Tavares & Gulf Railroad Depot in Winter Garden
Dublin Core
Title
Tavares & Gulf Railroad Depot in Winter Garden
Alternative Title
Tavares & Gulf Winter Garden Depot
Subject
Winter Garden (Fla.)
Railroads--Florida
Description
This photograph highlights the Tavares & Gulf Railroad Depot, a water tower, and Winter Garden Light & Water Company around 1913. This depot replaced the original 1889 structure 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 and 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 (SCL) 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.
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 (SCL) 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.
Source
Original black and white photograph: Up From the Ashes Exhibit, Winter Garden Heritage Foundation, Winter Garden, Florida.
Date Created
ca. 1913
Is Format Of
Digital reproduction of original black and white photograph.
Is Part Of
Up From the Ashes Exhibit, Winter Garden Heritage Foundation, Winter Garden, Florida.
Up From the Ashes Collection, Winter Garden Heritage Foundation Collection, Winter Garden Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.
Format
image/jpg
Extent
88.5 KB
Medium
1 black and white photograph
Language
eng
Type
Still Image
Coverage
Tavares & Gulf Railroad Depot, Winter Garden, Florida
Accrual Method
Donation
Mediator
History Teacher
Economics Teacher
Geography Teacher
Rights Holder
Copyright to this resource is held by the Winter Garden Heritage Foundation and is provided here by RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.
Curator
Bowers, Katherine
Cepero, Laura
Digital Collection
Source Repository
External Reference
Cappleman, Kay, and Rod Reeves. Sundays in the South: Touring West Orange County. Winter Garden, FL: Winter Garden Heritage Foundation, 2009.
"Welcome." City of Winter Garden. http://www.cwgdn.com/.
Winter Garden Heritage Foundation. All Aboard!: A Journey Through Historic Winter Garden, 1880-1950. Winter Garden, FL: The Foundation, 1997.
Transcript
BOYD ST.
R.R. SEABOARD COASTLINE DEPOT
- AND -
WINTER GARDEN POWER UTILITY PLANT
R.R. SEABOARD COASTLINE DEPOT
- AND -
WINTER GARDEN POWER UTILITY PLANT
Collection
Citation
“Tavares & Gulf Railroad Depot in Winter Garden,” RICHES, accessed April 19, 2024, https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka/items/show/4650.