San Juan Hotel and Orange Ave. Postcard
Dublin Core
Title
San Juan Hotel and Orange Ave. Postcard
Alternative Title
San Juan Hotel & Orange Ave. Postcard
Subject
Orlando (Fla.)
Postcards--Florida
Hotels--Florida
Buildings--Florida
Tourism--Florida
Description
A postcard showing the San Juan de Ulloa Hotel, located at 32 North Orange Avenue in Orlando, Florida. The building was constructed from 1885 to 1886 by Captain C. E. Pierce at an initial cost of $150,000. The original owner was Henry S. Kedney, who moved from Minnesota to Maitland in 1870 and then to Orlando in 1885. The initial building was a three-story, wood-framed building topped with a dome. In 1887, Harry L. Beeman moved to Orlando and bought the San Juan Hotel. He added two stories and a new addition for $500,000 around 1900. From 1890 to 1900, it alsohoused Orlando's Post Office. In 1903, Beeman added a veranda on the north side. In 1914, Henry Green took charge of $20,000 in alterations, including the addition of a laundry room, twelve private baths, and the conversion of the barbershop into a café. In the spring of 1922, Turner Construction Company added an additional eight stories at a cost of $357,000. In May 1928, there was a plan to spend $150,000 to rebuild it along modern lines but it is not known if this was carried out or to what extent.
The hotel also housed a series of services for hotel guests and Orlando residents alike. Among these were several restaurants, a barbershop, and a laundry. The San Juan was the main focal point for activity in Orlando in the early years, but the hotel hit hard times in the 1960s and was re-opened as the Grand Central Hotel, which opened on October 6, 1978. The Grand Central served a gay clientele, featuring several themed bars and lounges. In 1979, the hotel was destroyed by fire. The building was eventually demolished in 1981. The current use of site is a business office originally known as the First Union Bank Tower. It is a sixteen-story, 300,000-square foot building, completed in 1983.
The hotel also housed a series of services for hotel guests and Orlando residents alike. Among these were several restaurants, a barbershop, and a laundry. The San Juan was the main focal point for activity in Orlando in the early years, but the hotel hit hard times in the 1960s and was re-opened as the Grand Central Hotel, which opened on October 6, 1978. The Grand Central served a gay clientele, featuring several themed bars and lounges. In 1979, the hotel was destroyed by fire. The building was eventually demolished in 1981. The current use of site is a business office originally known as the First Union Bank Tower. It is a sixteen-story, 300,000-square foot building, completed in 1983.
Source
Original 5.5 x 3.5 inch color postcard: Valentine & Son's Publishing Company, Ltd., Great Britain: Private Collection of Thomas Cook.
Publisher
Valentine & Son's Publishing Company, Ltd.
Date Created
ca. 1900
Date Copyrighted
ca. 1900
Date Issued
ca. 1900
Contributor
Cook, Thomas
Is Format Of
Digital reproduction of original 5.5 x 3.5 inch color postcard: Valentine & Son's Publishing Company, Ltd., Great Britain.
Is Part Of
Private Collection of Thomas Cook.
Postcard Collection, Thomas Cook Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.
Requires
Format
application/pdf
Extent
675 KB
Medium
5.5 x 3.5 inch color postcard
Language
eng
Type
Still Image
Coverage
Orlando, Florida
Spatial Coverage
28.54279, -81.379072
Temporal Coverage
1900-01-01/1900-12-31
Accrual Method
Donation
Mediator
History Teacher
Economics Teacher
Geography Teacher
Provenance
Originally published by Valentine & Son's Publishing Company, Ltd.
Rights Holder
Copyright to this resource is held by Valentine & Son's Publishing Company, Ltd. and is provided here by RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.
Contributing Project
Curator
Cook, Thomas
Digital Collection
Source Repository
Private Collection of Thomas Cook
External Reference
Antequino, Stephanie Gaub, and Tana Mosier Porter. Lost Orlando. Charleston, S.C.: Arcadia Pub, 2012
Dickinson, Joy Wallace. A Guide to Historic Orlando. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Pub, 2003
"Central Florida GLBT Timeline." GLBT History Museum. http://glbthistorymuseum.com/joomla15/index.php?option=com_chronoconnectivity&Itemid=62.
Transcript
SAN JUAN HOTEL & ORANGE AVE,
ORLANDO, FLA.
FAMOUS V & SONS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
POST CARD.
Published by the Valentine & Sons' Publishing Co., Ltd.,
New York and Atlanta, GA.
Printed in Great Britain.
ORLANDO, FLA.
FAMOUS V & SONS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
POST CARD.
Published by the Valentine & Sons' Publishing Co., Ltd.,
New York and Atlanta, GA.
Printed in Great Britain.
Still Image Item Type Metadata
Original Format
1 color postcard
Physical Dimensions
5.5 x 3.5 inch
Collection
Citation
“San Juan Hotel and Orange Ave. Postcard,” RICHES, accessed April 23, 2024, https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka/items/show/1013.