Christmas in the Sun, December 21 & 22, 1996
A program for the Orlando Gay Chorus' concert, "Christmas in the Sun", on December 21 &amp
22, 1996, at the Knowles Memorial Chapel at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. The program includes short biographies on the Music Director Aubrey Connelly and the Accompanist Kathy Slage, program notes, an outline of the show's itinerary, a list of chorus members and contributors, and a history of GALA Choruses. It also includes brief biographies of the narrators: Patty Sheehan, Tom Dyer, Rev. Dr. Marni Harmony, and Jack Harrell. The Orlando Gay Chorus (OGC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts and humanitarian organization, and part of the Gay and Lesbian Association (GALA) of Choruses. Founded on Valentines Day 1990, OGC is not only one of the largest mixed gay choirs in the United States at over 100 members, but they also boast four smaller ensembles that perform annual concerts, cabarets, and a host of community events, such as Come Out With Pride, Orlando Museum of Art’s Festival of Trees, and World AIDS Day memorial services. In 2017, the group performed at over 105 events, including 15 performances for the first anniversary of the Pulse Nightclub tragedy. Members come from all walks of life and all sexual and gender orientations, including straight allies. OGC lives by the motto “Singing the World to a Better Place” and strives to use music to change attitudes and build a stronger community.
Orlando Gay Chorus
Original 28-page black and white program with a colored front and back cover, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.
Knowles Memorial Chapel, Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida
Christmas Party at Restore Orlando, 1995
Members of the community at Christmas party at Restore Orlando waiting for Santa Clause to arrive. The annual party featured Christmas trees, decorations and a bounce house. Members of the Orlando Magic, K-Mart, and other boosters often donated gifts, such as bicycles and bags of toys. Presents were unwrapped, so parents could be involved in the acquisition and wrapping of the gifts. Santa would arrive in a helicopter, truck bed, or some other vehicle in order to elicit an excited response from the kids. Created by Jerry Applebee and Polly Applebee in 1994, the Restore Orlando's after-school program organized outings such as horseback riding and helicopter rides. The Applebees were affiliated with the Church of the Nazarene in the Parramore neighborhood of Downtown Orlando, Florida. Dedra Jenkins fought to have a basketball court built for the older children at Kaley Square Park across the street. Originally, owners of the church and park did not want a court because they feared it would be a place where drug dealers would congregate. This photograph, taken by an unknown volunteer at the program, was originally discarded, along with other similar photographs, and then found by a local resident near the Emmanuel Fellowship and Worship Center, which is located at the former site of Restore Orlando. The collection was given to the contributor, Dedra Jenkins.
Original 3 x 5 inch color photograph, December 1995: Private Collection of Dedra Jenkins.
Restore Orlando, Holden-Parramore, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Christmas Party at Restore Orlando, 1996
The Christmas party at Restore Orlando in 1996. The annual party features Christmas trees, decorations and a bounce house. Members of the Orlando Magic, K-Mart, and other boosters often donated gifts, such as bicycles and bags of toys. Presents were unwrapped, so parents could be involved in the acquisition and wrapping of the gifts. The second photograph shows bicycles that were given away as gifts at the party. Created by Jerry Applebee and Polly Applebee in 1994, the Restore Orlando's after-school program organized outings such as horseback riding and helicopter rides. The Applebees were affiliated with the Church of the Nazarene in the Parramore neighborhood of Downtown Orlando, Florida. Dedra Jenkins fought to have a basketball court built for the older children at Kaley Square Park across the street. Originally, owners of the church and park did not want a court because they feared it would be a place where drug dealers would congregate. This photograph, taken by an unknown volunteer at the program, was originally discarded, along with other similar photographs, and then found by a local resident near the Emmanuel Fellowship and Worship Center, which is located at the former site of Restore Orlando. The collection was given to the contributor, Dedra Jenkins.
Original 3 x 5 inch color photographs, December 1996: Private Collection of Dedra Jenkins.
Christmas Party at Restore Orlando, 1998
Original 3 x 5 inch color photograph, December 1998: Private Collection of Dedra Jenkins.
A postcard depicting the exterior of the Chrysler Building in New York City, New York. Built in the art deco-style, the building was the tallest in the world for 11 months, before the Empire State Building surpassed it. This postcard is part of a collection of postcards kept by Lucile Campbell, a schoolteacher in Sanford, Florida, for 30 years. In 1931, she took advantage of a special rate for teachers and sailed to Europe, where she traveled for several months and is thought to have acquired many of these postcards. During the 1940-1941 school year, Campbell taught at Sanford Grammar School. Before her retirement in 1970, she taught at many other area schools, including the Oviedo School, Westside Grammar School, and Pinecrest Elementary School. Campbell used these postcards as aids in her classrooms to teach advanced subjects, such as Shakespearean drama. The collection, along with her other teaching aids, papers, and photographs, was later found at Sanford Grammar School after it became the University of Central Florida's Public History Center. Campbell's postcard collection and photographs provide insight into the life of a respected Florida educator.
Original 3 x 5 inch color postcard: ACC# SM-00-243, file folder 1 (U.S. blanks), box 10A, Lucile (Mary Lucile) Campbell Collection, UCF Public History Center, Sanford, Florida.
Chrysler Building, Manhattan, New York City, New York
Chuluota 1st Baptist Church: 104 and Still Growing
A newspaper article published by The Oviedo Outlook on May 26, 1977. The article describes the history of the Chuluota Baptist Church from its founding to 1977. The congregation's first services were held in November of 1874 in the home of W. C. Jacobs with Reverend R. W. Lawton and Reverend George Gandez leading religious services. Many of the church's founding congregants were migrants from Whiteville, North Carolina. The church was officially founded two months later as Harmony Baptist Church on January 8, 1875. A log church was constructed about one mile east of Chuluota, near Lake Pickett. In 1883, church meetings were moved to a schoolhouse near the southern portion of Chuluota. A new church building was built and dedicated as Harmony Baptist Church of Chuluota, located at 201 Lake Mills Road, in 1888. The Sunday school was established on November 10, 1889. Construction for a new concrete building began in 1955 and was dedicated in 1956. An education wing was added in 1961. The church is now known as the First Baptist Church of Chuluota.
Original newspaper article: "Chuluota 1st Baptist Church: 104 and Still Growing." The Oviedo Outlook, Vol. 4, No. 40, May 26, 1977, page 1 and 9: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
Harmony Baptist Church, Chuluota, Florida
First Baptist Church of Chuluota, Chuluota, Florida
Chuluota Baptist Church Sixty-Fifth Anniversary
A history of the Chuluota Baptist Church from its founding to its 65th anniversary in 1939. The congregation's first services were held in November of 1874 in the home of W. C. Jacobs with Reverend R. W. Lawton and Reverend George Gandez leading religious services. Many of the church's founding congregants were migrants from Whiteville, North Carolina. The church was officially founded two months later as Harmony Baptist Church on January 8, 1875. A log church was constructed about one mile east of Chuluota, near Lake Pickett. In 1883, church meetings were moved to a schoolhouse near the southern portion of Chuluota. A new church building was built and dedicated as Harmony Baptist Church of Chuluota, located at 201 Lake Mills Road, in 1888. The Sunday school was established on November 10, 1889. Construction for a new concrete building began in 1955 and was dedicated in 1956. An education wing was added in 1961. The church is now known as the First Baptist Church of Chuluota.
Original typewritten document, November 16, 1939: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
Chuluota Baptist Church, Chuluota, Florida
A newspaper article published by The Central Florida Press on June 20, 1930. The article reports news in Chuluota, an unincorporated community southeast of Oviedo, Florida. News topics include return of the Wagner family from their trip to South Florida; Alive Story's trip to Sanford with her daughters; the Tribble family's trip to a Baptist church in Reno, Nevada; and the Chuluota Sunday School's attendance at the Seminole Associational Sunday School's workers program, which was held at a church in Oviedo.
Original newspaper article: "Chuluota News." The Central Florida Press, Vol. 1, No. 9, June 20, 1930, page 3: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
A postcard depicting the exterior of the Church of the Good Shepherd, which was founded under the leadership of Reverend Henry deLafayette Webster in 1885. After the original building was destroyed in a fire in 1908, the present building was built the following year. The congregation has undergone many name changes, including the First Universalist Church, the Universalist Church of Tarpon Springs, and Unitarian Universalist Church of Tarpon Springs, which was adopted in 1992. The church is well known for housing various paintings by George Inness (1825-1894). This postcard is part of a collection of postcards kept by Lucile Campbell, a schoolteacher in Sanford, Florida, for 30 years. In 1931, she took advantage of a special rate for teachers and sailed to Europe, where she traveled for several months and is thought to have acquired many of these postcards. During the 1940-1941 school year, Campbell taught at Sanford Grammar School. Before her retirement in 1970, she taught at many other area schools, including the Oviedo School, Westside Grammar School, and Pinecrest Elementary School. Campbell used these postcards as aids in her classrooms to teach advanced subjects, such as Shakespearean drama. The collection, along with her other teaching aids, papers, and photographs, was later found at Sanford Grammar School after it became the University of Central Florida's Public History Center. Campbell's postcard collection and photographs provide insight into the life of a respected Florida educator.
Gulf Stream Card and Distributing Company
Original 4 x 6 inch color postcard by the Gulf Stream Card and Distributing Company: ACC# SM-00-243, file folder 1 (U.S. blanks), box 10A, Lucile (Mary Lucile) Campbell Collection, UCF Public History Center, Sanford, Florida.
Church of the Good Shepherd, Tarpon Springs, Florida
The Holy Cross Episcopal Church, located at 410 South Magnolia Avenue in Sanford, Florida in 1880. Gertrude Dupuy Sanford, the wife of General Henry S. Sanford (1823-1891), established the Holy Cross Episcopal Church in 1873. The church was consecrated on April 20, 1873, and became the first Episcopal mission in Central Florida. The original Holy Cross was designed by famed architect Richard Upjohn in the Carpenter Gothic architectural style. During the summer of 1880, the original Holy Cross was destroyed by a hurricane. Following the destruction of the original Holy Cross, Henry and Gertrude Sanford raised money for the construction of a second church. The second Holy Cross Church was completed in 1880, but was destroyed by a fire in 1923. The third church built on the site following the destruction of the second was designed by Elton Moughton, a local architect, and completed in 1924. The third Holy Cross church was built in the “pre-depression” Spanish Mediterranean style.
Original 8.5 x 11 inch black and white photograph by Chase & Company: Chase Collection (MS 14), box 211, folder 3.30A, item CC 110, Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
Original 8.5 x 11 inch black and white photograph by Chase & Company, 1880: Chase Collection (MS 14), box 211, folder 3.30A, item CC 112, Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
Church of the Holy Cross Destroyed in Hurricane of 1880
The Holy Cross Episcopal Church, located at 410 South Magnolia Avenue in Sanford, Florida after the Hurricane of 1880. On August 29, 1880, a Category 2 hurricane made landfall near Saint Augustine, affecting areas from the Jupiter Inlet to the mouth of the St. Johns River to the Gulf of Mexico. Gertrude Dupuy Sanford, the wife of General Henry S. Sanford (1823-1891), established the Holy Cross Episcopal Church in 1873. The church was consecrated on April 20, 1873, and became the first Episcopal mission in Central Florida. The original Holy Cross was designed by famed architect Richard Upjohn in the Carpenter Gothic architectural style. During the summer of 1880, the original Holy Cross was destroyed by a hurricane. Following the destruction of the original Holy Cross, Henry and Gertrude Sanford raised money for the construction of a second church. The second Holy Cross Church was completed in 1880, but was destroyed by a fire in 1923. The third church built on the site following the destruction of the second was designed by Elton Moughton, a local architect, and completed in 1924. The third Holy Cross church was built in the “pre-depression” Spanish Mediterranean style.
Original 8.5 x 11 inch black and white photoprint by Chase & Company, 1880: Chase Collection (MS 14), box 211, folder 3.30A, item CC 117, Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
A painting created by Bettye Reagan, a local artist in Central Florida, in 1996. The painting was inspired by photograph of a Sunday school picnic at Clifton Springs located near Lake Jesup in Oviedo, Florida, on November 12, 1910. Some of the individuals appearing in the painting are J. C. Brainan, J. H. Lee, Olauc Howard-Huret, Frank Anderson, Sid Brown and his wife, H. B. McCall, and Hugh White. Clifton Springs was named in honor of the hometown of Dr. Henry Foster, a wealthy grower from Lake Charm in Oviedo. Originally called White's Wharf, the site marks the approximate location where John Bartram and William Bartram camped during their excursion along the St. Johns River in 1765-1766. William G. White migrated to the area in the late 1870s and built a store here in 1879. White moved his store to Orlando in the 1880s. Many Oviedo residents used the site as the location for their annual May picnics, which began in 1880. The picnics were hosted by a joint committee of the local Baptist and Methodist churches. The wharf is now known as Hiley's Fish Camp.
Original painting: Reagan, Bettye. Church Picnic. 1988: Private Collection of Bettye Reagan.
The Church Street Market Building, located at the corner of West Pine Street and South Garland Avenue in Downtown Orlando, Florida, in 2002. In 1972, entrepreneur Bob Snow made plans to develop an entertainment complex in order to revitalize Downtown Orlando. Several restaurants, clubs, and other attractions opened in the 1970s. By 1985, the market, also known as Church Street Station, became the fourth-largest attraction in Florida, following Walt Disney World, Sea World, and Busch Gardens. In 1989, Snow sold his interest to a subsidiary of Baltimore Gas and Electric company. Church Street Station completed a major expansion for $5.5 million in 1994. By 1998, the market began decreasing in popularity and was bought and sold by several owners until it went into bankruptcy under Lou Pearlman in 2007. In 2010, the Amway Center arena opened on West Church Street and stimulated a new influx of business.
Original color digital image by Thomas Cook, 2002: Private Collection of Thomas Cook.
RICHES of Central Florida
Church Street Market, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Church Street Station, located at 127 West Church Street in Downtown Orlando, Florida, in 2007. The station was first constructed in 1880 connecting Orlando to Sanford. After the railroad was bought up by the Plant System in 1883 from the South Florida Railroad it was extended to Tampa. This brought a large boom to Orlando's economy shipping cattle and lumber, but chiefly citrus. By 1926, the depot was becoming too small for the volume of trade going through, so the depot was moved south to what is today the Amtrak Station. The depot became run down until the mid-1970s when Church Street Station opened up around the depot and stayed open until the early 2000s. Now the station is used as a stop along the Sunrail Tram system.
Original color digital image by Ebyabe, April 21, 2007.
Church Street Station, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Church Street Station, located at 76-135 West Church Street in Downtown Orlando, Florida, in January of 1989. The original site was occupied by a railroad depot built around 1883 for the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL). The depot was designed by T. B. Cotter in the Queen Anne/Eclectic Victorian style and constructed by Henry B. Plant (1819-1899). The building was demolished around 1890 and the current Church Street Station Depot was constructed by the South Florida Railroad on the same lot. The site also served the Tavares, Orlando and Atlantic Railroad, and the Orlando and Winter Park Railway. In 1926, the Orlando Health/Amtrak station took over passenger operations, but Church Street Station continued to serve as a ticket outlet and freight station until 1972. In 1973, a Dixieland-theme entertainment complex was established between the railroad tracks and Garland Avenue in seven vacant buildings for $22 million. The depot itself houses retail shops. The depot was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1976 and named an Orlando Historic Landmark in 1978. In 1988, the complex was expanded to include the Church Street Exchange and the Church Street Market. The development was led by Bob Snow and Steve Fuller and sold in 1989 for $61 million. The complex peaked in the 1980s, drawing approximately 1.7 million visitors a year. Due to failure to compete with major theme parks, visitor attendance dwindled and the complex was sold in 2001, only to close shortly after.
Original color photographs, 1989: Private Collection of Nancy Lynn Cepero.
Church Street Station, located at 76-135 West Church Street in Downtown Orlando, Florida, in 2002. The original site was occupied by a railroad depot built around 1883 for the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company. The depot was designed by T. B. Cotter in the Queen Anne/Eclectic Victorian style and constructed by Henry Bradley Plant. The building was demolished around 1890. The current Church Street Station was constructed by the South Florida Railroad on the same lot. The site also served the Tavares, Orlando and Atlantic Railroad, and the Orlando and Winter Park Railway. In 1926, the Orlando Health/Amtrak station took over passenger operations, but Church Street Station continued to serve as a ticket outlet and freight station until 1972. In 1973, a Dixieland-theme entertainment complex was established between the railroad tracks and Garland Avenue in seven vacant buildings for $22 million. The depot itself houses retail shops. The depot was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1976 and named an Orlando Historic Landmark in 1978. In 1988, the complex was expanded to include the Church Street Exchange and the Church Street Market. The development was led by Bob Snow and Steve Fuller and sold in 1989 for $61 million. The complex peaked in the 1980s, drawing approximately 1.7 million visitors a year. Due to failure to compete with major theme parks, visitor attendance dwindled and the complex was sold in 2001, only to close shortly after.
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Depot, Downtown Orlando, Florida
South Florida Railroad Depot, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Church Street Station Entertainment Complex, Downtown Orlando, Florida
The Old Orlando Railroad Depot, located at 127 West Church Street in Orlando, Florida, in 2007. The station was first constructed in 1880 connecting Orlando to Sanford. After the railroad was bought up by the Plant System in 1883 from the South Florida Railroad, it was extended to Tampa. This brought a large boom to Orlando's economy shipping cattle and lumber, but chiefly citrus. By 1926, the depot was becoming too small for the volume of trade going through, so the depot was moved south to what is today the Amtrak Station. The depot became run down until the mid-1970s when Church Street Station opened up around the depot and stayed open until the early 2000s. Now the station is used as a stop along the SunRail Tram system.
Original color photograph by John Bradley, April 21, 2007: Wikimedia Commons.
Wikimedia Commons
Church Street Station, located at 127 West Church Street in Downtown Orlando, Florida, in 2012. The station was first constructed in 1880 connecting Orlando to Sanford. After the railroad was bought up by the Plant System in 1883 from the South Florida Railroad it was extended to Tampa. This brought a large boom to Orlando's economy shipping cattle and lumber, but chiefly citrus. By 1926, the depot was becoming too small for the volume of trade going through, so the depot was moved south to what is today the Amtrak Station. The depot became run down until the mid-1970s when Church Street Station opened up around the depot and stayed open until the early 2000s. Now the station is used as a stop along the SunRail tram system.
Church Street Station, located at 127 West Church Street in Orlando, Florida. The station was first constructed in 1880 connecting Orlando to Sanford. After the railroad was bought up by the Plant System in 1883 from the South Florida Railroad it was extended to Tampa. This brought a large boom to Orlando's economy shipping cattle and lumber, but chiefly citrus. By 1926, the depot was becoming too small for the volume of trade going through, so the depot was moved south to what is today the Amtrak Station. The depot became run down until the mid-1970s when Church Street Station opened up around the depot and stayed open until the early 2000s. Now the station is used as a stop along the Sunrail Tram system.
Church Street, Showing Huguenot and St. Philip's Church Postcard
A postcard depicting a view of Church Street in Charleston, South Carolina, on which stand two of the oldest churches in the United States. St. Philip's Episcopal Church opened in 1723, after moving from its original 1680 site, which is now the site of St. Michael's Episcopal Church. The Huguenot Church was built in 1687 by a group of French Protestants who had settled in Charleston, but it was destroyed in 1796. The present structure is the third, which was completed in 1845 in the Gothic Revival style of architecture. This postcard is part of a collection of postcards kept by Lucile Campbell, a schoolteacher in Sanford, Florida, for 30 years. In 1931, she took advantage of a special rate for teachers and sailed to Europe, where she traveled for several months and is thought to have acquired many of these postcards. During the 1940-1941 school year, Campbell taught at Sanford Grammar School. Before her retirement in 1970, she taught at many other area schools, including the Oviedo School, Westside Grammar School, and Pinecrest Elementary School. Campbell used these postcards as aids in her classrooms to teach advanced subjects, such as Shakespearean drama. The collection, along with her other teaching aids, papers, and photographs, was later found at Sanford Grammar School after it became the University of Central Florida's Public History Center. Campbell's postcard collection and photographs provide insight into the life of a respected Florida educator.
St. Philip's Episcopal Church, Charleston, South Carolina
Huguenot Church, Charleston, South Carolina
Cigarettes Mower, Stolen; $1,200 Construction Theft
A newspaper article published by The Oviedo Outlook on August 1, 1973. This article details a number of thefts that were reported to the Oviedo City Police Department in August of 1973. These thefts included cigarettes, a mower, and a $1,200 construction theft.
Original newspaper article: "Cigarettes Mower, Stolen; $1,200 Construction Theft." The Oviedo Outlook, Vol. 1, No. 7, August 1, 1973: Private Collection on Dan Beistel.
The Oviedo Outlook
Oviedo City Police Department, Oviedo, Florida
The Oviedo Heritage, a supplement for The Oviedo Outlook, published on June 30, 1977. This article chronicles the history of the Citizens Bank of Oviedo, which Originally opened on East Broadway Street on July 2, 1946. The land on which the bank sits was Originally the Bill Browning celery farm. The Citizens Bank of Oviedo took in over half a million dollars in deposits on its first day, with B. F. Wheeler as president, C. R. Clonts as vice president, and Charles Shaffer as the cashier. In 1949, the bank moved to the Memorial Building, which is located at 38 South Central Avenue. On March 25, 1974, the Citizens' Bank of Oviedo reopened at 156 Geneva Drive. The bank is now the Citizens' Bank of Florida with locations throughout Seminole County.
Original newspaper article: Neely, Larry. "Citizens Bank Founded in 1946." The Oviedo Heritage, June 30, 1977: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
Citizens Bank of Oviedo, Oviedo, Florida
The Citizens Bank of Oviedo, which originally opened on East Broadway Street on July 2, 1946. The land on which the bank sits was originally the Bill Browning celery farm. The Citizens Bank of Oviedo took in over half a million dollars in deposits on its first day, with B. F. Wheeler as president, C. R. Clonts as vice president, and Charles Shaffer as the cashier. In 1949, the bank moved to the Memorial Building, which is located at 38 South Central Avenue. This photograph was taken by Henry DeWolf for an aerial survey of Oviedo, Florida. On March 25, 1974, the Citizens' Bank of Oviedo reopened at 156 Geneva Drive. The bank is now the Citizens' Bank of Florida with locations throughout Seminole County.
Original 20 x 16 inch color photograph by Henry DeWolf: Private Collection of Arthur Evans.
Citizen's Bank of Oviedo, Downtown Oviedo, Florida
City Appoints New Fire Chief, Finance Director
A newspaper article published in The Oviedo Voice on September 16, 2004. The article discusses the appointment of Lars White as acting fire chief of the Oviedo Fire and Emergency Services Department until the city finds a permanent replacement for its retiring chief, Wayne Martin. According to the article, White was considering applying for the permanent position of fire chief. White was hired as one of the department's first paid employees in 1983, after serving for several years as a volunteer. His experience included service as a firefighter, a captain, a lieutenant, a battalion chief, the public information officer, a training coordinator, the public education director. The article also discusses the appointment of Cindy Lindsay as Finance Director. A certified public account, Lindsay's experience also included service as the assistant for the Oviedo Finance Department, service for the City of Casselberry, and experience running her own business.
Original newspaper article: "City Appoints New Fire Chief, Finance Director." The Oviedo Voice, Vol. XIV, No. 38, September 16, 2004, page 1: Private Collection of Edwin White and Carolyn White.
City Cab Company Taxi Service and the American Fire and Casualty Company
This photograph shows three businesses located on South Orange Avenue in Downtown Orlando, Florida, sometime between 1941 and 1946: City Cab Company Taxi Service, Kelly's Tires, and the American Fire and Casualty Company. City Cab Co. was founded by Napoleon B. Broward as early as 1941. Broward left the company in 1943 and was replaced by the company's secretary treasurer, Paul Mears. Later renamed Mears Transportation, it became one of the largest taxicab companies in Orlando and still operates today. The Exchange Building, pictured in the distance, was home to American Fire, an Ohio-based insurance corporation that had offices in the top two floors of the building for 18 years. In 1946, the insurance company bought the building and renamed it the American Building. These lots, as well as the rest of the block, were later replaced by the CNA Tower and Barnett Plaza.
Original 8 x 10 inch black and white photograph: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Downtown Orlando Information Center, Orlando, Florida.
City Cab Company Taxi Service, Downtown Orlando, Florida
American Fire and Casualty Company, Downtown Orlando, Florida
City Directory for St. Augustine, Florida: 1948
A page from the city directory for St. Augustine, Florida, from 1948. The City Directory lists the names of the head of the household and in the case of a married man, the name of his wife. The Directory also gives shorthand description of the occupation and place of employment of the head of the household as well as their address. The Directory also includes advertisement from local businesses. A notable resident listed in the directory is Fred Wimbush (1920-1949). Born in Emanuel County, Georgia, Wimbush later lived in Lyons, Georgia, before relocating to St. Augustine, Florida, by 1935. On July 14, 1943, Wimbush enlisted in the United States Army, where he reported to duty at Camp Blanding near Starke, Florida. He eventually served with Company H as part of the 25th Infantry Regiment of the 93rd Division. Wimbush and his segregated regiment served in the Pacific Theater of World War II, serving in both a labor and combat capacity. Wimbush received an honorable discharge on November 29, 1946. After the war ended, Wimbush returned to St. Augustine, where he lived until his death on January 14, 1949, at the age of twenty-eight. He is buried in Saint Augustine National Cemetery in Saint Augustine, Florida in Section E, Plot 25. In 2017, the University of Central Florida was one of three universities selected to launch the National Cemetery Administration’s Veterans Legacy Program Project. The program engaged a team of scholars to make the life stories of veterans buried in the Florida National Cemetery available to the public. The project engages UCF students in research and writing and fosters collaboration between students, faculty and local Central Florida schools to produce interactive curriculum for K-12 students. The corresponding website exhibit uses RICHES Mosaic Interface to create a digital archive of related data. The public can use the project-developed augmented-reality app at more than 100 gravesites at the Florida National Cemetery, where they can access the UCF student-authored biographies of veterans.
Digital reproduction of the original printed city directory for St. Augustine, Florida, 1948.
City Directory, New London, Connecticut, 1960
City Directory for New London, Connecticut, in 1960. A notable resident listed in this record is Paul Havener. Born in Oklahoma on March 23, 1923, Havener moved to Maine after the death of this father. He joined the United States Army Air Corp in February 1943, in Portland, Maine. He reached the rank of Corporal by the time he was discharged in 1945. While in the Army Air Corp, he trained as a tail gunner, protecting aircraft from enemy attacks at the tail or rear of the plane. He married Esther Caroline Brown on June 23, 1945. They had three children. Paul Havener passed away on October 8, 1992, at age 69, and is buried at the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, Florida. In 2017, the University of Central Florida was one of three universities selected to launch the National Cemetery Administration’s Veterans Legacy Program. The program engaged a team of scholars to make the life stories of veterans buried in the Florida National Cemetery available to the public. The project engages UCF students in research and writing and fosters collaboration between students, faculty and local Central Florida schools to produce interactive curriculum for k-12 students. The corresponding website exhibit uses RICHES Mosaic Interface to create a digital archive of related data. The public can use the project-developed augmented-reality app at more than 100 gravesites at the Florida National Cemetery, where they can access the UCF student-authored biographies of veterans.
Digital reproduction of original city directory.
Federal Emergency Relief Administration (U.S.)
Newspaper article in the Sanford Herald on the City of Sanford's donation of land to the State Marketing Board to construct the Sanford State Farmers' Market in 1934. The tract of land was in a desirable location due to its proximity to both east and west farms, as well as its location near French Avenue. The Sanford State Farmers' Market, at 1300 South French Avenue, was founded in 1934 in order to provide a central location in which farmers would sell their produce directly to consumers. The idea for the Sanford State Farmers' Market was devised by Fred Dorner and Gus Schmach, both members of the Seminole Agricultural Club. Sanford Chamber of Commerce president Harry Papworth also contributed to the development of the market. The Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) authorized construction plans on June 11, 1934. On June 20, 1934, the City of Sanford donated a portion of the Alex V. French properties to the State Marketing Board, which selected the northwest corner of French Avenue and Thirteenth Street. The board approved the installation of telegraph and telephone equipment, as well as a three-pump filling station. The Sanford State Farmer's Market opened on December 18, 1934. By 1939, the Farmers' Market was bringing a total volume of business of $627,065.81. In 1941, business volume reached over $700,000. On April 4, 1957, a fire destroyed the building and caused damages estimated at $2.5 million. Reconstruction began almost immediately and the Farmers' Market was expected to re-open by the fall of 1957. In 1991, plans were created to restore, preserve, and convert the citrus packing house into a museum.
Photocopy of original newspaper article: "City Donates 20-Acre Tract for Market." The Sanford Herald, June 20, 1934: State Farmers' Market Collection, Museum of Seminole County History, Sanford, Florida.
The Sanford Herald
Sanford State Farmers' Market, Sanford, Florida
City Hallways, Souvenir Issue, October 1958
The souvenir issue of City Hallways, a publication by the City of Orlando to keep employees up to date on news and events. This edition covers the new Orlando City Hall building, which was dedicated on October 3, 1958. The new city hall was designed by Richard Boon Rogers and stood eight stories tall. The building was technologically up-to-date for its time with air conditioning and fallout shelters. Additionally, it was the first city hall Orlando had which was designed for that purpose. It remained in use until its destruction in 1991, which was filmed for use in Lethal Weapon 3.
Original publication: City Hallways, October 1958: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Orlando City Hall, Orlando, Florida.
City of Orlando
Orlando City Hall, 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.
Original black and white photograph: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Orlando Public Library, Orlando, Florida.
City of Orlando Fire Station No. 1, 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, 2004
The City of Orlando Fire Station No. 1, located at the corner of North Magnolia Avenue and Wall Street in Downtown Orlando, Florida, in 2004. Inspired by a fire in 1883, Orlando's first volunteer fire department was established by William C. Sherman, who would be named Fire Chief. 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. A major fire in 1884 and an article written by E. H. Gore in The Orange County Reporter resulted in the official organization of the Orlando Fire Department in 1885, with John Weeks as the first official Fire Chief. On March 25, 1919, Firehouse No. 1 moved from its original location on Oak Street (present-day Wall Street) to a new location at 19 North Main Street (present-day Magnolia Avenue). The new station cost $17,708 to construct and the old station was abandoned. In 2006, the Fire Department announced that a new Fire Station No. 1 would be located 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 City of Orlando Fire Department. The new fire station opened on December 2, 2009.
Original color digital image by Thomas Cook, 2004: Private Collection of Thomas Cook.
Youth participants on the City of Orlando Youth Baseball Team, which operated from 1999 to 2003. The team eventually had youths up to 14 years old playing baseball, and would play in Grand Avenue Park. The contributor's son, Nathaniel Jenkins, is pictured fourth from the front of the photograph. Created by Jerry Applebee and Polly Applebee in 1994, the Restore Orlando's after-school program organized outings such as horseback riding and helicopter rides. The Applebees were affiliated with the Church of the Nazarene in the Parramore neighborhood of Downtown Orlando, Florida. Dedra Jenkins fought to have a basketball court built for the older children at Kaley Square Park across the street. Originally, owners of the church and park did not want a court because they feared it would be a place where drug dealers would congregate. This photograph, taken by an unknown volunteer at the program, was originally discarded, along with other similar photographs, and then found by a local resident near the Emmanuel Fellowship and Worship Center, which is located at the former site of Restore Orlando. The collection was given to the contributor, Dedra Jenkins.
Original 3 x 5 inch color photograph, 1999: Private Collection of Dedra Jenkins.
Grand Avenue Park, Holden Heights, Florida
City of Sanford After the Great Fire of 1887
Lake Monroe (Seminole County and Volusia County, Fla.)
The City of Stanford in the 1890s, after the Great Fire of 1887. The present-day Sanford, Florida, area was originally inhabited by the Mayaca and Joroco tribes by the time Europeans arrived. The tribe was decimated by war and disease by 1760 and was replaced by the Seminole tribe. In 1821, the United States acquired Florida from Spain and Americans began to settled in the state. Camp Monroe was established in the mid-1830s to defend the area against Seminoles during the Seminole Wars. Following an attack on February 8, 1837, the camp was renamed Fort Mellon in honor of the battle's only American casualty, Captain Charles Mellon. The Town of Mellonville was founded nearby in 1842 by Daniel Stewart. When Florida became a state three years later, Mellonville became the county seat for Orange County, which was originally a portion of Mosquito County. Citrus was the first cash crop in the area and the first fruit packing plant was constructed in 1869. In 1870, Henry Shelton Sanford purchased over 12,000 acres of land west of Mellonville to form the community of Sanford. which he called "The Gateway City to South Florida." Sanford was incorporated in 1877 and absorbed Mellonville in 1883. The Great Fire of 1887 devastated the city, which also suffered from a statewide epidemic of yellow fever the following year. The citrus industry flourished until the Great Freezes of 1894 and 1895, causing planters to begin growing celery in 1896 as an alternative. Celery replaced citrus as the city's cash crop and Sanford was nicknamed "The Celery City." In 1913, Sanford became the county seat of Seminole County, once part of Orange County. Agriculture dominated the region until Walt Disney World opened in October of 1971, effectively shifting the Central Florida economy towards tourism and residential development. In 2003, Sanford began the redevelopment of the waterfront with the RiverWalk Project to revitalize the city's riverfront.
Original black and white drawing: Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
City of Sanford Before the Great Fire of 1887
The City of Sanford riverfront in the 1880s, just before the Great Fire of 1887. The present-day Sanford, Florida, area was originally inhabited by the Mayaca and Joroco tribes by the time Europeans arrived. The tribe was decimated by war and disease by 1760 and was replaced by the Seminole tribe. In 1821, the United States acquired Florida from Spain and Americans began to settled in the state. Camp Monroe was established in the mid-1830s to defend the area against Seminoles during the Seminole Wars. Following an attack on February 8, 1837, the camp was renamed Fort Mellon in honor of the battle's only American casualty, Captain Charles Mellon. The Town of Mellonville was founded nearby in 1842 by Daniel Stewart. When Florida became a state three years later, Mellonville became the county seat for Orange County, which was originally a portion of Mosquito County. Citrus was the first cash crop in the area and the first fruit packing plant was constructed in 1869. In 1870, Henry Shelton Sanford purchased over 12,000 acres of land west of Mellonville to form the community of Sanford. which he called "The Gateway City to South Florida." Sanford was incorporated in 1877 and absorbed Mellonville in 1883. The Great Fire of 1887 devastated the city, which also suffered from a statewide epidemic of yellow fever the following year. The citrus industry flourished until the Great Freezes of 1894 and 1895, causing planters to begin growing celery in 1896 as an alternative. Celery replaced citrus as the city's cash crop and Sanford was nicknamed "The Celery City." In 1913, Sanford became the county seat of Seminole County, once part of Orange County. Agriculture dominated the region until Walt Disney World opened in October of 1971, effectively shifting the Central Florida economy towards tourism and residential development. In 2003, Sanford began the redevelopment of the waterfront with the RiverWalk Project to revitalize the city's riverfront.
The City of Sanford steamboat near Sanford, Florida. The steamboat was constructed by the Thompson & Clyde Shipyard in Jacksonville. On November 24, 1880, The City of Sanford was launched. The steamboat travedl between Sanford and Jacksonville 137 times and was able to carry 145 tons of goods. On April 24, 1882, The City of Sanford burned at Point La Vista, near Downtown Jacksonville. By the mid-1880s, Sanford had become a major distribution center due to the city's strategic location along Lake Monroe and the St. Johns River. Even before Florida obtained statehood, steamboats frequented the St. Johns River carrying U.S. Army soldiers to Fort Mellon, located on the shores of Lake Monroe, to defend the area against Native Americans during the Seminole Wars. Steamboats were used at the fort and during the Battle of Camp Monroe to relocate Seminoles, explore the St. Johns River, and to distribute military forces. During the second half of the 1830s, steamboats were used to tow barges from the river to Lake Monroe in order to stimulate trade. The first commercial steamboat was developed as the Brock Line in the early 1850s. As trade grew, various wharves and docks were built in locations such as Mellonville Avenue, Palmetto Avenue, Oak Street, and Sanford Avenue. The Debary-Baya Merchant Line began transporting passengers in 1883, which further developed the steamboat industry. The line was purchased by the Clyde Line in 1886 and remained open until 1933. The growth of railroads was the primary cause of the decline of the steamboat industry.
Original drawing by John Wilson Somerville: Steamboats Collection, Museum of Seminole County History, Sanford, Florida.
Museum of Seminole County History
City Sewerage System Nearing Construction
In August of 1973, The Oviedo Outlook, Vol. 1, No. 7, August 1, 1973 reported that the Oviedo's new sanitary sewer system was still on schedule to be built that year. Through a joint effort between a group of developers, engineers, and city officials, the 10-acre site, just south of the city limits and east of Florida State Road 520, should generate enough revenue according to most projections.
Original newspaper article: "City Sewerage Nearing Construction." The Oviedo Outlook, Vol. 1, No. 7, August 1, 1973, Vol. 1, No. 7, August 1, 1973: Private Collection of Dan Beistel.
City Supports Application: Hospital Headway?
A newspaper article published in The Oviedo Voice on September 16, 2004. According to the article, the Oviedo City Council sent a letter the State of Florida supporting the application of certification for the Central Florida Regional Hospital, located at 1401 West Seminole Boulevard in Sanford, Florida. The hospital was seeking certification in order to open a 60-bed satellite facility in Oviedo that would include emergency, outpatient, obstetric, and diagnostic services. The hospital later received its certificate and established the Oviedo ER, located at 8300 Red Bug Lake Road. The article continues onto page 6 of the newspaper, which is currently unavailable.
Original newspaper article: "City Supports Application: Hospital Headway?." The Oviedo Voice, Vol. XIV, No. 38, September 16, 2004, page 1: Private Collection of Edwin White and Carolyn White.
Central Florida Regional Hospital, Sanford, Florida
A newspaper article from the Winter Park Sun Hearld reviewing Central Florida Civic Theatre's "Five Finger Exercise." The article gives a synopsis of the play and reviews the performances of the main cast. The article was published on January 18, 1973. Orlando Family Stage is a professional Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) organization in Orlando, Florida that focuses on producing engaging theatrical experiences for children and families. Since its founding as the Orlando Little Players in December 1925, the company has become one of the oldest continuously operating theatres in the southeastern United States and is the only professional theatre in Florida devoted entirely to young audiences. The theatre operated under several names before rebranding as Orlando Family Stage in 2023 to better reflect its commitment to creating meaningful experiences for audiences of all generations.
Orlando Family Stage
1 black and white newspaper article, January 18, 1973: : Orlando Family Stage.
Central Florida Civic Theater, Orlando, Florida
Clara Walters, principal of Jones High School in Orlando, Florida, from 1981-1990. During her administration, Walters expanded the Foreign Language Department, renovated the auditorium, and added a guidance suite. Located in the Parramore/Lorna Doone neighborhood of downtown Orlando, Jones High School was the first area public school for African-Americans. The original building was located on the corner of Garland Avenue and Church Street, but the school was renamed the Johnson Academy and moved to a new building on the corner of Chatham Avenue and West Jefferson Street. In 1921, the school was renamed in honor Principal L. C. Jones and a brick colonial revival building was constructed on the corner of Parramore Avenue and Washington Street. The school was finally moved to its current location at 801 South Rio Grande Avenue in 1952.
Jones High School
Original black and white photograph: Jones High School Historical Museum, Orlando, Florida.
Clare Gortez's Fifth Grade Class at Sanford Grammar School, 1920-1921
Clare Gortez's fifth grade class at Sanford Grammar School during the 1920-1921 school year. Some of the students photographed include L. P. Hogan, Jessie Neeley, Gene Adams, Evelyn Moffett, Pearl Robinson, Harriett Rossitor, Helen Jenkins, Maggie Lynch, and Irene Brandit. Originally located at 301 West Seventh Street in Sanford, Florida, Sanford Grammar School was first established as Sanford High School in 1902. The building was designed by W. G. Talley in the Romanesque revival style. Due to an increasing student population, a new school building was constructed on Sanford Avenue in 1911. The original building on Seventh Street served as Westside Grammar Elementary School, which was later renamed Sanford Grammar School. In 1984, the building was placed on the National Registry of Historic Places and converted into the Student Museum. The building reopened as the University of Central Florida's Public History Center in 2012. In 1927, a high school campus was designed by Elton J. Moughton in the Mediterranean revival style and constructed at 1700 French Avenue. The school reopened on January 10 and was renamed Seminole High School. In 1960, the high school moved to a new campus at 2701 Ridgewood Avenue and the former building on French Avenue was converted to Sanford Junior High School, which was later renamed Sanford Middle School. The old building was demolished in the summer of 1991 and replaced by a $5.77 million school complex. As of 2013, Seminole High School offers various Advanced Placement courses, the Academy for Health Careers, and the International Baccalaureate Programme for students.
Original 6.7 x 4.5 inch black and white photograph: Sanford Grammar Collection, Archives Box 4B, UCF Public History Center, Sanford, Florida.
Sanford Grammar School, Sanford, Florida
Clarence Huston Pygman and Alverna V. Nellis
Clarence Huston Pygman (1898-1988) and Alverna V. Nellis wearing colorful Poly Leis. Born on June 27, 1898, Pygman registered for the draft in September of 1918. At the time, he worked as a timekeeper for the Wabash Railroad Company. He entered the service on October 20, 1918, serving in the United States Army. After completing his service, Pygman moved back home with his parents and began teaching in public schools. On December 22, 1923, at twenty-five years old, Pygman married Sylvia Hummel. Less than four years later, they welcomed a daughter, Janet Eileen Pygman, on April 15, 1927. By 1930, Pygman rose to the position of principal in a Maywood area public school, and became a school superintendent by 1940. On July 12, 1952, Pygman married Alverna V. Nellis. Pygman and his wife moved to Fort Myers, Florida, in the 1970s, where they remained until Pygman passed away on November 29, 1988. Both Pygman and his wife are buried together in Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell. In 2017, the University of Central Florida was one of three universities selected to launch the National Cemetery Administration’s Veterans Legacy Program Project. The program engaged a team of scholars to make the life stories of veterans buried in the Florida National Cemetery available to the public. The project engages UCF students in research and writing and fosters collaboration between students, faculty and local Central Florida schools to produce interactive curriculum for k-12 students. The corresponding website exhibit uses RICHES Mosaic Interface to create a digital archive of related data. The public can use the project-developed augmented-reality app at more than 100 gravesites at the Florida National Cemetery, where they can access the UCF student-authored biographies of veterans.
Digital reproduction of original color photograph: Private Collection of The Pygman Family.
Clark C. Griffith Memorial at Tinker Field
Griffith, Clark (Clark Calvin), 1869-1955
The Clark C. Griffith Memorial at Tinker Field, located at 287 South Tampa Avenue in Downtown Orlando, Florida, in 2003. Clark Calvin Griffith (1869-1955), also known as "The Old Fox," was a Major League Baseball pitcher, team manager, and team owner. He began his career in the MLB with the St. Louis Browns (present-day St. Louis Cardinals) in 1891. That same year, he played with the Boston Reds. From 1893 to 1900, he pitched for the Chicago Colts/Orphans (present-day the Chicago Cubs). Griffith both played and managed the Chicago White Stockings (present-day Chicago White Sox) from 1901 to 1902 and the New York Highlands (present-day New York Yankees) from 1903 to 1907. He retired as a player following the 1907 season, but reamined manager in 1908. He later managed the Cincinnati Reds from 1909 to 1911 and the Washington Senators (present-day Minnesota Twins) from 1912 to 1920. In 1920, he bought the Senators and continued as owner until his death in 1955. In 1946, he was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Tinker Field is named after Joseph B. Tinker, who was a shortstop for the Chicago Cubs, manager of the Orlando Tigers, and the first Floridian to be selected for the Baseball Hall of Fame. The first baseball field at this location was built in 1914. The stadium was dedicated in 1923 and could seat approximately 1,500 people. In 1934, a fence was added. The field was home of the Orlando Rays, a minor league baseball team, until they moved to the Cracker Jack Stadium in 2000. Tinker Field was also the Spring Training home for the Cincinnati Reds from 1923 to 1935, the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1934 to 1935, and the Washington Senators and the Minnesota Twins from 1936 to the 1990s. On May 14, 2004, Tinker Field was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The field has also served as the home to the Orlando Electric Daisy Carnival, an electric dance music festival, in 2011 and 2012. The stadium currently seats 5,100 people.
Original color image by Thomas Cook, 2003: Private Collection of Thomas Cook
An integrated class assembly at Jones High School in 1970. The photograph appeared in the Jones High School yearbook that year. Located in the Parramore/Lorna Doone neighborhood of downtown Orlando, Jones High School was the first area public school for African-Americans. The original building was located on the corner of Garland Avenue and Church Street, but the school was renamed the Johnson Academy and moved to a new building on the corner of Chatham Avenue and West Jefferson Street. In 1921, the school was renamed in honor Principal L. C. Jones and a brick colonial revival building was constructed on the corner of Parramore Avenue and Washington Street. The school was finally moved to its current location at 801 South Rio Grande Avenue in 1952.
A class at Sanford Grammar School in 1916. Originally located at 301 West Seventh Street in Sanford, Florida, Sanford Grammar School was first established as Sanford High School in 1902. The building was designed by W. G. Talley in the Romanesque revival style. Due to an increasing student population, a new school building was constructed on Sanford Avenue in 1911. The original building on Seventh Street served as Westside Grammar Elementary School, which was later renamed Sanford Grammar School. In 1984, the building was placed on the National Registry of Historic Places and converted into the Student Museum. The building reopened as the University of Central Florida's Public History Center in 2012. In 1927, a high school campus was designed by Elton J. Moughton in the Mediterranean revival style and constructed at 1700 French Avenue. The school reopened on January 10 and was renamed Seminole High School. In 1960, the high school moved to a new campus at 2701 Ridgewood Avenue and the former building on French Avenue was converted to Sanford Junior High School, which was later renamed Sanford Middle School. The old building was demolished in the summer of 1991 and replaced by a $5.77 million school complex. As of 2013, Seminole High School offers various Advanced Placement courses, the Academy for Health Careers, and the International Baccalaureate Programme for students.
Original 5.5 x 3.5 inch black and white photograph, March 29, 1916: Sanford Grammar Collection, Archives Box 4B, UCF Public History Center, Sanford, Florida.
A class at Sanford Grammar School in 1929. Originally established as Sanford High School, the main building was constructed at 301 West Seventh Street in Sanford, Florida, in 1902. The building was designed by W. G. Talley in the Romanesque revival style. Due to an increasing student population, a new school building was constructed on the corner of East Ninth Street and South Palmetto Avenue in 1911. The original building on Seventh Street served as Westside Grammar Elementary School, which was later renamed Sanford Grammar School. After a desperate need for an addition to the school developed, the city granted the school $75,000. The school's lunchroom was opened on October 10, 1921, after months of fundraising efforts hosted by the Woman's Club. In November 23, 1984, the main school building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places and converted into the Student Museum. However, despite objections from the community, the lunchroom was demolished on September 25, 2008. The main school building reopened as the University of Central Florida's Public History Center in 2012.
Original 9.5 x 7 inch black and white photograph, 1929: Sanford Grammar Collection, Archives Box 4B, UCF Public History Center, Sanford, Florida.
Construction of the FTU campus began before its opening classes in 1968, however, following its opening, and up to the present day, it underwent and has undergone constant development. The 1,227 acre campus now bolsters itself as the largest University in the United States. Pictured in this newspaper clipping is a new student taking a break and watching the construction of an "administrative building," what is now Millican Hall. This article also points to unusual serenity experienced and lack of student protests, as seen at universities elsewhere in America.
University of Central Florida Special Collections and Archives, University of Central Florida Scrapbook Collection, 1960-2009. Series 1: University History Scrapbooks, 1963-2009, Sub-Series 1: Catalogued Scrapbooks, 1963-1967, Item 2: Scrapbook, Volume 2, 1968-1969.
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.
Original black and white photograph: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Regions Bank, Orlando, Florida.
Frigidaire Store, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Claudius J. Manigault, principal of Jones High School in Orlando, Florida, from 1964-1968. During his tenure, Manigault oversaw several expansions of the school and the addition of sports facilities. Located in the Parramore/Lorna Doone neighborhood of downtown Orlando, Jones High School was the first area public school for African-Americans. The original building was located on the corner of Garland Avenue and Church Street, but the school was renamed the Johnson Academy and moved to a new building on the corner of Chatham Avenue and West Jefferson Street. In 1921, the school was renamed in honor Principal L. C. Jones and a brick colonial revival building was constructed on the corner of Parramore Avenue and Washington Street. The school was finally moved to its current location at 801 South Rio Grande Avenue in 1952.
A postcard depicting the Clearwater Beach Causeway, now known as the Clearwater Memorial Causeway, in Clearwater, Florida. The road connects Downtown Clearwater with Clearwater Beach, carrying Florida State Road 60 (SR 60). Originally a two-lane road, the bridge was first constructed in the 1920s. That original causeway was later replaced by a new bridge in the 1950s. Construction for the new Clearwater Memorial Causeway began in 2001 and the bridge opened in 2005.
Original 9 x 14 centimeter color postcard by Burgert Bros. and Tichnor Quality Views: Private Collection of Bob Van Horn.
Clearwater Beach Causeway, Clearwater, Florida
A postcard depicting the Clearwater Marina, also known as the Clearwater Beach Marina, located at 25 Causeway Boulevard in Clearwater, Florida. Present-day Clearwater was originally inhabited by the Tocobaga. The U.S. Army began construction of Fort Harrison around 1835 to serve as an during the Second Seminole War. The area, which was then known as Clear Water Harbor, experienced significant growth following the passage of the Federal Armed Occupation Act of 1842, which offered land to settlers who would bear arms and cultivate the land. In 1888, the Orange Belt Railway added an extension into Clearwater, adding to the town's growth. In 1891, the Town of Clearwater was incorporated with James E. Crane as its first mayor. In 1897, Henry B. Plant (1819-1899) built his Belleview Hotel, thus allowing Clearwater to become a popular vacation destination. Clearwater was designated as the county seat for Pinellas County when it seceded from Hillsborough County in 1912. In 1915, Clearwater was a reincorporated as a city in 1915. During World War II, the city became a major training area for American troops.
Original 9 x 14 centimeter color postcard by Tichnor Bros., Inc.: Private Collection of Bob Van Horn.
Clements' Pharmacy Receipt for the Oviedo Woman's Club (February 23, 1924)
A receipt from Clements' Pharmacy in Oviedo, Florida, for February 23, 1924. According to the receipt, the Oviedo Woman's Club (OWC) purchased five gallons of vanilla ice cream and one pint of whole cherries. The Oviedo Woman's Club was founded in 1906 as the Oviedo Magazine Club by seven charter members: H. B. McCall, Edith Meade, Georgia Lee Wheeler, Lillian Lee Lawton, Mattie Aulin Wheeler, Milcah Yonge, and Mary King. The first clubhouse was constructed in 1914 and also served as Oviedo's first library. In 1916, the club joined the FFWC and officially changed its name to the Oviedo Woman's Club. In 1923, the woman's club was federated under the umbrella of the General Federation of Woman's Clubs (GFWC). A new clubhouse was built in 1961 on property donated by R. L. Croom, a former member, which is located at 414 King Street. The Oviedo Woman's Club is involved in many civic projects, including the annual Great Day in the Country Arts and Crafts Festival, the Spring Fundraiser, Tasting Luncheons, and Celebrate Spring Teas.
Original receipt, February 23, 1924: Private Collection of Beatrice Gestrich.
Oviedo Woman's Club
A newspaper article highlighting local club news. The highlights include a meeting for the United Daughters of the Confederacy, as well as the 75th anniversary celebration of the Oviedo Woman's Club (OWC). Following the American Civil War, numerous associations were founded by women to organize the burials, funerals, commemorations, and monuments honoring the Confederacy. The majority of these individual associations were merged into the National Association of the Daughters of the Confederacy, led by Caroline Meriwether Goodlett and Anna Davenport Raines, on September 10, 1894 in Nashville, Tennessee, for daughters, granddaughters, and other female descendants of Confederate servicemen. In 1895, a meeting was held in Atlanta, Georgia, to change the name of the organization to the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC). The UDC was officially incorporated in Washington, D.C., on July 18, 1919. The Oviedo Woman's Club was founded in 1906 as the Oviedo Magazine Club by seven charter members: H. B. McCall, Edith Meade, Georgia Lee Wheeler, Lillian Lee Lawton, Mattie Aulin Wheeler, Milcah Yonge, and Mary King. The first clubhouse was constructed in 1914 and also served as Oviedo's first library. In 1916, the club joined the Florida Federation of Women's Clubs (FFWC) and officially changed its name to the Oviedo Woman's Club. In 1923, the woman's club was federated under the umbrella of the General Federation of Woman's Clubs (GFWC). A new clubhouse was built in 1961 on property donated by R. L. Croom, a former member, which is located at 414 King Street. The Oviedo Woman's Club is involved in many civic projects, including the annual Great Day in the Country Arts and Crafts Festival, the Spring Fundraiser, Tasting Luncheons, and Celebrate Spring Teas.
Original newspaper article: "Club News," February 19, 1981: Private Collection of Beatrice Gestrich.
Steamboats--Florida--St. Johns River--History
The Clyde Line Steamboat Company Dock on Lake Monroe in 1887. The Clyde Steamship Company operated the pier until 1930. The Clyde Line was established by Thomas Clyde in 1844 and connected Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with other east coast ports. In 1872, the headquarters moved to New York and began connections with the Caribbean Islands. Charles W. Morse's Consolidated Steamship Lines purchased the company in 1907, only to collapse the following year. In 1911, the Atlantic, Gulf & West Indies Steamship Lines began operating Clyde Line, which continued to be used under that name until 1932 when the line was combined with the Mallory Line to form the Clyde-Mallory Line. The Clyde-Mallory Line operated until 1949 when it was sold to the Bull Line.
Original 9 x 14 centimeter color postcard by Hugh C. Leighton Company: Postcard Collection, call number PC3079, Florida Photographic Collection, State Library and Archives of Florida, Tallahassee, Florida.
State Library and Archives of Florida
Co-Educational Physical Education Class at Seminole High School
Physical education and training--Florida
Co-educational physical education class at Seminole High School in 1959. Originally located at 301 West Seventh Street in Sanford, Florida, Seminole High School was first established as Sanford High School in 1902. The building was designed by W. G. Talley in the Romanesque revival style. Due to an increasing student population, a new school building was constructed on Sanford Avenue in 1911. The original building on Seventh Street served as Westside Grammar Elementary School, which was later renamed Sanford Grammar School. In 1984, the building was placed on the National Registry of Historic Places and converted into the Student Museum. The building reopened as the University of Central Florida's Public History Center in 2012. In 1927, a high school campus was designed by Elton J. Moughton in the Mediterranean revival style and constructed at 1700 French Avenue. The school reopened on January 10 and was renamed Seminole High School. In 1960, the high school moved to a new campus at 2701 Ridgewood Avenue and the former building on French Avenue was converted to Sanford Junior High School, which was later renamed Sanford Middle School. The old building was demolished in the summer of 1991 and replaced by a $5.77 million school complex. As of 2013, Seminole High School offers various Advanced Placement courses, the Academy for Health Careers, and the International Baccalaureate Programme for students.
Original 6 x 4 inch black and white photograph, 1959: Special Project 100th Anniversary SCPS Box, Seminole County Public Schools Collection, UCF Public History Center, Sanford, Florida.
A video simulation of the Cocoa Beach Glass Bank as it appear in 1963. The video was produced by the Institute for Simulation & Training and the College of Arts & Humanities at the University of Central Florida. Also known as the First Federal Savings and Loan Building, construction for the Cocoa Beach Glass Bank began in 1960 and was completed in 1961. The First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Cocoa officially opened the following year. The Sky Room Restaurant also opened in 1962, but closed in 1963. In 1963, construction on the external Express Elevator began and Ramon's Rainbow Room opened. Ramon's closed in 1970 and was replaced by Marby's Rainbow Room that same year. Marby's, which was not replaced by a new restaurant, closed in 1972. The First Federal Savings and Loan Association was acquired by the First FA in 1983. Reliance Bank occupied the banking facilities on the first floor from 1985 to 1995, when the name was changed to Huntington Bank. In 2004, the lower portion of the building had no tenants. Demolition of the building was approved in 2014 and the building was razed the following year.
Institute for Simulation & Training
UCF College of Arts & Humanities
Original 2-minute and 11-second video: "Cocoa Beach Glass Bank in 3D."
Chronopoints
Cocoa Beach Glass Bank, Cocoa Beach, Florida
A postcard depicting the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Minutemen Causeway in Cocoa Beach, Florida. Bernard's Surf was a restaurant located at 2 South Atlantic Avenue and originally founded by Bernard Fischer in 1948. In 1965, Fischer's nephew, Rusty Fischer, took over operations. Fischer sold the restaurant in 2006 and Bernard's Surf closed in 2010. In 2012, the building was purchased by Luke Johnson, who has expressed plans to rebuild the restaurant. Ocean Realty and Teght's can also be seen across the street from Bernard's. Ocean Realty has since moved its operations to 3201 North Atlantic Avenue. Teght's was replaced by Missile Lounge, a topless bar, by the late 1960s. The building has since been occupied by a variety of gift shops, piercing businesses and tattoo artists, and restaurants.
Original 9 x 14 centimeter color photographic postcard: Private Collection of Bob Van Horn.
Cocoa Beach, Florida, in September of 1991. The first non-Amerindian settlement of the area, known as Oceanus, was a group of emancipated slaves following the end of the American Civil War. A group of citizens of neighboring Cocoa purchased the property in 1888, but left it undeveloped for several decades. In 1923, one of the groups members, Gus C. Edwards, purchased the land from his fellow co-owners. Cocoa Beach was incorporated as town on June 5, 1925. Edwards was elected the first mayor. The Florida Department of Transportation constructed State Road 140 (present-day State Road A1A) in 1935, allowing for increased development. In 1944, a Florida Legislature bill that would have dissolved the city government was defeated. The town was incorporated as a city on June 29, 1957. With the construction of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)'s John F. Kennedy Space Center (KCS), the city of Cocoa Beach experienced major growth in population and economic development. However, the city experienced layoffs and economic decline during the period between the conclusion of the Apollo Program and the introduction of the Space Shuttle Program.
Original color photographs, September 1991: Private Collection of Nancy Lynn Cepero.
A newspaper article from The Seminole Star discussing the Altamonte Springs-Casselberry Chamber of Commerce's leasing issue with the city government. The Chamber of Commerce had been paying $1 a year to rent out a city-owned building. Florida Attorney General Robert Shevins, who said the terms of the agreement were to be renoegoitated, because the city could not charge the Chamber of Commerce lesser rent than they would any other organization.
Original newspaper article: "CofC, City to Meet on Building Lease." The Seminole Star: Private Collection of Sue Blackwood.
This postcard depicts the outside of the Colosseum (also known as the Coliseum) in Rome, Italy. Built in the first century during the Flavian dynasty, it housed games such as hunts and gladiator fights, and remains the largest ampitheatre in the world. This postcard is part of a collection of postcards kept by Lucile Campbell, a schoolteacher in Sanford, Florida, for 30 years. In 1931, she took advantage of a special rate for teachers and sailed to Europe, where she traveled for several months and is thought to have acquired many of these postcards. During the 1940-1941 school year, Campbell taught at Sanford Grammar School. Before her retirement in 1970, she taught at many other area schools, including the Oviedo School, Westside Grammar School, and Pinecrest Elementary School. Campbell used these postcards as aids in her classrooms to teach advanced subjects, such as Shakespearean drama. The collection, along with her other teaching aids, papers, and photographs, was later found at Sanford Grammar School after it became the University of Central Florida's Public History Center. Campbell's postcard collection and photographs provide insight into the life of a respected Florida educator.
Fotocolor Kodak Ektachrome
Colla Woodcock, the great-uncle of Christine Kinlaw-Best, in Sanford during the 1960s. When the photograph was taken, Woodcock was in his fifties or sixties. He was also a former student at Westside Grammar Elementary School.
Original black and white photograph: Private Collection of Christine Kinlaw-Best.
A postcard depicting one of the bedchambers in Colleen Moore's dollhouse, which was exhibited at the Gimbel Brothers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Moore was a silent film actress who built the dollhouse with a former set designer in 1928. She contributed pieces to the house until her death in 1988. It is currently on display in the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Illinois. This postcard is part of a collection of postcards kept by Lucile Campbell, a schoolteacher in Sanford, Florida, for 30 years. In 1931, she took advantage of a special rate for teachers and sailed to Europe, where she traveled for several months and is thought to have acquired many of these postcards. During the 1940-1941 school year, Campbell taught at Sanford Grammar School. Before her retirement in 1970, she taught at many other area schools, including the Oviedo School, Westside Grammar School, and Pinecrest Elementary School. Campbell used these postcards as aids in her classrooms to teach advanced subjects, such as Shakespearean drama. The collection, along with her other teaching aids, papers, and photographs, was later found at Sanford Grammar School after it became the University of Central Florida's Public History Center. Campbell's postcard collection and photographs provide insight into the life of a respected Florida educator.
Original 3 x 5 postcard. File folder 1 (U.S. blanks), box 10A, of the Lucile (Mary Lucile) Campbell Collection UCF Public History Center, Sanford, Florida.
Colonel Michael Norman Wright McCoy and Mayor J. Rolfe Davis at Pinecastle Air Force Base
Colonel Michael Norman Wright McCoy (1905-1957), commanding officer of Pinecastle Air Force Base, with J. Rolfe Davis (1904-1988), who served as Mayor of Orlando from 1953 to 1956, at Pinecastle AFB in Orlando, Florida. Col. McCoy died in a flight demonstration of a Boeing B-47 Stratojet. The bomber had a faulty wing and crashed north of Orlando. As a result, Pinecastle Air Force Base became, McCoy Air Force Base to honor the memory of Col. McCoy. In 1974, McCoy AFB officially closed. What used to be McCoy Air Force Base is now Orlando International Airport. Some of the base property went to private companies for research purposes.
Original black and white photograph: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Orlando City Hall, Orlando, Florida.
Pinecastle Air Force Base, Orlando, Florida
Postcard depicting a colorized art rendition of New York Avenue. The drawing shows the street with storefront buildings along either side. The top left corner states in red "New York Avenue, St. Cloud, Fla." In a smaller black font on the bottom right corner is "M16080". On the back of the postcard is a long message that states, "St. Cloud - Fla - Oct. 29, 1915. Dear friend - Your card received in due time so kind of you to remember my birthday. I am living on borrowed time now as I have passed the three score years and ten. We are feeling the effects of a long, hot summer. The weather is delightful now and we hope to gain strength. Was sorry to hear that Mr. Reinkle was poorly, think he better come to St. Cloud and spend the Winter. Mrs. Baswell keeps about the same, he is quite poorly would not be surprised if she outlived him. Mr Lynch has some old friend living in the front-room, they are pleasant neighbors and have improved the looks of his place greatly. Wish you could all come and spend the Winter here - Accept for all our kindest regards and best wishes. Jennie Scriber" This postcard is part of a private collection kept by Roger Hipel of St. Cloud, Florida.
Original 5 x 3 inch colored postcard: Private Collection of Roger Hipel.
The Seminole Pharmacy and Dale's Variety Store
This item is a brochure produced by Westinghouse Combustion Turbine Systems Division in Concordville, Pennsylvania, to describe the application of the 50MW model W251B10 and 100MW W501D5 combustion turbines (a.k.a. gas turbines) for use in cogeneration plants. Such plants were built for the simultaneous production of both electric energy and useful thermal energy for industrial process use. In the early 1980s, cogeneration became very popular among independent (non-utility) power generators (or Independent Power Producers, IPPs) since it enabled the owner to obtain an exemption from the Fuel Use Act, which, as part of the broad National Energy Act of 1978, specifically prohibited the base load (i.e. continuous year-'round) production of electricity using oil or natural gas fuels. Cogeneration plants were exempt from the Fuel Use Act due to their high efficiency compared to power-only generating plants. Also, owners of cogeneration plants were allowed to sell the electricity that they produced to the local electric utility company under another part of the National Energy Act, namely, the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act, popularly known as "PURPA." the brochure provides data on the power and efficiency (heat rate) of the W251B10 and W501D5 gas turbines, as well data on the steam production capability by each via use of heat recovery boilers or steam generators.
Original 23-page brochure: Private Collection of Harry Jaeger.
Combustion Turbine Systems Division, Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Concordville, Pennsylvania
Turbine and Generator Division, Westinghouse Canada, Inc., Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Combustion Turbine Repowering of Reheat Steam Power Plants
An academic paper by Richard W. Foster-Pegg, presented at the Pacific Coast Electric Association in March of 1980. During the mid-1970s and into the 1980s, Westinghouse Electric Corporation's Combustion Turbine Systems Division actively participated in numerous industry-sponsored studies of the conversion of existing steam turbine power plants to highly efficient combined cycle power generation with the addition of a gas turbine to supply its "exhaust waste heat" to Thermodynamic power cycle. The benefits of converting older steam power plants to combined cycle included it being an economical way to add substantially more power generating capacity to an existing power plant site, and it was an attractive way to replace old boiler equipment with a gas turbine/heat recovery boiler while extending the useful life of the existing steam turbine generator and other balance-of-plant equipment. This form of power plant upgrade and expansion became popular in the U.S. some time after this paper was written. The Combustion Turbine Systems Division headquarters were located in Concordville, Pennsylvania, until it was relocated to Power Generation World Headquarters in Orlando, Florida, in 1987.
Original 19-page academic paper by Richard W. Foster-Pegg, 1980: Private Collection of Harry L. Jaeger.
A poster for the Orlando Gay Chorus concert, "Come As You Are". The event was held at the Ann Giles Densch Civic Theater Complex (now the Orlando Repertory Theater), located at 1001 East Princeton Street in Orlando, Florida, on June 21 and 22, 1997. The poster features artwork by Gary Gessford and Windon S. Newton, depicting people of various races and genders standing on the earth with a rainbow banner in the background. A black panel at the bottom of the page contains information like time, location, and the OGC header. The Orlando Gay Chorus is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts and humanitarian organization part of GALA Choruses. Founded on Valentines Day 1990, OGC is not only one of the largest mixed gay choirs in the United States at over 100 members, but they also boast four smaller ensembles that perform annual concerts, cabarets, and a whole host of community events like Come Out With Pride, Orlando Museum of Art’s Festival of Trees, and World Aids Day memorial services. In 2017, the group performed at over 105 events, including 15 performances for the first anniversary of the Pulse Nightclub tragedy. Members come from all walks of life and all sexual and gender orientations, including straight allies. OGC lives by the motto “Singing the World to a Better Place” and strives to use music to change attitudes and build a stronger community.
Original color poster: University of Central Florida Special Collections, Orlando, Florida.
Ann Giles Densch Civic Theater Complex, Orlando, Florida
Comisión Federal de Electricidad's Westinghouse 251 EconoPac Gas Turbines
The installation of the Westinghouse 251 (W251) EconoPac gas turbine units at Comisión Federal de Electricidad's (CFE) generation station in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, which began operations in 1980. Originally called the Westinghouse Electric Company, George Westinghouse (1846-1914) founded his manufacturing company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on January 8, 1886. In 1889, he renamed his business The Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company. Westinghouse's primary products include turbines, generators, motors and switchgear related to the generation, transmission, and use of electricity. The company changed its name to Westinghouse Electric Corporation in 1945. In 1981, the company began to relocate its division headquarters for the Steam-Turbine Generator Divisions from Pennsylvania (turbines from Lester and generators from Pittsburgh) to Orlando, Florida. The Power Generation Business Unit (PGBU) building was located in The Quadrangle, at 4400 Alafaya Trail. Originally, Westinghouse had purchased a large plot of land for future development that extended westward from Alafaya Trail to Rouse Road. The original headquarters was located on several acres of that land parcel close to Alafaya Trail. As the PGBU grew in size, other buildings were rented and then, after PGBU was sold to Siemens Corporation, additional buildings were added to the complex. In 1994, after a major corporate management shuffling and commitment to change from an industrial manufacturing company to primarily a broadcasting/communications company, Westinghouse bought the CBS Network and changed its name to the CBS Corporation. As the PGBU grew in size, other buildings were rented and then, after PGBU was sold to Siemens Corporation in 1998, additional buildings were added to the Quadrangle.
Original color photograph, 1980: Private Collection of Harry L. Jaeger.
Commemorating the Opening of a Museum Honor George Westinghouse
A brochure of commemorative images published in 1988 as part of the celebration of the dedication of the George Westinghouse Museum, located in Wilmerding, Pennsylvania. The historic building, colloquially called The Castle, selected to house the museum was the original Westinghouse Air Brake Company General Office Building and the office of the great American inventor, engineer, and entrepreneur himself. George Westinghouse (1846-1914) served in the American Civil War as a teenager. Afterwards, at the age of 19, he created his first invention, a rotary steam engine. In 1869, at age 22, Westinghouse invented a railroad braking system using compressed air, and this became the basis of his first major business venture, the Westinghouse Air Brake Company. His important contributions to electric power generation, distribution and application began later in the 19th century. This brochure highlights the career of Westinghouse and his great accomplishments.
Original 14-page brochure, 1988: Private Collection of Harry L. Jaeger.
George Westinghouse Museum, Wilmerding, Pennsylvania
Westinghouse Air Brake Company General Office Building, Wilmerding, Pennsylvania
Communications Facility at New Tribes Mission
The communications facility at the New Tribes Mission, located at 1000 East First Street in Sanford, Florida. Originally named after the Sanford Mayor and president of Seminole County Bank, construction of the Forrest Lake Hotel began in 1916. Local architect Elton J. Moughton designed the hotel. In 1925, Hotel Forrest Lake opened and became a popular destination for tourists visiting Sanford. By 1929, the hotel closed after the stock market crash and the downfall of Florida's tourism and real estate boom. William E. Kirchhoff leased the building in 1934 and the hotel reopened in 1935 with the new name Mayfair Hotel. Under Kirchhoff's ownership, the Mayfair Hotel became known as one of the finest hotels in the South. Kirchhoff sold the hotel in 1948 to Horace Stoneham, owner of the New York Giants. Stoneham then sold the building to the Bernard McFadden Foundation in 1963 and the new owner significantly altered the building to house students from the Sanford Naval Academy. After the Naval Air Station Sanford acquired $1.3 million to fund the construction of a naval academy in 1963, the Foundation made significant alterations to the building to house students from the Sanford Naval Academy. In 1967, the Bernard McFadden Gymnasium was constructed on the property. The New Tribes Mission purchased the building and property in 1977 and converted the gymnasium into a communications facility. The New Tribes Mission's goal is to reach tribes who have no access to the Gospel through translated publications and missionary work.
Original color digital image by Laura Cepero, June 10, 2011.
Community Redevelopment Area Design Studio
A sign for the Community Redevelopment Area Design Studio, located at the Ocala Union Station at 531 Northeast First Avenue in Ocala, Florida, in 2014. The Office of Long Term Planning & Sustainability in Ocala has designated Ocala Union Station as a redevelopment area and hosts weekly lectures, presentations, and design exercises. Built in 1917, the Ocala Union Station was not the pioneer depot for Ocala's booming phosphorus mining, citrus cultivation, and Silver Springs tourism. Ocala was a developing city for transportation long before Seaboard Air Line Railroad (SAL) and Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL) crossed lines and created Union Station. According to the Historic Ocala website, Ocala had achieved its population, well-developed system of transportation, and prosperous economy by 1895, well before the arrival of the Ocala Union Station, Periodic recessions, however, from 1890 to 1920 took an especially hard toll on Florida. U.S. Census data shows that the Marion County population fell from 26,941 in 1910 to 23,968 in 1920—an 11 percent drop. As the Ocala Union Station grew as a result of tourism, trade, and the Florida Land Boom, it helped reverse the trend. Census data from 1930 shows 29,578 people living in Marion County, which houses the station to this day.
Original color digital image by Carlos R. Mercado, March 12, 2014.
Photographs of Company G of the 105th Infantry taken between 1917 and 1919. 35 black and white photographs of men appear in seven rows. Below them is a numerical list of names corresponding to the photographs. A notable soldier featured is Charles "Carlo" Leonetti (1895-1994). Born on January 9, 1895, in Naples, Italy, Leonetti moved to New York around 1910. He enlisted in the United States Army on July 26, 1917, and served in Company G of the 105th Infantry Regiment during World War I. While serving overseas, he retained his presence in the art world and gained notoriety from his covers of The Masses, a journal published in New York. Discharged from the army in April 1919, Leonetti continued officers’ training in the Army Reserve. After his return to the United States, Leonetti became naturalized in May of 1920. Upon his return, Leonetti became a figure in the New York art scene. He participated in a variety of niches: photographing celebrities, painting, opening up a Greenwich Village-themed nightclub, translating “The Jest”, written by John Barrymore, acting in movies like Broken Blossoms, and dancing on Broadway. Leonetti entered the service again in February 1941. Discharged in August 1946, after five years of service, Leonetti reentered civilian life with the “Soldier’s Medal for Bravery.” That same year, he moved to Tampa with his wife, Mayme, where they maintained active involvement in the art community. Leonetti passed away on June 3, 1994, and is buried at Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, Florida. In 2017, the University of Central Florida was one of three universities selected to launch the National Cemetery Administration’s Veterans Legacy Program Project. The program engaged a team of scholars to make the life stories of veterans buried in the Florida National Cemetery available to the public. The project engages UCF students in research and writing and fosters collaboration between students, faculty and local Central Florida schools to produce interactive curriculum for k-12 students. The corresponding website exhibit uses RICHES Mosaic Interface to create a digital archive of related data. The public can use the project-developed augmented-reality app at more than 100 gravesites at the Florida National Cemetery, where they can access the UCF student-authored biographies of veterans.
Digital reproduction of original black and white company photograph.
Compiled Service Record, Florida Indian Wars, 1857-1858
Handwritten compiled military service records for volunteer soldiers who served in organizations from the State of Florida during the Florida Indian Wars from 1835-1858. The document records the soldier's name, unit served, length of service, war served, rank and indexed card numbers. The veteran listed in the document is William Stephen Fussell, (1837 – 1862). Born on December 20, 1837, in Telfair, Georgia, Fussell's parents were both from North Carolina. He moved to Florida some time before 1850, and first entered military service in 1856, when he joined Bullock’s Company, Florida Mounted Volunteers during the Third Seminole War. After the war, Fussell settled down in Sumter County, and married Elizabeth Ann Matchett on February 15, 1859. When Florida seceded from the Union in 1861, Fussell joined the Confederate Army, enlisting in Company F of the 7th Florida Infantry Regiment. While in this regiment, Fussell died of disease in Knoxville, Tennessee, on November 5, 1862. He is memorialized at Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, Florida. In 2017, the University of Central Florida was one of three universities selected to launch the National Cemetery Administration’s Veterans Legacy Program Project. The program engaged a team of scholars to make the life stories of veterans buried in the Florida National Cemetery available to the public. The project engages UCF students in research and writing and fosters collaboration between students, faculty and local Central Florida schools to produce interactive curriculum for k-12 students. The corresponding website exhibit uses RICHES Mosaic Interface to create a digital archive of related data. The public can use the project-developed augmented-reality app at more than 100 gravesites at the Florida National Cemetery, where they can access the UCF student-authored biographies of veterans.
Digital reproduction of original handwritten compiled military service record.
Composition, an oil painting by Ralph L. Bagley (ca. 1914-2008). Bagley was an artist and instructor who taught in Central Florida from the 1950s until his death in 2008, when he was 94 years old. He was born in Bertrand, Missouri, and attended the Flint Institute of Art in Flint, Michigan, continuing his studies in New York and Washington, D.C. Bagley and his wife, Marianne Bagley, moved to Orlando, Florida in 1950, where Bagley founded the Orlando Institute of Art, the city’s first fine-arts school. Bagley depicted landscapes, still lifes, and portraits in a variety of media, including oil, watercolor, and charcoal. Bagley also taught at Orlando Junior College, becoming head of the school’s art department in 1965. After the college closed in 1971, he taught at Lake-Sumter Community College in Leesburg, the Maitland Art Center in Maitland, and the Loch Haven Art Center (now the Orlando Museum of Art). He toured the nation with at least 30 one-man art shows featuring his paintings. Among many positions he held in art organizations, Bagley was president of the Orlando Art Association and a founding member and president of the Artists’ League of Orange County. The works of his many students sustain his legacy.
Original oil painting: Bagley, Ralph L. Composition: City of Orlando Terrace Gallery, Orlando, Florida.
A pamphlet and calendar for the 1993-1994 concert season of the Orlando Gay Chorus. The pamphlet includes short biographies on Music Director Dr. Charles Callahan and Accompanist Ken Thompson, II, a brief history of the Orlando Gay Chorus, a music review by Steven Brown, calendar of events, and an enrollment form. The Orlando Gay Chorus (OGC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts and humanitarian organization, and part of the Gay and Lesbian Association (GALA) of Choruses. Founded on Valentines Day 1990, OGC is not only one of the largest mixed gay choirs in the United States at over 100 members, but they also boast four smaller ensembles that perform annual concerts, cabarets, and a host of community events, such as Come Out With Pride, Orlando Museum of Art’s Festival of Trees, and World AIDS Day memorial services. In 2017, the group performed at over 105 events, including 15 performances for the first anniversary of the Pulse Nightclub tragedy. Members come from all walks of life and all sexual and gender orientations, including straight allies. OGC lives by the motto “Singing the World to a Better Place” and strives to use music to change attitudes and build a stronger community.
Original 6-page black and white pamphlet with pink trims, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida
Ann Densch Theater, Loch Haven Park, Orlando, Florida
Confederate Soldiers, Sailors, and Statesmen Memorial at Lake Eola
The Confederate Soldiers, Sailors, and Statesmen Memorial was erected in 1911 by the Annie Coleman Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC). The construction of the monument was spearheaded by Mrs. Abernethy, the President of the Annie Coleman Chapter. The monument was erected at the intersection of East Central Avenue and Main Street in Downtown Orlando, Florida In 1917, the Confederate Memorial was deemed a traffic hazard and was moved to its permanent location on the east side of Lake Eola.
Original digital color images by Katherine Bowers, August 8, 2013.
Confederate Soldiers, Sailors, and Statesmen Memorial, Lake Eola Park, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Conference on Lake Apopka Fish Kills, June 12, 1963
A report by Harold L. Moody for a conference held by various state officials to investigate the fish kills in Lake Apopka, Florida. Moody's notes describe the current fish kill, some past kills, and efforts by the different State departments to investigate the fish kills. Various causes of the fish kills are discussed. Moody disagrees with the State Board of Health that oxygen supersaturation is causing the kills; Moody believes the cause is either pesticides or an unknown fish disease.
Photocopy of original 5-page typewritten report, June 12, 1963: binder 1963, drawer 1938-1987, Friends of Lake Apopka Archives, Ginn Museum, Oakland Nature Preserve, Oakland, Florida.
Conn's Department Store and Pennsylvania Hotel Postcard
Postcard depicting the Pennsylvania Hotel and Conn's Department Store. A sign on the side of the store markets the sale of dry goods, shoes, and furnishings. On the bottom of the postcard is printed, "Conn's Department Store and Pennsylvania Hotel, St. Cloud, Fla." Conn's Department store was owned and operated by James K. Conn, who was born in Pennsylvania and moved to St. Cloud, Florida sometime between 1910 and 1920. In 1917, the town of St. Cloud suffered a fire which engulfed business buildings and apartments along Pennsylvania Avenue. The townspeople decided to rebuild, replacing previously wooden building with concrete and brick. Conn's Department Store was one of these rebuilt buildings. The Pennsylvania Hotel was also built just after the fire in the rebuilding process. The building is now the site of the St. Cloud Twin Theater. This postcard is part of a private collection kept by Roger Hipel of St. Cloud, Florida.
Original 5 x 3 inch black and white postcard: Private Collection of Roger Hipel.
55 West, located at 55 West Church Street in Downtown Orlando, Florida, during construction in 2007. 55 West is an apartment building that overlooks Church Street Station and stands next to the SunTrust Center. Construction was completed in 2009. 55 West is currently the fifth tallest building in Downtown Orlando. The building also houses a 7-Eleven and Loft 55, a restaurant/nightclub on the bottom floor.
Original color digital images by Thomas Cook, March 7, 2007: Private Collection of Thomas Cook.
55 West on the Esplanade, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Construction is on the Upgrade: Total of $557,725 in Hotel Building
A newspaper article published by The Central Florida Press on June 20, 1930. The article reports construction figures compiled by the state hotel commission for the month of May. According to the article, the total sum of money expended for the construction of hotels, apartments, and cafes was $557,725. Over half of that amount was due to construction in South Florida, while Central Florida had expenditures of $183,400 in Orlando and Sanford. Thirty-four permits were issued in May for 10 hotels, nine apartment houses, two rooming houses, and 13 cafes.
Original newspaper article: "Construction is on the Upgrade: Total of $557,725 in Hotel Building." The Central Florida Press, Vol. 1, No. 9, June 20, 1930, page 1: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
Construction of Hercules Beetle Sculpture at Weeki Wachee Springs
A team of people guide the placement of a Hercules beetle sculpture in the 1950s. A crane lowers the sculpture in place near the May Museum of the Tropics at Weeki Wachee Springs, Florida. The large beetle sculpture served as an advertisement to attract visitors to the museum. The May Natural History Museum of the Tropics is a non-profit organization that displays the world’s largest private insect collection. James May acquired the thousands of insects and arthropods that make up the collection from the late 1800s until his death in 1956. John May continued his father’s legacy, building a museum in Weeki Wachee, Florida, that lasted from 1954-1964, and a museum in Colorado that opened in the 1950s and is still open today. John May also took parts of the collection across the United States and Canada to display at fairs and exhibitions. Along with a group of investors, Newton Perry opened Weeki Wachee Springs to the public in October of 1947. At the time, roadside attractions were becoming popular stops along Florida roadways. The attraction consisted of an amalgamation of vendors, an orchid garden, a river boat tour, as well as the star attraction: a mermaid show that took place in an underwater theater. Eventually, the May Museum of the Tropics, an "abandoned Seminole village", a show called “Birds of Prey”, and a petting zoo were added. After peaking in the 1950s and 1960s, attendance began to decline as theme parks and highways changed the dynamics of Florida's tourism. The State of Florida took over the attraction as a state park in 2008. Since then, the park has focused on appealing to a modern audience while preserving its history.
Original black and white photograph by John May: May Natural History Museum Colorado Springs, Colorado.
RICHES
May Museum of the Tropics, Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, Weeki Wachee, Florida
Construction of Special Assembly Building
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (U.S.)
An aerial photograph of the Special Assembly Building (later known as Hangar AF) under construction at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Cape Canaveral, Florida. At present, the hangar is used by John F. Kennedy Space Center's (KSC) for its Ground Systems Development and Operations Program and, in particular, for production related to the Space Launch System (SLS).
Original color photographic print, February 28, 1962: Space Walk of Fame Collection.
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Cape Canaveral, Florida
Construction of the Downtown Orlando Post Office, 1917
Construction of the Federal Building, located at 44 East Central Boulevard in Downtown Orlando, Florida, in 1917. From 1917 to 1941, the Federal Building was used for multiple purposes, which included housing the Downtown Orlando Post Office. In 1935, when James Beggs, Jr. became the postmaster, he began petitioning to move the post office from its Central Boulevard and Court Avenue location to a more spacious building. In 1939, St. James Catholic Church sold a plot of land on Jefferson Street for the new building. The building was designed by Louis A. Simon in the Northern Italian Palazzo Revival-style, and was constructed by J. P. Cullen and Sons. The new building opened in 1941 and housed the post office, the courthouse, and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) offices. The Confederate Soldiers, Sailors, and Statesmen Memorial can also be seen in the first photograph. The memorial was erected in 1911 by the Annie Coleman Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC). The construction of the monument was spearheaded by Mrs. Abernethy, the President of the Annie Coleman Chapter. The monument was erected at the intersection of East Central Avenue and Main Street in Downtown Orlando, Florida In 1917, the Confederate Memorial was deemed a traffic hazard and was moved to its permanent location on the east side of Lake Eola.
Original black and white photographs, 1917: Private Collection of Texann Ivy Buck.
Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Construction of the Downtown Orlando Post Office, April 1, 1940
Construction of the new Downtown Orlando Post Office building, located at 51 East Jefferson Street, in 1940. The original post office was housed in the Federal Building, located 44 East Central Boulevard in Downtown Orlando, Florida, from 1917 to 1941. In 1935, when James Beggs, Jr. became the postmaster, he began petitioning to move the post office from its Central Boulevard and Court Avenue location to a more spacious building. In 1939, St. James Catholic Church sold a plot of land on Jefferson Street for the new building. The building was designed by Louis A. Simon in the Northern Italian Palazzo Revival-style, and was constructed by J. P. Cullen and Sons. The new building opened in 1941 and housed the post office, the courthouse, and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) offices. The building was named an Orlando Historic Landmark in 1989. However, it was eventually sold back to the St. James Church. In 2003, the building was renovated and came under joint ownership by both the church and the federal government. Today, the building retains its post office services but also includes offices for the Catholic Diocese.
Original black and white photograph by O'Rork Studios, April 1, 1940: Private Collection of Texann Ivy Buck.
Construction of the Downtown Orlando Post Office, April 15, 1940
Original black and white photograph by O'Rork Studios, April 15, 1940: Private Collection of Texann Ivy Buck.
Construction of the Downtown Orlando Post Office, April 1917
Construction of the Federal Building, located at 44 East Central Boulevard in Downtown Orlando, Florida, in 1917. From 1917 to 1941, the Federal Building was used for multiple purposes, which included housing the Downtown Orlando Post Office. In 1935, when James Beggs, Jr. became the postmaster, he began petitioning to move the post office from its Central Boulevard and Court Avenue location to a more spacious building. In 1939, St. James Catholic Church sold a plot of land on Jefferson Street for the new building. The building was designed by Louis A. Simon in the Northern Italian Palazzo Revival-style, and was constructed by J. P. Cullen and Sons. The new building opened in 1941 and housed the post office, the courthouse, and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) offices.
Original black and white photographs, April 1, 1917: Private Collection of Texann Ivy Buck.
Construction of the Downtown Orlando Post Office, August 1, 1940
Original black and white photographs by O'Rork Studios, August 1, 1940: Private Collection of Texann Ivy Buck.
Construction of the Downtown Orlando Post Office, August 31, 1940
Original black and white photographs by O'Rork Studios, August 31, 1940: Private Collection of Texann Ivy Buck.
Construction of the Downtown Orlando Post Office, December 1940
Original black and white photographs, December 3, 1940: Private Collection of Texann Ivy Buck.
Construction of the Downtown Orlando Post Office, February 1, 1941
Construction of the new Downtown Orlando Post Office building, located at 51 East Jefferson Street, in 1941. The original post office was housed in the Federal Building, located 44 East Central Boulevard in Downtown Orlando, Florida, from 1917 to 1941. In 1935, when James Beggs, Jr. became the postmaster, he began petitioning to move the post office from its Central Boulevard and Court Avenue location to a more spacious building. In 1939, St. James Catholic Church sold a plot of land on Jefferson Street for the new building. The building was designed by Louis A. Simon in the Northern Italian Palazzo Revival-style, and was constructed by J. P. Cullen and Sons. The new building opened in 1941 and housed the post office, the courthouse, and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) offices. The building was named an Orlando Historic Landmark in 1989. However, it was eventually sold back to the St. James Church. In 2003, the building was renovated and came under joint ownership by both the church and the federal government. Today, the building retains its post office services but also includes offices for the Catholic Diocese.
Original black and white photographs, February 1, 1941: Private Collection of Texann Ivy Buck.
Construction of the Downtown Orlando Post Office, February 1917
Original black and white photograph, February 1, 1917: Private Collection of Texann Ivy Buck.
Construction of the Downtown Orlando Post Office, February 1940
Original black and white photograph by O'Rork Studios, February 27, 1940: Private Collection of Texann Ivy Buck.
Construction of the Downtown Orlando Post Office, January 1917
Original black and white photographs, January 1, 1917: Private Collection of Texann Ivy Buck.
Construction of the Downtown Orlando Post Office, January 1941
Original black and white photographs, January 2, 1941: Private Collection of Texann Ivy Buck.
Construction of the Downtown Orlando Post Office, July 1917
Original black and white photographs, July 1, 1917: Private Collection of Texann Ivy Buck.
Construction of the Downtown Orlando Post Office, July 1940
Original black and white photographs by O'Rork Studios, July 1, 1940: Private Collection of Texann Ivy Buck.
Construction of the Downtown Orlando Post Office, June 1917
Original black and white photographs, June 1, 1917: Private Collection of Texann Ivy Buck.
Construction of the Downtown Orlando Post Office, June 1940
Original black and white photographs by O'Rork Studios, June 3, 1940: Private Collection of Texann Ivy Buck.
Construction of the Downtown Orlando Post Office, March 1917
Construction of the Federal Building, located at 44 East Central Boulevard in Downtown Orlando, Florida, in 1917. From 1917 to 1941, the Federal Building was used for multiple purposes, which included housing the Downtown Orlando Post Office. In 1935, when James Beggs, Jr. became the postmaster, he began petitioning to move the post office from its Central Boulevard and Court Avenue location to a more spacious building. In 1939, St. James Catholic Church sold a plot of land on Jefferson Street for the new building. The new building was designed by Louis A. Simon in the Northern Italian Palazzo Revival-style, and was constructed by J. P. Cullen and Sons. The new building opened in 1941 and housed the post office, the courthouse, and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) offices.
Original black and white photographs, March 1, 1917: Private Collection of Texann Ivy Buck.