Winter Garden's original fire station, located at 127 South Boyd Street, was built during the Great Depression with funds secured by Mayor George Walker from the Works Progress Administration (WPA). In order to apply to the WPA for funding, the mayor and Fire Chief Hoyle Pounds needed to submit plans and a rendering of the proposed building. Franklin Cappleman, a young college student at the time, had just completed an architectural drafting class at Georgia Institute of Technology and was recruited to draw up the plans. The building was constructed in 1938 according to his very amateur drawings, and it still stands today.
Original color digital image by Katherine Bowers, July 2014: Winter Garden Heritage Foundation, Winter Garden, Florida.
Winter Garden Fire Station, Winter Garden, Florida
The one-and-one-half-story bungalow is located at 205 North Lakeview Avenue in Winter Garden, Florida. Built in 1919, this structure historically associated with Henry "Harry" Edward Bumby (1870-1941), the developer of the subdivision in which it is located. In 1873, Bumby's father, Joseph, moved to Orlando, where he established a hardware store that became one of the largest of its kind in Central Florida. In addition to two stores in Orlando, Joseph opened a store in Winter Park and Winter Garden in 1917. The latter store was managed by his son, Harry. The house was sold after Harry Bumby's death to William Story in 1941. Later the house was owned by Tom and Mozelle Cox, owner of Tom Cox Men's Wear and Mozelle's Fashion Fair in Winter Garden.
Home of Harry Bumby, Winter Garden, Florida
Home of William Story, Winter Garden, Florida
Home of Tom and Mozelle Cox, Winter Garden, Florida
The building at 49 South Main Street in Winter Garden, Florida. Evidence suggests that this commercial building was constructed around 1912 and was originally two stories high. In the 1920s, the second story was removed as a result of fire damage. It was once the Piggly Wiggly grocery store and later McCord's Feed Store. Research indicates that Luther Willis Tilden may have developed the building and that W. B. Burch and William Story published the town's newspaper, The Town Crier, from this building for a time.
McCord's Feed Store, Winter Garden, Florida
Greener Gardens Feed & Garden, Winter Garden, Florida
The structure at 12 West Plant Street in Winter Garden, Florida, was the first brick commercial building built in 1912, after a 1909 fire destroyed all the downtown wood buildings. It was built by James Lafayette Dillard (1858-1943) and Benjamin T. Boyd, both of whom served on Winter Garden's first City Commission. Originally, it housed a bakery operated by Albert E. Jones and a real estate company operated by Dillard. Lewis L. Kenneday opened the first Winter Garden theater in the second floor of the building about 1913. It operated until 1917, when it was replaced by the Lyric Theatre. In the 1920s, A. D. Mims, later a county commissioner, operated a barbershop along the Main Street storefront. A barber by the name of Allen Bland occupied the space later. Eighteen boarding rooms were available on the second floor after the theater closed. Various businesses, such as the Leader Department Store, the Winter Garden Pharmacy, Tibbals-Rexall Drugs, J. S. Reddick's meat market and a beer parlor, occupied the building at other times. At the time that this photograph was taken in 2014, the building was being occupied by Savoree.
This one-story commercial building in Winter Garden, Florida, was constructed in 1922 as part of land platted by J. D. McMillan in 1915. The building at 126 West Plant Street was originally owned by the McMillan-Bray Hardware Company. The store was founded in 1906 by George W. "Buttles" Bray and his brother-in-law, Malcolm Y. McMillan. After several years, Bray sold out to McMillan, who later sold the business to Joseph Bumby Hardware Company. In 1920, Bray went back into the hardware business at another location, and in 1934, he moved the business back to this building after his original store and contents were destroyed by fire. His wife, Dora Bray, and his children, George Bray, Jr. and Evelyn Lease Bray, ran the business after his death in 1949. In 1983, the family sold the business to Walter Toole and Patti Toole. A year later, they joined the Ace Hardware franchise, and in 1987, they moved the business into a larger space on South Dillard Street. Since then, the space has been home to a number of restaurants. This building is known as the longest store in Winter Garden at only 20 feet wide and 177 feet long. At the time that this photograph was taken, the building was home to the Sweet Traditions French Bakery & Cafe.
Original color digital image: Winter Garden Heritage Foundation, Winter Garden, Florida.
McMillan-Bray Hardware Company, Winter Garden, Florida
Joseph Bumby Hardware Company, Winter Garden, Florida
Sweet Traditions French Bakery & Cafe, Winter Garden, Florida
This one-story Frame Vernacular-style building was constructed at 314 South Boyd Street in Winter Garden, Florida, in 1928. Located in Smith's #3 subdivision, platted by G. T. Smith in 1925, it initially served as the clubhouse for the Winter Garden Woman's Club, which was organized in 1926. Later, the building housed the Winter Garden Library. The library association lost the building in 1936 because of delinquent taxes. Judson Moore, Mayor of Winter Garden from 1945-47 and 1961-63, and manager of the Pounds Goodyear store on Plant Street, also lived in this house.
Original color digital image by Katherine Bowers, July 2014: Winter Garden Heritage Foundation.
Winter Garden Woman's Club, Winter Garden, Florida
Winter Garden Library, Winter Garden, Florida
Home of Mayor Judson Moore Winter Garden, Florida
The Edgewater Hotel, located at 99 West Plant Street in Winter Garden, Florida. The hotel is a part of the Winter Garden’s National Historic Register Business District, was completed in 1926 and opened in 1927 with 53 guestrooms available. At opening, rooms were rented for $2 or $2.50 a night and the hotel included all the modern conveniences of those times: an elevator, telephones in each room with a switchboard operator downstairs, steam heat controls in each room, adjoining bathrooms, up-to-date plumbing and fire sprinklers throughout the facility. During the 1940s, players from several professional baseball clubs stayed here while training at Walker Fields. The Edgewater Hotel closed in 1968 and remained dormant for approximately 25 years. When city officials began discussing demolition of the building in order to construct a parking lot, concerned citizens formed the Winter Garden Heritage Foundation (WGHF), a non-profit organization, to purchase and restore the building. Intervention by the WGHF became unnecessary when Max Blanchard and Mike Lanza bought the building for restoration in 1995. Eight years later, the hotel reopened as a bed-and-breakfast with shops and restaurants such as Scoops and The Chef's Table.
The Central Florida Railroad Museum, located at 101 South Boyd Street in Winter Garden, Florida. Originally the Tavares and Gulf Railroad Depot, the building was constructed in 1913 at a cost of $1,765. The western portion, built of Florida sand brick, contained the agent's office and passengers' waiting rooms. The eastern portion of the building, made of wood covered with tin, was used for freight and baggage storage. This building replaced the original 1899 structure that was located on the other end of the block facing Main Street. The T&G Railroad was well known for both excellent customer service and frequent derailments. It had many nicknames, including "the Turtle and Gopher," "the Tug and Grunt," and "the Try and Go." Even with only 32 miles of track running from Tavares to Ocoee and a 6-mile spur to Clermont, the railroad was active and productive when Winter Garden was the largest citrus shipping point in the world. In 1949, the T&G generated more perishable freight per mile of track than any Class I railroad in the United States. On December 31, 1969, the line between Winter Garden and Astatula was abandoned. The station continued to operate as an agency for the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad until March 1978, when it was closed and all services were transferred to a mobile agency. In 1979, the Central Florida Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society purchased and rehabilitated the building for use as its headquarters. The railroad museum opened in 1983. In 2003, the museum became part of the Winter Garden Heritage Foundation.
Tavares and Gulf Railroad Depot, Winter Garden, Florida
National Railway Historical Society Headquarters, Winter Garden, Florida
Central Florida Railroad Museum, Winter Garden, Florida
The Long History of the African American Civil Rights Movement in Florida
The Long History of the African American Civil Rights Movement in Florida, an exhibit created by Dr. Robert Cassanello and his students at the University of Central Florida. The exhibit chronicles both national and local events in the civil rights movements dating from the Civil War to the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. Curators for the exhibit were Joseph Corbett and Anne Ladyem McDiviitt. Assistant curators included Patrick Anderson, Laura Cepero, Jennifer Cook, Tanya Engelhardt, Jacob Flynn, William Franklin, Barbara Houser, Rustin Lloyd, Joshua Petitt, Lindsey Turnbull, and Jon Wolfe. Andrew Callovi was the graphic designer.
Original exhibit by Robert Cassanello's Spring 2011 Historiography Graduate Class: University of Central Florida Department of History, Orlando, Florida.
University of Central Florida Department of History
Florida Photographic Collection
State Library and Archives of Florida
Library of Congress
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
Harry T. &amp
Harriette V. Moore Cultural Complex, Inc.
The First Baptist Church of Winter Garden was originally organized in Ocoee, Florida, in August of 1888 with nine charter members. After eight years, the church voted to relocate to Winter Garden on land donated by James Lafayette Dillard (1858-1943). The first wooden building in Winter Garden was constructed at the southwest corner of Plant Street and Woodland Street. In 1921, members initiated a building campaign and commissioned architect J. J. Baldwin (1888-1955) to design a new building. The cornerstone of the present church was laid in 1922, and the church was completed in 1923 at a cost of $150,000, a substantial amount for a small community. R. W. Wimbish of Savannah, Georgia, supervised the construction of the church, as well as the Edgewater Hotel and the Black Building. Before the church was built on this property, Will Pennington operated a large saw mill here.
Original color digital image, January 11, 2008: Winter Garden Heritage Foundation.
First Baptist Church of Winter Garden, Winter Garden, Florida
The Cathedral Church of St. Luke, located at 130 North Magnolia Avenue in Dowtown Orlando, Florida, in 2014. The church was founded in 1867 by Francis W. Eppes (1801-1881), the nephew of Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826). The congregation originally worshipped in a log cabin and services were conducted by Eppes, despite his status as a layman. In October 1882, William Crane Gray (1835-1919) was elected and consecrated as the first bishop of the Missionary Jurisdiction of South Florida, which included Central Florida and Orlando, at the time. A new church building for St. Luke's was erected under Reverend C. W. Ward during that same year. The building was enlarged in 1884, and again in 1903. On March 31, 1902, Bishop Gray designated St. Luke's as the official Cathedral Church for South Florida and appointed Reverend Lucien A. Spencer as the cathedral's first dean. In 1922, the cathedral building was relocated to make room for a new cathedral designed by Frohman, Robb, and Little of Boston, Massachusetts. During that same year, the Missionary Jurisdiction of South Florida was admitted to the General Convention of the Episcopal Church as the Diocese of South Florida. On April 13, 1925, Bishop Cameron Mann laid the cornerstone. However, as the land bust struck Florida in 1926, the building remained only partially constructed and a temporary wall was built to seal the altar side of the church. Over the years, the building has received a number of structural additions and renovations, including an educational unit memorializing members of the congregation who died serving in World War II; the Chapter House erected in the 1950s; the renovation of the cathedral nave, the erection of the choir gallery over the narthex, and the installation of a 88-rank pipe organ in the early 1970s; and the removal of the temporary wall and the competition of the building's original design during 1986 and 1987. In 1970, the Diocese of South Florida was divided into three smaller dioceses; St. Luke's became the Cathedral Church for the Diocese of Central Florida.
Original color digital images by Rachel Williams, July 24, 2014.
Cathedral Church of St. Luke, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Former Location of Denmark's Sporting Goods
The former location of Denmark's Sporting Goods, located at 149 North Magnolia Avenue (formerly Main Street) in Downtown Orlando, Florida. Denmark's was founded in 1941 by Tom Denmark and quickly became one of Central Florida's largest sporting goods suppliers. The store sponsored the television show Hunting and Fishing with Don, hosted by Don McAllister, which aired from 1954 to 1972. In 1985, Denmark sold his company to lawyer Donald Wright, who later changed the name of the store to Florida Sports. By 1988, the company had closed for business.
Denmark's Sporting Goods, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Former Location of Fulford Van & Storage Company
The former location of Fulford Van & Storage Company in 2014. The company was founded by Jesse Curtis Fulford in 1913. The company moved from its original downtown address at 131-135 North Magnolia Avenue in Downtown Orlando, Florida, to its new location at 3750 Bengert Street in 1973 and is still at that location as of 2014.
Fulford Van & Storage Company, Downtown Orlando, Florida
The former location of Kiddie Korner, a children's store that was also know as Kiddie Shoppe. The store was opened by Nat Berman and Pauline Berman at 66 North Orange Avenue in Downtown Orlando, Florida, in the early 1930s. The shoppe later expanded to a larger location to sell junior clothing as well. At the time that this photograph was taken in 2014, the building was housing three nightclubs: Skysixty, Bar BQ Bar, and Independent Bar (known locally as iBar). The former two bars changed ownership in August of 2014 and were renammed Sky Bar and Old '64, respectively.
Kiddie Korner, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Independent Bar, Downtown Orlando, Florida
The former location of Gibbs-Louis, Inc. Founded in 1945 by Irving Gibbs, Gibbs-Louis was one of the most popular women's apparel stores in Downtown Orlando in the 1940s and 1950s. Along with the downtown location at 131 North Orange Avenue, there were three more Gibbs-Louis stores in nearby malls. In 1984, part of the downtown store collapsed; a wall caved in due to construction of a 20-story building next door. A year later, the store was restored. In 1990, when nearly all retail stores located in Downtown Orlando had closed, Gibbs-Louis was one of the few remaining. In late 1991, Irving Gibbs retired and sold the business to former executives of Ivey's, a department store that was later bought out by Dillard's. Only a year later, Gibbs-Louis went out of business and was replaced by Behr's Shoe Center. In 1998, Behr's closed as well. At the time that this photograph was taken in 2014, the location is home to Annie's Bar and Grill.
Original color digital image by Rachel Williams, July 24, 2014.
Behr's Shoe Center, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Annie's Bar and Grill, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Former Location of Associated Radio Store
The former location of the Associated Radio Store, located at 149 North Orange Avenue in Downtown Orlando, Florida, in 2014. At the time that this photograph was taken, IKON Office Solutions was operating from this address.
Associated Radio Store, Downtown Orlando, Florida
IKON Office Solutions, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Sears, Roebuck & Company store, which was located at 111-113 North Orange Avenue in Downtown Orlando, Florida. Sears moved into the first floor of Philips Apartments in 1931. Before Sears arrived, the building, as well as the city of Orlando, was experiencing economic decline. However, Sears proved so successful that the building had to expand and the property value of the entire building increased by 25 percent. In 1939, F. Monroe Alleman and Kenneth Kraft bought the Sears building for $300,000. Twenty years later, Alleman sold the building for $1.1 million, but Sears was kept open with 12 years left on its lease. In 1962, land on East Colonial Drive was bought to open a freestanding Sears store and a year later construction started. In 1973, the Sears on Colonial was incorporated with the Fashion Square Mall and it remains open today. On May 4, 1974, due to the expanding city and regional malls, the downtown Sears store closed its doors. Ten years later, the building was renovated and became what it is today, a bronze-colored glass tower nicknamed the Copper Whopper. At the time that this photograph was taken in 2014, the building was being occupied by Regions Bank.
Sears, Roebuck & Company, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Regions Bank Building, Downtown Orlando, Florida
St. James Catholic Cathedral is located at 215 North Orange Avenue in Downtown Orlando, Florida. In 1881, Bishop John Moore (b. ca. 1834-1901) purchased a block of land bound by Orange Avenue, Magnolia Avenue, Jefferson Street, and Robinson Street. On January 23, 1887, the cornerstone of the Holy Nativity Catholic Church was set under the leadership of Father Felix P. Swembergh (d. 1887). The building was designed by Kurz and Allison's Art Studio of Chicago in the American Gothic-style and was completed in June of 1891, under the guidance of Father Joseph J. Creed, who replaced Father Swembergh after his death in October 1887. It was renamed as St. James Catholic Church the following year. In 1889, a storm destroyed the church's roof and the City of Orlando condemned the building. The church was rebuilt in 1889 in the old Carpenter Gothic-style and seated 240. The church also had a school, St. Joseph's Academy, built in 1889. The school site is now where the Downtown Orlando Post Office is located. The building was torn down around 1950 and the new building, designed by Donovan Dean and Arthur White, was completed on January 20, 1952. In 1977, the building was designated as the diocese's cathedral due to the destruction of the St. Charles Borromeo Cathedral by fire. In July of 2009, the cathedral was closed for renovations and was re-dedicated on November 20, 2010.
St. James Catholic Cathedral, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Orlando Remembered Exhibit at Regions Bank
The exhibit created by Orlando Remembered at the Regions Bank building, located at 111-113 North Orange Avenue in Downtown Orlando, Florida. The Orlando Remembered Committee of the Historical Society of Central Florida, Inc. was created to "showcase artistic renderings of the time depicted, with artifacts and historical memorabilia from the location in an effort to preserve the memory of Orlando's history while acknowledging the potential of the City's future." The exhibit at Regions Bank memorializes several businesses and churches located around the Sears, Roebuck & Company building, including Frigidaire, the Cathedral of St. Luke, St. James Catholic Church, Denmark's Sporting Goods, Kiddie Korner, Main Street Market, Associated Radio Store, and Gibbs-Louis, Inc. The exhibit was designed by Bob Buck and the artwork was created by Jim Stohl.
Orlando Remembered
Original exhibit by Orlando Remembered: Regions Bank, Orlando, Florida.
Cathedral Church of St. Luke
Orange County Regional History Center
Main Street Market, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Frigidaire Store, Downtown Orlando, Florida
An oral history of Jeffrey Edward Clark, former member of the U.S. Navy. This interview was conducted by Mark Barnes at the Shriners Temple in Maitland, Florida, on May 6, 2014. The interview was conducted as part of the UCF Community Veteran's History Project (CVHP) and background research for a memorial honoring the former Naval Training Center Orlando (NTC Orlando). Clark served in the Navy from 1985 until 1989. He attended recruit training in Orlando and also went to apprenticeship school at the base. He was a Signalman Petty Officer Third Class, Enlisted Rank 4, aboard the USS Richard E. Byrd DDG-23, which operated in the North Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea. Upon leaving the Navy, Clark returned to Orlando and attended the University of Central Florida.
Clark, Jeffrey Edward. Interviewed by Mark Barnes. UCF Community Veterans History Project. May 6, 2014. Audio/video record available. UCF Community Veterans History Project, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida Libraries, Orlando, Florida.
Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida Libraries
UCF Community Veterans History Project
RICHES of Central Florida
Flagler Palm Coast High School, Palm Coast, Florida
Military Entrance Processing Center, Jacksonville, Florida
Naval Training Center Orlando, Orlando, Florida
South Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando, Florida
Daytona Beach Community College, Daytona Beach, Florida
University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida
An oral history of former recruit training Commander Scott T. Kidd. This interview was conducted by Mark Barnes at the University of Central Florida's Colbourn Hall in Orlando, Florida. This oral history was produced as part of the Community Veterans History Project (CVHP) and the Lone Sailor Memorial Committee for the purpose conducting background research for a memorial honoring the former Orlando Naval Training Center (NTC Orlando). Kidd was a former recruit commander at Naval Training Center Orlando (NTC Orlando) from 1989 to 1993. He also served in the U.S. Navy from 1983 to 1994. Kidd was the first recruit commander at the base to lead a fully integrated company of male and female recruits. He also served on the USS Ponce LPD-15, the USS Niagara Falls AFS-3, and the USS Iowa.
Kidd, Scott T. Interviewed by Mark Barnes. UCF Community Veterans History Project. February 2, 2014. Audio/video record available. UCF Community Veterans History Project, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida Libraries, Orlando, Florida.
Naval Station Great Lakes, Great Lakes, Illinois
An oral history of Henry Carl Okraski, former Deputy Director of the Naval Air Warfare Training Systems (NAWCTSD) in Orlando, Florida. The interview was conducted by Kendra Hazen at Research Park in Orlando, Florida. This oral history was produced as part of the Community Veterans History Project (CVHP) and the Lone Sailor Memorial Committee for the purpose conducting background research for a memorial honoring the former Naval Training Center Orlando (NTC Orlando). Okraski was involved with the defense simulation industry from 1962 to 1994, which included stints as the director of Research and Engineering and the Deputy Technical Director for NAWCTSD. He obtained a Master's Degree in Engineering from the University of Florida.
Okraski, Henry "Hank" Carl. Interviewed by Kendra Hazen. UCF Community Veterans History Project. March 7, 2014. Audio/video record available. UCF Community Veterans History Project, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida Libraries, Orlando, Florida.
Lake Nona Medical City, Lake Nona, Orlando, Florida
An oral history of Doris McClendon, a former member of the U.S. Navy. This interview was conducted by Andrew Glen Weeks at the University of Central Florida (UCF) in Orlando, Florida, on April 11, 2014. The interview was conducted as part of the UCF Community Veteran's History Project (CVHP) and background research for a memorial honoring the for Naval Training Center Orlando (NTC Orlando). McClendon attended recruit training at the NTC Orlando in 1976. At that time, the training center was the only naval facility to train both male and female recruits. In this oral history, McClendon describes her experience as a female recruit at NTC Orlando. She also talks about her role as a legalmen in the Navy. McClendon left the Navy in 1995 with the rank of E-7.
McClendon, Doris. Interviewed by Andrew Glen Weeks. UCF Community Veterans History Project. April 11, 2014. Audio/video record available. UCF Community Veterans History Project, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida Libraries, Orlando, Florida.
Pine Villa Elementary School, Miami, Florida
Mays Junior High School, Goulds, Florida
South Dade Senior High School, Homestead, Florida
Naval Air Station Keflavik, Keflavik, Iceland
Rifle Drill Team at Recruit Training Center Orlando
A rifle drill team performing during the graduation of a co-educational recruit company at Naval Training Center (NTC) Orlando. NTC Orlando was in operation from 1968 to 1998 and was one of three recruit training centers used by the U.S. Navy. It resided in the area that is now the community of Baldwin Park. During the 30 years that NTC Orlando was operational, more than 650,000 men and women were transformed from civilians to sailors. Beginning in 1973, NTC Orlando became the Navy's only co-educational recruit training center. Following an intense eight week training program, the various companies would march along the vast field know as the "Grinder" and pass before the base commanders for review. This ceremony would mark the completion of their transformation from civilians to sailors.
Defense Visual Information Center, American Forces Information Service, U.S. Department of Defense
Original color photographs, 1992: National Archives at College Park, U.S. Department of Defense.
National Archives at College Park, U.S. Department of Defense
Orlando Recruit Training Center Graduation
Flagbearers carry religious flags during the graduation of a co-ed recruit company at the Orlando Naval Training Center in 1992. NTC Orlando was in operation from 1968-1998 and was one of three recruit training centers used by the Unites States Navy. It resided in the area that is now the community of Baldwin Park. During the thirty years that NTC Orlando was operational, more than 650,000 men and women were transformed from civilians to sailors. Beginning in 1973, NTC Orlando became the Navy's only co-educational recruit training center. Following an intense eight week training program, the various companies would march along the vast field know as the "Grinder" and pass before the base commanders for review. This ceremony would mark the completion of their transformation from civilians to sailors.
Original color photograph, 1992: National Archives at College Park, U.S. Department of Defense.
Recruit Training Center Orlando Graduation Review
The members of a co-educational recruit company pass in review at Naval Training Center (NTC) Orlando. NTC Orlando was in operation from 1968 to 1998 and was one of three recruit training centers used by the U.S. Navy. It resided in the area that is now the community of Baldwin Park. Beginning in 1973, NTC Orlando became the Navy's only co-ed recruit training center. Following an intense 8-week training program, the various companies would march along the vast field know as the "Grinder" and pass before the base commanders for review. This ceremony would mark the completion of their transformation from civilians to sailors.
Original color photographs, July 24, 1992: image 6476857, Combined Military Service Digital Photographic Files, National Archives at College Park, U.S. Department of Defense.
Saluting Sailor at the Orlando Naval Training Center
An unidentified sailor salutes at Naval Training Center (NTC) Orlando. NTC Orlando was in operation from 1968 to 1998 and was one of three recruit training centers used by the U.S. Navy. It resided in the area that is now the community of Baldwin Park. During the 30 years that NTC Orlando was operational, more than 650,000 men and women were transformed from civilians to sailors. Beginning in 1973, NTC Orlando became the Navy's only co-educational recruit training center.
Original 3 x 3 inch black and white photograph by Johnson, March 1970: Department of Commerce Collection, shelf number SN037545, image number c674896, Florida Photographic Collection, State Library and Archives of Florida, Tallahassee, Florida.
The Orlando Public Library, located at 101 East Central Boulevard in Downtown Orlando, Florida. Before there was a public library in Orlando, the local Sorosis Club ran a circulating library for the city. After years of running the library out of homes and clubhouses, the Sorosis Club joined the Board of Education in an effort to organize an official public library. In 1919, the Mayor of Orlando, Eugene Goodman Duckworth (1875-1959), secured the corner of Central Avenue and Rosalind Avenue as the site for the new library. A $73,983 contract was drafted and Murry S. King (1870-1925) was hired as the architect. On December 28, 1922, the cornerstone was laid and, on November 8, 1923, the Albertson Public Library opened with 20,000 books, which included the Sorosis Club's collection, as well as 12,000 books from Captain Charles L. Albertson, a retired police inspector from New York for whom the library was named. Near the end of 1963, plans for a new library were being made. The Albertson Public Library, along with two branches, were to be demolished in order to make room for the new building. In the meantime, a temporary location at 905 North Orange Avenue was used as the library headquarters. On August 7, 1966, the Orlando Public Library opened. Although the name of the library changed, Albertson is still commemorated in the new library for his generous donation with a plaque at the entrance of the building, and the genealogy and local history section of the library is named after him. Less than 10 years later, in 1974, officials began to consider expansion of the library. In 1978, the Orlando City Counsel allocated the block of land to the west of the building for expansion. Architect Duane Stark was given the expansion task, as well as renovating the existing building. The current 290,000 square foot building opened on April 6, 1986.
Original black and white photograph: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Orlando Public Library, Orlando, Florida.
Orlando Public Library, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Orlando Salvation Army Building Doorknob
The doorknob to the Salvation Army building at its location 22 West Pine Street location in Downtown Orlando, Florida. The Salvation Army originated in London by way of William Booth (1829-19120, an Evangelical preacher. During the mid-1800s, Booth preached throughout the streets to the poor and homeless, converting them to Christianity as a way to find spiritual guidance during their rough time of life. By 1874, Booth had over a thousand volunteers to help him spread the word of God to those in need. They called themselves "The Christian Mission" and "The Hallelujah Army." In 1878, while reading an annual report of the group, Booth officially dubbed his organization "The Salvation Army." In 1879, the Salvation Army made its way to the United States via Lieutenant Eliza Shirley in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1920, the Salvation Army was established in Orlando at the corner of Central Avenue and Magnolia Avenue. Starting in 1932, the corner of East Church Street and South Orange Avenue was used for services every Saturday evening, which included a band. In 1956, the Salvation Army opened a $50,000 welfare center at 238 North Hughey Street, which could house up to 80 people. By the winter of 1973, cold weather and a growing job market caused the Orlando Salvation Army to start plans on a new welfare center, which would house 130 people in order to accommodate the expected influx of people coming from the north. Today, the Orlando Salvation Army has a number of locations and facilities, including a church, rehabilitation center, and separate housing shelters for men, women and children, and senior citizens.
Original doorknob: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Orlando Public Library, Orlando, Florida.
Salvation Army, Downtown Orlando, Florida
The Salvation Army band at its location on the corner of East Church Street and South Orange Avenue in Downtown Orlando, Florida. The Salvation Army originated in London by way of William Booth (1829-19120, an Evangelical preacher. During the mid-1800s, Booth preached throughout the streets to the poor and homeless, converting them to Christianity as a way to find spiritual guidance during their rough time of life. By 1874, Booth had over a thousand volunteers to help him spread the word of God to those in need. They called themselves "The Christian Mission" and "The Hallelujah Army." In 1878, while reading an annual report of the group, Booth officially dubbed his organization "The Salvation Army." In 1879, the Salvation Army made its way to the United States via Lieutenant Eliza Shirley in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1920, the Salvation Army was established in Orlando at the corner of Central Avenue and Magnolia Avenue. Starting in 1932, the corner of East Church Street and South Orange Avenue was used for services every Saturday evening, which included a band. In 1956, the Salvation Army opened a $50,000 welfare center at 238 North Hughey Street, which could house up to 80 people. By the winter of 1973, cold weather and a growing job market caused the Orlando Salvation Army to start plans on a new welfare center, which would house 130 people in order to accommodate the expected influx of people coming from the north. Today, the Orlando Salvation Army has a number of locations and facilities, including a church, rehabilitation center, and separate housing shelters for men, women and children, and senior citizens.
Orlando Junior Chamber of Commerce Gavel
A gavel from the Orlando Junior Chamber of Commerce, also known as the Jaycees. In 1927, a group of young men between the ages of 18 and 35 organized the Orlando Junior Chamber of Commerce to support the Orlando Chamber of Commerce and the advancement of their community. The club was involved in a number of projects, such as creating the Orlando Municipal Airport, which is now known as the Orlando Executive Airport. They also helped with voting campaigns and setting up the Orlando Parks Department. During World War I, the men in the group either served in Armed Forces or stayed home doing projects such as blood drives to support the war effort. After the Orlando Chamber of Commerce moved to its new location on Ivanhoe Boulevard in 1967, the Jaycees moved to its old building, located at 113 East Central Boulevard.
Original gavel: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Orlando Public Library, Orlando, Florida.
Orlando Junior Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Orlando, Florida
City of Orlando Fire Station No. 1 Fire Hose Nozzle
A fire hose nozzle from the City of Orlando Fire Station No. 1, located at 19 North Main Street (present-day Magnolia Avenue) in Downtown Orlando, Florida. In 1883, after a dressmaking store in Orlando caught fire, William C. Sherman, a previous member of the Boston Fire Department, set up a volunteer fire force. Sherman served as its first Fire Chief and the organization also included Ben Bartlett, Tom Mann, J. Walter Hosier, J. W. Gettier, and Macy. The team used a hose, hose reel, bucket brigade, and a painter's ladder to extinguish fires. By 1885, due to the growing population, there were three volunteer fire groups, but they were consolidated into one under the name Orlando Hook and Ladder Company No. 1. The name Orlando Fire Department was adopted in 1890 and all other volunteer groups that had been created were incorporated into one group. In 1896, Orlando's first town hall building was constructed and included a 30-foot bell tower, which was used to alert the town of a fire. If someone were to discover a fire, he or she would ring the bell until the volunteer forces arrived. This was known as Firehouse No. 1, but on March 25, 1919, the firehouse moved from its original location on Oak Street (present-day Wall Street) to a new location at 19 North Main Street. The new station cost $17,708 to construct and the old station was abandoned. In 1923, the Orlando Fire Department officially became a fully-paid department. From 1925 onward, more firehouse stations were built around the city to better serve the community with quick responses to fires. In 1960, Firehouse No. 1 moved to 439 South Magnolia Street, and moved again in 2009 to its current location at 78 West Central Boulevard. The new building would be the three lower floors of a nine-story high-rise and would serve as the new headquarters for the Orlando Fire Department. The new fire station opened on December 2, 2009.
Original fire hose nozzle: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Orlando Public Library, Orlando, Florida.
City of Orlando Fire Station No. 1, Downtown Orlando, Florida
The City of Orlando Fire Station No. 1, located at 19 North Main Street (present-day Magnolia Avenue) in Downtown Orlando, Florida. In 1883, after a dressmaking store in Orlando caught fire, William C. Sherman, a previous member of the Boston Fire Department, set up a volunteer fire force. Sherman served as its first Fire Chief and the organization also included Ben Bartlett, Tom Mann, J. Walter Hosier, J. W. Gettier, and Macy. The team used a hose, hose reel, bucket brigade, and a painter's ladder to extinguish fires. By 1885, due to the growing population, there were three volunteer fire groups, but they were consolidated into one under the name Orlando Hook and Ladder Company No. 1. The name Orlando Fire Department was adopted in 1890 and all other volunteer groups that had been created were incorporated into one group. In 1896, Orlando's first town hall building was constructed and included a 30-foot bell tower, which was used to alert the town of a fire. If someone were to discover a fire, he or she would ring the bell until the volunteer forces arrived. This was known as Firehouse No. 1, but on March 25, 1919, the firehouse moved from its original location on Oak Street (present-day Wall Street) to a new location at 19 North Main Street. The new station cost $17,708 to construct and the old station was abandoned. In 1923, the Orlando Fire Department officially became a fully-paid department. From 1925 onward, more firehouse stations were built around the city to better serve the community with quick responses to fires. In 1960, Firehouse No. 1 moved to 439 South Magnolia Street, and moved again in 2009 to its current location at 78 West Central Boulevard. The new building would be the three lower floors of a nine-story high-rise and would serve as the new headquarters for the Orlando Fire Department. The new fire station opened on December 2, 2009.
The home of Maxie G. Bennett, located at 130 Wall Street in Downtown Orlando, Florida. Born and raised in Orlando, Bennett became the seventh Fire Chief for the Orlando Fire Department in 1940. He held the position for nine years until his removal in 1949, when he took the position as lieutenant. Bennett was also the President of the Florida State Firemans Association. During World War I, he fought in the 101st Infantry in France.
Orlando Chamber of Commerce Building Tile
A tile from the Orlando Chamber of Commerce building, located at 113 East Central Boulevard in Downtown Orlando, Florida. Before there was a chamber of commerce in Orlando, there was the Board of Trade. It was established 1913 and aimed to promote the growing City of Orlando. In 1926, the Orlando Chamber of Commerce building, designed by Howard M. Reynolds (1885-1943), was constructed. The building was four stories tall, made of steel and tile, and was designed to look grand and ornate both inside and out. In 1967, the chamber traded the building with the City of Orlando in exchange for a new site on Ivanhoe Boulevard, where it is currently located today. After the chamber moved to its new location, the Junior Chamber of Commerce, or Jaycees, used the old building. The Orlando Chamber of Commerce played a part in creating an National Basketball Association (NBA) team for Orlando. The organization sold 10,000 preseason tickets before there was a team or a venue to play in. The Orlando Magic played their first game in 1989. In 2003, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce named the Orlando Chamber of Commerce a Five-Star Chamber. It was the first chamber in Orlando to receive the title. Since its start in 1913, the Orlando Chamber of Commerce has gone by many names. Today, it is known as Orlando, Inc.
Original tile: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Orlando Public Library, Orlando, Florida.
Orlando Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Orlando Chamber of Commerce Building Interior
The interior of the Orlando Chamber of Commerce building, located at 113 East Central Boulevard in Downtown Orlando, Florida. Before there was a chamber of commerce in Orlando, there was the Board of Trade. It was established 1913 and aimed to promote the growing City of Orlando. In 1926, the Orlando Chamber of Commerce building, designed by Howard M. Reynolds (1885-1943), was constructed. The building was four stories tall, made of steel and tile, and was designed to look grand and ornate both inside and out. In 1967, the chamber traded the building with the City of Orlando in exchange for a new site on Ivanhoe Boulevard, where it is currently located today. After the chamber moved to its new location, the Junior Chamber of Commerce, or Jaycees, used the old building. The Orlando Chamber of Commerce played a part in creating an National Basketball Association (NBA) team for Orlando. The organization sold 10,000 preseason tickets before there was a team or a venue to play in. The Orlando Magic played their first game in 1989. In 2003, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce named the Orlando Chamber of Commerce a Five-Star Chamber. It was the first chamber in Orlando to receive the title. Since its start in 1913, the Orlando Chamber of Commerce has gone by many names. Today, it is known as Orlando, Inc.
The Orlando Chamber of Commerce building, located at 113 East Central Boulevard in Downtown Orlando, Florida. Before there was a chamber of commerce in Orlando, there was the Board of Trade. It was established 1913 and aimed to promote the growing City of Orlando. In 1926, the Orlando Chamber of Commerce building, designed by Howard M. Reynolds (1885-1943), was constructed. The building was four stories tall, made of steel and tile, and was designed to look grand and ornate both inside and out. In 1967, the chamber traded the building with the City of Orlando in exchange for a new site on Ivanhoe Boulevard, where it is currently located today. After the chamber moved to its new location, the Junior Chamber of Commerce, or Jaycees, used the old building. The Orlando Chamber of Commerce played a part in creating an National Basketball Association (NBA) team for Orlando. The organization sold 10,000 preseason tickets before there was a team or a venue to play in. The Orlando Magic played their first game in 1989. In 2003, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce named the Orlando Chamber of Commerce a Five-Star Chamber. It was the first chamber in Orlando to receive the title. Since its start in 1913, the Orlando Chamber of Commerce has gone by many names. Today, it is known as Orlando, Inc.
A flyer for the Orange Book Festival at the Albertson Public Library, located at 101 East Central Boulevard in Downtown Orlando, Florida. The Orange Book Festival was held in the summer of 1950. Before there was a public library in Orlando, the local Sorosis Club ran a circulating library for the city. After years of running the library out of homes and clubhouses, the Sorosis Club joined the Board of Education in an effort to organize an official public library. In 1919, the Mayor of Orlando, Eugene Goodman Duckworth (1875-1959), secured the corner of Central Avenue and Rosalind Avenue as the site for the new library. A $73,983 contract was drafted and Murry S. King (1870-1925) was hired as the architect. On December 28, 1922, the cornerstone was laid and, on November 8, 1923, the Albertson Public Library opened with 20,000 books, which included the Sorosis Club's collection, as well as 12,000 books from Captain Charles L. Albertson, a retired police inspector from New York for whom the library was named. Near the end of 1963, plans for a new library were being made. The Albertson Public Library, along with two branches, were to be demolished in order to make room for the new building. In the meantime, a temporary location at 905 North Orange Avenue was used as the library headquarters. On August 7, 1966, the Orlando Public Library opened. Although the name of the library changed, Albertson is still commemorated in the new library for his generous donation with a plaque at the entrance of the building, and the genealogy and local history section of the library is named after him. Less than 10 years later, in 1974, officials began to consider expansion of the library. In 1978, the Orlando City Counsel allocated the block of land to the west of the building for expansion. Architect Duane Stark was given the expansion task, as well as renovating the existing building. The current 290,000 square foot building opened on April 6, 1986.
Original flyer, 1950: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Orlando Public Library, Orlando, Florida.
Albertson Public Library, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Public Libraries in the United States of America: Their History, Condition, and Management from the Albertson Public Library
A library book called Public Libraries in the United States of America: Their History, Condition, and Management from the Albertson Public Library. The book is from the Albertson Public Library, located at 101 East Central Boulevard in Downtown Orlando, Florida. Before there was a public library in Orlando, the local Sorosis Club ran a circulating library for the city. After years of running the library out of homes and clubhouses, the Sorosis Club joined the Board of Education in an effort to organize an official public library. In 1919, the Mayor of Orlando, Eugene Goodman Duckworth (1875-1959), secured the corner of Central Avenue and Rosalind Avenue as the site for the new library. A $73,983 contract was drafted and Murry S. King (1870-1925) was hired as the architect. On December 28, 1922, the cornerstone was laid and, on November 8, 1923, the Albertson Public Library opened with 20,000 books, which included the Sorosis Club's collection, as well as 12,000 books from Captain Charles L. Albertson, a retired police inspector from New York for whom the library was named. Near the end of 1963, plans for a new library were being made. The Albertson Public Library, along with two branches, were to be demolished in order to make room for the new building. In the meantime, a temporary location at 905 North Orange Avenue was used as the library headquarters. On August 7, 1966, the Orlando Public Library opened. Although the name of the library changed, Albertson is still commemorated in the new library for his generous donation with a plaque at the entrance of the building, and the genealogy and local history section of the library is named after him. Less than 10 years later, in 1974, officials began to consider expansion of the library. In 1978, the Orlando City Counsel allocated the block of land to the west of the building for expansion. Architect Duane Stark was given the expansion task, as well as renovating the existing building. The current 290,000 square foot building opened on April 6, 1986.
Original book: United States. Public Libraries in the United States of America: Their History, Condition, and Management. Washington: Govt. Print. Off, 1876.
United States Government Printing Office
Albertson Public Library Silver Anniversary Flyer
A flyer for the Albertson Public Library's silver anniversary. The library, which is located at 101 East Central Boulevard in Downtown Orlando, Florida, celebrated its silver anniversary in November of 1948. Before there was a public library in Orlando, the local Sorosis Club ran a circulating library for the city. After years of running the library out of homes and clubhouses, the Sorosis Club joined the Board of Education in an effort to organize an official public library. In 1919, the Mayor of Orlando, Eugene Goodman Duckworth (1875-1959), secured the corner of Central Avenue and Rosalind Avenue as the site for the new library. A $73,983 contract was drafted and Murry S. King (1870-1925) was hired as the architect. On December 28, 1922, the cornerstone was laid and, on November 8, 1923, the Albertson Public Library opened with 20,000 books, which included the Sorosis Club's collection, as well as 12,000 books from Captain Charles L. Albertson, a retired police inspector from New York for whom the library was named. Near the end of 1963, plans for a new library were being made. The Albertson Public Library, along with two branches, were to be demolished in order to make room for the new building. In the meantime, a temporary location at 905 North Orange Avenue was used as the library headquarters. On August 7, 1966, the Orlando Public Library opened. Although the name of the library changed, Albertson is still commemorated in the new library for his generous donation with a plaque at the entrance of the building, and the genealogy and local history section of the library is named after him. Less than 10 years later, in 1974, officials began to consider expansion of the library. In 1978, the Orlando City Counsel allocated the block of land to the west of the building for expansion. Architect Duane Stark was given the expansion task, as well as renovating the existing building. The current 290,000 square foot building opened on April 6, 1986.
Original flyer, November 1948: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Orlando Public Library, Orlando, Florida.
A stamp inside a library book from the Albertson Public Library, located at 101 East Central Boulevard in Downtown Orlando, Florida. Before there was a public library in Orlando, the local Sorosis Club ran a circulating library for the city. After years of running the library out of homes and clubhouses, the Sorosis Club joined the Board of Education in an effort to organize an official public library. In 1919, the Mayor of Orlando, Eugene Goodman Duckworth (1875-1959), secured the corner of Central Avenue and Rosalind Avenue as the site for the new library. A $73,983 contract was drafted and Murry S. King (1870-1925) was hired as the architect. On December 28, 1922, the cornerstone was laid and, on November 8, 1923, the Albertson Public Library opened with 20,000 books, which included the Sorosis Club's collection, as well as 12,000 books from Captain Charles L. Albertson, a retired police inspector from New York for whom the library was named. Near the end of 1963, plans for a new library were being made. The Albertson Public Library, along with two branches, were to be demolished in order to make room for the new building. In the meantime, a temporary location at 905 North Orange Avenue was used as the library headquarters. On August 7, 1966, the Orlando Public Library opened. Although the name of the library changed, Albertson is still commemorated in the new library for his generous donation with a plaque at the entrance of the building, and the genealogy and local history section of the library is named after him. Less than 10 years later, in 1974, officials began to consider expansion of the library. In 1978, the Orlando City Counsel allocated the block of land to the west of the building for expansion. Architect Duane Stark was given the expansion task, as well as renovating the existing building. The current 290,000 square foot building opened on April 6, 1986.
Original stamp: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Orlando Public Library, Orlando, Florida.
The Albertson Public Library, located at 101 East Central Boulevard in Downtown Orlando, Florida. Before there was a public library in Orlando, the local Sorosis Club ran a circulating library for the city. After years of running the library out of homes and clubhouses, the Sorosis Club joined the Board of Education in an effort to organize an official public library. In 1919, the Mayor of Orlando, E. G. Duckworth, secured the corner of Central Avenue and Rosalind Avenue as the site of the new library. A $73,983 contract was drafted and Murry S. King was hired as the architect. On December 28, 1922, the cornerstone was laid and, on November 8, 1923, the Albertson Public Library opened with 20,000 books, which included the Sorosis Club's collection, as well as 12,000 books from Captain Charles L. Albertson, a retire New York police inspector for whom the library was named. Near the end of 1963, plans for a new library were being made. The Albertson Public Library, along with two branches, were to be demolished in order to make room for the new building. In the meantime, a temporary location at 905 North Orange Avenue was used as the library headquarters. On August 7, 1966, the Orlando Public Library opened. Although the name of the library changed, Charles L. Albertson is still commemorated in the new library for his generous donation with a plaque at the entrance of the building, and the genealogy and local history section of the library is named after him. Less than ten years later, in 1974, officials began to consider expansion of the library. In 1978, the Orlando City Counsel allocated the block of land to the west of the building for expansion. Architect Duane Stark was given the expansion task, as well as renovating the existing building. The current 290,000 square foot building opened on April 6, 1986.
An entrance lamp from the Albertson Public Library, located at 101 East Central Boulevard in Downtown Orlando, Florida. Before there was a public library in Orlando, the local Sorosis Club ran a circulating library for the city. After years of running the library out of homes and clubhouses, the Sorosis Club joined the Board of Education in an effort to organize an official public library. In 1919, the Mayor of Orlando, Eugene Goodman Duckworth (1875-1959), secured the corner of Central Avenue and Rosalind Avenue as the site for the new library. A $73,983 contract was drafted and Murry S. King (1870-1925) was hired as the architect. On December 28, 1922, the cornerstone was laid and, on November 8, 1923, the Albertson Public Library opened with 20,000 books, which included the Sorosis Club's collection, as well as 12,000 books from Captain Charles L. Albertson, a retired police inspector from New York for whom the library was named. Near the end of 1963, plans for a new library were being made. The Albertson Public Library, along with two branches, were to be demolished in order to make room for the new building. In the meantime, a temporary location at 905 North Orange Avenue was used as the library headquarters. On August 7, 1966, the Orlando Public Library opened. Although the name of the library changed, Albertson is still commemorated in the new library for his generous donation with a plaque at the entrance of the building, and the genealogy and local history section of the library is named after him. Less than 10 years later, in 1974, officials began to consider expansion of the library. In 1978, the Orlando City Counsel allocated the block of land to the west of the building for expansion. Architect Duane Stark was given the expansion task, as well as renovating the existing building. The current 290,000 square foot building opened on April 6, 1986.
Original lamp: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Orlando Public Library, Orlando, Florida.
Central Florida Personalities: Walton MacJordan
Walton MacJordan (b. 1905) was born in 1905 in Kentucky and attended college at the University of Alabama. He moved to Georgia and started his career in retail by becoming the youngest manager of a department store in the South. In 1932, he moved to Jacksonville, Florida, and started working for Sears, Roebuck & Company as a merchandise manager. A year later, he relocated to Orlando where he became the manager of the Sears store located at 111-113 North Orange Avenue. MacJordan left Orlando in 1937 for Chicago, Illinois, to work at the headquarters of Sears as a General Merchandise Manager of all stores. In 1942, during World War II, MacJordan served in the United States Air Force. During his service as a lieutenant, he used his experience he had in retail to manage the supplies and maintenance for several bases. He soon became a public relations officer for the southeastern portion of the country and was promoted to captain. In 1945, he returned to Orlando to manage Sears again. MacJordan also served his community as chairman of the American Red Cross in Orlando in 1950 and a member of the board of directors of the Central Florida Exposition.
Photocopy of original black and white newspaper cartoon: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Regions Bank, Orlando, Florida.
Sears, Roebuck & Company, Jacksonville, Florida
Sears, Roebuck & Company, Chicago, Illinois
Tile from the Cathedral Church of St. Luke
The Cathedral Church of St. Luke is located at 130 North Magnolia Avenue in Dowtown Orlando, Florida, and was founded in 1867 by Francis W. Eppes (1801-1881), the nephew of Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826). The congregation originally worshipped in a log cabin and services were conducted by Eppes, despite his status as a layman. In October 1882, William Crane Gray (1835-1919) was elected and consecrated as the first bishop of the Missionary Jurisdiction of South Florida, which included Central Florida and Orlando, at the time. A new church building for St. Luke's was erected under Reverend C. W. Ward during that same year. The building was enlarged in 1884, and again in 1903. On March 31, 1902, Bishop Gray designated St. Luke's as the official Cathedral Church for South Florida and appointed Reverend Lucien A. Spencer as the cathedral's first dean. In 1922, the cathedral building was relocated to make room for a new cathedral designed by Frohman, Robb, and Little of Boston, Massachusetts. During that same year, the Missionary Jurisdiction of South Florida was admitted to the General Convention of the Episcopal Church as the Diocese of South Florida. On April 13, 1925, Bishop Cameron Mann laid the cornerstone. However, as the land bust struck Florida in 1926, the building remained only partially constructed and a temporary wall was built to seal the altar side of the church. Over the years, the building has received a number of structural additions and renovations, including an educational unit memorializing members of the congregation who died serving in World War II; the Chapter House erected in the 1950s; the renovation of the cathedral nave, the erection of the choir gallery over the narthex, and the installation of a 88-rank pipe organ in the early 1970s; and the removal of the temporary wall and the competition of the building's original design during 1986 and 1987. In 1970, the Diocese of South Florida was divided into three smaller dioceses; St. Luke's became the Cathedral Church for the Diocese of Central Florida.
Original tile: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Regions Bank, Orlando, Florida.
Original black and white photograph: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Regions Bank, Orlando, Florida.
St. James Catholic Cathedral, located at 215 North Orange Avenue in Downtown Orlando, Florida, around 1940. In 1881, Bishop John Moore (b. ca. 1834-1901) purchased a block of land bound by Orange Avenue, Magnolia Avenue, Jefferson Street, and Robinson Street. On January 23, 1887, the cornerstone of the Holy Nativity Catholic Church was set under the leadership of Father Felix P. Swembergh (d. 1887). The building was designed by Kurz and Allison's Art Studio of Chicago in the American Gothic-style and was completed in June of 1891, under the guidance of Father Joseph J. Creed, who replaced Father Swembergh after his death in October 1887. It was renamed as St. James Catholic Church the following year. In 1889, a storm destroyed the church's roof and the City of Orlando condemned the building. The church was rebuilt in 1889 in the old Carpenter Gothic-style and seated 240. The church also had a school, St. Joseph's Academy, built in 1889. The school site is now where the Downtown Orlando Post Office is located. The building was torn down around 1950 and the new building, designed by Donovan Dean and Arthur White, was completed on January 20, 1952. In 1977, the building was designated as the diocese's cathedral due to the destruction of the St. Charles Borromeo Cathedral by fire. In July of 2009, the cathedral was closed for renovations and was re-dedicated on November 20, 2010.
A Sears, Roebuck & Company window display showing women's swimsuits during the 1940s or 1950s. The Sears store was located at 111-113 North Orange Avenue in Downtown Orlando, Florida. Sears moved into the first floor of Philips Apartments in 1931. Before Sears arrived, the building, as well as the city of Orlando, was experiencing economic decline. However, Sears proved so successful that the building had to expand and the property value of the entire building increased by 25 percent. In 1939, F. Monroe Alleman and Kenneth Kraft bought the Sears building for $300,000. Twenty years later, Alleman sold the building for $1.1 million, but Sears was kept open with 12 years left on its lease. In 1962, land on East Colonial Drive was bought to open a freestanding Sears store and a year later construction started. In 1973, the Sears on Colonial was incorporated with the Fashion Square Mall and it remains open today. On May 4, 1974, due to the expanding city and regional malls, the downtown Sears store closed its doors. Ten years later, the building was renovated and became what it is today, a bronze-colored glass tower nicknamed the Copper Whopper.
A replica of a Sears, Roebuck & Company watch from 1886. A Sears store was located at 111-113 North Orange Avenue in Downtown Orlando, Florida. Sears moved into the first floor of Philips Apartments in 1931. Before Sears arrived, the building, as well as the city of Orlando, was experiencing economic decline. However, Sears proved so successful that the building had to expand and the property value of the entire building increased by 25 percent. In 1939, F. Monroe Alleman and Kenneth Kraft bought the Sears building for $300,000. Twenty years later, Alleman sold the building for $1.1 million, but Sears was kept open with 12 years left on its lease. In 1962, land on East Colonial Drive was bought to open a freestanding Sears store and a year later construction started. In 1973, the Sears on Colonial was incorporated with the Fashion Square Mall and it remains open today. On May 4, 1974, due to the expanding city and regional malls, the downtown Sears store closed its doors. Ten years later, the building was renovated and became what it is today, a bronze-colored glass tower nicknamed the Copper Whopper.
Sears, Roebuck & Company
Replicated pocket watch by Sears, Roebuck & Company Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Regions Bank, Orlando, Florida.
The Sears, Roebuck & Company store located at 111-113 North Orange Avenue in Downtown Orlando, Florida. Sears moved into the first floor of Philips Apartments in 1931. Before Sears arrived, the building, as well as the city of Orlando, was experiencing economic decline. However, Sears proved so successful that the building had to expand and the property value of the entire building increased by 25 percent. In 1939, F. Monroe Alleman and Kenneth Kraft bought the Sears building for $300,000. Twenty years later, Alleman sold the building for $1.1 million, but Sears was kept open with 12 years left on its lease. In 1962, land on East Colonial Drive was bought to open a freestanding Sears store and a year later construction started. In 1973, the Sears on Colonial was incorporated with the Fashion Square Mall and it remains open today. On May 4, 1974, due to the expanding city and regional malls, the downtown Sears store closed its doors. Ten years later, the building was renovated and became what it is today, a bronze-colored glass tower nicknamed the Copper Whopper.
A Sears, Roebuck & Company blimp on the roof of the Sears store located at 111-113 North Orange Avenue in Downtown Orlando, Florida. Sears moved into the first floor of Philips Apartments in 1931. Before Sears arrived, the building, as well as the city of Orlando, was experiencing economic decline. However, Sears proved so successful that the building had to expand and the property value of the entire building increased by 25 percent. In 1939, F. Monroe Alleman and Kenneth Kraft bought the Sears building for $300,000. Twenty years later, Alleman sold the building for $1.1 million, but Sears was kept open with 12 years left on its lease. In 1962, land on East Colonial Drive was bought to open a freestanding Sears store and a year later construction started. In 1973, the Sears on Colonial was incorporated with the Fashion Square Mall and it remains open today. On May 4, 1974, due to the expanding city and regional malls, the downtown Sears store closed its doors. Ten years later, the building was renovated and became what it is today, a bronze-colored glass tower nicknamed the Copper Whopper.
The Latest Merchandise News for Spring and Summer, 1939
A Sears, Roebuck & Company merchandise catalog for 1939. A Sears store was located at 111-113 North Orange Avenue in Downtown Orlando, Florida. Sears moved into the first floor of Philips Apartments in 1931. Before Sears arrived, the building, as well as the city of Orlando, was experiencing economic decline. However, Sears proved so successful that the building had to expand and the property value of the entire building increased by 25 percent. In 1939, F. Monroe Alleman and Kenneth Kraft bought the Sears building for $300,000. Twenty years later, Alleman sold the building for $1.1 million, but Sears was kept open with 12 years left on its lease. In 1962, land on East Colonial Drive was bought to open a freestanding Sears store and a year later construction started. In 1973, the Sears on Colonial was incorporated with the Fashion Square Mall and it remains open today. On May 4, 1974, due to the expanding city and regional malls, the downtown Sears store closed its doors. Ten years later, the building was renovated and became what it is today, a bronze-colored glass tower nicknamed the Copper Whopper.
Original catalog, 1939: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Regions Bank, Orlando, Florida.
Roger Holler, Sr. with Sears, Roebuck & Company Fleet of Trucks
Roger Holler, Sr. originally worked for General Motors when he migrated to Orlando, Florida. Soon after relocating, Holler opened his own dealership with Chevrolet. In this photograph, Holler is seen wearing a cowboy hat with a fleet of Sears, Roebuck & Company trucks, possibly because he supplied the Sears store with the delivery trucks. The Sears store was located at 111-113 North Orange Avenue in Downtown Orlando, Florida. Sears moved into the first floor of Philips Apartments in 1931. Before Sears arrived, the building, as well as the city of Orlando, was experiencing economic decline. However, Sears proved so successful that the building had to expand and the property value of the entire building increased by 25 percent. In 1939, F. Monroe Alleman and Kenneth Kraft bought the Sears building for $300,000. Twenty years later, Alleman sold the building for $1.1 million, but Sears was kept open with 12 years left on its lease. In 1962, land on East Colonial Drive was bought to open a freestanding Sears store and a year later construction started. In 1973, the Sears on Colonial was incorporated with the Fashion Square Mall and it remains open today. On May 4, 1974, due to the expanding city and regional malls, the downtown Sears store closed its doors. Ten years later, the building was renovated and became what it is today, a bronze-colored glass tower nicknamed the Copper Whopper.
General Electric Radio from Associated Radio Store
A General Electric Radio purchased from the Associated Radio Store, located at 149 North Orange Avenue in Downtown Orlando, Florida. Before the advent of television, radio served as a major source of communication and entertainment. In 1885, Heinrich Hertz (1857-1894) discovered that electricity could be sent through electromagnetic waves. This discovery would aid ships in communicating with each other when out at sea, rather than using pigeons and flags. Nikola Tesla (1856-1943) would further this research by transmitting electromagnetic energy wirelessly in 1893. In 1897, Guglielmo Marconi (1874-1937) patented his own radio device and created a wireless radio transmission company. In 1901, he sent the first transatlantic signal, which was sent from Ireland and reached Canada.
General Electric
Original radio: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Regions Bank, Orlando, Florida.
"Pennsylvania Polka" Decca Record from Associated Radio Store
A "Pennsylvania Polka" record manufactured by Decca Records, Inc. in New York City, New York. "Pennsylvania Polka" was performed by Lester Lee and Zeke Manners (1911-2000) on The Lawrence Welk Show. This particular copy was purchased from the Associated Radio Store, located at 149 North Orange Avenue in Downtown Orlando, Florida.
Original record: Lee, Lester and Zeke Manners. Pennsylvania Polka. Decca Records, Inc.
Decca Records, Inc.
The Main Street Market, located at 137 Main Street (present-day North Magnolia Avenue) in Downtown Orlando, Florida.
Toy blocks from Kiddie Korner, a children's store that was also know as Kiddie Shoppe. The store was opened by Nat Berman and Pauline Berman at 66 North Orange Avenue in Downtown Orlando, Florida, in the early 1930s. The shoppe later expanded to a larger location to sell junior clothing as well.
Original toy blocks: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Regions Bank, Orlando, Florida.
Kiddie Korner , Downtown Orlando, Florida
Sears, Roebuck & Company Intercom Telephone
An intercome telephone from the Sears, Roebuck & Company store, which was located at 111-113 North Orange Avenue in Orlando, Florida. Sears moved into the first floor of Philips Apartments in 1931. Before Sears arrived, the building, as well as the city of Orlando, was experiencing economic decline. However, Sears proved so successful that the building had to expand and the property value of the entire building increased by 25 percent. In 1939, F. Monroe Alleman and Kenneth Kraft bought the Sears building for $300,000. Twenty years later, Alleman sold the building for $1.1 million, but Sears was kept open with 12 years left on its lease. In 1962, land on East Colonial Drive was bought to open a freestanding Sears store and a year later construction started. In 1973, the Sears on Colonial was incorporated with the Fashion Square Mall and it remains open today. On May 4, 1974, due to the expanding city and regional malls, the downtown Sears store closed its doors. Ten years later, the building was renovated and became what it is today, a bronze-colored glass tower nicknamed the Copper Whopper.
Original intercom telephone: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Regions Bank, Orlando, Florida.
Irvin Gibbs, the founder of Gibbs-Louis, Inc. Getting his start in his father's general store in Live Oak, Florida, Gibbs was a well-known man of fashion in Downtown Orlando, Florida. In 1935, he graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in business. After serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II as a lieutenant commander, he arrived in Orlando where he bought the women's store, Louis, in 1946. He added Gibbs to the store name, expanded the inventory, and Gibbs-Louis was created. Gibbs-Louis quickly became one of the most popular women's apparel stores in Downtown Orlando in the 1940s and 1950s. Along with the downtown location at 131 North Orange Avenue, there were three more Gibbs-Louis stores in nearby malls. In 1984, part of the downtown store collapsed; a wall caved in due to construction of a 20-story building next door. A year later, the store was restored. In 1990, when nearly all retail stores located in Downtown Orlando had closed, Gibbs-Louis was one of the few remaining. In late 1991, Irving Gibbs retired and sold the business to former executives of Ivey's, a department store that was later bought out by Dillard's. Only a year later, Gibbs-Louis went out of business and was replaced by Behr's Shoe Center. In 1998, Behr's closed as well. Today, the location is home to Annie's Bar and Grill.
Original color photograph: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Regions Bank, Orlando, Florida.
A Gibbs-Louis, Inc. clothing label. Founded in 1945 by Irving Gibbs, Gibbs-Louis was one of the most popular women's apparel stores in Downtown Orlando in the 1940s and 1950s. Along with the downtown location at 131 North Orange Avenue, there were three more Gibbs-Louis stores in nearby malls. In 1984, part of the downtown store collapsed; a wall caved in due to construction of a 20-story building next door. A year later, the store was restored. In 1990, when nearly all retail stores located in Downtown Orlando had closed, Gibbs-Louis was one of the few remaining. In late 1991, Irving Gibbs retired and sold the business to former executives of Ivey's, a department store that was later bought out by Dillard's. Only a year later, Gibbs-Louis went out of business and was replaced by Behr's Shoe Center. In 1998, Behr's closed as well. Today, the location is home to Annie's Bar and Grill.
Original label: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Regions Bank, Orlando, Florida.
Gibbs-Louis, Inc., Downtown Orlando, Florida
The Fulford Van & Storage Company was founded by Jesse Curtis Fulford in 1913. The company moved from its original downtown address at 131-135 North Magnolia Avenue in Downtown Orlando, Florida, to its new location at 3750 Bengert Street in 1973 and is still at that location as of 2014.
Fulford Van & Storage Company Calendar, 1948
A Fulford Van & Storage Company calendar for 1948. The company was founded by Jesse Curtis Fulford in 1913. The company moved from its original downtown address at 131-135 North Magnolia Avenue in Downtown Orlando, Florida, to its new location at 3750 Bengert Street in 1973 and is still at that location as of 2014.
Fulford Van & Storage Company
Original calendar by Fulford Van & Storage Company, 1948: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Regions Bank, Orlando, Florida.
Claude H. Wolfe, Inc. Buggy in Front of the Frigidaire Store
Claude H. Wolfe driving a horse and buggy to deliver refrigerators during World War II. This photograph was used as an advertising campaign for his Frigidaire store. Because gasoline was being rationed during WWII, Wolfe made his deliveries using a horse and buggy. Frigidaire was an appliance company that started in Indiana in 1916. In 1928, Wolfe opened a Frigidaire store at 130 North Orange Avenue, which was previously Jefferson Court Arcade, in Downtown Orlando, Florida. Later, the store moved to 19 East Washington Street. Frigidaire was an appliance company that originally sold refrigerators. Wolfe's pitch to get people to buy his product was to tell prospective customers that they could either continue buying blocks of ice for their ice boxes, or buy a refrigerator, which keeps itself cold and will not get infested with bugs, thus being more sanitary. Later, Frigidaire also sold stoves, room air conditioners, and washing machines. In 1959, the store moved to Garland Avenue, where the current Lynx bus station is located. The old building on Washington Street was later demolished to build the Regions Bank, also known as the Copper Whopper.
Fishing Lure from Denmark's Sporting Goods
A fish lure from Denmark's Sporting Goods, located at 149 North Magnolia Avenue (formerly Main Street) in Downtown Orlando, Florida. Denmark's was founded in 1941 by Tom Denmark and quickly became one of Central Florida's largest sporting goods suppliers. The store sponsored the television show Hunting and Fishing with Don, hosted by Don McAllister, which aired from 1954 to 1972. In 1985, Denmark sold his company to lawyer Donald Wright, who later changed the name of the store to Florida Sports. By 1988, the company had closed for business.
Original fishing lure: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Regions Bank, Orlando, Florida.
Denmark's Sporting Goods, located at 149 North Magnolia Avenue (formerly Main Street) in Downtown Orlando, Florida. Denmark's was founded in 1941 by Tom Denmark and quickly became one of Central Florida's largest sporting goods suppliers. The store sponsored the television show Hunting and Fishing with Don, hosted by Don McAllister, which aired from 1954 to 1972. In 1985, Denmark sold his company to lawyer Donald Wright, who later changed the name of the store to Florida Sports. By 1988, the company had closed for business.
Centennial Book of the Cathedral Church of St. Luke, Orlando, Florida, 1874-1974
Centennial Book of the Cathedral Church of St. Luke, which chronicles the history of the first 100 years of the Cathedral Church of St. Luke. The church is located at 130 North Magnolia Avenue in Dowtown Orlando, Florida, and was founded in 1867 by Francis W. Eppes (1801-1881), the nephew of Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826). The congregation originally worshipped in a log cabin and services were conducted by Eppes, despite his status as a layman. In October 1882, William Crane Gray (1835-1919) was elected and consecrated as the first bishop of the Missionary Jurisdiction of South Florida, which included Central Florida and Orlando, at the time. A new church building for St. Luke's was erected under Reverend C. W. Ward during that same year. The building was enlarged in 1884, and again in 1903. On March 31, 1902, Bishop Gray designated St. Luke's as the official Cathedral Church for South Florida and appointed Reverend Lucien A. Spencer as the cathedral's first dean. In 1922, the cathedral building was relocated to make room for a new cathedral designed by Frohman, Robb, and Little of Boston, Massachusetts. During that same year, the Missionary Jurisdiction of South Florida was admitted to the General Convention of the Episcopal Church as the Diocese of South Florida. On April 13, 1925, Bishop Cameron Mann laid the cornerstone. However, as the land bust struck Florida in 1926, the building remained only partially constructed and a temporary wall was built to seal the altar side of the church. Over the years, the building has received a number of structural additions and renovations, including an educational unit memorializing members of the congregation who died serving in World War II; the Chapter House erected in the 1950s; the renovation of the cathedral nave, the erection of the choir gallery over the narthex, and the installation of a 88-rank pipe organ in the early 1970s; and the removal of the temporary wall and the competition of the building's original design during 1986 and 1987. In 1970, the Diocese of South Florida was divided into three smaller dioceses; St. Luke's became the Cathedral Church for the Diocese of Central Florida.
Original book: Centennial Book of the Cathedral Church of St. Luke, Orlando, Florida, 1874-1974. Orlando, Fla: Cathedral Church of St. Luke, 1974.
Wedding Ceremony for Andy Serros and Helen Gentile in St. James Catholic Cathedral
The wedding ceremony for Andy Serros and Helen Gentile at St. James Cathedral on February 7, 1950. Serros was one of the founders of Orlando Remembered. This wedding was one of the last to be held in the old St. James Church before it was rebuilt to the current building. St. James Catholic Cathedral is located at 215 North Orange Avenue in Orlando, Florida. In 1881, Bishop John Moore (b. ca. 1834-1901) purchased a block of land bound by Orange Avenue, Magnolia Avenue, Jefferson Street, and Robinson Street. On January 23, 1887, the cornerstone of the Holy Nativity Catholic Church was set under the leadership of Father Felix P. Swembergh (d. 1887). The building was designed by Kurz and Allison's Art Studio of Chicago in the American Gothic-style and was completed in June of 1891, under the guidance of Father Joseph J. Creed, who replaced Father Swembergh after his death in October 1887. It was renamed as St. James Catholic Church the following year. In 1889, a storm destroyed the church's roof and the City of Orlando condemned the building. The church was rebuilt in 1889 in the old Carpenter Gothic-style and seated 240. The church also had a school, St. Joseph's Academy, built in 1889. The school site is now where the Downtown Orlando Post Office is located. The building was torn down around 1950 and the new building, designed by Donovan Dean and Arthur White, was completed on January 20, 1952. In 1977, the building was designated as the diocese's cathedral due to the destruction of the St. Charles Borromeo Cathedral by fire. In July of 2009, the cathedral was closed for renovations and was re-dedicated on November 20, 2010.
Original black and white photograph, February 7, 1950: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Regions Bank, Orlando, Florida.
A railroad station in the Plant System in 1872. The Lake Monroe and Orlando Railroad was organized in 1875. The charter planned to construct a railroad from the St. Johns River port in Sanford south to Orlando. On October 16, 1878, the South Florida Railroad was incorporated, but did not receive a charter until December 9, 1879, when it gained control over the Lake Monroe and Orlando Railroad charter. The first train on the new railroad ran between Sanford and Orlando on November 11, 1880. Henry B. Plant (1819-1889) and his Plant System purchased three-fifths of the South Florida Railroad stock on May 4, 1883. Plant standardized the track sizes, stations, and equipment of the existing railroads and began laying tracks towards Tampa, whose railroad station opened on December 10, 1883. In 1893, the Savannah, Florida and Western Railway, which was also a part of the Plant System, acquired the South Florida Railroad. The Atlantic Coast Line (ACL) Railroad Company acquired the entire Plant System in 1902. In 1967, the ACL merged with the Seaboard Coast Line (SCL) Railroad, which is now operated by CSX. By the mid-1880s, Sanford, Florida had become a major distribution center due to the city's strategic location along Lake Monroe and the St. Johns River.
Original 8.5 inch x 5.25 inch black and white photograph by the Ensminger Brothers, 1892: Vincent Collection, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Plant System Hospital No. 1 in 1872. The Lake Monroe and Orlando Railroad was organized in 1875. The charter planned to construct a railroad from the St. Johns River port in Sanford south to Orlando. On October 16, 1878, the South Florida Railroad was incorporated, but did not receive a charter until December 9, 1879, when it gained control over the Lake Monroe and Orlando Railroad charter. The first train on the new railroad ran between Sanford and Orlando on November 11, 1880. Henry B. Plant (1819-1889) and his Plant System purchased three-fifths of the South Florida Railroad stock on May 4, 1883. Plant standardized the track sizes, stations, and equipment of the existing railroads and began laying tracks towards Tampa, whose railroad station opened on December 10, 1883. In 1893, the Savannah, Florida and Western Railway, which was also a part of the Plant System, acquired the South Florida Railroad. The Atlantic Coast Line (ACL) Railroad Company acquired the entire Plant System in 1902. In 1967, the ACL merged with the Seaboard Coast Line (SCL) Railroad, which is now operated by CSX. By the mid-1880s, Sanford, Florida had become a major distribution center due to the city's strategic location along Lake Monroe and the St. Johns River. The other major hub for the Plant System of railways was located in Waycross, Georgia. Both towns benefited from the building of a Plant System Hospital that served Plant’s employees and the community. The Plant System Hospital #1 was Sanford’s first hospital. It was later moved to Waycross.
Flag Corps at the Orlando Naval Training Center
A Flag Corps during a graduation ceremony at Naval Training Center (NTC) Orlando. NTC Orlando was in operation from 1968 to 1998 and was one of three recruit training centers used by the U.S. Navy. It resided in the area that is now the community of Baldwin Park. During the 30 years that NTC Orlando was operational, more than 650,000 men and women were transformed from civilians to sailors. Following an intense eight week training program, the various companies would march along the vast field know as the "Grinder" and pass before the base commanders for review. This ceremony would mark the completion of their transformation.
Original 3 x 3 inch black and white photograph by Johnson, March 1970: Image number c674899, shelf number SN037544, Department of Commerce Collection, Florida Photographic Collection, State Library and Archives of Florida, Tallahassee, Florida.
An unidentified man walks past the barracks at Naval Training Center (NTC) Orlando. NTC Orlando was in operation from 1968 to 1998 and was one of three recruit training centers used by the U.S. Navy. It resided in the area that is now the community of Baldwin Park. During the 30 years that NTC Orlando was operational, more than 650,000 men and women were transformed from civilians to sailors. During their time at boot camp, which lasted eight weeks, recruits lived together in barracks, known in the Navy as "berthing areas." NTC Orlando had five barracks dedicated to housing recruits. Each barrack housed about 1,000 recruits.
Original 3 x 3 inch black and white photograph by Johnson, March 1970: Image number C674898, shelf number SN037461, Department of Commerce Collection, Florida Photographic Collection, State Library and Archives of Florida, Tallahassee, Florida.
Letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford (December 29, 1879)
A letter from Sir William MacKinnon (1823-1893) to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) dated December 24, 1879. In this letter, MacKinnon discussed, among other topics, an update regarding a Belgian expedition in the Congo and one of its chief explorers, Carter. Sir William MacKinnon was a Scottish ship-owner and businessman who established significant trade networks and commercial interests in British India and later in East Africa. Among other business ventures, he founded the British India Steam Navigation Company and the short-lived Imperial British East Africa Company. During his lifetime, he was one of the leading ship-owners in the British Empire. By the 1880s, he controlled more shipping tonnage than any other individual in Britain. MacKinnon met Henry Shelton Sanford sometime in the late 1870s and the two began corresponding regularly in 1879. MacKinnon's interest in Sanford stemmed from the former American ambassador's close proximity to King Leopold II (1835-1909) of Belgium and the Brussels inner-circle of businessmen, politicians, and diplomats. Sanford, living in a château in Brussels, provided a valuable lifeline for MacKinnon, who sought Belgian business connections to support his expanding commercial ventures, particularly in East Africa. He was a vital factor in the formation of the Florida Land and Colonization Company, going so far as to lend Sanford £8,000 in early January 1880. He also played an essential role in helping Sanford court early participants in the investment plan. Many of the board members of the FLCC, like Edwyn Sandys Dawes (1838-1903), were close associates of MacKinnon. With his business ventures strongly tied to British and Belgian development schemes in Africa, MacKinnon had no ostensible interest in Florida land investment. His participation in Sanford's Florida ambitions was thus directly linked to his interest in maintaining strong relations with Sanford and his valuable connections in Belgium.
Original letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford, December 24, 1879: box 127, folder 2, subfolder 127.2.25, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Balinakill House, Clachan, Scotland, United Kingdom
Letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford (December 24, 1879)
A letter from Sir William MacKinnon (1823-1893) to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) dated December 24, 1879. In the letter, MacKinnon discussed the health of Sanford's wife, Gertrude Dupuy Sanford (1841-1902). He also updated Sanford on the latest news regarding the "Florida affairs" sent by Edwyn Sandys Dawes (1838-1903), a co-founder of Gray Dawes and Company and an eventual board member of the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC). The letter concludes with an expression of interest in meeting with Sanford in the United Kingdom. With its frank discussion of personal health and activities, this letter demonstrated the relatively close relationship between Sanford and MacKinnon. It also highlighted the efforts of MacKinnon and others to help Sanford in recruiting investors for his "Florida scheme," what would become the FLCC. Sir William MacKinnon was a Scottish ship-owner and businessman who established significant trade networks and commercial interests in British India and later in East Africa. Among other business ventures, he founded the British India Steam Navigation Company and the short-lived Imperial British East Africa Company. During his lifetime, he was one of the leading ship-owners in the British Empire. By the 1880s, he controlled more shipping tonnage than any other individual in Britain. MacKinnon met Henry Shelton Sanford sometime in the late 1870s and the two began corresponding regularly in 1879. MacKinnon's interest in Sanford stemmed from the former American ambassador's close proximity to King Leopold II (1835-1909) of Belgium and the Brussels inner-circle of businessmen, politicians, and diplomats. Sanford, living in a château in Brussels, provided a valuable lifeline for MacKinnon, who sought Belgian business connections to support his expanding commercial ventures, particularly in East Africa. He was a vital factor in the formation of the Florida Land and Colonization Company, going so far as to lend Sanford £8,000 in early January 1880. He also played an essential role in helping Sanford court early participants in the investment plan. Many of the board members of the FLCC, like Dawes, were close associates of MacKinnon. With his business ventures strongly tied to British and Belgian development schemes in Africa, MacKinnon had no ostensible interest in Florida land investment. His participation in Sanford's Florida ambitions was thus directly linked to his interest in maintaining strong relations with Sanford and his valuable connections in Belgium.
Original letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford, December 24, 1879: box 127, folder 2, subfolder 127.2.24, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford (December 19, 1879)
A letter from Sir William MacKinnon (1823-1893) to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) dated December 19, 1879. In this letter, MacKinnon discussed about his health and his recovery from an unspecified illness. He also informed Sanford that, in his absence, he had "left Florida matters" to Edwyn Sandys Dawes (1838-1903), a co-founder of Gray Dawes and Company and an eventual board member of the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC). MacKinnon added that Dawes would handle the financial arrangements and the search for subscribers while he was away. MacKinnon also indicated that he had met with Somerset Beaumont (1835-1921), a former British Member of Parliament (MP), noting regretfully that he did not have a chance to broach the subject of Beaumont "taking a share with [the] Florida venture." The letter concluded with a discussion of updates regarding a Belgian expedition of the Congo, one that included four Indian elephants shipped from British India. MacKinnon remarked that he was shocked to hear that at least one of the elephants had died in the midst of the expedition. With its frank discussion of personal health and activities, this letter demonstrated the relatively close relationship between Sanford and MacKinnon. It also highlighted the efforts of MacKinnon and others to help Sanford in recruiting investors for his "Florida scheme," what would become the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC). The diversity of topics covered in the letter exemplified the multitude of interconnected business and political interests shared by the two men. Sir William MacKinnon was a Scottish ship-owner and businessman who established significant trade networks and commercial interests in British India and later in East Africa. Among other business ventures, he founded the British India Steam Navigation Company and the short-lived Imperial British East Africa Company. During his lifetime, he was one of the leading ship-owners in the British Empire. By the 1880s, he controlled more shipping tonnage than any other individual in Britain. MacKinnon met Henry Shelton Sanford sometime in the late 1870s and the two began corresponding regularly in 1879. MacKinnon's interest in Sanford stemmed from the former American ambassador's close proximity to King Leopold II (1835-1909) of Belgium and the Brussels inner-circle of businessmen, politicians, and diplomats. Sanford, living in a château in Brussels, provided a valuable lifeline for MacKinnon, who sought Belgian business connections to support his expanding commercial ventures, particularly in East Africa. He was a vital factor in the formation of the Florida Land and Colonization Company, going so far as to lend Sanford £8,000 in early January 1880. He also played an essential role in helping Sanford court early participants in the investment plan. Many of the board members of the FLCC, like Dawes, were close associates of MacKinnon. With his business ventures strongly tied to British and Belgian development schemes in Africa, MacKinnon had no ostensible interest in Florida land investment. His participation in Sanford's Florida ambitions was thus directly linked to his interest in maintaining strong relations with Sanford and his valuable connections in Belgium.
Original letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford, December 19, 1879: box 127, folder 2, subfolder 127.2.23, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Telegram from the Admiral Louis Raymond de Montaignac de Chauvance to Henry Shelton Sanford (December 15, 1879)
A telegram from Louis Raymond de Montaignac de Chauvance (1811-1891) to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) on December 15, 1879. The telegram tells Sanford to ignore an address listed in Brazza, perhaps a reference to the French city of Brazzaville, founded the following year in French Equatorial Africa. The admiral notes that he will write to an unspecified geographic society from Paris, France. Admiral de Montaignac was a figure of some importance in various naval and political arenas during the French Third Republic. It is unclear how or in what capacity he knew Sanford.
de Montaignac de Chauvance, Louis Raymond
Original telegram from Admiral Louis Raymond de Montaignac de Chauvance to Henry Shelton Sanford, December 15, 1879: box 127, folder 2, subfolder 127.2.22, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford (December 1, 1879)
A letter from Sir William MacKinnon (1823-1893) to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) dated December 1, 1879. In the letter, MacKinnon noted that he looked forward to meeting with Sanford for dinner in London, England, upon Sanford's arrival. MacKinnon noted that the main reason for writing was to encourage Sanford to have "little syndicate scheme ready," presumably referencing Sanford's plan to for a Florida land investment company. MacKinnon, lending his business acumen to Sanford, encouraged him to have prepared the price necessary to launch the scheme. He believed that £20,000 would be an adequate starting amount to distribute in shares. He also encouraged Sanford to indicate to prospective investors the prospect of modest returns and also how the company would intend to invest in new land purchases. MacKinnon was presumably encouraging Sanford to consider these aspects of the business in order to persuasively court investors during Sanford's visit to London. The scheme MacKinnon discussed in the letter would ultimately become the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC). Sir William MacKinnon was a Scottish ship-owner and businessman who established significant trade networks and commercial interests in British India and later in East Africa. Among other business ventures, he founded the British India Steam Navigation Company and the short-lived Imperial British East Africa Company. During his lifetime, he was one of the leading ship-owners in the British Empire. By the 1880s, he controlled more shipping tonnage than any other individual in Britain. MacKinnon met Henry Shelton Sanford sometime in the late 1870s and the two began corresponding regularly in 1879. MacKinnon's interest in Sanford stemmed from the former American ambassador's close proximity to King Leopold II (1835-1909) of Belgium and the Brussels inner-circle of businessmen, politicians, and diplomats. Sanford, living in a château in Brussels, provided a valuable lifeline for MacKinnon, who sought Belgian business connections to support his expanding commercial ventures, particularly in East Africa. He was a vital factor in the formation of the Florida Land and Colonization Company, going so far as to lend Sanford £8,000 in early January 1880. He also played an essential role in helping Sanford court early participants in the investment plan. Many of the board members of the FLCC, like Edwyn Sandys Dawes (1838-1903), were close associates of MacKinnon. With his business ventures strongly tied to British and Belgian development schemes in Africa, MacKinnon had no ostensible interest in Florida land investment. His participation in Sanford's Florida ambitions was thus directly linked to his interest in maintaining strong relations with Sanford and his valuable connections in Belgium.
Original letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford, December 1, 1879: box 127, folder 2, subfolder 127.2.21, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Telegram from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford (November 29, 1879)
A telegram from Sir William MacKinnon (1823-1893) to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) dated June 16, 1879. The telegram indicated to Sanford the price of telegraphs obtainable from Aden, a seaport in present-day Yemen that was controlled by Britain and administered as part of British India during the period. It was of roughly equal distance between Mumbai, Zanzibar, and the Suez Canal, all of which were important destinations of British shipping routes. Sir William MacKinnon was a Scottish ship-owner and businessman who established significant trade networks and commercial interests in British India and later in East Africa. Among other business ventures, he founded the British India Steam Navigation Company and the short-lived Imperial British East Africa Company. During his lifetime, he was one of the leading ship-owners in the British Empire. By the 1880s, he controlled more shipping tonnage than any other individual in Britain. MacKinnon met Henry Shelton Sanford sometime in the late 1870s and the two began corresponding regularly in 1879. MacKinnon's interest in Sanford stemmed from the former American ambassador's close proximity to King Leopold II (1835-1909) of Belgium and the Brussels inner-circle of businessmen, politicians, and diplomats. Sanford, living in a château in Brussels, provided a valuable lifeline for MacKinnon, who sought Belgian business connections to support his expanding commercial ventures, particularly in East Africa. He was a vital factor in the formation of the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC), going so far as to lend Sanford £8,000 in early January 1880. He also played an essential role in helping Sanford court early participants in the investment plan. Many of the board members of the FLCC, like Edwyn Sandys Dawes (1838-1903), were close associates of MacKinnon. With his business ventures strongly tied to British and Belgian development schemes in Africa, MacKinnon had no ostensible interest in Florida land investment. His participation in Sanford's Florida ambitions was thus directly linked to his interest in maintaining strong relations with Sanford and his valuable connections in Belgium.
Original telegram from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford, June 16, 1879: box 127, folder 2, subfolder 127.2.20, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford (November 21, 1879)
A letter from Sir William MacKinnon (1823-1893) to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) dated November 21, 1879. The letter was a brief note informing Sanford of his travel plans, which included going to Brussels, Belgium, via ferry from Dover, England. MacKinnon hoped to meet with Sanford in Brussels. He also informed Sanford that he was scheduled to meet with King Leopold II of Belgium (1835-1909). Sir William MacKinnon was a Scottish ship-owner and businessman who established significant trade networks and commercial interests in British India and later in East Africa. Among other business ventures, he founded the British India Steam Navigation Company and the short-lived Imperial British East Africa Company. During his lifetime, he was one of the leading ship-owners in the British Empire. By the 1880s, he controlled more shipping tonnage than any other individual in Britain. MacKinnon met Henry Shelton Sanford sometime in the late 1870s and the two began corresponding regularly in 1879. MacKinnon's interest in Sanford stemmed from the former American ambassador's close proximity to Leopold II and the Brussels inner-circle of businessmen, politicians, and diplomats. Sanford, living in a château in Brussels, provided a valuable lifeline for MacKinnon, who sought Belgian business connections to support his expanding commercial ventures, particularly in East Africa. He was a vital factor in the formation of the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC), going so far as to lend Sanford £8,000 in early January 1880. He also played an essential role in helping Sanford court early participants in the investment plan. Many of the board members of the FLCC, like Edwyn Sandys Dawes (1838-1903), were close associates of MacKinnon. With his business ventures strongly tied to British and Belgian development schemes in Africa, MacKinnon had no ostensible interest in Florida land investment. His participation in Sanford's Florida ambitions was thus directly linked to his interest in maintaining strong relations with Sanford and his valuable connections in Belgium.
Original letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford, November 21, 1879: box 127, folder 2, subfolder 127.2.19, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford (November 6, 1879)
A letter from Sir William MacKinnon (1823-1893) to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) dated November 6, 1879. The letter was a brief note informing Sanford that he would reach London, England, later than anticipated in earlier correspondence. Sir William MacKinnon was a Scottish ship-owner and businessman who established significant trade networks and commercial interests in British India and later in East Africa. Among other business ventures, he founded the British India Steam Navigation Company and the short-lived Imperial British East Africa Company. During his lifetime, he was one of the leading ship-owners in the British Empire. By the 1880s, he controlled more shipping tonnage than any other individual in Britain. MacKinnon met Henry Shelton Sanford sometime in the late 1870s and the two began corresponding regularly in 1879. MacKinnon's interest in Sanford stemmed from the former American ambassador's close proximity to King Leopold II (1835-1909) of Belgium and the Brussels inner-circle of businessmen, politicians, and diplomats. Sanford, living in a château in Brussels, provided a valuable lifeline for MacKinnon, who sought Belgian business connections to support his expanding commercial ventures, particularly in East Africa. He was a vital factor in the formation of the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC), going so far as to lend Sanford £8,000 in early January 1880. He also played an essential role in helping Sanford court early participants in the investment plan. Many of the board members of the FLCC, like Edwyn Sandys Dawes (1838-1903), were close associates of MacKinnon. With his business ventures strongly tied to British and Belgian development schemes in Africa, MacKinnon had no ostensible interest in Florida land investment. His participation in Sanford's Florida ambitions was thus directly linked to his interest in maintaining strong relations with Sanford and his valuable connections in Belgium.
Original letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford, November 6, 1879: box 127, folder 2, subfolder 127.2.18, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford (November 1, 1879)
A letter from Sir William MacKinnon (1823-1893) to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) dated November 1, 1879. In the letter, MacKinnon acknowledged receipt of Sanford's letter dated October 29. He also commented on the inclusion of newspaper clippings related to tea cultivation in the United States sent by Sanford, noting that he intended to watch the industry closely, adding that "America seems to grow everything all the world wants." MacKinnon also noted that he had sent William Beardall, a future agent for the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC) in Sanford, Florida, to Africa to join a Belgian exploratory mission initiated by King Leopold II of Belgium (1835-1909). MacKinnon also wanted to know when Sanford would be in London, presumably with the hope that the two could discuss, among other matters, Sanford's "Florida scheme," what would become the Florida Land and Colonization Company. Sir William MacKinnon was a Scottish ship-owner and businessman who established significant trade networks and commercial interests in British India and later in East Africa. Among other business ventures, he founded the British India Steam Navigation Company and the short-lived Imperial British East Africa Company. During his lifetime, he was one of the leading ship-owners in the British Empire. By the 1880s, he controlled more shipping tonnage than any other individual in Britain. MacKinnon met Henry Shelton Sanford sometime in the late 1870s and the two began corresponding regularly in 1879. MacKinnon's interest in Sanford stemmed from the former American ambassador's close proximity to Leopold II and the Brussels inner-circle of businessmen, politicians, and diplomats. Sanford, living in a château in Brussels, provided a valuable lifeline for MacKinnon, who sought Belgian business connections to support his expanding commercial ventures, particularly in East Africa. He was a vital factor in the formation of the Florida Land and Colonization Company, going so far as to lend Sanford £8,000 in early January 1880. He also played an essential role in helping Sanford court early participants in the investment plan. Many of the board members of the FLCC, like Edwyn Sandys Dawes (1838-1903), were close associates of MacKinnon. With his business ventures strongly tied to British and Belgian development schemes in Africa, MacKinnon had no ostensible interest in Florida land investment. His participation in Sanford's Florida ambitions was thus directly linked to his interest in maintaining strong relations with Sanford and his valuable connections in Belgium.
Original letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford, November 1, 1879: box 127, folder 2, subfolder 127.2.17, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford (October 28, 1879)
A letter from Sir William MacKinnon (1823-1893) to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) dated October 28, 1879. The letter was written from MacKinnon's private manner, Balinakill in Clachan, Scotland. In it, MacKinnon acknowledged receipt of a letter previously sent by Sanford. He also informed Sanford of a plan under negotiation at the time to unite the Portuguese colony of Delagoa Bay, which was located off the coast of present-day Mozambique, and the Transvaal Colony of the British Empire, in present-day South Africa, by railway. Later in the letter, MacKinnon referenced Sanford's "Florida scheme," what would later become the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC). MacKinnon also estimated what type of financial capital would be necessary to form the company. Sir William MacKinnon was a Scottish ship-owner and businessman who established significant trade networks and commercial interests in British India and later in East Africa. Among other business ventures, he founded the British India Steam Navigation Company and the short-lived Imperial British East Africa Company. During his lifetime, he was one of the leading ship-owners in the British Empire. By the 1880s, he controlled more shipping tonnage than any other individual in Britain. MacKinnon met Henry Shelton Sanford sometime in the late 1870s and the two began corresponding regularly in 1879. MacKinnon's interest in Sanford stemmed from the former American ambassador's close proximity to King Leopold II (1835-1909) of Belgium and the Brussels inner-circle of businessmen, politicians, and diplomats. Sanford, living in a château in Brussels, provided a valuable lifeline for MacKinnon, who sought Belgian business connections to support his expanding commercial ventures, particularly in East Africa. He was a vital factor in the formation of the Florida Land and Colonization Company, going so far as to lend Sanford £8,000 in early January 1880. He also played an essential role in helping Sanford court early participants in the investment plan. Many of the board members of the FLCC, like Edwyn Sandys Dawes (1838-1903), were close associates of MacKinnon. With his business ventures strongly tied to British and Belgian development schemes in Africa, MacKinnon had no ostensible interest in Florida land investment. His participation in Sanford's Florida ambitions was thus directly linked to his interest in maintaining strong relations with Sanford and his valuable connections in Belgium.
Original letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford, October 28, 1879: box 127, folder 2, subfolder 127.2.16, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford (October 19, 1879)
A letter from Sir William MacKinnon (1823-1893) to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) dated October 19, 1879. The letter was written from MacKinnon's private manner, Balinakill, located in Scotland. This brief letter served to acknowledge receipt of a letter written by Sanford several days earlier. MacKinnon expressed interest in meeting with Sanford in London, England, asking when Sanford intended to travel to both Florida and London. He noted that he wanted to meet with Sanford in order to discuss at length a number of different topics, adding, "I shall be happy to do all I can to help you with your Florida scheme." The "Florida scheme" referred to what would become the Florida Land and Colonization Company. Sir William MacKinnon was a Scottish ship-owner and businessman who established significant trade networks and commercial interests in British India and later in East Africa. Among other business ventures, he founded the British India Steam Navigation Company and the short-lived Imperial British East Africa Company. During his lifetime, he was one of the leading ship-owners in the British Empire. By the 1880s, he controlled more shipping tonnage than any other individual in Britain. MacKinnon met Henry Shelton Sanford sometime in the late 1870s and the two began corresponding regularly in 1879. MacKinnon's interest in Sanford stemmed from the former American ambassador's close proximity to King Leopold II (1835-1909) of Belgium and the Brussels inner-circle of businessmen, politicians, and diplomats. Sanford, living in a château in Brussels, provided a valuable lifeline for MacKinnon, who sought Belgian business connections to support his expanding commercial ventures, particularly in East Africa. He was a vital factor in the formation of the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC), going so far as to lend Sanford £8,000 in early January 1880. He also played an essential role in helping Sanford court early participants in the investment plan. Many of the board members of the FLCC, like Edwyn Sandys Dawes (1838-1903), were close associates of MacKinnon. With his business ventures strongly tied to British and Belgian development schemes in Africa, MacKinnon had no ostensible interest in Florida land investment. His participation in Sanford's Florida ambitions was thus directly linked to his interest in maintaining strong relations with Sanford and his valuable connections in Belgium.
Original letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford, October 19, 1879: box 127, folder 2, subfolder 127.2.15, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Balinakill Country House, Clachan, Scotland, United Kingdom
Letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford (October 10, 1879)
A letter from Sir William MacKinnon (1823-1893) to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) dated October 10, 1879. The letter was written from MacKinnon's private manor, Balinakill, located in Scotland. It included discussion of MacKinnon's travel plans to Brussels, Belgium. It also mentioned developments related to an exploratory expedition in East Africa, particularly in regard to the expedition's usage of elephants to facilitate travel. The elephants in question were meant to aid a Belgian team tasked with exploring East Africa on behalf of King Leopold II (1835-1909) of Belgium. The elephants were bought by the Belgian king and shipped from British India. MacKinnon also made the esoteric remark to Sanford: "I am with you in all your views." This reference may have been in regards to Sanford's business plans in Florida. Sir William MacKinnon was a Scottish ship-owner and businessman who established significant trade networks and commercial interests in British India and later in East Africa. Among other business ventures, he founded the British India Steam Navigation Company and the short-lived Imperial British East Africa Company. During his lifetime, he was one of the leading ship-owners in the British Empire. By the 1880s, he controlled more shipping tonnage than any other individual in Britain. MacKinnon met Henry Shelton Sanford sometime in the late 1870s and the two began corresponding regularly in 1879. MacKinnon's interest in Sanford stemmed from the former American ambassador's close proximity to Leopold II and the Brussels inner-circle of businessmen, politicians, and diplomats. Sanford, living in a château in Brussels, provided a valuable lifeline for MacKinnon, who sought Belgian business connections to support his expanding commercial ventures, particularly in East Africa. He was a vital factor in the formation of the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC), going so far as to lend Sanford £8,000 in early January 1880. He also played an essential role in helping Sanford court early participants in the investment plan. Many of the board members of the FLCC, like Edwyn Sandys Dawes (1838-1903), were close associates of MacKinnon. With his business ventures strongly tied to British and Belgian development schemes in Africa, MacKinnon had no ostensible interest in Florida land investment. His participation in Sanford's Florida ambitions was thus directly linked to his interest in maintaining strong relations with Sanford and his valuable connections in Belgium.
Original letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford, October 10, 1879: box 127, folder 2, subfolder 127.2.14, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford (September 9, 1879)
A letter from Sir William MacKinnon (1823-1893) to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) dated September 9, 1879. In the letter, MacKinnon discussed some updates about an expedition in East Africa, noting that he had received some additional mail from Zanzibar regarding the matter. MacKinnon acknowledged that he had received several notes from Sanford, but that he intended to postpone his reply until receiving "the printed document about the Florida land scheme." The land scheme that he referred to was what would become the Florida Land and Colonization Company. MacKinnon also asked Sanford if he would be able to read some forwarded letters to the King Leopold II (1835-1909) of Belgium. This letter reveals the mutual reliance between MacKinnon and Sanford; MacKinnon was Sanford's most obvious choice for help with his real estate ambitions in Florida while Sanford afforded MacKinnon access to the Belgian king. Sir William MacKinnon was a Scottish ship-owner and businessman who established significant trade networks and commercial interests in British India and later in East Africa. Among other business ventures, he founded the British India Steam Navigation Company and the short-lived Imperial British East Africa Company. During his lifetime, he was one of the leading ship-owners in the British Empire. By the 1880s, he controlled more shipping tonnage than any other individual in Britain. MacKinnon met Henry Shelton Sanford sometime in the late 1870s and the two began corresponding regularly in 1879. MacKinnon's interest in Sanford stemmed from the former American ambassador's close proximity to Leopold II and the Brussels inner-circle of businessmen, politicians, and diplomats. Sanford, living in a château in Brussels, provided a valuable lifeline for MacKinnon, who sought Belgian business connections to support his expanding commercial ventures, particularly in East Africa. He was a vital factor in the formation of the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC), going so far as to lend Sanford £8,000 in early January 1880. He also played an essential role in helping Sanford court early participants in the investment plan. Many of the board members of the FLCC, like Edwyn Sandys Dawes (1838-1903), were close associates of MacKinnon. With his business ventures strongly tied to British and Belgian development schemes in Africa, MacKinnon had no ostensible interest in Florida land investment. His participation in Sanford's Florida ambitions was thus directly linked to his interest in maintaining strong relations with Sanford and his valuable connections in Belgium.
Original letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford, September 9, 1879: box 127, folder 2, subfolder 127.2.13, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford (July 29, 1879)
A letter from Sir William MacKinnon (1823-1893) to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) dated July 29, 1879. The letter began with a long apology from MacKinnon regarding the length of time it took for him to respond to an earlier letter from Sanford. He proceeded to discuss several personal matters, including his intent to attend a friend's funeral. More importantly, the letter marked MacKinnon's initial response to Sanford's proposal regarding a land investment company in Florida, what would become the Florida Land and Colonization Company. MacKinnon noted that he agreed with all of Sanford's thoughts on the matter, but added cautiously, "I don't know that I can assist you very much in getting the thing into a practical shape or in carrying it out in the way you indicate, but I need hardly say that it will give me much pleasure if I can even help you a little." MacKinnon proceeded to give advice to Sanford on how to proceed, adding that once Sanford had a solid proposal, he would be willing to show it to some friends with the hopes of "getting a small private association to take it up of to take up a portion of it." Perhaps most importantly was MacKinnon's commitment to invest money of his own to the scheme. "I shall be willing to invest some money into it myself," he wrote, "not because I have any desire to go into any new thing or get a better return for my money, but because I should like to assist if I can in promoting a scheme which I believe has in it the elements of commercial success and one in which my help may be useful to you." The willingness of MacKinnon to help, despite no interest in profiting from the venture, demonstrates his interest in using Sanford's Florida scheme to ensure reciprocal advantages in other domains. Sir William MacKinnon was a Scottish ship-owner and businessman who established significant trade networks and commercial interests in British India and later in East Africa. Among other business ventures, he founded the British India Steam Navigation Company and the short-lived Imperial British East Africa Company. During his lifetime, he was one of the leading ship-owners in the British Empire. By the 1880s, he controlled more shipping tonnage than any other individual in Britain. MacKinnon met Henry Shelton Sanford sometime in the late 1870s and the two began corresponding regularly in 1879. MacKinnon's interest in Sanford stemmed from the former American ambassador's close proximity to King Leopold II (1835-1909) of Belgium and the Brussels inner-circle of businessmen, politicians, and diplomats. Sanford, living in a château in Brussels, provided a valuable lifeline for MacKinnon, who sought Belgian business connections to support his expanding commercial ventures, particularly in East Africa. He was a vital factor in the formation of the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC), going so far as to lend Sanford £8,000 in early January 1880. He also played an essential role in helping Sanford court early participants in the investment plan. Many of the board members of the FLCC, like Edwyn Sandys Dawes (1838-1903), were close associates of MacKinnon. With his business ventures strongly tied to British and Belgian development schemes in Africa, MacKinnon had no ostensible interest in Florida land investment. His participation in Sanford's Florida ambitions was thus directly linked to his interest in maintaining strong relations with Sanford and his valuable connections in Belgium.
Original letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford, July 29, 1879: box 127, folder 2, subfolder 127.2.12, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Letter from Duncan Macneill Tea Company to Henry Shelton Sanford (July 3, 1879)
A letter from the Duncan Macneill Tea Company to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) dated July 3, 1879. The letter informed Sanford that Sir William MacKinnon had sent him a chest of Indian tea. The letter noted that MacKinnon had already paid the full costs of the tea, the shipping, and the duty in Belgium. The gesture was presumably meant as a show of gratitude for some service or hospitality previously rendered by Sanford. The Duncan Macneill Tea Company was based in British India. Sir William MacKinnon was a Scottish ship-owner and businessman who established significant trade networks and commercial interests in British India and later in East Africa. Among other business ventures, he founded the British India Steam Navigation Company and the short-lived Imperial British East Africa Company. During his lifetime, he was one of the leading ship-owners in the British Empire. By the 1880s, he controlled more shipping tonnage than any other individual in Britain. MacKinnon met Henry Shelton Sanford sometime in the late 1870s and the two began corresponding regularly in 1879. MacKinnon's interest in Sanford stemmed from the former American ambassador's close proximity to King Leopold II (1835-1909) of Belgium and the Brussels inner-circle of businessmen, politicians, and diplomats. Sanford, living in a château in Brussels, provided a valuable lifeline for MacKinnon, who sought Belgian business connections to support his expanding commercial ventures, particularly in East Africa. He was a vital factor in the formation of the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC), going so far as to lend Sanford £8,000 in early January 1880. He also played an essential role in helping Sanford court early participants in the investment plan. Many of the board members of the FLCC, like Edwyn Sandys Dawes (1838-1903), were close associates of MacKinnon. With his business ventures strongly tied to British and Belgian development schemes in Africa, MacKinnon had no ostensible interest in Florida land investment. His participation in Sanford's Florida ambitions was thus directly linked to his interest in maintaining strong relations with Sanford and his valuable connections in Belgium.
Original letter from the Duncan Macneill Tea Company to Henry Shelton Sanford, dated July 3, 1879: box 127, folder 2, subfolder 127.2.11, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Duncan Macneill Tea Company, London, England, United Kingdom
Letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford (July 1, 1879)
A letter from Sir William MacKinnon (1823-1893) to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) dated July 1, 1879. The letter discussed updates regarding a Belgian expedition in East Africa as well as MacKinnon's vacation in Germany and his upcoming return through Brussels, Belgium. Sir William MacKinnon was a Scottish ship-owner and businessman who established significant trade networks and commercial interests in British India and later in East Africa. Among other business ventures, he founded the British India Steam Navigation Company and the short-lived Imperial British East Africa Company. During his lifetime, he was one of the leading ship-owners in the British Empire. By the 1880s, he controlled more shipping tonnage than any other individual in Britain. MacKinnon met Henry Shelton Sanford sometime in the late 1870s and the two began corresponding regularly in 1879. MacKinnon's interest in Sanford stemmed from the former American ambassador's close proximity to King Leopold II (1835-1909) of Belgium and the Brussels inner-circle of businessmen, politicians, and diplomats. Sanford, living in a château in Brussels, provided a valuable lifeline for MacKinnon, who sought Belgian business connections to support his expanding commercial ventures, particularly in East Africa. He was a vital factor in the formation of the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC), going so far as to lend Sanford £8,000 in early January 1880. He also played an essential role in helping Sanford court early participants in the investment plan. Many of the board members of the FLCC, like Edwyn Sandys Dawes (1838-1903), were close associates of MacKinnon. With his business ventures strongly tied to British and Belgian development schemes in Africa, MacKinnon had no ostensible interest in Florida land investment. His participation in Sanford's Florida ambitions was thus directly linked to his interest in maintaining strong relations with Sanford and his valuable connections in Belgium.
Original letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford, July 1, 1879: box 127, folder 2, subfolder 127.2.10, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford (June 26, 1879)
A letter from Sir William MacKinnon (1823-1893) to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) dated June 26, 1879. The letter discussed the early developments of the Belgian expedition of East Africa and the usage of four Indian elephants. The elephants in question were meant to aid a Belgian team tasked with exploring East Africa on behalf of King Leopold II (1835-1909) of Belgium. The elephants were bought by the Belgian king and shipped from British India. Sir William MacKinnon was a Scottish ship-owner and businessman who established significant trade networks and commercial interests in British India and later in East Africa. Among other business ventures, he founded the British India Steam Navigation Company and the short-lived Imperial British East Africa Company. During his lifetime, he was one of the leading ship-owners in the British Empire. By the 1880s, he controlled more shipping tonnage than any other individual in Britain. MacKinnon met Henry Shelton Sanford sometime in the late 1870s and the two began corresponding regularly in 1879. MacKinnon's interest in Sanford stemmed from the former American ambassador's close proximity to Leopold II and the Brussels inner-circle of businessmen, politicians, and diplomats. Sanford, living in a château in Brussels, provided a valuable lifeline for MacKinnon, who sought Belgian business connections to support his expanding commercial ventures, particularly in East Africa. He was a vital factor in the formation of the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC), going so far as to lend Sanford £8,000 in early January 1880. He also played an essential role in helping Sanford court early participants in the investment plan. Many of the board members of the FLCC, like Edwyn Sandys Dawes (1838-1903), were close associates of MacKinnon. With his business ventures strongly tied to British and Belgian development schemes in Africa, MacKinnon had no ostensible interest in Florida land investment. His participation in Sanford's Florida ambitions was thus directly linked to his interest in maintaining strong relations with Sanford and his valuable connections in Belgium.
Original letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford, June 26, 1879: box 127, folder 2, subfolder 127.2.9, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Telegram from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford (June 16, 1879)
A telegram from Sir William MacKinnon (1823-1893) to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) dated June 16, 1879. The telegram informed Sanford that MacKinnon had left for Brussels, Belgium and was "just starting via Calais" in France. The telegram also made reference to the successful arrival of four elephants. The elephants in question were meant to aid a Belgian team tasked with exploring East Africa on behalf of King Leopold II (1835-1909) of Belgium. The elephants were bought by the Belgian king and shipped from British India. Sir William MacKinnon was a Scottish ship-owner and businessman who established significant trade networks and commercial interests in British India and later in East Africa. Among other business ventures, he founded the British India Steam Navigation Company and the short-lived Imperial British East Africa Company. During his lifetime, he was one of the leading ship-owners in the British Empire. By the 1880s, he controlled more shipping tonnage than any other individual in Britain. MacKinnon met Henry Shelton Sanford sometime in the late 1870s and the two began corresponding regularly in 1879. MacKinnon's interest in Sanford stemmed from the former American ambassador's close proximity to Leopold II and the Brussels inner-circle of businessmen, politicians, and diplomats. Sanford, living in a château in Brussels, provided a valuable lifeline for MacKinnon, who sought Belgian business connections to support his expanding commercial ventures, particularly in East Africa. He was a vital factor in the formation of the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC), going so far as to lend Sanford £8,000 in early January 1880. He also played an essential role in helping Sanford court early participants in the investment plan. Many of the board members of the FLCC, like Edwyn Sandys Dawes (1838-1903), were close associates of MacKinnon. With his business ventures strongly tied to British and Belgian development schemes in Africa, MacKinnon had no ostensible interest in Florida land investment. His participation in Sanford's Florida ambitions was thus directly linked to his interest in maintaining strong relations with Sanford and his valuable connections in Belgium.
Original telegram from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford, June 16, 1879: box 127, folder 2, subfolder 127.2.8, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford (June 14, 1879)
A letter from Sir William MacKinnon (1823-1893) to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) dated June 14, 1879. The letter, written from Dover, England, served to inform Sanford of MacKinnon's plans to travel to Brussels, Belgium via ferry. MacKinnon expressed the hope that the two would be able to speak in person about various topics. Sir William MacKinnon was a Scottish ship-owner and businessman who established significant trade networks and commercial interests in British India and later in East Africa. Among other business ventures, he founded the British India Steam Navigation Company and the short-lived Imperial British East Africa Company. During his lifetime, he was one of the leading ship-owners in the British Empire. By the 1880s, he controlled more shipping tonnage than any other individual in Britain. MacKinnon met Henry Shelton Sanford sometime in the late 1870s and the two began corresponding regularly in 1879. MacKinnon's interest in Sanford stemmed from the former American ambassador's close proximity to King Leopold II (1835-1909) of Belgium and the Brussels inner-circle of businessmen, politicians, and diplomats. Sanford, living in a château in Brussels, provided a valuable lifeline for MacKinnon, who sought Belgian business connections to support his expanding commercial ventures, particularly in East Africa. He was a vital factor in the formation of the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC), going so far as to lend Sanford £8,000 in early January 1880. He also played an essential role in helping Sanford court early participants in the investment plan. Many of the board members of the FLCC, like Edwyn Sandys Dawes (1838-1903), were close associates of MacKinnon. With his business ventures strongly tied to British and Belgian development schemes in Africa, MacKinnon had no ostensible interest in Florida land investment. His participation in Sanford's Florida ambitions was thus directly linked to his interest in maintaining strong relations with Sanford and his valuable connections in Belgium.
Original letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford, June 14, 1879: box 127, folder 2, subfolder 127.2.7, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford (June 9, 1879)
A letter from Sir William MacKinnon (1823-1893) to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) dated June 9, 1879. The letter indicated MacKinnon's upcoming travel plans and his interest in speaking with Sanford in greater detail about an unspecified matter. He also provided an update on the acquisition and transportation of four elephants to East Africa. The elephants were meant to aid a Belgian team tasked with exploring East Africa on behalf of King Leopold II of Belgium. The elephants were bought by the Belgian king and shipped from British India. In the letter, MacKinnon noted that he had received a telegram "from Aden" informing him of the safe arrival and landing of the elephants. Aden is a seaport in present-day Yemen. At the time, it was controlled by Britain and administered as part of British India. It was of roughly equal distance between Mumbai, Zanzibar, and the Suez Canal, all of which were important destinations of British shipping routes. MacKinnon added in the letter that he had not heard whether the elephants had subsequently landed safely in Zanzibar, although the carrier had since returned to Aden from its voyage. MacKinnon noted that his "part of the work connected with this experiment is now completed successfully," adding his support for the future success of the expedition. Sir William MacKinnon was a Scottish ship-owner and businessman who established significant trade networks and commercial interests in British India and later in East Africa. Among other business ventures, he founded the British India Steam Navigation Company and the short-lived Imperial British East Africa Company. During his lifetime, he was one of the leading ship-owners in the British Empire. By the 1880s, he controlled more shipping tonnage than any other individual in Britain. MacKinnon met Henry Shelton Sanford sometime in the late 1870s and the two began corresponding regularly in 1879. MacKinnon's interest in Sanford stemmed from the former American ambassador's close proximity to King Leopold II (1835-1909) of Belgium and the Brussels inner-circle of businessmen, politicians, and diplomats. Sanford, living in a château in Brussels, provided a valuable lifeline for MacKinnon, who sought Belgian business connections to support his expanding commercial ventures, particularly in East Africa. He was a vital factor in the formation of the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC), going so far as to lend Sanford £8,000 in early January 1880. He also played an essential role in helping Sanford court early participants in the investment plan. Many of the board members of the FLCC, like Edwyn Sandys Dawes (1838-1903), were close associates of MacKinnon. With his business ventures strongly tied to British and Belgian development schemes in Africa, MacKinnon had no ostensible interest in Florida land investment. His participation in Sanford's Florida ambitions was thus directly linked to his interest in maintaining strong relations with Sanford and his valuable connections in Belgium.
Original letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford, June 9, 1879: box 127, folder 2, subfolder 127.2.6, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford (April 22, 1879)
A letter from Sir William MacKinnon (1823-1893) to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) dated April 22, 1879. The brief letter served to inform Sanford that MacKinnon had received a telegram from Calcutta in British India noting that the elephants had been arranged for travel on a specified carrier. The elephants in question were part of a scheme meant to aid the transportation of a Belgian team tasked with exploring East Africa on behalf of King Leopold II of Belgium (1835-1909). The elephants were bought by the Belgian king and shipped from British India. Sir William MacKinnon was a Scottish ship-owner and businessman who established significant trade networks and commercial interests in British India and later in East Africa. Among other business ventures, he founded the British India Steam Navigation Company and the short-lived Imperial British East Africa Company. During his lifetime, he was one of the leading ship-owners in the British Empire. By the 1880s, he controlled more shipping tonnage than any other individual in Britain. MacKinnon met Henry Shelton Sanford sometime in the late 1870s and the two began corresponding regularly in 1879. MacKinnon's interest in Sanford stemmed from the former American ambassador's close proximity to Leopold II and the Brussels inner-circle of businessmen, politicians, and diplomats. Sanford, living in a château in Brussels, provided a valuable lifeline for MacKinnon, who sought Belgian business connections to support his expanding commercial ventures, particularly in East Africa. He was a vital factor in the formation of the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC), going so far as to lend Sanford £8,000 in early January 1880. He also played an essential role in helping Sanford court early participants in the investment plan. Many of the board members of the FLCC, like Edwyn Sandys Dawes (1838-1903), were close associates of MacKinnon. With his business ventures strongly tied to British and Belgian development schemes in Africa, MacKinnon had no ostensible interest in Florida land investment. His participation in Sanford's Florida ambitions was thus directly linked to his interest in maintaining strong relations with Sanford and his valuable connections in Belgium.
Original letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford, April 22, 1879: box 127, folder 2, subfolder 127.2.5, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford (April 14, 1879)
Letter from Sir William MacKinnon (1823-1893) to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) dated April 14, 1879. The letter primary discussed various legal and economic matters concerning the Committee for the Study of the Upper Congo, an organization later replaced by the International Association of the Congo on November 17, 1879. In particular, MacKinnon considered the possibility of the new association being a "limited liability" entity. MacKinnon also discussed a scheme to acquire four Indian elephants. The elephants in question were part of a strategy meant to aid the transportation of a Belgian team tasked with exploring East Africa on behalf of King Leopold II of Belgium. The elephants were bought by the Belgian king and shipped from British India. Noting with some urgency, MacKinnon declared that if the elephants "are not got now I fear they would not come in for use by the present expedition." The letter closes with light references to the health of King Leopold and to the weather. One final remark served to intentionally stress MacKinnon's sentiments for the Belgian king. Noting King Leopold's "African schemes," MacKinnon emphasized to say, "I only wish I could do a very great deal more to show him how thoroughly I symphathise in the sentiments which prompt him to express so warmly the cause of poor down trodden Africa." Ultimately, the sentiments and actions described by MacKinnon and undertaken by King Leopold amounted to harsh colonization and exploitation of Central Africa cloaked under the guise of humanitarian aid. MacKinnon's self-conscious statements of flattery about the Belgian king relayed to Sanford reflects Sanford's central place amid the King's inner circle in Brussels. Sir William MacKinnon was a Scottish ship-owner and businessman who established significant trade networks and commercial interests in British India and later in East Africa. Among other business ventures, he founded the British India Steam Navigation Company and the short-lived Imperial British East Africa Company. During his lifetime, he was one of the leading ship-owners in the British Empire. By the 1880s, he controlled more shipping tonnage than any other individual in Britain. MacKinnon met Henry Shelton Sanford sometime in the late 1870s and the two began corresponding regularly in 1879. MacKinnon's interest in Sanford stemmed from the former American ambassador's close proximity to Leopold II and the Brussels inner-circle of businessmen, politicians, and diplomats. Sanford, living in a château in Brussels, provided a valuable lifeline for MacKinnon, who sought Belgian business connections to support his expanding commercial ventures, particularly in East Africa. He was a vital factor in the formation of the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC), going so far as to lend Sanford £8,000 in early January 1880. He also played an essential role in helping Sanford court early participants in the investment plan. Many of the board members of the FLCC, like Edwyn Sandys Dawes (1838-1903), were close associates of MacKinnon. With his business ventures strongly tied to British and Belgian development schemes in Africa, MacKinnon had no ostensible interest in Florida land investment. His participation in Sanford's Florida ambitions was thus directly linked to his interest in maintaining strong relations with Sanford and his valuable connections in Belgium.
Original letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford, April 14, 1879: box 127, folder 2, subfolder 127.2.4, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford (April 12, 1879)
A letter from Sir William MacKinnon (1823-1893) to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) dated April 12, 1879. The letter referenced the early stages of a scheme to acquire four Indian elephants. The elephants in question were part of a strategy meant to aid the transportation of a Belgian team tasked with exploring East Africa on behalf of King Leopold II of Belgium (1835-1909). The elephants were bought by the Belgian king and shipped from British India. MacKinnon discussed in detail the various factors concerning the elephants, ranging from transportation from India to required nourishment once in Africa. Sir William MacKinnon was a Scottish ship-owner and businessman who established significant trade networks and commercial interests in British India and later in East Africa. Among other business ventures, he founded the British India Steam Navigation Company and the short-lived Imperial British East Africa Company. During his lifetime, he was one of the leading ship-owners in the British Empire. By the 1880s, he controlled more shipping tonnage than any other individual in Britain. MacKinnon met Henry Shelton Sanford sometime in the late 1870s and the two began corresponding regularly in 1879. MacKinnon's interest in Sanford stemmed from the former American ambassador's close proximity to Leopold II and the Brussels inner-circle of businessmen, politicians, and diplomats. Sanford, living in a château in Brussels, provided a valuable lifeline for MacKinnon, who sought Belgian business connections to support his expanding commercial ventures, particularly in East Africa. He was a vital factor in the formation of the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC), going so far as to lend Sanford £8,000 in early January 1880. He also played an essential role in helping Sanford court early participants in the investment plan. Many of the board members of the FLCC, like Edwyn Sandys Dawes (1838-1903), were close associates of MacKinnon. With his business ventures strongly tied to British and Belgian development schemes in Africa, MacKinnon had no ostensible interest in Florida land investment. His participation in Sanford's Florida ambitions was thus directly linked to his interest in maintaining strong relations with Sanford and his valuable connections in Belgium.
Original letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford, April 12, 1879: box 127, folder 2, subfolder 127.2.3, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford (April 10, 1879)
Letter from Sir William MacKinnon (1823-1893) to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) dated April 10, 1879. The letter referenced the early stages of a scheme to acquire four Indian elephants. The elephants in question were part of a strategy meant to aid the transportation of a Belgian team tasked with exploring East Africa on behalf of King Leopold II of Belgium (1835-1909). The elephants were bought by the Belgian king and shipped from British India. MacKinnon included the text of a telegram sent from Colonel Maximilien Strauch, a close advisor of King Leopold. The letter to Sanford discussed the possibility of a meeting with Col. Strauch regarding the "elephant question." Sir William MacKinnon was a Scottish ship-owner and businessman who established significant trade networks and commercial interests in British India and later in East Africa. Among other business ventures, he founded the British India Steam Navigation Company and the short-lived Imperial British East Africa Company. During his lifetime, he was one of the leading ship-owners in the British Empire. By the 1880s, he controlled more shipping tonnage than any other individual in Britain. MacKinnon met Henry Shelton Sanford sometime in the late 1870s and the two began corresponding regularly in 1879. MacKinnon's interest in Sanford stemmed from the former American ambassador's close proximity to Leopold II and the Brussels inner-circle of businessmen, politicians, and diplomats. Sanford, living in a château in Brussels, provided a valuable lifeline for MacKinnon, who sought Belgian business connections to support his expanding commercial ventures, particularly in East Africa. He was a vital factor in the formation of the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC), going so far as to lend Sanford £8,000 in early January 1880. He also played an essential role in helping Sanford court early participants in the investment plan. Many of the board members of the FLCC, like Edwyn Sandys Dawes (1838-1903), were close associates of MacKinnon. With his business ventures strongly tied to British and Belgian development schemes in Africa, MacKinnon had no ostensible interest in Florida land investment. His participation in Sanford's Florida ambitions was thus directly linked to his interest in maintaining strong relations with Sanford and his valuable connections in Belgium.
Original letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford, April 10, 1879: box 127, folder 2, subfolder 127.2.2, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford (March 29, 1879)
A letter from Sir William MacKinnon (1823-1893) to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) dated March 29, 1879. The letter referenced the early stages of a scheme to acquire four Indian elephants. The elephants in question were part of a strategy meant to aid the transportation of a Belgian team tasked with exploring East Africa on behalf of King Leopold II of Belgium (1835-1909). The elephants were bought by the Belgian king and shipped from British India. In this letter, MacKinnon introduced Sanford to a man named Carter. In MacKinnon's words, Carter was considered a "suitable person to accompany the exploration party" to Africa. MacKinnon noted that Carter met with the King Leopold in Brussels prior to meeting Sanford, adding that the King "approved of this arrangement." In the letter, MacKinnon asked Sanford to introduce Carter to "Baron Strauch." He was presumably referring to Colonel Maximilien Strauch, the president of the Committee for the Study of the Upper Congo, an organization later replaced by the International Association of the Congo on November 17, 1879. MacKinnon was pleased to add that the exploration would depart on April 17, 1880 from London on a steamer owned by MacKinnon's company, the British-India Steam Navigation Company. Sir William MacKinnon was a Scottish ship-owner and businessman who established significant trade networks and commercial interests in British India and later in East Africa. Among other business ventures, he founded the British India Steam Navigation Company and the short-lived Imperial British East Africa Company. During his lifetime, he was one of the leading ship-owners in the British Empire. By the 1880s, he controlled more shipping tonnage than any other individual in Britain. MacKinnon met Henry Shelton Sanford sometime in the late 1870s and the two began corresponding regularly in 1879. MacKinnon's interest in Sanford stemmed from the former American ambassador's close proximity to Leopold II and the Brussels inner-circle of businessmen, politicians, and diplomats. Sanford, living in a château in Brussels, provided a valuable lifeline for MacKinnon, who sought Belgian business connections to support his expanding commercial ventures, particularly in East Africa. He was a vital factor in the formation of the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC), going so far as to lend Sanford £8,000 in early January 1880. He also played an essential role in helping Sanford court early participants in the investment plan. Many of the board members of the FLCC, like Edwyn Sandys Dawes (1838-1903), were close associates of MacKinnon. With his business ventures strongly tied to British and Belgian development schemes in Africa, MacKinnon had no ostensible interest in Florida land investment. His participation in Sanford's Florida ambitions was thus directly linked to his interest in maintaining strong relations with Sanford and his valuable connections in Belgium.
Original letter from William MacKinnon to Henry Shelton Sanford, March 29, 1879: box 127, folder 2, subfolder 127.2.1, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Register of Letter from Henry Shelton Sanford to D. G. Ambler (August 2, 1871)
Sanford, Henry S. (Henry Shelton) 1823-1891
This document is an acknowledgement of a registered letter received by what appears to be the Post Office of Newport, Rhode Island, from Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891). The referenced letter was addressed to D. G. Ambler. Ambler was a banker located in Jacksonville, Florida, who handled the financial and banking needs of Henry Sanford and his respective agents and representatives while they tended to Sanford's Florida properties. This document was likely related to one of Sanford's experienmental groves, Belair Grove, which was located three miles southwest of the city named after Sanford. It was part of the Sanford Grant, a 12,547.15-square acre allotment of land purchased by Henry Sanford in 1870. In Belair, Sanford introduced over 140 varieties of citrus plants. All were tested to determine if Florida citrus growers could effectively grow and introduce new varieties into the burgeoning citrus market. Sanford also grew exotic plants acquired from Central and South America, many of which survived the 1886 freeze. Sanford mainly used Belair as his own experiment station, but ultimately the findings and reports would be used by other citrus growers throughout Florida. Eventually, following Sanford's death in 1891, his wife, Gertrude Ellen Dupuy Sanford (1841-1902), handed over the operations of Belair to Sydney Octavius Chase, Sr. (1860-1941) and Joshua Coffin Chase (1858-1948).
Original receipt: box 45, folder 1, subfolder 45.1.40, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Personal Check from Edwin G. Eastman to S. B. Hubbard (June 8, 1871)
Sanford, Henry S. (Henry Shelton), 1823-1891
This is a personal check written on June 8, 1871, and addressed from Edwin G. Eastman to S. B. Hubbard in the amount of $238.06. Eastman was an associate of Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891). The two initially met through their mutual service in the U.S. Diplomatic Corps during the American Civil War. Eastman served as an adviser and representative to Sanford for a brief period between 1870 and 1871. Eastman oversaw operations in the what would become Sanford, Florida, beginning in December 1870. He was put in charge by Henry Sanford to ensure the successful management of the sawmill built in 1870, He was also tasked with maintaining the various experimental groves owned by Sanford, first St. Gertrude's Grove and later Belair Grove. The more successful of the two, Belair Grove, was an experimental grove located three miles southwest of the city named after Sanford. It was part of the Sanford Grant, a 12,547.15-square acre allotment of land purchased by Henry Sanford in 1870. In Belair, Sanford introduced over 140 varieties of citrus plants. All were tested to determine if Florida citrus growers could effectively grow and introduce new varieties into the burgeoning citrus market. Sanford also grew exotic plants acquired from Central and South America, many of which survived the 1886 freeze. Sanford mainly used Belair as his own experiment station, but ultimately the findings and reports would be used by other citrus growers throughout Florida. Eventually, following Sanford's death in 1891, his wife, Gertrude Ellen Dupuy Sanford (1841-1902), handed over the operations of Belair to Sydney Octavius Chase, Sr. (1860-1941) and Joshua Coffin Chase (1858-1948).
Original check from Edwin G. Eastman to S. B. Hubbard, June 8, 1871: box 45, folder 1, subfolder 45.1.26, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Receipt of Payment for E. J. Medicis from W. Lyon and Company (July 20, 1871)
This is a receipt of payment for E. J. Medicis created by W. Lyon and Company on July 20, 1871. W. Lyon and Company were wholesale and retail dealers in groceries, provisions, hardware, crockery, and oils. The company was based in St. Augustine, Florida. Medicis, an occasional agent for Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) based in St. Augustine, had previously purchased a hoe, and several sacks of corn earlier in the month, paying the outstanding bill of $12 in full on July 20. The materials were presumably meant for use on Henry Sanford's Florida properties, particular his experimental grove, Belair Grove. The more successful of the two, Belair Grove, was an experimental grove located three miles southwest of the city named after Sanford. It was part of the Sanford Grant, a 12,547.15-square acre allotment of land purchased by Henry Sanford in 1870. In Belair, Sanford introduced over 140 varieties of citrus plants. All were tested to determine if Florida citrus growers could effectively grow and introduce new varieties into the burgeoning citrus market. Sanford also grew exotic plants acquired from Central and South America, many of which survived the 1886 freeze. Sanford mainly used Belair as his own experiment station, but ultimately the findings and reports would be used by other citrus growers throughout Florida. Eventually, following Sanford's death in 1891, his wife, Gertrude Ellen Dupuy Sanford (1841-1902), handed over the operations of Belair to Sydney Octavius Chase, Sr. (1860-1941) and Joshua Coffin Chase (1858-1948).
Original receipt: box 45, folder 1, subfolder 45.1.39, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Acknowledgement of Sale of Horses for Edwin G. Eastman from M. Thayer (July 20, 1871)
This is a receipt of payment for Edwin G. Eastman, created by M. Thayer on July 20, 1871. In the receipt, Thayer acknowledges the sale of two horses to Eastman for $750. Thayer attests in the handwritten receipt that both horses are of generally sound health. Eastman was an associate of Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891). The two initially met through their mutual service in the U.S. Diplomatic Corps during the American Civil War. Eastman served as an advisor and representative to Sanford for a brief period between 1870 and 1871. Eastman oversaw operations in the what would become Sanford, Florida, beginning in December 1870. He was put in charge by Henry Sanford to ensure the successful management of the sawmill built in 1870, He was also tasked with maintaining the various experimental groves owned by Sanford, first St. Gertrude's Grove and later Belair Grove. The more successful of the two, Belair Grove, was an experimental grove located three miles southwest of the city named after Sanford. It was part of the Sanford Grant, a 12,547.15-square acre allotment of land purchased by Henry Sanford in 1870. In Belair, Sanford introduced over 140 varieties of citrus plants. All were tested to determine if Florida citrus growers could effectively grow and introduce new varieties into the burgeoning citrus market. Sanford also grew exotic plants acquired from Central and South America, many of which survived the 1886 freeze. Sanford mainly used Belair as his own experiment station, but ultimately the findings and reports would be used by other citrus growers throughout Florida. Eventually, following Sanford's death in 1891, his wife, Gertrude Ellen Dupuy Sanford (1841-1902), handed over the operations of Belair to Sydney Octavius Chase, Sr. (1860-1941) and Joshua Coffin Chase (1858-1948).
Original receipt: box 45, folder 1, subfolder 45.1.38, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.