office and state were along the bottom. Raised five-pointed stars adorned the right and left sides, visually separating the text. The badge was curved at 10% to conform to the shape of the headgear.
Original color digital image, September 2015: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida.
A mailman badge worn on hats and coats by post office staff. In 1922, the letter carrier’s badge was redesigned. The new badge was solid, of nickel-plated metal, elliptical in shape, and topped with a 1/2 inch tall eagle with wings spread two inches wide. The numbers, raised in the center of the badge, were 9/16ths of an inch long. The words "U. S. Post Office" were raised along the top, and the name of the Post Office and state were along the bottom. Raised five-pointed stars adorned the right and left sides, visually separating the text. The badge was curved at 10% to conform to the shape of the headgear.
A Florida Centennial postage stamp, along with identifying labels. The image of the Great Seal of the State of Florida is surrounded by the Old City Gates in St. Augustine on the left and the State Capitol Building on the right. The two images have the years of the centennial above them: 1845 was when Florida was admitted as a state, and 1945 was the centennial anniversary. The stamp cost three cents at the time.
Photocopy of original postage stamp, 1945: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida.
Florida State Capitol, Tallahassee, Florida
Envelope from Ferguson/CFSC to Texann Ivy Buck
An envelope sent from Ferguson/CFSC to Texann Ivy Buck. The envelope was sent multiple times, as there are six stamps. Buck is a graduate of Edgewater High School in Orlando, Florida, and Baylor University in Waco, Texas. Specializing in 20th Century American prints, sculpture, and in the Federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) prints, Buck established Texann Ivy Fine Arts, located at 818 Ellwood Avenue in Orlando, in 1977. In the 1980s, she curated an exhibition on 1930s American printmaking at the Cornell Museum of Art at Rollins College in Winter Park. In 2013, she created a display honoring Dr. Jerry B. Callahan, which is on permanent display at the Callahan Neighborhood Center, located on Parramore Avenue in Orlando. She remains involved with Orange County art, history, and cultural institutions.
Original envelope from Ferguson/CFSC to Texann Ivy Buck, March 2011: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida.
Employees at New Downtown Orlando Post Office Building
Postal employees after the construction of the new Downtown Orlando Post Office building, located at 51 East Jefferson Street, circa 1941. The photograph includes 109 employees ranging from superintendent to clerk. The Postmaster and Assistant Postmaster are included in the middle row of the photo. The group is comprised of mostly white men; however, the second row shows a woman, and the first and third rows show three African-American men. The building was constructed in a Spanish Colonial Revival style from 1939 to 1941 and dedicated on April 14, 1941. It has been occupied by the United States Postal Service since 1941, the Federal District Courthouse from 1941 to circa 1974, and the office of the Roman Catholic Church since 2003. The building was renovated in the early 2000s and was modified for office and retail use, with the post office retaining 13,200 square feet. Plans included an adjacent parking garage on the north side, though that that aspect never came to fruition. St. James Roman Catholic Cathedral, located across Court Street from the post office, purchased the parts of the building not utilized by the post office and use it for Chancery office space.
Original black and white photographic print: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida.
An envelope sent from Group 21 MEBA to Texann Ivy in October of 1967. Texann Ivy Buck is a graduate of Edgewater High School in Orlando, Florida, and Baylor University in Waco, Texas. Specializing in 20th Century American prints, sculpture, and in the Federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) prints, Buck established Texann Ivy Fine Arts, located at 818 Ellwood Avenue in Orlando, in 1977. In the 1980s, she curated an exhibition on 1930s American printmaking at the Cornell Museum of Art at Rollins College in Winter Park. In 2013, she created a display honoring Dr. Jerry B. Callahan, which is on permanent display at the Callahan Neighborhood Center, located on Parramore Avenue in Orlando. She remains involved with Orange County art, history, and cultural institutions.
Original envelope to Texann Ivy, October 1967: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida.
St. James Cathedral's Original Wooden Church Building
St. James Cathedral was originally finished in June of 1891 under Bishop John Moore of the Diocese of St. Augustine, Father Swembergh, and later Father Creed, who succeeded Father Swembergh following his death. Since its original 40 by 70 feet wooden structure, the cathedral has been renovated three times. It was rebuilt entirely in 1952, renovated to become the cathedral of the Diocese of Orlando in the late 1970s, after St. Charles Borromeo Cathedral had burned down. More recently, in 2009, the cathedral was renovated again to restore some of the original stone work and rose windows.
Original black and white drawing: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida.
St. James Cathedral, Downtown Orlando, Florida
A Catholic procession in Downtown Orlando, Florida, sometime between 1939 and 1941. Altar servers are followed by the bishop, priests, and congregants. In these processions, a cross bearer and candle holder, who are not pictured, led the procession and were followed by any extra servers, deacons, priests, and in this case, a bishop. If a bishop is present, at least two servers will follow behind to be ready to take his crosier and his mitre. During a Confirmation ceremony or any other special mass, members of the congregation may process in between the cross and candle bearers and the deacons. In the background, a sign for Walter Menges' Clothier To Men can be seen. The store was located on North Orange Avenue in between Jefferson Street and Robinson Street. Other shops near here included a Rexall drug store and Brenner's Ladies Dress Shop.
Original black and white photograph: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida.
Walter Menges' Men's Clothing Shop, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Envelope from A. Dellinger to Elaine Pancake
An envelope sent from A. Dellinger to Elaine Pancake, the customer relations coordinator for the Downtown Orlando Post Office, located at 51 East Jefferson Street in Downtown Orlando, Florida. This particular post office was constructed in a Spanish Colonial Revival style from 1939 to 1941 and dedicated on April 14, 1941. It has been occupied by the United States Postal Service since 1941, the Federal District Courthouse from 1941 to circa 1974, and the office of the Roman Catholic Church since 2003.
Original envelope from A. Dellinger to Elaine Pancake, May 2001: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida.
Envelope from J. Huang to Elaine Pancake
An envelope from J. Huang to Elaine Pancake, the customer relations coordinator for the Downtown Orlando Post Office, located at 51 East Jefferson Street in Downtown Orlando, Florida. This particular post office was constructed in a Spanish Colonial Revival style from 1939 to 1941 and dedicated on April 14, 1941. It has been occupied by the United States Postal Service since 1941, the Federal District Courthouse from 1941 to circa 1974, and the office of the Roman Catholic Church since 2003.
Original envelope from J. Huang to Elaine Pancake, July 2003: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida.
Money Transfer from Ebenezer Nanabamyin Okai
A money transfer sent by Ebenezer Nanabamyin Okai in Tema, Ghana, to Elaine Pancake, the customer relations coordinator for the Downtown Orlando Post Office, located at 51 East Jefferson Street in Downtown Orlando, Florida. This particular post office was constructed in a Spanish Colonial Revival style from 1939 to 1941 and dedicated on April 14, 1941. It has been occupied by the United States Postal Service since 1941, the Federal District Courthouse from 1941 to circa 1974, and the office of the Roman Catholic Church since 2003.
Original money transfer: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida.
Construction of the New Downtown Orlando Post Office Building
The new Downtown Orlando Post Office building, located at 51 East Jefferson Street, during construction circa 1941. In 1935, when James Beggs, Jr. became the postmaster, he began petitioning to move the post office from its Central Boulevard and Court Avenue location to a more spacious building. In 1939, St. James Catholic Church sold a plot of land on Jefferson Street for the new building. The building's designer was Louis Simon, who used a Northern Italian Palazzo Revival style. The new building opened in 1941 and housed the post office, the courthouse, and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) offices. The building was named an Orlando Historic Landmark in 1989. However, it was eventually sold back to the St. James Church. In 2003, the building was renovated and came under joint ownership by both the church and the federal government. Today, the building retains its post office services but also includes offices for the Catholic Diocese.
A postage stamp issued in 1947. Claude Pepper (1900-1989), then U.S. Senator from Florida, wrote Postmaster General Hannegan on July 9, 1947, to petition for a postage stamp to commemorate the dedication of the Everglades National Park. The Everglades National Park Commission had began efforts to produce such a stamp. John Pennekamp had found a former U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) artist to translate ideas into a finished design to be rendered in "a pretty green" ink. BEP issued a design on October 20 and by December of that year, the resulting stamp featured an outline map of Florida and white heron.
Original 1.44 x 0.84 inch postage stamp, December 5, 1947: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida.
U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing
A notary/corporate postmark used to officially apply to a piece of mail as it passes through the mailstream. It includes town data and was part of a process where postal workers would stamp markings indicating routing, directory service, postage due, censorship, registration, special delivery, forwarding, carriage by special transportation, etc.
This a notary/corporate postmark used to officially apply to a piece of mail as it passes through the mailstream. It includes town data (Orlando) and was part of a process where postal workers would stamp markings indicating routing, directory service, postage due, censorship, registration, special delivery, forwarding, carriage by special transportation, etc. This particular handstamp was created by De Guehery's Rubber Stamp Company, which was located at 64 West Robinson Street in Downtown Orlando, Florida, and is now known as Orlando Rubber Stamps and Sign Company.
De Guehery's Rubber Stamp and Sign Company, Downtown Orlando, Florida
This is a handstamp postmark that was used to mark postage stamp to prevent reuse. Prior to the advent of stamps to prepay postage, such markings only served to provide information to postal clerks as they handled the stampless envelope. After stamps came into use, cancellations became necessary to void the stamp for repeat usage. This type of stamp cancellation was nicknamed "killer" and featured wavy lines or sometimes bars. This particular handstamp was created by De Guehery's Rubber Stamp Company, which was located at 64 West Robinson Street in Downtown Orlando, Florida, and is now known as Orlando Rubber Stamps and Sign Company.
This is a neighborhood mailbox padlock from the post-World War II period. Its case and shackle are made of brass, opened by key, and uses a five-lever lock. It was a type of lock distributed by the U.S. Post Office Department to residents of Orlando for street letter boxes. The lock was assigned to letter box code number 49. By the 1950s, the following codes were withdrawn from service: 24, 37-43, 45-47, and 52-54.
Envelope from Perrios Haedji to John Kamitsos
A letter sent from Perrios Haedji to John Kamitsos. On the front are three unique stamps with Greek words along with three seals from the Downtown Orlando Post Office approving the letter. Kamitsos' ethnic background was Greek, as his father immigrated from Greece to Orange City, Florida. There, his father met and married Geneva Kamitsos, who gave birth to John on March 3, 1933. Later in his life, Kamitsos moved to Orlando and landed a job as the head of the Orlando Remembered project, which seeks to chronicle the history of Orlando.
Original envelope from Perrios Haedji to John Kamitsos: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida.
The former building for the Downtown Orlando Post Office, located at 44 East Central Boulevard in Downtown, Orlando, Florida. From 1917 to 1941, the Orlando post office was housed in a building on the corner of Central Boulevard and Court Avenue and was known as the Federal Building. This building was home to the post office and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) offices, and was the meeting place for the World War II draft committee. In 1941, the post office moved to its new location on Jefferson Street, but the Federal Building remained. In 1962, the Federal Building was bought by Ivey’s department store. The building was demolished to make room for a new parking lot. Today, the location is home to a BankUnited.
Original black and white photographic print, 1933: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida.
Federal Building, Downtown Orlando, Florida
A traditional mail satchel worn by mail carriers to deliver their packages. The one shown in the picture was one of the series of leather satchels that were manufactured and used from 1868 until 1974, when they were phased out by the canvas satchels which are currently still in use. The leather satchels are quite durable, lasting up to six years compared to the paltry 18-month lifespan of the canvas satchels. In terms of weight, these leather satchels could hold 35 pounds, with mailmen often carrying two at a time if their route contained a large number of clients. However, many mailmen refrained from carrying two satchels at once in order to swiftly flee from any aggressive dogs whose favorite pastime was to harass the mailmen.
A class picture taken outside of St. Joseph's Academy in Downtown Orlando, Florida. The academy was created in 1889, along with St. James Cathedral School, and they were both placed along the intersection of Robinson Avenue and Magnolia Avenue. In the beginning, the school had a total student count of around 30. However, by 1927, St. Joseph's had enrolled over 200 students. In 1929, following the supervision of then-pastor of St. James Catholic Church, Father Michael J. Fox, the school building on Ridgewood Street opened as a church school to accommodate students kindergarten through 12th grade. Soon after, the St. James' school would replace St. Joseph's Academy.
Original black and white photograph, June 2, 1913: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida.
St. Joseph's Academy, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Envelope from Steve Williams to Mary Ivy (March 15, 1968)
This envelope originally contained a letter written by Steve Williams to Mary Ivy. Ivy shared an address with prominent Orlando citizen and Orlando Remembered board member Texann Ivy (now Buck), indicating that they were siblings or more distant relatives living under the same roof. Neither city directories from 1968 or 1969 list the family and therefore certainty as to their relation is difficult.
Original envelope from Steve Williams to Mary Ivy, March 15, 1968: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida.
"Two envelopes, which were processed by the Downtown Orlando Post Office and addressed to Betty Riddle. The first envelope was stamped September 15, 1941, while the other envelope, sent nine months later, was stamped June 13, 1942. Riddle was a born and raised in Orlando in 1923 and would have been around 18 when these letters were sent. Riddle’s father, Robert Riddle, was the owner of the Eola Coffee Company on Lake Eola. Riddle married Carter C. Whitmire, Sr., who owned Whitmire’s Furniture Store. Riddle continued her involvement in Orlando as a member of many local clubs and organizations until her death in 2007. The most significant feature of these envelopes is that they both used 3 cent defense stamps as their postage. These stamps were issued in October of 1940 and contain a design sketched by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. These stamps were an attempt by FDR to encourage the United States to become involved in World War II. There were billions of these stamps sold across the U.S. in an effort to raise money for defense. Less than three months after the first envelope was stamped, the United States entered the war.
Original envelopes to Betty Riddle: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida.
Birthday Plate from Father Fox to Lucille Fair
This plate was given to Lucille Fair as a birthday present from Father Michael J. Fox at St. Joseph's Catholic Church. For her birthday, Father Fox presented her with this plate along with a piece of cake as a birthday present. She continued to use it as her birthday cake plate for the next 90 years. She soon decided to donate the plate to St. Joseph's Parish in honor of Father Fox for all of the memories that she had received from it and to pass it on as a tribute to him. Fair grew up on Church Street in Downtown Orlando and continued to take part in the cities events. Father Fox was the first full-time pastor of St. James Church, which was connected to the parish of St. Joseph' Academy.
Original color digital images, September 2015: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida.
This envelope originally contained a letter written to prominent Orlando citizen Texann Ivy (now Buck). Texann graduated from high school in Orlando and went to college at Waco's Baylor University. There, she studied art, specializing in sculpture and 20th century American prints. She went on to publish two books on the latter subject in the 1980s, focusing on Depression-era printmakers. Today, she is still active in the Orlando cultural community and is a board member of Orlando Remembered. Given the date of the letter, the sender's location in Austin, Texas, and Texann's Orlando address, this letter was likely mailed shortly before she went to Baylor.
Original envelope to Texann Ivy, 1968: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida.
This is a replica of a mail satchel cart used to transport multiple satchels of mail to ease the burden upon the mail carrier. The use of satchel carts is very situational and used in instances where the postal vehicle would be unable to reach a location with multiple post boxes. However, the use of the satchel cart must be approved by a Postmaster with its use being reserved by physically-impaired postmen first. The carts are fairly resilient and can transport up to 70 pounds of mail, which is equivalent to two mail satchels. Today, the use of satchel carts is on the decline, as segues have become more widespread and exponentially decrease the physical toll of wheeling a heavy mail trolley.
Envelope to Mayor Carl T. Langford (April 23, 1979)
This envelope originally contained a letter written to Mayor Carl T. Langford a year before he stepped down as Mayor of Orlando. Mayor Langford was a popular mayor, known for his political irreverence and sense of humor. He presided as mayor from 1967 to 1980, during the city's greatest period of growth following the arrival of Walt Disney World. His most important legacy was the Orlando International Airport.
Original envelope to Mayor Carl J. Langford, April 23, 1979: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida.
Orlando City Hall, Downtown Orlando, Florida
The classic and distinguished hat that was a part of the attire worn by both postmen and mail truck drivers. The iconic badge of the U.S. Post Office adorns the face of the hat to identify postmen as federal employees and also to signify the role they held within the Post Office. There were a multitude of designs available to wear ranging from berets, panama hats, or safari helmets. As of 1972, the hat was no longer required to be worn as part of the postman's uniform and instead replaced with baseball style hats that are optional.
Envelope to Roger Pounds, Ruth Pounds, and Peggy Jo Pounds
This envelope once contained a letter written to Roger Pounds and his wife and daughter, Ruth Pounds and Peggy Jo Pounds. Pounds was the president of Pounds Crate Company, providing containers for Orlando businesses. He and Ruth also ran a dance studio in the late 1950s. The Martha Washington stamp dates the envelope to roughly 1938, as that was the year the stamp was issued. Pounds passed away in 1996. This letter was likely personal and non-business related, based on the inclusion of Peggy Jo as the addressed recipient. It is addressed to 746 Clifford Drive, which was likely the Pounds' residence.
Original envelope to Roger Pounds, Ruth Pounds, and Peggy Jo Pounds: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida.
Students outside of St. Joseph’s Academy in Downtown Orlando, Florida. In 1889, St. Joseph’s Academy was constructed on the church grounds of St. James Catholic Church. The Catholic school was administrated by the Sisters of St. Joseph. The school began with 30 students and the student body peaked in 1927 with 200 pupils in attendance. In 1928, Father Michael Fox began construction of a new, larger school nearby and closed the academy in 1929.
Original 8.5 x 11 inch black and white photograph: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida.
Original 5 x 8 inch black and white photograph: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida.
East Robinson Street and North Magnolia Avenue, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Letter from R. R. Reid to Bishop John Moore (June 6, 1881)
A letter of correspondence between R. R. Reid, a property and store owner in Palatka, and Bishop John Moore over the purchase of a plot of land. At the time, Bishop Moore was in charge of the St. Augustine Catholic Diocese, which included Orlando, Florida. In 1881, he purchased a block in Downtown Orlando that was encompassed by Magnolia Avenue, Orange Avenue, Jefferson Street, and Robinson Street. The church was finished in 1887 and was originally named the Holy Nativity Catholic Church. In 1888, the name was changed to St. James Catholic Church.
Original handwritten letter from R. R. Reid to Bishop John Moore, June 6, 1881: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida.
Seventh and Eighth Graders at St. Joseph's Academy, 1928
Seventh and eighth graders at St. Joseph's Academy, located at 53 East Jefferson Street in Downtown Orlando, Florida, in 1928. St. Joseph's Academy opened on October 17, 1889, with just 40 students. The school, built by Father J. J. Creed of St. James Cathedral, was to serve the children of St. James Church until 1929, when a new Italian Renaissance-style school was opened at 505 East Ridgewood Street between Cathcart Avenue and Hillman Avenue. The school stood at the northeast corner of the church property at Main Street and Robinson Street, where the U.S. Post Office now stands in Downtown Orlando on 51 East Jefferson Street. Students photographed include, from left to right, in the top row: Frank Yochum, Al Shepp, Mark Lambert, Ed Cavanaugh, Leonard Bumby, Gilmore Mac Carvel, Art Jane, Hilary Lyons, Mary Mickler, Arnold Mickler, and Frank Consonni. The second row shows an unidentified student, Alice Shore, Mildred McFarland, two unidentified students, Margaret Horan, and another unidentified student. Photographed in the bottom row are Henry Manhart, Charles Spellman, Lyons, Agnes Marsh, Becky Bumby, Catherine Cunningham, an unidentified student, Rose Rizk, Rita Girouard, Victoria Rizk, Codner, an unidentified student, Harold Young, and an unidentified student.
Original 8 x 5 inch black and white photograph, 1928: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida.
St. Joseph's Academy Boys Basketball Team, 1929
St. Joseph's Academy's seven-member boys basketball team standing in a wooded area in 1929. St. Joseph's Academy, located at 53 East Jefferson Street in Downtown Orlando, Florida, opened on October 17, 1889, with just 40 students. The school, built by Father J. J. Creed of St. James Cathedral, was to serve the children of St. James Church until 1929, when a new Italian Renaissance-style school was opened at 505 East Ridgewood Street between Cathcart Avenue and Hillman Avenue. The school stood at the northeast corner of the church property at Main Street and Robinson Street, where the U.S. Post Office now stands in Downtown Orlando on 51 East Jefferson Street. Photographed from left to right are Franklin Zane, Jack Spellman, Eugene Jane, Paul Yochum, Ray Jane, and Fred Yochum would be the last basketball team of St. Joseph Academy.
Original 10 x 10 inch black and white photograph, 1929: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida.
A leather postal mail strap from the Downtown Orlando Post Office, located at 51 East Jefferson Street. Mail straps were used by Orlando postal workers to tie mail together. Leather satchels were used by U.S. postal workers to carry mail from 1864 to around 1974, when they made the switch to canvas, due to the scarcity and cost of leather. This strap came from one such leather satchel manufactured by Bucheimer or Bona Allen, Inc.
New Downtown Orlando Post Office Building
The new Downtown Orlando Post Office building, located at 51 East Jefferson Street, circa 1941. In 1935, when James Beggs, Jr. became the postmaster, he began petitioning to move the post office from its Central Boulevard and Court Avenue location to a more spacious building. In 1939, St. James Catholic Church sold a plot of land on Jefferson Street for the new building. The building's designer was Louis Simon, who used a Northern Italian Palazzo Revival style. The new building opened in 1941 and housed the post office, the courthouse, and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) offices. The building was named an Orlando Historic Landmark in 1989. However, it was eventually sold back to the St. James Church. In 2003, the building was renovated and came under joint ownership by both the church and the federal government. Today, the building retains its post office services but also includes offices for the Catholic Diocese.
PO Box Receipt for R. C. M. Zachary (September 30, 1954)
A receipt for a PO box for R. C. M. Zachary with the box number that he paid for, listed along with the dates of purchase and when the rent for the PO box expires. In addition, the receipt shows the exact amount of $4.52 that Zachary paid along with the stamp of approval from postmaster L. A. Bryant Jr.
Original receipt, September 30, 1954: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida.
The Maitland News, Vol. 01, No. 20, September 18, 1926
The Maitland News was a local newspaper originally published by the Maitland Realty Company (and later by The Maitland News Company) which began circulation in April 1926. This edition features articles on topics such as a new town water pump, an anniversary party, tax assessment complaints, WDBO radio programming, the opening of school, locally-grown fresh fruit, a church dinner, the health concerns of a local pastor, the housing arrangements of local residents, and a local events calendar. Also featured are several advertisements for local businesses.
Original 4-page newspaper edition: The Maitland News, Vol. 01, No. 20, September 18, 1926: Newspaper Collection, accession number 2014.002.020V, room 2, case 2, shelf 10, box GV, Maitland Historical Museum, Art & History Museums - Maitland, Maitland, Florida.
The Maitland News, Vol. 01, No. 19, September 11, 1926
The Maitland News was a local newspaper originally published by the Maitland Realty Company (and later by The Maitland News Company) which began circulation in April 1926. This edition features articles on topics such as the implementation of drainage pipes to connect Maitland's lakes and alleviate flooding, the need for a local fruit packing house, the distribution of property assessment pamphlets, the construction of new homes, a Labor Day celebration, a property assessment map of Eatonville, a piano recital, flower gardens, road paving contractor bids, an update on available library books, the housing arrangements of local residents, and a local events calendar. Also featured are several advertisements for local businesses.
Original 4-page newspaper edition: The Maitland News, Vol. 01, No. 19, September 11, 1926: Newspaper Collection, accession number 2014.002.020V, room 2, case 2, shelf 10, box GV, Maitland Historical Museum, Art & History Museums - Maitland, Maitland, Florida.
The Maitland News, Vol. 01, No. 18, September 4, 1926
The Maitland News was a local newspaper originally published by the Maitland Realty Company (and later by The Maitland News Company) which began circulation in April 1926. This edition features articles on topics such as the paving of streets, a Chamber of Commerce social event, clean-up efforts, the beautification of the town hall, electric light service, several property improvement resolutions, the re-opening of several banks, the housing arrangements of local residents, and a local events calendar. Also featured is a special section detailing the property assessments and improvement resolutions of many properties in Maitland, as well as several advertisements for local businesses.
Original 4-page newspaper edition: The Maitland News, Vol. 01, No. 18, September 4, 1926: Newspaper Collection, accession number 2014.002.020V, room 2, case 2, shelf 10, box GV, Maitland Historical Museum, Art & History Museums - Maitland, Maitland, Florida.
The Maitland News, Vol. 01, No. 17, August 28, 1926
The Maitland News was a local newspaper originally published by the Maitland Realty Company (and later by The Maitland News Company) which began circulation in April 1926. This edition features articles on topics such as the rebuilding of Maitland Lumber Company, lots sold in Greenwood Gardens subdivision, the Maitland Auxiliary, property values, a church gathering, a Chamber of Commerce meeting, clean-up efforts, riots in Calcutta in India, fishing, the opening of the school year, the housing arrangements of local residents, and a local events calendar. Also featured are several advertisements for local businesses.
Original 4-page newspaper edition: The Maitland News, Vol. 01, No. 17, August 28, 1926: Newspaper Collection, accession number 2014.002.020V, room 2, case 2, shelf 10, box GV, Maitland Historical Museum, Art & History Museums - Maitland, Maitland, Florida.
The Maitland News, Vol. 01, No. 16, August 21, 1926
The Maitland News was a local newspaper originally published by the Maitland Realty Company (and later by The Maitland News Company) which began circulation in April 1926. This edition features articles on topics such as a Chamber of Commerce meeting, a clean-up week, the closure of a restaurant for repairs, a new bank in Longwood, the explosion of a gasoline stove, the new municipal building, electrical laws, building permits, a new retail store, the housing arrangements of local residents, and a local events calendar. Also featured are several advertisements for local businesses.
Original 4-page newspaper edition: The Maitland News, Vol. 01, No. 16, August 21, 1926: Newspaper Collection, accession number 2014.002.020V, room 2, case 2, shelf 10, box GV, Maitland Historical Museum, Art & History Museums - Maitland, Maitland, Florida.
The Maitland News, Vol. 01, No. 15, August 14, 1926
The Maitland News was a local newspaper originally published by the Maitland Realty Company (and later by The Maitland News Company) which began circulation in April 1926. This edition features articles on topics such as street lights, an act of vandalism, a police raid on a still, a Presbyterian church service, improvements to the Maitland Garage, weeding, new library books, an article by W. R. G. Orwick on the intersection of business and religion, the housing arrangements of local residents, and a local events calendar. Also featured are several advertisements for local businesses.
Original 4-page newspaper edition: The Maitland News, Vol. 01, No. 15, August 14, 1926: Newspaper Collection, accession number 2014.002.020V, room 2, case 2, shelf 10, box GV, Maitland Historical Museum, Art & History Museums - Maitland, Maitland, Florida.
The Maitland News, Vol. 01, No. 14, August 7, 1926
The Maitland News was a local newspaper originally published by the Maitland Realty Company (and later by The Maitland News Company) which began circulation in April 1926. This edition features articles on topics such as a tropical storm, improvements to the Maitland School, Bible school, an injured child, the Maitland Auxiliary, summer activities, several resolutions regarding the improvements of city roads, a poem by Parson Ebony Snow, the housing arrangements of local residents, and a local events calendar. Also featured are several advertisements for local businesses.
Original 6-page newspaper edition: The Maitland News, Vol. 01, No. 14, August 7, 1926: Newspaper Collection, accession number 2014.002.020V, room 2, case 2, shelf 10, box GV, Maitland Historical Museum, Art & History Museums - Maitland, Maitland, Florida.
The Maitland News, Vol. 01, No. 13, July 31, 1926
The Maitland News was a local newspaper originally published by the Maitland Realty Company (and later by The Maitland News Company) which began circulation in April 1926. This edition features articles on topics such as the passing of a pioneer resident of Maitland, the completion of a new town hall, Bible school, a local fire, water meters, the growth of Maitland, the housing arrangements of local residents, and a local events calendar. Also featured are several advertisements for local businesses.
Original 4-page newspaper edition: The Maitland News, Vol. 01, No. 13, July 31, 1926: Newspaper Collection, accession number 2014.002.020V, room 2, case 2, shelf 10, box GV, Maitland Historical Museum, Art & History Museums - Maitland, Maitland, Florida.
The Maitland News, Vol. 01, No. 12, July 24, 1926
The Maitland News was a local newspaper originally published by the Maitland Realty Company (and later by The Maitland News Company) which began circulation in April 1926. This edition features articles on topics such as new management at the Maitland Realty Company, tax rates, a grocery store, an automobile accident, a burglary incident, construction on a church rectory, billboard advertisements, building construction rates, banking and currency, the housing arrangements of local residents, and a local events calendar. Also featured are several advertisements for local businesses.
Original 4-page newspaper edition: The Maitland News, Vol. 01, No. 12, July 24, 1926: Newspaper Collection, accession number 2014.002.020V, room 2, case 2, shelf 10, box GV, Maitland Historical Museum, Art & History Museums - Maitland, Maitland, Florida.
The Maitland News, Vol. 01, No. 11, July 17, 1926
The Maitland News was a local newspaper originally published by the Maitland Realty Company (and later by The Maitland News Company) which began circulation in April 1926. This edition features articles on topics such as the organization of the fire department, modern retail stores, waterworks bonds, a new contracting firm, highway construction, Bible school, a duplex apartment building, Chamber of Commerce meetings, economic development across the southeast United States, the housing arrangements of local residents, and a local events calendar. Also featured are several advertisements for local businesses.
Original 4-page newspaper edition: The Maitland News, Vol. 01, No. 11, July 17, 1926: Newspaper Collection, accession number 2014.002.020V, room 2, case 2, shelf 10, box GV, Maitland Historical Museum, Art & History Museums - Maitland, Maitland, Florida.
The Maitland News, Vol. 01, No. 10, July 10, 1926
The Maitland News was a local newspaper originally published by the Maitland Realty Company (and later by The Maitland News Company) which began circulation in April 1926. This edition features articles on topics such as airplane maps of Maitland, a new fire truck, a new citrus packing house, the Fourth of July, an obituary, the housing arrangements of local residents, and a local events calendar. Also featured are several advertisements for local businesses. This edition is missing pages 3 and 4.
Original 4-page newspaper edition: The Maitland News, Vol. 01, No. 10, July 10, 1926: Newspaper Collection, accession number 2014.002.020V, room 2, case 2, shelf 10, box GV, Maitland Historical Museum, Art & History Museums - Maitland, Maitland, Florida.
The Maitland News, Vol. 01, No. 09, July 3, 1926
The Maitland News was a local newspaper originally published by the Maitland Realty Company (and later by The Maitland News Company) which began circulation in April 1926. This edition features articles on topics such as a new fire truck, Chamber of Commerce meeting times, a new office building for the Maitland Realty Company, the establishment of fire zones, a new tax assessor, the Maitland Auxiliary, automobile accidents, and a local events calendar. Also featured are several advertisements for local businesses. This edition is missing pages 3 and 4.
Original 4-page newspaper edition: The Maitland News, Vol. 01, No. 09, July 3, 1926: Newspaper Collection, accession number 2014.002.020V, room 2, case 2, shelf 10, box GV, Maitland Historical Museum, Art & History Museums - Maitland, Maitland, Florida.
The Maitland News, Vol. 01, No. 08, June 26, 1926
The Maitland News was a local newspaper originally published by the Maitland Realty Company (and later by The Maitland News Company) which began circulation in April 1926. This edition features articles on topics such as the completion of the city's waterworks, the construction of a new town hall and firehouse, the town council's trip to DeLand to observe water pumps, freight shipping statistics for Florida, the growth of the central Florida area, citrus culture, banking, an obituary, two weddings, and a local events calendar. Also featured are several advertisements for local businesses.
Original 4-page newspaper edition: The Maitland News, Vol. 01, No. 08, June 26, 1926: Newspaper Collection, accession number 2014.002.020V, room 2, case 2, shelf 10, box GV, Maitland Historical Museum, Art & History Museums - Maitland, Maitland, Florida.
The Maitland News, Vol. 01, No. 07, June 19, 1926
The Maitland News was a local newspaper originally published by the Maitland Realty Company (and later by The Maitland News Company) which began circulation in April 1926. This edition features articles on topics such as the paving of local streets, students receiving honors, a wedding, a resident receiving an academic prize, the remodeling of a church, growth in Maitland, banking and currency, new library books, and a local events calendar. Also featured are several advertisements for local businesses. This edition is missing pages 3 and 4.
Original 2-page newspaper edition: The Maitland News, Vol. 01, No. 07, June 19, 1926: Newspaper Collection, accession number 2014.002.020V, room 2, case 2, shelf 10, box GV, Maitland Historical Museum, Art & History Museums - Maitland, Maitland, Florida.
The Maitland News, Vol. 01, No. 06, June 12, 1926
The Maitland News was a local newspaper originally published by the Maitland Realty Company (and later by The Maitland News Company) which began circulation in April 1926. This edition features articles on topics such as plans to establish a building and loan association for Maitland, fishing, housing and urban development, new books added to the library, local banking services, and a local events calendar. Also featured is a poem by local resident "Wib" Chaffee, and several advertisements for local businesses.
Original 4-page newspaper edition: The Maitland News, Vol. 01, No. 06, June 12, 1926: Newspaper Collection, accession number 2014.002.020V, room 2, case 2, shelf 10, box GV, Maitland Historical Museum, Art & History Museums - Maitland, Maitland, Florida.
The Maitland News, Vol. 01, No. 05, June 5, 1926
The Maitland News was a local newspaper originally published by the Maitland Realty Company (and later by The Maitland News Company) which began circulation in April 1926. This edition features articles on topics such as plans to erect a new municipal building, park improvements, building codes, housing, architecture styles, new books for the library, local banking, a picnic held by the Maitland Auxiliary, and a local events calendar. Also featured are several advertisements for local businesses.
Original 4-page newspaper edition: The Maitland News, Vol. 01, No. 05, June 5, 1926: Newspaper Collection, accession number 2014.002.020V, room 2, case 2, shelf 10, box GV, Maitland Historical Museum, Art & History Museums - Maitland, Maitland, Florida.
The Maitland News, Vol. 01, No. 04, May 29, 1926
The Maitland News was a local newspaper originally published by the Maitland Realty Company (and later by The Maitland News Company) which began circulation in April 1926. This edition features articles on topics such as the Maitland Lumber Company rebuilding following a fire, new housing in Greenwood Gardens subdivision, a Chamber of Commerce meeting, a new garbage disposal system, a new municipal engineer, a Boy Scout camping trip, local elected officials, new books available at the Maitland Library, and a local events calendar. Also featured are several advertisements for local businesses.
Original 4-page newspaper edition: The Maitland News, Vol. 01, No. 04, May 29, 1926: Newspaper Collection, accession number 2014.002.020V, room 2, case 2, shelf 10, box GV, Maitland Historical Museum, Art & History Museums - Maitland, Maitland, Florida.
The Maitland News, Vol. 01, No. 03, May 22, 1926
The Maitland News was a local newspaper originally published by the Maitland Realty Company (and later by The Maitland News Company) which began circulation in April 1926. This edition features articles on topics such as the rising demand for housing in Maitland, a school graduation, library renovations, water wells, new sidewalks, an obituary for local resident Ruth Fleming, a press banquet, a wedding anniversary, and a local events calendar. Also featured are several advertisements for local businesses, including one by the Maitland Realty Company announcing the need for a local drug store, a garage building, a cement block plant, novelty works, a filling station, and a warehouse, and anyone who can finance or furnish any of these. This edition is missing pages 2 and 3.
Original 2-page newspaper edition: The Maitland News, Vol. 01, No. 03, May 22, 1926: Newspaper Collection, accession number 2014.002.020V, room 2, case 2, shelf 10, box GV, Maitland Historical Museum, Art & History Museums - Maitland, Maitland, Florida.
The Maitland News, Vol. 01, No. 02, April 29, 1926
The Maitland News was a local newspaper originally published by the Maitland Realty Company (and later by The Maitland News Company) which began circulation in April 1926. This edition features articles on topics such as building permits and construction in Maitland compared to Orlando and Winter Park, a town slogan contest, a new fruit company, water wells, a new radio program, the Mayor's outline for town planning and development projects, the construction of residential subdivisions, waterworks bonds, an obituary for local resident Lida P. Bronson, a local banquet and reception, and a local events calendar. Also featured are several advertisements for local businesses, including the Greenwood Gardens residential community.
Original 4-page newspaper edition: The Maitland News, Vol. 01, No. 02, April 29, 1926: Newspaper Collection, accession number 2014.002.020V, room 2, case 2, shelf 10, box GV, Maitland Historical Museum, Art & History Museums - Maitland, Maitland, Florida.
The Maitland News, Vol. 01, No. 01, April 12, 1926
The Maitland News was a local newspaper originally published by the Maitland Realty Company (and later by The Maitland News Company) which began circulation in April 1926. This edition is the first ever issue, and it features articles on topics such as the modernization of the local fire department, the achievements of the town council, the development of the town's first residential neighborhood, urban planning, the construction of a new hotel, a local concert, a calendar of local events, the Bank of Maitland, the development of the Greenwood Gardens residential neighborhood, the Needlework Guild, and the publication plans of The Maitland News itself. Also featured are several advertisements for local businesses.
Original 4-page newspaper edition: The Maitland News, Vol. 01, No. 01, April 12, 1926: Newspaper Collection, accession number 2014.002.020V, room 2, case 2, shelf 10, box GV, Maitland Historical Museum, Art & History Museums - Maitland, Maitland, Florida.
A History of Central Florida, Episode 45: Diploma Plate
Episode 45 of A History of Central Florida podcasts: Diploma Plate. RICHES Podcast Documentaries are short form narrative documentaries that explore Central Florida history and are locally produced. These podcasts can involve the participation or cooperation of local area partners. Episode 45 features a discussion about the charter class and first graduating class of Florida Technological University (present-day University of Central Florida), as well as a diploma plate displayed at the University of Central Florida Libraries in Orlando, Florida. This podcast also includes interviews with Dr. Christopher Loss of Vanderbilt University, Retha Riley Underwood, Dr. Robert Bledsoe of the University of Central Florida, Joyce Hart Perkins, Mike Canavan, and Richard King.
Original 16-minute and 2-second podcast by Kendra Hazen, 2015: RICHES Podcast Documentaries, Orlando, Florida. https://youtu.be/jAX3sVD8NuE.
RICHES
University of Central Florida Special Collections and University Archives
Florida Memory Project
Florida Technological University, Orlando, Florida
University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida
University of Central Florida Libraries, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida
A History of Central Florida, Episode 44: Highwaymen Paintings
Episode 44 of A History of Central Florida podcasts: Highwaymen Paintings. RICHES Podcast Documentaries are short form narrative documentaries that explore Central Florida history and are locally produced. These podcasts can involve the participation or cooperation of local area partners. Episode 44 features a discussion of The Highway Men paintings displayed at the Orange County Regional History Center in Orlando, Florida. This podcast also includes interviews with painter Al Black and Gary Monroe of Daytona State College.
Original 12-minute and 7-second podcast by Kevin Stapleton, 2015: RICHES Podcast Documentaries, Orlando, Florida. https://youtu.be/OcET5mQlITQ.
RICHES of Central Florida
Orange County Regional History Center, Orlando, Florida
A History of Central Florida, Episode 43: Surfboards
Episode 43 of A History of Central Florida podcasts: Surfboards. RICHES Podcast Documentaries are short form narrative documentaries that explore Central Florida history and are locally produced. These podcasts can involve the participation or cooperation of local area partners. Episode 43 features a discussion of surfboards and surfing in Central Florida, including surfboards displayed at the Halifax Historical Museum in Daytona Beach, Florida. This podcast also includes interviews with Dr. Mark Howard Long of the University of Central Florida and photographer and painter Paul Aho.
Original 15-minute and 26-second podcast by Christopher Brooke, 2015: RICHES Podcast Documentaries, Orlando, Florida. https://youtu.be/XSWvE9n2cl8.
Indian River Citrus Museum
Halifax Historical Museum
Library of Congress
Internet Archive
Halifax Historical Museum, Daytona Beach, Florida
Artists Bill Orr and Maury Hurt. Both painters were instrumental in leading the movement to save the Maitland Art Center in Maitland, Florida, from developers in the 1960s. Bill Orr (1925-), photographed on the left, grew up in Michigan, where he worked breaking in mustang ponies. When World War II broke out, Orr joined the U.S. Army and was a member of the cavalry regiment. Later seeing action on Okinawa in the Pacific Theater, he was among the first servicemen to serve in Japan after the war. Orr found his way to the Research Studio in 1961 after applying for a position through a newspaper advertisement. As an artist, Orr made a living doing life-size portraits of horses. He would go on to establish himself as a leading equine artist, a tribute to his lifetime love of horses. Orlando native Maury Hurt (1934-2013), photographed on the right, graduated from the University of Florida with a design degree in 1956. After serving a short tour in the U.S. Army, Hurt continued to work in the graphic arts fields for several years before abandoning the profession to become a full-time painter. From a studio at the Art & History Museums' Maitland Art Center, Hurt’s work centered on primitive and archaic themes often focusing on the relationship of humans, animals, and early prehistoric life. Hurst's legacy lies in his masterful work and is mentorship of artists across Central Florida.
Original color photograph by Rob Bartlett: Orlando Weekly, Orlando, Florida.
Orlando Weekly
Smith, J. André (Jules André), 1880-1959
European Village, an etching created by Jules André Smith. Born in 1880 to American parents in Hong Kong, raised in New York and Connecticut, and educated at Cornell University, J. André Smith worked for several years as an architect, never giving up on his first love of art. His early passion was printmaking, specifically etching. In 1915, he was awarded a gold medal at the Panama-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco, California. During World War I, Smith continued to work in both drawing and printmaking, selected as one of eight artists by the U.S. government to go to France in 1918 to record military activities. He would later publish those works in a book titled In France with the American Expeditionary Forces. While travelling to Miami in the 1930s, Smith made an unplanned stop in Maitland, Florida. Having experienced a stunning sunset on nearby Lake Sybelia, he decided to travel no further and would go on to build his winter home and studio here, which is now the Maitland Art Center. Frustrated and disappointed with the area’s lack of support for contemporary art, Smith began plans for a residential "Lab-Gallery" that would encourage artistic exploration and experimentation in a sheltered studio environment. The studio compound, later known as The Research Studio, was the winter residence of prominent American artists such as Ralston Crawford, David Burlick, Ernest Roth, Milton Avery, Arnold Blanch, Doris Lee, and Hal McIntosh. André Smith’s vision continued to thrive for over two decades under the generous financial support from his patron, philanthropist Mary Curtis Bok. Smith’s legacy is alive and well today at the Art & History Museum’s Maitland Art Center through its residency programs and exhibitions.
Original etching: Smith, Jules André. European Village: Maitland Historical Museum, Art & History Museums - Maitland, Maitland, Florida.
Forest Idyl, a sculpture recreated by Albin Polasek (1879-1965) in 1964. The original sculpture was created with bronze in 1924. Polasek was inspired by Henry Wadsforth Longellow's epic poem "The Song of Hiawartha." Another casting of Forest Idyl was contributed to an art gallery in New York, where the sculptor of the Lincoln Memorial, Daniel Chester French, won the sculpture in a draawing of the gallery's supporting members. While at the American Academy in Rome, Italy, as an honorary professor in 1931, Polasek created a life-size version of Forest Idyl for sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntongton for Brookgreen Gardens, which was her estate in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina. A copy of the 1931 sculpture was also contributed to Ball State University's library in Muncie, Indiana, where she is called "The Naked Lady." For his 1964 version photographed here, Polasek used the same conceptual design that he used in 1924, but instead used the face and hairstyle of his wife, Emily Muska Kubat Polasek, as a model. This casting resides on the front lawn of the Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens in Winter Park, and another casting of the 1964 version is located at the Winter Park City Hall. The sculpture's plaque reads: "This statue was donated to the City of Winter Park by the world renowned sculptor Albin Polasek. Mr. Polasek’s many works reflect a gratitude and appreciation for God’s world and America. He loved Winter Park, which became his 'Florida paradise.' This statue, now dedicated to his memory, is a testimonial to that devotion. December, 1966." Polasek was born in 1879 in Frenštát pod Radhoštěm, Moravia (now part of the Czech Republic). He apprenticed as a woodcarver in Vienna, Austria, and immigrated to the United States in 1901. After working in the Midwest for nearly four years, Polasek finally began his formal training at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1910, Polasek won the Prix de Rome competition, spending three years at the American Academy of Art in Rome, Italy. Once he completed his studies in Rome, Polasek moved to New York City, New York, and set up a studio there. In 1916, the Art Institute of Chicago invited him to head its sculpture department, where he remained for nearly 30 years. In 1949, Polasek retired to Winter Park, Florida, building a home on Lake Osceola. In spite of suffering a stroke in 1950 that left him confined to a wheelchair and his left side paralyzed, Polasek continued to paint, draw, sculpt clay, and carve wood, creating a total of 18 major works before his death in 1965. In 1961, Polasek established the Polasek Foundation, designating his personal galleries, chapel, and gardens as a museum. Each year, thousands of local and international guests come to Winter Park to visit Polasek’s historic home and studio at the Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens. Polasek’s works can be found in Europe, all over the United States, and locally in Winter Park and Orlando.
Original sculpture: Polasek, Albin. Forest Idyl, 1964. Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens, Winter Park, Florida.
Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens, Winter Park, Florida
Man Carving His Own Destiny by Albin Polasek
Man Carving His Own Destiny, a sculpture chiseled from limestone by Albin Polasek in 1961. Polasek sculpted his first version of Man Carving His Own Destiny while studying under Charles Grafly at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1907. Reminisicent of Michaelangelo's Slaves, the sculpture depicts a man chiseling himself out of stone. Polasek has sculpted 53 different variations of Man Carving His Own Destiny throughout his lifetime. His various recreations depict differences in arm positions, the look of the hair, and how much of the man's body is emerged from the rock. Polasek was born in 1879 in Frenštát pod Radhoštěm, Moravia (now part of the Czech Republic). He apprenticed as a woodcarver in Vienna, Austria, and immigrated to the United States in 1901. After working in the Midwest for nearly four years, Polasek finally began his formal training at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1910, Polasek won the Prix de Rome competition, spending three years at the American Academy of Art in Rome, Italy. Once he completed his studies in Rome, Polasek moved to New York City, New York, and set up a studio there. In 1916, the Art Institute of Chicago invited him to head its sculpture department, where he remained for nearly 30 years. In 1949, Polasek retired to Winter Park, Florida, building a home on Lake Osceola. In spite of suffering a stroke in 1950 that left him confined to a wheelchair and his left side paralyzed, Polasek continued to paint, draw, sculpt clay, and carve wood, creating a total of 18 major works before his death in 1965. In 1961, Polasek established the Polasek Foundation, designating his personal galleries, chapel, and gardens as a museum. Each year, thousands of local and international guests come to Winter Park to visit Polasek’s historic home and studio at the Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens. Polasek’s works can be found in Europe, all over the United States, and locally in Winter Park and Orlando.
Original sculpture: Polasek, Albin. Man Carving His Own Destiny: Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens, Winter Park, Florida.
Mother Crying Over the World by Albin Polasek
Mother Crying Over the World, a sculpture created by Albin Polasek in 1942. Polasek was born in 1879 in Frenštát pod Radhoštěm, Moravia (now part of the Czech Republic). He apprenticed as a woodcarver in Vienna, Austria, and immigrated to the United States in 1901. After working in the Midwest for nearly four years, Polasek finally began his formal training at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1910, Polasek won the Prix de Rome competition, spending three years at the American Academy of Art in Rome, Italy. Once he completed his studies in Rome, Polasek moved to New York City, New York, and set up a studio there. In 1916, the Art Institute of Chicago invited him to head its sculpture department, where he remained for nearly 30 years. In 1949, Polasek retired to Winter Park, Florida, building a home on Lake Osceola. In spite of suffering a stroke in 1950 that left him confined to a wheelchair and his left side paralyzed, Polasek continued to paint, draw, sculpt clay, and carve wood, creating a total of 18 major works before his death in 1965. In 1961, Polasek established the Polasek Foundation, designating his personal galleries, chapel, and gardens as a museum. Each year, thousands of local and international guests come to Winter Park to visit Polasek’s historic home and studio at the Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens. Polasek’s works can be found in Europe, all over the United States, and locally in Winter Park and Orlando.
Ralph L. Bagley (ca. 1914-2008) with his painting. Bagley was an artist and instructor who taught in Central Florida from the 1950s until his death in 2008, when he was 94 years old. He was born in Bertrand, Missouri, and attended the Flint Institute of Art in Flint, Michigan, continuing his studies in New York and Washington, D.C. Bagley and his wife, Marianne Bagley, moved to Orlando, Florida in 1950, where Bagley founded the Orlando Institute of Art, the city’s first fine-arts school. Bagley depicted landscapes, still lifes, and portraits in a variety of media, including oil, watercolor, and charcoal. Bagley also taught at Orlando Junior College, becoming head of the school’s art department in 1965. After the college closed in 1971, he taught at Lake-Sumter Community College in Leesburg, the Maitland Art Center in Maitland, and the Loch Haven Art Center (now the Orlando Museum of Art). He toured the nation with at least 30 one-man art shows featuring his paintings. Among many positions he held in art organizations, Bagley was president of the Orlando Art Association and a founding member and president of the Artists’ League of Orange County. The works of his many students sustain his legacy.
Original black and white photograph: City of Orlando Terrace Gallery, Orlando, Florida.
Old Mill, a painting by Ralph L. Bagley (ca. 1914-2008). Old Mill features a mill in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Bagley was an artist and instructor who taught in Central Florida from the 1950s until his death in 2008, when he was 94 years old. He was born in Bertrand, Missouri, and attended the Flint Institute of Art in Flint, Michigan, continuing his studies in New York and Washington, D.C. Bagley and his wife, Marianne Bagley, moved to Orlando, Florida in 1950, where Bagley founded the Orlando Institute of Art, the city’s first fine-arts school. Bagley depicted landscapes, still lifes, and portraits in a variety of media, including oil, watercolor, and charcoal. Bagley also taught at Orlando Junior College, becoming head of the school’s art department in 1965. After the college closed in 1971, he taught at Lake-Sumter Community College in Leesburg, the Maitland Art Center in Maitland, and the Loch Haven Art Center (now the Orlando Museum of Art). He toured the nation with at least 30 one-man art shows featuring his paintings. Among many positions he held in art organizations, Bagley was president of the Orlando Art Association and a founding member and president of the Artists’ League of Orange County. The works of his many students sustain his legacy.
Original painting: Bagley, Ralph L. Old Mill: City of Orlando Terrace Gallery, Orlando, Florida.
A painting by Jeannette Genius McKean (1909-1989). McKean was a painter, interior designer, and trustee, and benefactor of Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. Born in Chicago, Illinois, she visited her grandfather, Charles Hosmer Morse, in Winter Park. On one summer visit in 1926, she enrolled in a course at Rollins, touching off a lifelong interest in the college. In 1942, Jeannette Genius founded the Morse Gallery of Art (present-day Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art) on the Rollins College campus, naming it for her grandfather. She appointed Rollins art professor Hugh McKean as the gallery’s director, and in 1945, she married him.
Original painting by Jeannette Genius McKean: Orange County Regional History Center, Orlando, Florida.
Two Figures in Green Landscape by Hugh F. McKean
An untitled oil painting by Hugh F. McKean (1908-1995). Although the painting has no official title, it is commonly referred to as Two Figures in Green Landscape. McKean moved to Orlando, Florida, from College Hill in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, where he was raised. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Rollins College in Winter Park in 1930 and joined its faculty in 1932, later heading its art department. He studied art at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia, Art Students League in New York City, the École des Beaux-Arts at Fontainebleau in France, and Harvard University. The Tiffany Foundation also selected him in 1930 to join other artists at Laurelton Hall, Louis Comfort Tiffany’s mansion at Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island, New York, under Tiffany’s tutelage. In 1940, he received his master’s degree from Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts. He married Jeannette Genius , the granddaughter of Charles Hosmer Morse, in 1945. McKean then served as the president of Rollins College from 1951 to 1969 and the director of the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art from 1942 until his death in 1995.
Original 16 x 20 inch oil painting by Hugh F. McKean: Orange County Regional History Center, Orlando, Florida.
Indian River Lagoon by Dr. Walter Gaudnek
Indian River Lagoon, an acrylic painting created by Dr. Walter Gaudnek in 1974. Indian River Lagoon depicts a spacecraft in outer space, with the Sun and Saturn in the background. Born in Fleyh, Czechoslovakia, in 1931, pop artist Dr. Gaudnek is known for his blend of his bold colors, philosophy, religious symbolism, labyrinth installations, and mixtures of performance and art. He also draws heavy inspiration from Bohemia, Caravaggio, Kazimir Malevich, and Pablo Picasso. A 1957 Fulbright Scholar who received his doctorate from New York University, he joined the art faculty of the Florida Technological University (present-day University of Central Florida) in Orlando, Florida, in 1970. Dr. Gaudnek previously taught at universities in Los Angeles, New York, and Ohio. He founded the Long Island University's Hillwood Art Museum in Greenvale, New York. His honors from UCF include Distinguished Researcher of the Year (1990), the Teaching Incentive Program Award (1995 and 2005), the Professional Excellence Program Award (1997), the President’s Award (1999), and the Research Incentive Award (2002). In 1994, the Sudetendeutecher Landsmannschaft, an organization dedicated to recognizing the achievements of the Czech-German diaspora, awarded him the Kulturpreis for Fine Art and Architecture. Dr. Gaudnek’s work can be seen at the Gaudnek Europe Museum (GEM) in Altomünster, Germany, as well as the UCF Library, which contains a retrospective of his work from 1945 to 2007. He has participated in more than 200 solo and group exhibitions, installations, and performances in Germany, Italy, Spain, England, Colombia, the Czech Republic, and the United States. His works have also been exhibited in museums in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Virginia, Arizona, Florida, Europe, and Brazil, as well as schools, banks, office buildings, libraries, theaters, museums, and private homes in Europe and the United States. He has been featured in documentaries in San Francisco, New York, Munich, São Paolo, and Paris.
Original acrylic painting: Gaudnek, Walter. Indian River Lagoon, 1974: City of Orlando Terrace Gallery, Orlando, Florida.
A History of Central Florida, Episode 42: Jim Crow Signs
Episode 42 of A History of Central Florida podcasts: Jim Crow Signs. RICHES Podcast Documentaries are short form narrative documentaries that explore Central Florida history and are locally produced. These podcasts can involve the participation or cooperation of local area partners. Episode 42 features a discussion of racial segregation signs used in the Jim Crow South, which are housed at the Orange County Regional History Center in Orlando, Florida. This podcast also includes interviews with Dr. Stephen Caldwell Wright of Seminole State College and Dr. Julian C. Chambliss of Rollins College.
Original 15-minute and 48-second podcast by Kevin Stapleton, 2015: RICHES Podcast Documentaries, Orlando, Florida. http://youtu.be/wvzC9ergWHg.
Orange County Regional History Center
Derns Elementary School, Orange County, Florida
Durrance Elementary School, Orlando, Florida
Undesirable Factors Cited in Report of 'The Big Pond', Lake Apopka; 1962-1964
A newspaper article discussing a Florida State Board of Health report regarding the condition of Lake Apopka, Florida. The report examines various contributions to the pollution of the lake and makes recommendations towards the cleanup process.
Photocopy of original newspaper article: "Undesirable Factors Cited in Report of 'The Big Pond', Lake Apopka; 1962-1964": Binder 1964, drawer 1938-1987, Friends of Lake Apopka Archives, Ginn Museum, Oakland Nature Preserve, Oakland, Florida.
Memorandum from Leesburg Fisheries Experiment Station to John W. Woods (May 28, 1964)
A memorandum from the Leesburg Fisheries Experiment Station to John W. Woods, the Chief of Fisheries Division for the Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission. The memo discusses a recent report by Joe E. Burgess for the Florida State Board of Health. The author of the memo disagrees with several findings of the State Board of Health report and discusses inconsistencies in the wording of the report.
Photocopy of original 2-page typewritten memorandum from Leesburg Fisheries Experiment Station to John W. Woods, May 28, 1964: Binder 1964, drawer 1938-1987, Friends of Lake Apopka Archives, Ginn Museum, Oakland Nature Preserve, Oakland, Florida.
Lake Apopka Revives As Sports Fish Arena
A newspaper article dated June 9, 1964. The article briefly describes remarks by C. W. Sheffield, an Orange County sanitary engineer. Sheffield states that Lake Apopka, Florida is healthier than it has been in four years, primarily due to dilution from holding the water level higher. The lake was the site of a major fish kill in May of 1953.
Photocopy of original newspaper article: "Lake Apopka Revives As Sports Fish Arena." June 9, 1964: Binder 1964, drawer 1938-1987, Friends of Lake Apopka Archives, Ginn Museum, Oakland Nature Preserve, Oakland, Florida.
The Rovin' Flames, taken between September and December of 1966. The Rovin' Flames were formed in Tampa in 1965 by Paul Battle (rhythm guitar and vocals), Jimmy "Mouse" Morris (lead guitar), J. R. Maietta (bass) and Jerry Goff (drums). They recorded "Gloria/J.J.J.P." in September 1965 on Fuller Records and recorded their second record, "I Can't/I'm Afraid to Go Home," on Boss records in March of 1966. Hardy Dial, from The Outsiders/Soul Trippers, was added on lead vocals in the summer of 1966, and the group recorded "Bo Diddley/Seven Million People" in June of 1966. Battle, Goff, and Dial left the group in September of 1966 and were replaced by Jim Davis (vocals), Davy Tabak (drums) and John Rogers (organ). Davis left in December of 1966 and Battle briefly returned as lead vocalist, before being replaced by John DeLise, also of The Outsiders/Soul Trippers, in February of 1967. The group replaced Tabak with Eddie Taylor on drums in July of 1967, and recorded "How Many Times/Love Song No. 6" in September of 1967 on Decca Records. Although DeLise lasted longer than most of the band's lead vocalists, he left the group in less than a year, being replaced by Bob Thompson in November of 1967. Rogers passed away in March of 1968, and Thompson and Taylor left the group, being replaced by Jay Colding (organ), Jerry Nickerson (drums) and Ronnie Goedert (lead vocals), in July of 1968. Goedert left shortly thereafter in the fall of 1968, and was replaced by Hobie O'Brien, who remained the lead vocalist until the band broke up in January or February of 1969.
Original black and white photograph, 1966: Profiles: Bands & Artists, Tampa Bay Music Scene Historical Society.
A newspaper article published in The Tampa Tribune on September 1, 1966, describing an interview with The Rovin' Flames. The article was written by Rose Marie Almas and Cherie Wallace. In the upper right corner is a photograph of the band standing on a truck. Photographed from left to right is Paul Battle, Hardy Dial, J. R. Maietta (seated), Jim Morris, and Jerry Goff. The Rovin' Flames were formed in Tampa in 1965 by Paul Battle (rhythm guitar and vocals), Jimmy "Mouse" Morris (lead guitar), J. R. Maietta (bass) and Jerry Goff (drums). They recorded "Gloria/J.J.J.P." in September 1965 on Fuller Records and recorded their second record, "I Can't/I'm Afraid to Go Home," on Boss records in March of 1966. Hardy Dial, from The Outsiders/Soul Trippers, was added on lead vocals in the summer of 1966, and the group recorded "Bo Diddley/Seven Million People" in June of 1966. Battle, Goff, and Dial left the group in September of 1966 and were replaced by Jim Davis (vocals), Davy Tabak (drums) and John Rogers (organ). Davis left in December of 1966 and Battle briefly returned as lead vocalist, before being replaced by John DeLise, also of The Outsiders/Soul Trippers, in February of 1967. The group replaced Tabak with Eddie Taylor on drums in July of 1967, and recorded "How Many Times/Love Song No. 6" in September of 1967 on Decca Records. Although DeLise lasted longer than most of the band's lead vocalists, he left the group in less than a year, being replaced by Bob Thompson in November of 1967. Rogers passed away in March of 1968, and Thompson and Taylor left the group, being replaced by Jay Colding (organ), Jerry Nickerson (drums) and Ronnie Goedert (lead vocals), in July of 1968. Goedert left shortly thereafter in the fall of 1968, and was replaced by Hobie O'Brien, who remained the lead vocalist until the band broke up in January or February of 1969.
Original newspaper article: Almas, Rose Marie, and Cherie Wallace. "Pop Bands—The Rovin' Flames." Tampa Tribune, September 1, 1966: Profiles: Bands & Artists, Tampa Bay Music Scene Historical Society.
The Tampa Tribune
The Rovin' Flames, sitting and laying on a couch in the summer of 1967. The names of the members are written at the bottom of the photograph. In the back row, from left to right, are J. R. Maietta and Johnny Rogers, and in the front row, from left to right, are Eddie Taylor, John DeLise, and Jimmy Morris. The Rovin' Flames were formed in Tampa in 1965 by Paul Battle (rhythm guitar and vocals), Jimmy "Mouse" Morris (lead guitar), J. R. Maietta (bass) and Jerry Goff (drums). They recorded "Gloria/J.J.J.P." in September 1965 on Fuller Records and recorded their second record, "I Can't/I'm Afraid to Go Home," on Boss records in March of 1966. Hardy Dial, from The Outsiders/Soul Trippers, was added on lead vocals in the summer of 1966, and the group recorded "Bo Diddley/Seven Million People" in June of 1966. Battle, Goff, and Dial left the group in September of 1966 and were replaced by Jim Davis (vocals), Davy Tabak (drums) and John Rogers (organ). Davis left in December of 1966 and Battle briefly returned as lead vocalist, before being replaced by John DeLise, also of The Outsiders/Soul Trippers, in February of 1967. The group replaced Tabak with Eddie Taylor on drums in July of 1967, and recorded "How Many Times/Love Song No. 6" in September of 1967 on Decca Records. Although DeLise lasted longer than most of the band's lead vocalists, he left the group in less than a year, being replaced by Bob Thompson in November of 1967. Rogers passed away in March of 1968, and Thompson and Taylor left the group, being replaced by Jay Colding (organ), Jerry Nickerson (drums) and Ronnie Goedert (lead vocals), in July of 1968. Goedert left shortly thereafter in the fall of 1968, and was replaced by Hobie O'Brien, who remained the lead vocalist until the band broke up in January or February of 1969.
Original black and white photograph, 1967: Profiles: Bands & Artists, Tampa Bay Music Scene Historical Society.
The Rovin' Flames at a Soap Box Derby Parade
The Rovin' Flames performing live in the bed of a truck in Downtown Tampa, Florida, at the Soap Box Derby Parade on July 13, 1968. The names of the members are written at the bottom. From left to right, they are listed as Jerry Nickerson, J. R. Maietta, Jay Colding, Jimmy Morris, and Ronnie Goedert. The Rovin' Flames were formed in Tampa in 1965 by Paul Battle (rhythm guitar and vocals), Jimmy "Mouse" Morris (lead guitar), J. R. Maietta (bass) and Jerry Goff (drums). They recorded "Gloria/J.J.J.P." in September 1965 on Fuller Records and recorded their second record, "I Can't/I'm Afraid to Go Home," on Boss records in March of 1966. Hardy Dial, from The Outsiders/Soul Trippers, was added on lead vocals in the summer of 1966, and the group recorded "Bo Diddley/Seven Million People" in June of 1966. Battle, Goff, and Dial left the group in September of 1966 and were replaced by Jim Davis (vocals), Davy Tabak (drums) and John Rogers (organ). Davis left in December of 1966 and Battle briefly returned as lead vocalist, before being replaced by John DeLise, also of The Outsiders/Soul Trippers, in February of 1967. The group replaced Tabak with Eddie Taylor on drums in July of 1967, and recorded "How Many Times/Love Song No. 6" in September of 1967 on Decca Records. Although DeLise lasted longer than most of the band's lead vocalists, he left the group in less than a year, being replaced by Bob Thompson in November of 1967. Rogers passed away in March of 1968, and Thompson and Taylor left the group, being replaced by Jay Colding (organ), Jerry Nickerson (drums) and Ronnie Goedert (lead vocals), in July of 1968. Goedert left shortly thereafter in the fall of 1968, and was replaced by Hobie O'Brien, who remained the lead vocalist until the band broke up in January or February of 1969.
Original black and white photograph, July 13, 1968: Profiles: Bands & Artists, Tampa Bay Music Scene Historical Society.
The Rovin' Flames in the autumn of 1967. From left to right, the photograph features John DeLise, Johnny Rogers, Jimmy Morris, Eddie Taylor and J. R. Maietta. The Rovin' Flames were formed in Tampa in 1965 by Paul Battle (rhythm guitar and vocals), Jimmy "Mouse" Morris (lead guitar), J. R. Maietta (bass) and Jerry Goff (drums). They recorded "Gloria/J.J.J.P." in September 1965 on Fuller Records and recorded their second record, "I Can't/I'm Afraid to Go Home," on Boss records in March of 1966. Hardy Dial, from The Outsiders/Soul Trippers, was added on lead vocals in the summer of 1966, and the group recorded "Bo Diddley/Seven Million People" in June of 1966. Battle, Goff, and Dial left the group in September of 1966 and were replaced by Jim Davis (vocals), Davy Tabak (drums) and John Rogers (organ). Davis left in December of 1966 and Battle briefly returned as lead vocalist, before being replaced by John DeLise, also of The Outsiders/Soul Trippers, in February of 1967. The group replaced Tabak with Eddie Taylor on drums in July of 1967, and recorded "How Many Times/Love Song No. 6" in September of 1967 on Decca Records. Although DeLise lasted longer than most of the band's lead vocalists, he left the group in less than a year, being replaced by Bob Thompson in November of 1967. Rogers passed away in March of 1968, and Thompson and Taylor left the group, being replaced by Jay Colding (organ), Jerry Nickerson (drums) and Ronnie Goedert (lead vocals), in July of 1968. Goedert left shortly thereafter in the fall of 1968, and was replaced by Hobie O'Brien, who remained the lead vocalist until the band broke up in January or February of 1969.
A 45 RPM vinyl record single of the song, "How Many Times," recorded by The Rovin' Flames for Decca Records in September of 1967. The song was written by John DeLise and Uncapher, produced by John Brumage, and published by Nozark Music Publishing Company and Fuller Music Publishing Company. The B-side is "Love Song No. 6." The Rovin' Flames were formed in Tampa in 1965 by Paul Battle (rhythm guitar and vocals), Jimmy "Mouse" Morris (lead guitar), J. R. Maietta (bass) and Jerry Goff (drums). They recorded "Gloria/J.J.J.P." in September 1965 on Fuller Records and recorded their second record, "I Can't/I'm Afraid to Go Home," on Boss records in March of 1966. Hardy Dial, from The Outsiders/Soul Trippers, was added on lead vocals in the summer of 1966, and the group recorded "Bo Diddley/Seven Million People" in June of 1966. Battle, Goff, and Dial left the group in September of 1966 and were replaced by Jim Davis (vocals), Davy Tabak (drums) and John Rogers (organ). Davis left in December of 1966 and Battle briefly returned as lead vocalist, before being replaced by John DeLise, also of The Outsiders/Soul Trippers, in February of 1967. The group replaced Tabak with Eddie Taylor on drums in July of 1967, and recorded "How Many Times/Love Song No. 6" in September of 1967 on Decca Records. Although DeLise lasted longer than most of the band's lead vocalists, he left the group in less than a year, being replaced by Bob Thompson in November of 1967. Rogers passed away in March of 1968, and Thompson and Taylor left the group, being replaced by Jay Colding (organ), Jerry Nickerson (drums) and Ronnie Goedert (lead vocals), in July of 1968. Goedert left shortly thereafter in the fall of 1968, and was replaced by Hobie O'Brien, who remained the lead vocalist until the band broke up in January or February of 1969.
Original vinyl record, September 1967: Profiles: Bands & Artists, Tampa Bay Music Scene Historical Society.
Decca Records
A 45 RPM vinyl record single of the song, "Bo Diddley," recorded by The Rovin' Flames on Tampa Bay Records at H and H Productions in Tampa, Florida, in June of 1966. The record was produced by Phil Kempin and the song was written by Bo Diddley, a.k.a. Ellas Otha Bates or Ellas McDaniel. The B-side is "Seven Million People." The Rovin' Flames were formed in Tampa in 1965 by Paul Battle (rhythm guitar and vocals), Jimmy "Mouse" Morris (lead guitar), J. R. Maietta (bass) and Jerry Goff (drums). They recorded "Gloria/J.J.J.P." in September 1965 on Fuller Records and recorded their second record, "I Can't/I'm Afraid to Go Home," on Boss records in March of 1966. Hardy Dial, from The Outsiders/Soul Trippers, was added on lead vocals in the summer of 1966, and the group recorded "Bo Diddley/Seven Million People" in June of 1966. Battle, Goff, and Dial left the group in September of 1966 and were replaced by Jim Davis (vocals), Davy Tabak (drums) and John Rogers (organ). Davis left in December of 1966 and Battle briefly returned as lead vocalist, before being replaced by John DeLise, also of The Outsiders/Soul Trippers, in February of 1967. The group replaced Tabak with Eddie Taylor on drums in July of 1967, and recorded "How Many Times/Love Song No. 6" in September of 1967 on Decca Records. Although DeLise lasted longer than most of the band's lead vocalists, he left the group in less than a year, being replaced by Bob Thompson in November of 1967. Rogers passed away in March of 1968, and Thompson and Taylor left the group, being replaced by Jay Colding (organ), Jerry Nickerson (drums) and Ronnie Goedert (lead vocals), in July of 1968. Goedert left shortly thereafter in the fall of 1968, and was replaced by Hobie O'Brien, who remained the lead vocalist until the band broke up in January or February of 1969.
Original vinyl record, June 1966: Profiles: Bands & Artists, Tampa Bay Music Scene Historical Society.
The Rovin' Flames at the Safety Village, U.S.A. theme park in Tampa, Florida, in 1966. Safety Village, U.S.A. was the City of Tampa's 1965 Christmas gift to the children of the city. Located at 7550 North Boulevard, it was a child-size town located next to Fairyland, a popular amusement park, that was designed to train pre-school children and first and second grade children in traffic, home, personal, and fire safety habits. The Rovin' Flames were formed in Tampa in 1965 by Paul Battle (rhythm guitar and vocals), Jimmy "Mouse" Morris (lead guitar), J. R. Maietta (bass) and Jerry Goff (drums). They recorded "Gloria/J.J.J.P." in September 1965 on Fuller Records and recorded their second record, "I Can't/I'm Afraid to Go Home," on Boss records in March of 1966. Hardy Dial, from The Outsiders/Soul Trippers, was added on lead vocals in the summer of 1966, and the group recorded "Bo Diddley/Seven Million People" in June of 1966. Battle, Goff, and Dial left the group in September of 1966 and were replaced by Jim Davis (vocals), Davy Tabak (drums) and John Rogers (organ). Davis left in December of 1966 and Battle briefly returned as lead vocalist, before being replaced by John DeLise, also of The Outsiders/Soul Trippers, in February of 1967. The group replaced Tabak with Eddie Taylor on drums in July of 1967, and recorded "How Many Times/Love Song No. 6" in September of 1967 on Decca Records. Although DeLise lasted longer than most of the band's lead vocalists, he left the group in less than a year, being replaced by Bob Thompson in November of 1967. Rogers passed away in March of 1968, and Thompson and Taylor left the group, being replaced by Jay Colding (organ), Jerry Nickerson (drums) and Ronnie Goedert (lead vocals), in July of 1968. Goedert left shortly thereafter in the fall of 1968, and was replaced by Hobie O'Brien, who remained the lead vocalist until the band broke up in January or February of 1969.
Original black and white photograph: Profiles: Bands & Artists, Tampa Bay Music Scene Historical Society.
The Soul Trippers, originally called The Outsiders, sometime between 1966 and 1967. Photographed, from left to right, is bassist Ronnie Elliot, drummer Spencer Hinkle, lead guitarist Buddy Richardson, vocalist John DeLise, and rhythm guitarist Ronnie Vaskovsky. The Outsiders formed in Tampa, Florida, in 1964, consisting of Hardy Dial on vocals, Buddy Richardson and Ronnie Vaskovsky on guitar, Ronnie Elliot on bass guitar, and Spencer Hinkle on drums. They recorded their debut single, "She's Coming On Stronger," for the Tampa record label, Knight, in late 1965. Dial was replaced on vocals by John DeLise and the band recorded its second single, a cover of Eddie Cochran's "Summertime Blues," in the spring of 1966. The record was a regional success and the band was picked up by the Laurie Records subsidiary Providence, which convinced them to change their name to The Soul Trippers, in order to avoid conflict with several bands that had the same name. In July 1966, they recorded a garage rock version of James Moore's "I'm a King Bee," which sold 20,000 copies. When radio station managers discovered the band was white, they pulled the record from their playlists, and the group departed ways shortly thereafter. Buddy Richardson later formed White Witch and John DeLise went on to play in The Rovin' Flames.
Tampa Bay Music Scene Historical Society
A record cover for The Soul Trippers, originally called The Outsiders, sometime between 1966 and 1967. Photographed, from left to right, is rhythm guitarist Ronnie Vaskovsky, drummer Spencer Hinkle, lead guitarist Buddy Richardson, bassist Ronnie Elliot, and singer John DeLise. According to the record, the band recorded with Laurie Records, located at 35 West 4th Street in New York City, New York, and was managed by Briarwood Enterprises, based in St. Petersburg and Tampa. The Outsiders formed in Tampa, Florida, in 1964, consisting of Hardy Dial on vocals, Buddy Richardson and Ronnie Vaskovsky on guitar, Ronnie Elliot on bass guitar, and Spencer Hinkle on drums. They recorded their debut single, "She's Coming On Stronger," for the Tampa record label, Knight, in late 1965. Dial was replaced on vocals by John DeLise and the band recorded its second single, a cover of Eddie Cochran's "Summertime Blues," in the spring of 1966. The record was a regional success and the band was picked up by the Laurie Records subsidiary Providence, which convinced them to change their name to The Soul Trippers, in order to avoid conflict with several bands that had the same name. In July 1966, they recorded a garage rock version of James Moore's "I'm a King Bee," which sold 20,000 copies. When radio station managers discovered the band was white, they pulled the record from their playlists, and the group departed ways shortly thereafter. Buddy Richardson later formed White Witch and John DeLise went on to play in The Rovin' Flames.
Original black and white photographic record cover: Profiles: Bands & Artists, Tampa Bay Music Scene Historical Society.
The Outsiders, later called The Soul Trippers, sometime between 1964 and 1966. The Outsiders formed in Tampa, Florida, in 1964, consisting of Hardy Dial on vocals, Buddy Richardson and Ronnie Vaskovsky on guitar, Ronnie Elliot on bass guitar, and Spencer Hinkle on drums. They recorded their debut single, "She's Coming On Stronger," for the Tampa record label, Knight, in late 1965. Dial was replaced on vocals by John DeLise and the band recorded its second single, a cover of Eddie Cochran's "Summertime Blues," in the spring of 1966. The record was a regional success and the band was picked up by the Laurie Records subsidiary Providence, which convinced them to change their name to The Soul Trippers, in order to avoid conflict with several bands that had the same name. In July 1966, they recorded a garage rock version of James Moore's "I'm a King Bee," which sold 20,000 copies. When radio station managers discovered the band was white, they pulled the record from their playlists, and the group departed ways shortly thereafter. Buddy Richardson later formed White Witch and John DeLise went on to play in The Rovin' Flames.
Charles "Charlie" Brantley, a musician born in West Tampa, one of the oldest neighborhoods in Tampa, Florida, around the turn of the 20th century. Brantley began his music career in 1935, when he joined the Florida Collegians, a group of Tampa musicians. Influenced by bandleader Louis Jordan, he started his own group, Charlie Brantley and His Original Honey Dippers, in 1944. Brantley gave young musicians the opportunity to break into the music scene by performing with his band and would often allow them to stay at his home on 1901 Cherry Street in Tampa. When a young Ray Charles came to Tampa in the fall of 1946, Brantley hired him as a piano player and allowed him to stay at his house. Brantley founded the Negro Musical Association in the late 1940s and continued to perform with his band until June 1949, when a severe heart and nerve condition forced him to quit playing and take on a management role. Brantley passed away on Christmas Day in 1964.
Home of Charlie Brantley, West Tampa, Tampa, Florida
The Arena Twins with Dave Archard around 1958. Dave Archard became a Top 40 radio deejay at Tampa's WALT-AM 1110 in 1958 and moved to St. Petersburg's WTSP the next year, where he remained until 1963, when he moved to Miami's WFUN. Sammy and Andrew "Andy" Arena, who performed together as The Arena Twins, were among Tampa's first recording artists in the late 1950s. Born in Tampa, Florida, the brothers entertained audiences since the age of 14, when they first took the stage at the Cuban Club's "Fiesta in Tampa." In 1958, they signed with Kapp Records and released six singles, before signing with Columbia Records in 1960.
Sammy and Andrew "Andy" Arena, who performed together as The Arena Twins, were among Tampa's first recording artists in the late 1950s. Born in Tampa, Florida, the brothers entertained audiences since the age of 14, when they first took the stage at the Cuban Club's "Fiesta in Tampa." In 1958, they signed with Kapp Records and released six singles, before signing with Columbia Records in 1960.
Seated is Sammy Arena, with Andy Arena standing to his sife. Sammy and Andrew "Andy" Arena, who performed together as The Arena Twins, were among Tampa's first recording artists in the late 1950s. Born in Tampa, Florida, the brothers entertained audiences since the age of 14, when they first took the stage at the Cuban Club's "Fiesta in Tampa." In 1958, they signed with Kapp Records and released six singles, before signing with Columbia Records in 1960.
Original color photograph: Profiles: Bands & Artists, Tampa Bay Music Scene Historical Society.
The Arena Twins in their later years. On the right is Sammy Arena and on the left is Andrew "Andy" Arena. Together, they performed as The Arena Twins and were among Tampa's first recording artists in the late 1950s. Born in Tampa, Florida, the brothers entertained audiences since the age of 14, when they first took the stage at the Cuban Club's "Fiesta in Tampa." In 1958, they signed with Kapp Records and released six singles, before signing with Columbia Records in 1960.
The Arena Twins performing live. Sammy and Andrew "Andy" Arena, who performed together as The Arena Twins, were among Tampa's first recording artists in the late 1950s. Born in Tampa, Florida, the brothers entertained audiences since the age of 14, when they first took the stage at the Cuban Club's "Fiesta in Tampa." In 1958, they signed with Kapp Records and released six singles, before signing with Columbia Records in 1960.
The Arena Twins Live with Bassist and Drummer
The Arena Twins performing live with a bassist and drummer. Sammy and Andrew "Andy" Arena, who performed together as The Arena Twins, were among Tampa's first recording artists in the late 1950s. Born in Tampa, Florida, the brothers entertained audiences since the age of 14, when they first took the stage at the Cuban Club's "Fiesta in Tampa." In 1958, they signed with Kapp Records and released six singles, before signing with Columbia Records in 1960.
Seven-inch 33 RPM vinyl record single of the song, "Oh, What a Shame," recorded by The Arena Twins, and arranged and conducted by Marty Manning. "Oh, What a Shame" is the B-side to the single, "Notify the F.B.I.," released in 1960 on Columbia Records, Inc. Sammy and Andrew "Andy" Arena, who performed together as The Arena Twins, were among Tampa's first recording artists in the late 1950s. Born in Tampa, Florida, the brothers entertained audiences since the age of 14, when they first took the stage at the Cuban Club's "Fiesta in Tampa." In 1958, they signed with Kapp Records and released six singles, before signing with Columbia Records in 1960.
Original color photograph, 1960: Profiles: Bands & Artists, Tampa Bay Music Scene Historical Society.
Columbia Records, Inc.
"I'd Just As Soon Forget" by The Arena Twins
Seven-inch 45 RPM radio station copy of a vinyl record single of the song, "I'd Just As Soon Forget," recorded by The Arena Twins, and arranged and conducted by Marty Manning. "I'd Just As Soon Forget" is the B-side to the single, "Judy Says," released in 1961 by Columbia Records, Inc. Sammy and Andrew "Andy" Arena, who performed together as The Arena Twins, were among Tampa's first recording artists in the late 1950s. Born in Tampa, Florida, the brothers entertained audiences since the age of 14, when they first took the stage at the Cuban Club's "Fiesta in Tampa." In 1958, they signed with Kapp Records and released six singles, before signing with Columbia Records in 1960. Marty Manning conducted and arranged for some the most well known jazz performers, including Dinah Washington and Sarah Vaughn.
Original color photograph, 1961: Profiles: Bands & Artists, Tampa Bay Music Scene Historical Society.
The band, Boot, in a photograph was taken during a photo shoot for the group's 1972 self-titled record. Drummer Jim O'Brock is wearing a boot. Recorded at James Brown's Starday/King Studio in Nashville, Tennessee, the record was produced by the Texas-based Agape Records. In 1963, the band formed in Port Richey, Florida, as The Kingsmen. the band would change their name to The Allusions, The Split Ends, and finally, Boot, an acronym for Blues Of Our Time. The group featured Dan Eliassen on bass and vocals, Bruce Knox on lead guitar and vocals, Mike Mycz on rhythm guitar and vocals, and Jim O'Brock on drums and vocals. All four original members remained together for 10 years before breaking up in 1973. Career highlights include performing on Dick Clark's "Happening '67" Tour and the Dick Clark band contest show, "Happening '68," as well as performing with The Allman Brothers Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Jefferson Airplane, Canned Heat, The Outlaws, Steppenwolf, Iron Butterfly, B. B. King, and Neil Diamond.
The album cover for Boot's 1972 self-titled record. The album cover features a photograph of the four band members from the waist down, standing side by side. Drummer Jim O'Brock is wearing a boot. Recorded at James Brown's Starday/King Studio in Nashville, Tennessee, the record was produced by the Texas-based Agape Records. In 1963, the band formed in Port Richey, Florida, as The Kingsmen. the band would change their name to The Allusions, The Split Ends, and finally, Boot, an acronym for Blues Of Our Time. The group featured Dan Eliassen on bass and vocals, Bruce Knox on lead guitar and vocals, Mike Mycz on rhythm guitar and vocals, and Jim O'Brock on drums and vocals. All four original members remained together for 10 years before breaking up in 1973. Career highlights include performing on Dick Clark's "Happening '67" Tour and the Dick Clark band contest show, "Happening '68," as well as performing with The Allman Brothers Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Jefferson Airplane, Canned Heat, The Outlaws, Steppenwolf, Iron Butterfly, B. B. King, and Neil Diamond.
Original black and white photographic album cover: Profiles: Bands & Artists, Tampa Bay Music Scene Historical Society.
Koco with New Members Robin Subicao and Anthony Barcelo
Koco, featuring, from left to right standing in the back row, David White, Terry Bollea, and Mark Keur. Robin Subicao and Anthony Barcelo sit on stools in front. Koco was the second of several bands that Terry Bollea, known commonly as the professional wrestler, Hulk Hogan, performed with during the early to mid-1970s in Tampa, Florida. Bollea, who played the bass guitar, left his band, Infinity's End, and formed the group, originally called Magic, with David White on the keyboards, Mark Keur playing the drums, and Stephen Griggs as guitar in 1973. After Koco, Bollea performed with the band Ruckus, before going on to a career in professional wrestling. Bollea was replaced with Brad Prince and eventually Pete McKay. The band changed their name to Freebird, but when Lynyrd Skynyrd released a hit song of the same name, they changed the name one last time to Firebird. The group attributed their disbanding in 1976 to the rising popularity of disco music.
Koco, featuring, from left to right, Brad Prince, David White, Stephen Griggs, and Mark Keur. Koco was the second of several bands that Terry Bollea (1953-), known commonly as the professional wrestler, Hulk Hogan, performed with during the early to mid-1970s in Tampa, Florida. Bollea, who played the bass guitar, left his band, Infinity's End, and formed the group, originally called Magic, with David White on the keyboards, Mark Keur playing the drums, and Stephen Griggs as guitar in 1973. After Koco, Bollea performed with the band Ruckus, before going on to a career in professional wrestling. Bollea was replaced with Brad Prince and eventually Pete McKay. The band changed their name to Freebird, but when Lynyrd Skynyrd released a hit song of the same name, they changed the name one last time to Firebird. The group attributed their disbanding in 1976 to the rising popularity of disco music.