Sanford High School English Language Assignment, 1906
An English language by Sanford High School sixth grader Mildred Haskins in 1906. This particular assignment was created to test Miss Kate Tomkie's students' English language skills. Sanford High School was originally established 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 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 school assignment completed by Mildred Haskins, May 17, 1905: Sanford High School Collection, box 3A, folder Student Work 1905, item SCPS00503, UCF Public History Center, Sanford, Florida.
Heritage Jubilee Honors Distinguished Service Award
A newspaper article about the 1988 Heritage Jubilee Distinguished Service Awards. The Heritage Jubilee is sponsored by the Afro-American Society to honor the birth and achievements of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The program was established in the early 1980s by students and faculty members at Seminole Community College. The committee also created the Distinguished Service Awards, which would highlight the achievements of local African-Americans. One of the honorees for 1988 was Marie Jones Francis, the "midwife of Sanford." Francis left behind a successful hotel and restaurant she owned in Sarasota in 1942 to return to Sanford and become a midwife. World War II caused a shortage in doctors and nurses, so Florida's Children's Bureau sent Francis to Florida A & M to acquire her practical nursing license in 1945. She specialized in premature babies and returned to Sanford to aid her mother, Carrie Jones, at Fernald-Laughton Memorial Hospital before they opened the ward in their home. "When her health starting failing," she recollects in a newspaper article, "I took over." Francis converted her house at 621 East Sixth Street to also serve as a maternity ward, where she delivered over 40,000 babies over her 32 year career. She became a midwife in the same vein as her mother, Carrie Jones, and together they ran the Jones-Francis Maternity Hall in Georgetown. Francis served her community in several ways. She delivered babies for both white and black families from Seminole County, primarily patrons who either preferred natural births or could not afford deliveries at a hospital. In the 1950s, it cost $70 to stay nine days where soon-to-be mothers were taken care of. Francis was assisted by her sister, Annie Walker, who did the cooking. The house and ward also served as a school, where Marie Francis taught nurses the art of midwifery. Nurses would come from across the state to learn how to delivery infants naturally. A heavy burden on a single working mother, Marie Francis had three daughters, Cassandra Clayton, Daphne Humphrey, and Barbara Torre. Clayton and Humphrey became school teachers and Torre became a purchaser at Seminole Memorial Hospital.
Original newspaper article: Hawkins, Marva Y. "Heritage Jubilee Honors Distinguished Service Award." The Sanford Herald: Private Collection of Daphne F. Humphrey.
The Sanford Herald
Jones-Francis Maternity Hall, Georgetown, Sanford, Florida
Letter from Paula Fickes Hawkins to the Oviedo Woman's Club (February 12, 1981)
A letter from Senator Paula Fickes Hawkins to the Oviedo Woman's Club (OWC) dated February 12, 1981. In the letter, Senator Hawkins declines an invitation to attend the 75th anniversary celebration of the Oviedo Woman's Club, which 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. Hawkins migrated to Winter Park, Florida, in 1955. In 1971, Hawkins became the Florida Republican National Committeewoman. In 1972, she became the first woman to be elected to a statewide office in Florida when she won a seat on the Florida Public Service Commission, a position to which she was re-elected in 1967. Hawkins ran for the Republican nomination in the U.S. Senate race in 1974, but lose. In 1978, she unsuccessfully ran for lieutenant governor. In 1980, Hawkins was elected to the U.S. Senate, effectively become Florida's first female elected to the Senate and the Sout's fifth woman. Hawkins' tenure as senate is best known for her activism in child welfare. She lost her reelection bid to then-Governor Bob Graham in 1986 and returned to her home in Winter Park in 1987. She served as the U.S. representative to the Organization of American States Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) for 7 years before retiring from politics.
Original letter from Paula Fickes Hawkins to the Oviedo Woman's Club, February 12, 1981: Private Collection of Beatrice Gestrich.
Oviedo Woman's Club
Letter from Dr. John Milton Hawks to Charles Henry Coe (April 3, 1909)
A letter of correspondence from Dr. John Milton Hawks (1826-1910), the founder of Hawks Park (present-day Edgewater), to Captain Charles Henry Coe (1856-1954), author of Red Patriots: The Story of the Seminoles. In the letter, Dr. Hawks discusses the Cruger and DePeyster Sugar Mill, which was located two miles west of New Smyrna, Florida. For many years, the old sugar mill was mistaken for the ruins of a Spanish mission with origins dating back to the time of Christopher Columbus. This misconception led Captain Coe to publish Debunking the So-Called Spanish Mission Near New Smyrna Beach, Volusia County, Florida in 1941. The steam sugar and saw mill was destroyed by Native Americans in 1845, just five years after it was erected. Also known as the New Smyrna Sugar Mill Ruins, the ruins are located at 600 Old Mission Road in New Smyrna Beach and were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.
Original letter from Dr. John Milton Hawks to Charles Henry Coe, April 3, 1909: Private Collection of Andrew M. Foster.
New Smyrna Sugar Mill Ruins, New Smyrna Beach, Florida
An oral history of Henry Carl Okraski, former Deputy Director of the Naval Air Warfare Training Systems (NAWCTSD) in Orlando, Florida. The interview was conducted by Kendra Hazen at Research Park in Orlando, Florida. This oral history was produced as part of the Community Veterans History Project (CVHP) and the Lone Sailor Memorial Committee for the purpose conducting background research for a memorial honoring the former Naval Training Center Orlando (NTC Orlando). Okraski was involved with the defense simulation industry from 1962 to 1994, which included stints as the director of Research and Engineering and the Deputy Technical Director for NAWCTSD. He obtained a Master's Degree in Engineering from the University of Florida.
Okraski, Henry "Hank" Carl. Interviewed by Kendra Hazen. UCF Community Veterans History Project. March 7, 2014. Audio/video record available. UCF Community Veterans History Project, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida Libraries, Orlando, Florida.
Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida Libraries
UCF Community Veterans History Project
RICHES of Central Florida
Naval Training Center Orlando, Orlando, Florida
Lake Nona Medical City, Lake Nona, Orlando, Florida
A History of Central Florida, Episode 6: Early Maps of Florida
Episode 6 of A History of Central Florida Podcast: Early Maps of Florida. A History of Central Florida Podcast series explores Central Florida's history through the artifacts found in local area museums and historical societies. These podcasts can involve the participation or cooperation of local area partners. Episode 6 features early maps of Florida. This podcast also includes interviews with Dr. Ben Huseman of the University of Texas at Arlington and Dr. Daniel S. Murphree of the University of Central Florida.
Original 14-minute and 27-second podcast by Kendra Hazen, 2013: "A History of Central Florida, Episode 6: Early Maps of Florida." A History of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.
Florida Historical Society
Florida Memory Project
Internet Archive
Florida Historical Society, Cocoa Beach, Florida
A History of Central Florida, Episode 10: Piliklikaha
Episode 10 of A History of Central Florida Podcast: Piliklikaha. A History of Central Florida Podcast series explores Central Florida's history through the artifacts found in local area museums and historical societies. These podcasts can involve the participation or cooperation of local area partners. Episode 10 features the Piliklikaha, a safehaven town for runaway slaves. This podcast also includes interviews with Dr. Brent Weisman of the University of South Florida and Dr. Terrance M. Weik of the University of South Carolina.
Original 15-minute and 7-second podcast by Kendra Hazen, 2014: "A History of Central Florida, Episode 10: Piliklikaha." A History of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.
A History of Central Florida
Florida Museum of Natural History
Library of Congress
Rebellion: John Horse and the Black Seminoles, First Black Rebels to Beat American Slavery
Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, Florida
A History of Central Florida, Episode 12: Spalding Plate
Episode 12 of A History of Central Florida podcasts: Spalding Plate. A History of Central Florida Podcast series explores Central Florida's history through the artifacts found in local area museums and historical societies. These podcasts can involve the participation or cooperation of local area partners. Episode 12 features a discussion of a spalding plate recovered from the Spalding Upper Indian Store in Astor, Florida. This podcast also includes interviews with Dr. Daniel S. Murphree of the University of Central Florida and Dr. Andrew K. Frank of Florida State University.
Original 12-minute and 27-second podcast by Kendra Hazen, 2014: "A History of Central Florida, Episode 12: Spalding Plate." A History of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.
Silver River Museum and Environmental Education Center
Silver River Museum and Environmental Education Center, Ocala, Florida
A History of Central Florida, Episode 13: Buck and Ball
Episode 13 of A History of Central Florida podcasts: Buck and Ball. A History of Central Florida Podcast series explores Central Florida's history through the artifacts found in local area museums and historical societies. These podcasts can involve the participation or cooperation of local area partners. Episode 13 features a discussion of war artifacts from the Seminole Wars. This podcast also includes interviews with Dr. Andrew K. Frank of Florida State University, author John Missal, and Gary D. Ellis of the Gulf Archaeology Research Institute.
Original 12-minute and 40-second podcast by Kendra Hazen, 2014: "A History of Central Florida, Episode 13: Buck and Ball." A History of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.
Cassanello, Kathleen
A History of Central Florida, Episode 30: Bolita
Episode 30 of A History of Central Florida podcasts: Bolita. A History of Central Florida Podcast series explores Central Florida's history through the artifacts found in local area museums and historical societies. These podcasts can involve the participation or cooperation of local area partners. Episode 30 features a discussion of bolita, a Cuban game similar to the lottery. This podcast also includes interviews with Dr. Nick Wynne of the Florida Historical Society, Dr. Gary Ross Mormino of the University of South Florida, and George "Speedy" Harrell, a resident of Brevard County.
Original 12-minute and 22-second podcast by Kendra Hazen, 2014: "A History of Central Florida, Episode 30: Bolita." A History of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.
RICHES
Groveland Historical Museum
Osceola County Welcome Center & History Museum
A History of Central Florida, Episode 45: Diploma Plate
Episode 45 of A History of Central Florida podcasts: Diploma Plate. RICHES Podcast Documentaries are short form narrative documentaries that explore Central Florida history and are locally produced. These podcasts can involve the participation or cooperation of local area partners. Episode 45 features a discussion about the charter class and first graduating class of Florida Technological University (present-day University of Central Florida), as well as a diploma plate displayed at the University of Central Florida Libraries in Orlando, Florida. This podcast also includes interviews with Dr. Christopher Loss of Vanderbilt University, Retha Riley Underwood, Dr. Robert Bledsoe of the University of Central Florida, Joyce Hart Perkins, Mike Canavan, and Richard King.
Original 16-minute and 2-second podcast by Kendra Hazen, 2015: RICHES Podcast Documentaries, Orlando, Florida. https://youtu.be/jAX3sVD8NuE.
University of Central Florida Special Collections and University Archives
Florida Technological University, Orlando, Florida
University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida
University of Central Florida Libraries, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida
Fifteenth Census Population for Clay Magisterial District, Magnolia County, West Virginia, 1930
The Fifteenth United States Census records for Clay Magisterial District, Magnolia County, West Virginia, for 1930. The census divides the population into categories of name, age, sex, race, marital status, occupants and relation to head of house, whether the home is owned or rented, value of home or rent, whether home is a farm residence, whether the home has a radio. It also records college attendance, literacy, birthplace and birthplace of parents, citizenship status, language spoken before coming to United States, year of immigration, occupation or business, class of worker, whether they worked the previous day, military status, and the war or expedition participated in. A notable resident listed in the record is Rex Leon Parker (1924-1996). Born on October 4, 1924, in Fairview, West Virginia, Parker enlisted in the United States Army on July 7, 1944. He married Phyllis Adriance on February 6, 1946, a few months before being discharged from the Army in July, 1946. The couple had two daughters: Pamela Susan and Candace Ann. Rex Parker died on May 3, 1996, in Valrico, Florida, and is memorialized in 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 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.
United States Census Bureau
Digital reproduction of original census record by Alonzo Headley, April 7, 1930.
Clay Magisterial District, West Virginia
Sanford Grammar School Principal's Monthly Payroll Report, September 14, 1955-October 10, 1955
Sanford Grammar School's Monthly Payroll Report for the period of September 14, 1955, to October 10, 1955. The principal was Harold R. Heckenbach, who served from 1953 to 1960. The payroll included twelve teachers: Maida Ansley, Catherine Ball, Elizabeth Billhimer, Rachel Brinson, Alice Grant, Eula Grantham, Richard Jones, Alice Ratliff, Roberta Richards, Jewell Riser, Sybil Routh, and Margaret Wright. Other employees included three substitute teachers, one secretary, and one janitor: Nell Atkinson, Marcile Dampier, Ava Davis, Elynor Dutton, and J. E. Broadhead, respectively. 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 payroll report, 1955: Sanford Grammar Collection, Archives Box 4B, UCF Public History Center, Sanford, Florida.
Sanford Grammar School, Sanford, Florida
Sanford Grammar School Principal's Monthly Payroll Report, August 15, 1955-September 12, 1955
Sanford Grammar School principal's monthly payroll report for the period of August 15, 1955, to September 12, 1955. The principal was Harold R. Heckenbach, who served from 1953 to 1960. The payroll included 12 teachers: Maida Ansley, Catherine Ball, Elizabeth Billhimer, Rachel Brinson, Alice Grant, Eula Grantham, Richard Jones, Alice Ratliff, Roberta Richards, Jewell Riser, Sybil Routh, and Margaret Wright. Other employees included one secretary and one janitor: Elynor Dutton and J. E. Broadhead, respectively. Originally established as Sanford High School, the main building for Sanford Grammar School 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.
An audio recording of "Li'l Darlin'," composed by Neal Hefti (1922-2008) with lyrics by Jon Hendricks (b. 1921), and performed by the John Whitney Trio live on-air on WUCF-FM on January 4, 2000. John Whitney served as director of both orchestral studies and the University of Central Florida Jazz Lab band during his 20 years with the university. Whitney also led the UCF Jazz Lab band in invited performances at Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland and North Sea Jazz Festival in Holland. He established himself as a conductor, performer, composer, arranger, and teacher in both classical and jazz arenas, founding and directing the Southern Tier Symphony in Allegany, New York, in 2003, until his death in 2014. "Li'l Darlin'" is a jazz standard composed in 1957 for the Count Basie Orchestra.
Original 5-minute and 56-second audio recording: Hefti, Neal and Jon Hendricks. "Li'l Darlin'," by the John Whitney Trio: WUCF-FM, Orlando, Florida, January 4, 2000.
WUCF-FM
WUCF-FM, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida
Southern Tier Symphony, Allegany, New York
Letter from Paul H. Heimer to J. P. Cullen & Son (April 28, 1941)
A letter from Construction Engineer Paul H. Heimer to J. P. Cullen & Son regarding final photographs of the new Downtown Orlando Post Office. J. P. Cullen & Son was the general contractor for the construction of the new Downtown Orlando Post Office building, located at 51 East Jefferson Street. 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 D. 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 & Son. 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 letter from Paul H. Heimer to J. P. Cullen & Son, April 28, 1941: Private Collection of Texann Ivy Buck.
Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Letter from Paul H. Heimer to J. P. Cullen & Son (May 3, 1941)
A letter from Construction Engineer Paul H. Heimer to J. P. Cullen & Son acknowledging receipt of their letter from April 30, 1941. J. P. Cullen & Son was the general contractor for the construction of the new Downtown Orlando Post Office building, located at 51 East Jefferson Street in Downtown Orlando, Florida. J. P. Cullen & Son was the general contractor for the construction of the new building. 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 D. 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 of 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 & Son. 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 letter from Paul H. Heimer to J. P. Cullen &amp
Son, May 3, 1941: Private Collection of Texann Ivy Buck.
Office Memorandum of the Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District, 1952
Office Memorandum of the Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District for 1952. The Seminole Soul and Water Conservation District began in 1948 with a goal to assist in agricultural interests. Over the years, the Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District began to also concentrate on the development and management of recreational enterprises. Their interests also entailed inventory and evaluations for land uses and solving issues concerning soil and water resources. In the Office Memorandum from 1952, H.B. Helms, the assistant state conservationist, informs Albert R. Swartz, the acting area conservationist, that J.G. McMeekin of the Regional Records and Reports Division has advised that Seminole District #43 may discontinue submitting form SCS-198 as the sample requirement for land conversion has been met. The one page document is signed by H.B. Helms.
Original 1-page typewritten report by the Board of Supervisors of the Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District,1952: Folder SSWCD Statistical and Historical Information, 1948-1977, Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District, Sanford, Florida.
Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District
Ice House Controversy Melts Into Compliance
Newspaper article on City of Sanford's failed efforts to condemn the dilapidated Hunter Ice and Fuel Company building located at 700 West Thirteenth Street in 2007. According the the article, the building's owner, John McFarland, could avoid having the factory condemned if he complies with city building codes. Prior to starting an ice manufacturing business in Sanford, owner Duval W. Hunter, Sr., operated an ice house in North Carolina which supplied ice for in-home use. In 1952, the Hunter moved his ice manufacturing business to Sanford because of the higher demand to cool and preserve agricultural goods. Prior to ice manufacturing, states along the east coast of the United States relied on harvested ice from frozen lakes and ponds shipped from New England. Many southern states during the 1860s began relying on ice manufacturing once the shipment of harvested ice from the northern states ceased. During the late-1800s, individual ice factories were comprised of a machine room, boiler room, ice store, loading platforms, and other office space. Large cans were used to mold the ice. When ice was needed, workers would operate a crane system to carry the ice block into a warm water bath where the ice could be removed from the reusable can.
Original newspaper article by Joe Hendricks: "Icehouse controversy melts into compliance." The Sanford Herald, October 24, 2007.
An oral history interview of Patrick Herman, a member of the Orlando Gay Chorus. The interview was conducted by Sarah Schneider at Herman’s home in Orlando, Florida, on November 4th, 2016. Some of the topics covered include moving to Florida, joining the Orlando Gay Chorus, the Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses (GALA) Festival, the mass shooting at Pulse nightclub and its aftermath, the Orlando Gay Chorus’s response to the Pulse tragedy, coping with the emotional repercussions of the tragedy, the community response to the Pulse tragedy, support from other gay choruses at the GALA festival, the significance of Latin night at Pulse, the long-term consequences of the Pulse tragedy, and gun control.
Herman, Patrick. Interviewed by Sarah Schneider, November 4, 2016. Audio record available. RICHES of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.
GALA Choruses Festival, Denver Performing Arts Center, Denver, Colorado
RICHES Podcast Documentaries, Episode 6: Space, the Cocoa Beach Frontier
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (U.S.)
Episode 6 of RICHES Podcast Documentaries: Space, the Cocoa Beach Frontier. RICHES Podcast Documentaries are short form narrative documentaries that explore Central Florida history and are locally produced. These podcasts can involve the participation or cooperation of local area partners. Episode 6 examines the history of the U.S. Space Program in Florida and how the program affected Cocoa Beach. This podcast includes an interview with Lori C. Walters, a professor of history at the University of Central Florida. In the late 1950s, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) began constructing launch pads and towers on Florida's east coast as the "Missile Firing Laboratory." On July 1, 1962, NASA activated the Launch Operations Center, which was renamed the John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in 1963. KSC has been the United States' launch site for every human space flight since 1968. In 2011, the Space Shuttle program ended, which resulted in the KSC workforce downsizing significantly.
Original 16-minute and 32-second podcast by Mark Hermanstorfer, May 15, 2011: "RICHES Podcast Documentaries, Episode 6: Space, the Cocoa Beach Frontier." RICHES Podcast Documentaries, Orlando, Florida.
Launch Operations Center, Titusville, Florida
John F. Kennedy Space Center, Titusville, Florida
Patrick Air Force Base, Cocoa Beach, Florida
RICHES Podcast Documentaries, Episode 32: Launch Consoles: A Forgotten History
Episode 32 of RICHES Podcast Documentaries: Launch Consoles: A Forgotten History. RICHES Podcast Documentaries are short form narrative documentaries that explore Central Florida history and are locally produced. These podcasts can involve the participation or cooperation of local area partners. Episode 32 examines the U.S. Space Walk of Fame Museum in Titusville, Florida. Located on the riverfront, this 1,500-square foot museum is packed with artifacts from the Space Age, including the consoles used to launch missiles at a launch complex in Cape Canaveral. This podcast also includes interviews with former General Dynamics Aeronautics employee Murphy Wardmen and University of Central Florida professor Dr. Lori Walters.
Original 16-minute and 8-second podcast by Mark Hermanstorfer, June 14, 2012: "RICHES Podcast Documentaries, Episode 32: Launch Consoles: A Forgotten History." RICHES Podcast Documentaries, Orlando, Florida.
U. S. Space Walk of Fame Museum, Titusville, Florida
RICHES Podcast Documentaries, Episode 44: The Construction of Inequality: Politics and Influence on I-4
Episode 44 of RICHES Podcast Documentaries: The Construction of Inequality: Politics and Influence on I-4. RICHES Podcast Documentaries are short form narrative documentaries that explore Central Florida history and are locally produced. These podcasts can involve the participation or cooperation of local area partners. Episode 44 examines the controversy over the construction of Interstate Highway 4 through and around Orlando and the unequal amount of influence exerted on the building of the road by different interest groups and parties involved. I-4 was one of the first Interstate Highways constructed in Florida, with its first section opening between Plant City and Lakeland in 1959. By 1962, the segment of I-4 connecting Tampa and Orlando was completed and the entire highway was completed by the late 1960s.
Original 19-minute and 49-second podcast by Mark Hermanstorfer, December 19, 2012: "RICHES Podcast Documentaries, Episode 44: The Construction of Inequality: Politics and Influence on I-4." RICHES Podcast Documentaries, Orlando, Florida.
An oral history interview of Robert Hickey, a descendant of the Hickey family of Ocoee, Florida. The interview was conducted by Geoffrey Cravero at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida, on February 26, 2019. Some of the topics covered include the family history of the Hickeys, growing up with his grandparents, John and Lucy Hickey, in Apopka, how John Hickey became a prosperous landowner in Ocoee, learning about the Ocoee Massacre and the resettlement of his family from his grandmother, interviewing his grandmother as an adult and conducting his own research about his grandfather’s landholdings, reflections on the Ocoee Massacre, working towards righting the injustice and honoring his grandparents, his closing remarks, the significance of his family dogs in his childhood, and carrying on his grandfather’s legacy.
Hickey, Robert. Interviewed by Geoffrey Cravero, February 26, 2019, 2019. Audio record available. RICHES, Orlando, Florida.
Edgewood-Greenwood Cemetery, Apopka, Florida
Eulogistical Services For the Late Mother Margaret Jones
Eulogistical Services program for Mother Margaret Black Jones (1889-1976), the sister of Pilgrim Black (1905-2002) and the aunt of Patricia Ann Black (1956- ). The services were held on February 23, 1980, at the Hickory Avenue Church of God, located at 503 Hickory Avenue in Sanford, Florida. Reverend Percell Sanders presided over the service. Margaret Black was born on June 23, 1893, in Sanford to Harry Black (d. 1911) and Maggie Benjamin Black (ca.1870-ca.1934). She had four brothers and two sisters: Pilgrim Black, Leatha Black Walker (1889-1976), and Harriett Black Lawson. Margaret married James Jones and had five children: Reverend Charles Black, James W. Jones, Pauline Jones Parrish, Ella Jones Randall, and Christine Jones Childs. Margaret joined the Hickory Avenue Church of God in 1952 and served as a member of the Mothers' Board and Ladies Auxiliary. On February 18, 1980, Jones passed away in Sanford. Her funeral services included speeches and performances by the Gospel Choir of the Hickory Avenue Church of God, Bishop Leon Devaux, Bishop Roosevelt Hestle, Mother Odell Turner, Aletha Hardy, Deacon Tommie Hayes, Sister Dorothy Miller, Sister Fannie Bookman, the Angelic Trio, Bob Brown and his staff, and Reverend Percell Sanders.
Original program, 1980: Hickory Avenue Church of God, Sanford, Florida: Private Collection of Patricia Ann Black.
Hickory Avenue Church of God, Sanford, Florida
Two pages of church records from the Hicksite Quaker Church. Before his marriage in 1922, Charles Henry Craig (1896-1982) was admitted to the Hicksite Quaker Church on November 21, 1922. The application is included in these records. Craig was born on October 6, 1896, in Dixmont, Maine. He was drafted in 1917, and his service began on March 31, 1917. He served with Battery C 4 Field Artillery in the United States Army, but never went overseas. He was stationed in Justice Precinct 8, Bexar, Texas, in 1920, and was honorably discharged on April 6, 1920, as part of demobilization. After his discharge, Craig moved to Delaware, Pennsylvania, and married Edith Hazel Chambers on December 30, 1922, with whom he had four children: Charles (1923), Elizabeth Sarah (1925), Mary Louise (1927), and Frances (1936). In 1940, Craig became a principal superintendent of Williamson School in Media, Pennsylvania, while maintaining his job as a tree surgeon. Craig registered for the “Old Man’s Draft” for World War II on April 27, 1942. Charles and Edith moved to Florida by 1954. Craig passed away on March 9, 1982 in Hollywood, Florida, and Edith followed in March 1989. They are buried together in 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 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 church records, November 21, 1922.
Fifteenth Census Population for Poca, Kanawha County, West Virginia, 1930
The Fifteenth United States Census records for Poca, Kanawha, West Virginia, for 1930. The census divides the population into categories of name, age, sex, race, marital status, occupants and relation to head of house, whether the home is owned or rented, value of home or rent, whether home is a farm residence, whether the home has a radio. It also records college attendance, literacy, birthplace and birthplace of parents, citizenship status, language spoken before coming to United States, year of immigration, occupation or business, class of worker, whether they worked the previous day, military status, and the war or expedition participated in. A notable resident listed in the record is Richard Clifton Jones (1921-1995). Born on April 25, 1921, Jones lived and worked on the family farm in Poca, West Virginia. On July 24, 1942, he was drafted into the United States Army. He served until October 17, 1948, and reached the rank of Staff Sergeant. He married Erna Kapziowiski, with whom he had two sons: Richard and Carl. The family moved to Spring Hill, Florida, in 1987, where Jones worked as an electrician. He passed away on May 31, 1995, 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 census record by S.P. Higginbotham, April 21, 1930.
Sanford High School Latin Language Assignment, 1905
A Latin assignment completed by Sanford High School sophomore Rose Higgins in 1905. This particular assignment was created to test the student's Latin skills. Sanford High School was originally established 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 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 school assignment completed by Rose Higgins, May 16, 1905: Sanford High School Collection, box 3A, folder Student Work 1905, item SCPS00499, UCF Public History Center, Sanford, Florida.
Sanford High School Government Assignment, 1905
Civil government assignment completed by Sanford High School sophomore Rose Higgins in 1905. This particular assignment was created to test the student's civil government knowledge. Sanford High School was originally established 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 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 school assignment completed by Rose Higgins, May 9, 1905: Sanford High School Collection, box 3A, folder Student Work 1905, item SCPS00500, UCF Public History Center, Sanford, Florida.
A map of the Ossie Quarters, an area in the Parramore neighborhood of Downtown Orlando, Florida. The map was drawn in 2016 by Althea Hill, based on her memory of historic businesses and homes located in the neighborhood from 1951 through 1970. Ossie Quarters is located just north of Ossie Street, named in honor of Ossie Davis (1917-2005), a stage actor and civil rights activist.
Original 8.5 x 11 inch hand-drawn color map by Althea Hill: Private Collection of Althea Hill.
Ossie Quarters, Holden-Parramore, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Hillcrest Elementary School Sixth Grade Class, 1951
Hillcrest Elementary School's sixth grade class of 1951. Three rows of 23 children pose in front of the school. The back of the photograph contains the signatures of 15 students. Hillcrest Elementary School is one of Orlando’s oldest schools, opening in 1923. Since the 1980s, it has had a vibrant foreign language component and today it continues that tradition through the Orange County Public Schools Foreign Language Academy.
Original black and white photograph: Private Collection of Don Weeden.
Hillcrest Elementary School, Orlando Florida
An invitation to Hillcrest Elementary School’s sixth grade operetta, "Miranda’s Spring Festival," which was held in the Hillcrest Elementary auditorium. A scarecrow and birds colored by students appear next to the event information. Hillcrest Elementary School is one of Orlando’s oldest schools, opening in 1923. Since the 1980s, it has had a vibrant foreign language component and today it continues that tradition through the Orange County Public Schools Foreign Language Academy.
Original color invitation: Private Collection of Don Weeden.
Hillcrest Auditorium, Hillcrest Elementary School, Orlando Florida
Hillcrest Elementary School Report Card for Julia Hays, 1951-1952
Hillcrest Elementary School report card for Julia Hays during the 1951-1952 school year. During the six-week term, students learned reading, language, spelling, penmanship, social studies, arithmetic, science, health, art, music, and physical education. The report card also notes how many days the student was present, absent and tardy as well as their height and weight. Hillcrest Elementary School is one of Orlando’s oldest schools, opening in 1923. Since the 1980s, it has had a vibrant foreign language component and today it continues that tradition through the Orange County Public Schools Foreign Language Academy.
Original 4-page report card and envelope: Private Collection of Julia Rowe.
Hillcrest Elementary School Fifth Grade Class, 1952
Hillcrest Elementary School's fifth grade class of 1951. Three rows of 31 children pose in front of the school. A teacher stands to the student's left. Hillcrest Elementary School is one of Orlando’s oldest schools, opening in 1923. Since the 1980s, it has had a vibrant foreign language component and today it continues that tradition through the Orange County Public Schools Foreign Language Academy.
Original black and white photograph: Private Collection of Julia Rowe.
A postcard depicting Brulatour Courtyard, one of the most famous courtyards in New Orleans, Louisiana, which was built in 1816 and is currently being converted into a museum on the history of the French Quarter. 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 by A. Hirschmitz: ACC# SM-00-243, file folder 1 (U.S. blanks), box 10A, Lucile (Mary Lucile) Campbell Collection, UCF Public History Center, Sanford, Florida.
Brulatour Courtyard, French Quarter, New Orleans, Louisiana
Unloading Bananas From Ship Side Postcard
A postcard depicting workers and conveyors moving bananas from the shop to the refrigerator car in New Orleans, Louisiana. From the early 20th century through the mid 1960s, Standard Fruit Company and United Fruit Company made New Orleans the shipping site for 20 to 25 percent of all bananas imported into the United States. 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.
The Famous "Robert E. Lee," Loading Cotton Postcard
A postcard depicting the Robert E. Lee loading cotton on the docks in New Orleans, Louisiana. The steamboat operated in 1866 and won a famous race against the Natchez in 1870. The Robert E. Lee caught fire in 1882 and 21 passengers were killed. 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 by A. Hirschwitz: ACC# SM-00-243, file folder 1 (U.S. blanks), box 10A, Lucile (Mary Lucile) Campbell Collection, UCF Public History Center, Sanford, Florida.
Groundbreaking Ceremony at Historic Oviedo Colored Schools Museum
A poster advertising the groundbreaking ceremony for the Historic Oviedo Colored Schools Museum. The poster reads, "Groundbreaking Ceremony. You are cordially invited to join us as we celebrate the start of renovation and repair of the HOCSMUSEUM (Historic Oviedo Colored Schools Museum) Monday, February 13, 2023, 12:00 PM. 2170 James Drive Oviedo, Fl 32765. This venue is a place where people all over the world can visit to see the rich history of colored schools in Oviedo and the surrounding areas. 407-234-3374. hocsmuseum.org." A photograph of the museum and a gold shovel sticking out of a mound of dirt appear at the bottom. In 2000, Gloria Godwin and Gracia Muller Miller began talking about a reunion for the Jackson Heights Elementary School, a colored school in Oviedo during segregation. Reunion Historian, Judith Smith, began to look for artifacts from that era and struggled to locate any pictures or other information. She put the word out amongst the former students, asking to borrow photographs or other materials related to the colored school. Immediately, items began to pour in, and the result was a book entitled: “A Written and Pictorial History of the Oviedo Area Colored Schools 1890-1967, Oviedo Elementary, Jackson Heights Elementary, Geneva, Wagner, Kolokee (Snowhill), Gabriella (Jamestown).” From there, the mission was born.
1 original color poster: Historic Oviedo Colored Schools Museum, Oviedo, Florida.
Historic Oviedo Colored Schools Museum, Oviedo, Florida
"Weekiwachee Springs Maids Make Difficult Underwater Feats and Ballet Look Simple"
Newspaper article entitled "Weekiwachee Springs Maids Make Difficult Underwater Feats and Ballet Look Simple," describing the mermaids at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, published in the Orlando Evening Star on August 11, 1950. The article was written by Sally Hobbs. Newton "Newt" Perry was born in Valdosta, Georgia in 1908, and moved with his family to Ocala, Florida in 1922. He was a member of the swimming and diving teams at the University of Florida. Perry earned the nickname "The Human Fish" for his performances of underwater stunts in advertising clips and film shorts, and acted as a swim double for actors in movies and TV shows, including Johnny Weissmuller as "Tarzan." Perry also advised filmmakers filming underwater scenes at Silver Springs, Wakulla Springs, and Weeki Wachee Springs, and developed a system for breathing underwater using an air compressor and hose, which was used in the 1948 film "Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid" and during Weeki Wachee Springs' mermaid shows. Perry worked as a lifeguard, public school principal, coach, swimming and scuba diving instructor, and Ocala city pool manager. He opened Perry's Swim School in 1955, and taught more than 120,000 individuals to swim during his career. Perry was inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame in 1981. Perry's daughter Delee Perry took over Perry's Swim School following her father's death in 1987, and it was still in operation as of 2020. Along with a group of investors, Newton Perry opened Weeki Wachee Springs to the public in October of 1947, and used his experiences working at Silver Springs and Wakulla Springs to develop the original concepts for its underwater theater and mermaid shows. Perry sold his stake in Weeki Wachee Springs in 1950. 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 clipping of a newspaper article about Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, August 11, 1950: Personal Collection of Delee Perry.
Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, Weeki Wachee, Florida
An oral history of David Scott, conducted by Susan Holcomb on April 9, 2010. Scott was the son of Grady Scott, who served as Superintendent of the Old Folks Home, formerly located at 300 Bush Boulevard in Sanford, Florida. The property has since been converted into the Museum of Seminole County History. In this interview, Scott discusses the layout and residents at the home, his responsibilities as an employee, growing up in Sanford, and how Sanford has changed over time.
Scott, David. Interviewed by Susan Holcomb. April 9, 2010. Museum of Seminole County History, Sanford, Florida.
Museum of Seminole County History, Sanford, Florida
A postcard depicting several Weeki Wachee mermaids lounging around the pool of the local Holiday Inn with the words "Greetings From Weeki Wachee, Florida" printed on the front. The back of the postcard features an ad for the Holiday Inn that lists the hotels amenities and location. The postcard was mailed with an 8 cent Eisenhower stamp to Randolph, New York, in 1975. The author, Helen, describes her activities in Florida. She went swimming and was planning to go to the Red Fish for dinner. 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 color postcard by Holiday Inn, Claude Long and Curteich Color: Weeki Wachee Springs State Park Weeki Wachee, Florida.
Holiday Inn Staff Posing in Front of Hotel Sign in Celebration of 9th Anniversary
Mermaids--Florida--Weeki Wachee--History
The staff of the Weeki Wachee Holiday Inn standing in front of the hotel's iconic sign. The marquee on the sign reads, "Our 9th Anniversary June 5 1975." This Holiday Inn was located directly across the street from Weeki Wachee Springs and opened in 1966. 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 of Weeki Wachee Holiday Inn Stafff, June 5, 1975: Weeki Wachee Springs State Park Collection.
Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, Spring Hill, Florida
An oral history of Derek Mason Henry's experience serving in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. Henry enlisted in the United States Army and served in the 2nd Battalion, the 124th Regiment, the 53rd Infantry Division. Interview topics include overseas service, Henry's family, enlistment, the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season, the attacks on September 11th, basic training, service in Afghanistan, and the National Guard.
Henry, David Mason. Interviewed by Jeff Key and Jade Holroyd. UCF Community Veterans History Project, DP0011890. February 28, 2011. Audio record available. University of Central Florida Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives, Orlando, Florida.
Patricia Ann Black with the Georgetown Pathways to History Project Heritage Marker #3
Patricia Ann Black next to the Heritage Marker #3 of the Georgetown Pathways to History Project, which was developed by the Georgetown Heritage Advisory Committee with assistance from the Sanford Museum and Sanford Historical Society. Georgetown was established by the city's founder, Henry Shelton Sanford, as a suburb for African-American residents in the 1870s. The neighborhood spans along Sanford Avenue, with its commercial district between First Street and Fifth Street and its historic district between Seventh Street and Tenth Street. Though originally much smaller, Georgetown spanned to its present boundaries from East Second Street to Celery Avenue and from Sanford Avenue to Mellonville Avenue. Georgetown thrived at its height from circa 1880 to 1940, particularly in agriculture and transportation. Black was the daughter of Pilgrim Black (1905-2002) and Lula Mae Haynes Black (1917-2007), who got married in 1937. Patricia was born August 31, 1956, and grew up at the end of East Tenth Street in Sanford, Florida. She attended Hopper Elementary through sixth grade, Lakeview Middle School for seventh grade, Sanford Junior High School for eighth grade, Crooms High School for ninth grade, and Seminole High School through twelfth grade. She also attended school in the North Rose-Wolcott district each year while in Upsstate New York. During fourth grade, integration began and parents were given the choice to have their children to attend other schools, but Patricia chose to continue attending an all-black school until she entered seventh grade in 1968 and began attending integrated schools. In June 1973, Patricia married her first husband, Clint Holt (1955-); however, the couple quickly separated due to domestic violence and divorced around 1977. Patricia gave birth to her first child, Charmion Le'Antwinetta Holt (1974- ). She also had three other children with William Bigham Jr. (1952- ), who she was married to for 33 years: William Arthur Bigham III (1982- ), Brandon Oliver Black (1990- ), and Tempestt Teonte' Black (1992- ). Patricia currently lives in the family home built by her grandmother, Maggie Benjamin Black (ca.1870-ca.1934) on East Tenth Street in Sanford. Patricia endured weekly molestation for 11 years from age six to age seventeen and was raped at age seventeen while pregnant with Charmion. At age 29, Patricia became severely addicted to smoking cocaine. After seven years, Patricia was able to overcome her addiction and has maintained her sobriety for 21 years. She has suffered severe mental and physical damage and is still recovering today. Despite her traumatic experiences and sibling rejections, Patricia has developed a devout relationship with God. While in recovery, Patricia refocused her attention on spreading her ministry of love by becoming a foster parent, serving as the Parent Representative of the Committee for Special Education (CSE), and serving on her local school board in the North Rose-Wolcott school district. Patricia also has owned her own business making incense and importing shea butter from Africa. She also became a licensed nail technician specializing in stress-relieving pedicures. As of 2009, Patricia is retired but still maintains some involvement in her business/ministry named GIFTED.
Original color digital images by Charmion Le'Antwinetta Holt, November 20, 2014.
An oral history interview of Alan R. Holtz, who served in the U.S. Navy, during the Vietnam War, Operation Desert Shield, and Operation Desert Storm. Born in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, New York, Holtz enlisted in the Navy during the Vietnam War. He later joined the U.S. Naval Reserve and helped mobilize Reservists during the Persian Gulf War in 1991. This oral history interview was conducted by Jared Grossi on November 13, 2014. Interview topics include enlistment, boot camp, the USS Hancock, the Vietnam War, the Naval Reserves, Operation Desert Shield, and Operation Desert Storm.
Holtz, Alan R.. Interviewed by Jared Grossi, November 13, 2014. Audio/video record available. Item DP0016189, UCF Community Veterans History Project, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida Libraries, Orlando, Florida.
Letter from Helen M. Hood to Gary I. Sharp (May 21, 1975)
A letter from Helen M. Hood, chair of the Parks and Endangered Lands Committee of the Florida Defenders of the Environment (FDE), to Gary I. Sharp, dated May 21, 1975. In this letter, Hood states that the FDE endorsed Sharp's proposal to form a recreational park in the Gourd Neck Springs area. Hood states that the FDE did not consider the area to qualify as endangered land, but agrees with Ney Landrum, director of the Florida Park Service from 1970 to 1989, that the site had potential for recreational use. Hood cites potential future growth in Central Florida as a reason for the site to be acquired for the public. Gourd Neck Springs is a small spring located in the southwest portion of Lake Apopka, in a small cove called “Gourd Neck” due to its distinctive shape. This area of the lake was considered in the 1960s as a potential nursery for fish. The Lake Apopka Technical Committee explored damming the Gourd Neck, separating it from the lake and preventing polluted lake water from entering, but these plans did not materialize. Efforts were also made in the 1960s to have the Gourd Neck area purchased by the State of Florida for use as a public park. The Gourd Neck Springs Park Association was formed in 1961 to study the site’s potential for a park and lobby for support from legislators. The land bordering the area was privately-owned by various individuals. One of these, Gary I. Sharp, continued seeking support for a park into the 1970s. While the project received support from Florida legislators and environmentalists, the land was never purchased by the state.
Photocopy of original 1-page typewritten letter from Helen M. Hood to Gary I. Sharp, May 21, 1975: binder 1975, Friends of Lake Apopka Archives, Ginn Museum, Oakland Nature Preserve, Oakland, Florida.
Gourd Neck Springs, Lake Apopka, Florida
Letter from Herbert Hoover to Charles Henry Coe (November 15, 1928)
A letter of correspondence from Herbert Hoover (1874-1964) to Captain Charles Henry Coe (1856-1954), author of Red Patriots: The Story of the Seminoles (1898). In the letter, Hoover thanks Capt. Coe for his message of confidence and good wishes. Capt. Coe's message was likely regarding the Election of 1928, as it was sent the day after the election on November 7. Hoover ultimately did win the election, becoming President of the United States. Hoover served from 1929 until 1933, and is best known for his insufficient response to the Wall Street Crash of 1929 and the Great Depression.
Original letter from Herbert Hoover to Charles Henry Coe, November 15, 1928: Private Collection of Andrew M. Foster.
Stanford University, Stanford, California
Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District Long-Range Program, 1975
Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District Long-Range Program for 1975. The organization began in 1948 with a goal to assist in agricultural interests. Over the years, the Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District began to also concentrate on the development and management of recreational enterprises. Their interests also entailed inventory and evaluations for land uses and solving issues concerning soil and water resources. In the 1975 Long-Range Program, J.A. Hopkins states that the purpose of the Long-Range Program is to identify present and future needs and opportunities for the conservation and development of natural resources within Seminole County, Florida. The Long-Range Program serves as a practical guide for the planning and accomplishments of work by the District, its cooperators, and all agencies whose assistance is enlisted. The 31 page program outlines what needs to be done, how the work should be carried out, and when the objectives and goals within are expected to be accomplished. The program is a framework for assistance to communities, watersheds, regions, and governmental units in planning and carrying out a wide variety of resource developments during 1975. The program discusses conservation, and the development of land. The program goes on to discuss the recent shift from agricultural use of land to other uses. Population growth is described in detail due to the challenges agricultural producers face as a result of population increase and urbanization.
Original 31-page typewritten Long-Range Program by the Board of Supervisors of the Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District,1975: Folder SSWCD Statistical and Historical Information, 1948-1977, Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District, Sanford, Florida.
Letter from G. A. Horkan to Edna P. Hancock (April 14, 1945)
A letter from U.S. Department of War Brigadier General G. A. Horkan to Edna P. Hancock. In the letter, BG Horkan encloses a photograph, which is not included in this digital reproduction, of Epinal American Cemetery and Memorial in Dinozé, France. According to the letter, Hancock's husband, Sergeant John B. Hancock (1913-1944), would be buried at Epinal. Although the letter is dated April 14, 1947, it was likely sent in 1945. Sgt. Hancock was born in Thomasville, Georgia, in 1913, but later migrated to Auburndale, Florida. Hancock managed a Great Atlantic &amp
P) store in Haines City until he enlisted in the 45th Infantry Division's 179th Infantry Regiment. Sgt. Hancock served initially in Africa in 1943, until the 45th Infantry Division's participation in Operation Husky for the Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky. The division then went on to participate in the Allied invasion of Italy, where Sgt. Hancock was injured. He was returned to duty in February of 1944 to tour southern France. On November 1, 1944, Sgt. Hancock went Missing in Action (MIA) after serving in the Allied invasion of Southern France, codenamed Operation Dragoon.
Photocopy of original 1-page typewritten letter from G. A. Horkan to Edna P. Hancock, April 14, 1945: Private Collection of Linda Hughes.
Epinal American Cemetery and Memorial, Dinozé, France
Sanford Grammar School Report Card for Mary Ann Bukur, 1945-1947
Sanford Grammar School report card for fifth grader Mary Ann Bukur during the 1945-1946 school year. Students were evaluated in subjects such as arithmetic, spelling, grammar, history, geography, drawing, and physiology. Bukur was evaluated by teacher Lilian Horner and the principal during that school year was Ben C. Steele. Originally established as Sanford High School, the main building for Sanford Grammar School 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 report card: Sanford Grammar Collection, Archives Box 4B, UCF Public History Center, Sanford, Florida.
Sanford Grammar School Honor Roll Certificate for Mary Ann Bukur, 1945-1946
An Honor Roll Certificate for Mary Ann Bukur for fifth grader Mary Ann Bukur during the 1945-1946 school year. Bukur was received her certificate from teacher Lilian Horner and principal Ben C. Steele. Originally established as Sanford High School, the main building for Sanford Grammar School 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 certificate: Sanford Grammar Collection, Archives Box 4B, UCF Public History Center, Sanford, Florida.
Sanford Grammar School Special Award Certificate for Mary Ann Bukur, 1946-1947
A Special Award Certificate for Mary Ann Bukur for sixth grader Mary Ann Bukur during the 1946-1947 school year. Bukur was received her certificate from teacher Lilian Horner and principal Ben C. Steele. Originally established as Sanford High School, the main building for Sanford Grammar School 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.
A newspaper article published in The Leesburg Daily Commercial discussing fish kills that occurred in Lake Apopka in June of 1981. The article gives quotes from Harold L. Moody and Mike Wicker of the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission (GFC), who state that further fish kills are very likely to occur. The article states that the current drought conditions in Florida were exacerbating the poor condition of the lake, concentrating the lake's water and promoting the growth of algae. The algae growth causes the lake's oxygen levels to drop, triggering fish die-offs. The Lake Apopka fish kill is estimated to have killed between 30 million and 40 million fish. Lake Apopka is one of Florida’s largest lakes and was once considered to be one of the world’s best lakes for bass fishing. The lake’s sport fish population began to decline in the 1960s, with major die-offs occurring almost yearly. The lake’s problems are generally considered to be the result of over-nutrification from various sources. Twenty thousand acres of wetlands bordering the lake’s north shore were drained in the 1940s and used for highly fertile “muck farms.” These farms were routinely flooded to protect the fragile soil, and the fertilizer and pesticide-laden water was then discharged back into the lake prior to each growing season. Other sources of pollution include discharge from citrus processing operations, as well as treated wastewater from sewage plants. The nutrient-rich discharge promoted algae growth in the lake, turning the water to a green color, and blocked sunlight from reaching aquatic vegetation, which provided food and habit to the lake’s fish population. The lake’s bottom soil became increasingly “mucky,” also disrupting aquatic vegetation from taking root. Restoration work on the lake began in the 1960s with attempts by various agencies to remove “trash fish,” such as gizzard shad, from the lake via seining, which would hopefully allow the lake’s sportfish to thrive. The Lake Apopka Restoration Council, an initiative formed under Governor Claude Kirk (1926-2011) in 1967, launched several studies to find methods to improve the lake, though no serious action was taken. Various methods were debated to restore the lake through the 1970s and 1980s, including “drawdown,” which entailed completely draining the lake to allow the mucky bottom to consolidate. Restoration attempts were stalled for lack of funding and research. The Lake Apopka Restoration Council was reformed in 1985 under Governor Bob Graham (b. 1936), and, in 1987, the Surface Water and Improvement Management Act was passed. Together, these actions allowed comprehensive restoration plans to take shape, such as the Marsh Flow-way, a project by the St John’s Water Management District that uses natural methods to remove nutrients from the lake. The Friends of Lake Apopka, a citizen environmental advocacy group, began to push for further restoration efforts in the 1990s. The lake’s north shore muck farms were eventually purchased by the State of Florida, helping to reduce the amount of nutrient entering the lake.
Photocopy of original newspaper article: Horvath, Paula. "Officials Think Fish Kills May Spread." The Leesburg Daily Commercial, July 22, 1981: binder 1981, Friends of Lake Apopka Archives, Ginn Museum, Oakland Nature Preserve, Oakland, Florida.
The Leesburg Daily Commercial
Savannah, Florida & Western Railway Company Receipt for Isaac Vanderpool (December 12, 1892)
A receipt from the Savannah, Florida & Western Railway Company to Isaac Vanderpool for the transportation of goods, dated December 21, 1892. The Vanderpools were one of the original families in Maitland, Florida, with Isaac Vanderpool, the patriarch of the family, buying 160 acres of land in the year 1870. In 1876, after facing a large financial loss and disaster in New York, Isaac and his wife, Harriet Vanderpool, permanently moved to the Maitland area. At the time of their arrival, the area only had about four or five family homesteads and orange groves. Vanderpool was part of the first committee to help incorporate the town of Lake Maitland. The committee included Vanderpool, Henry S. Kedney, George Packwood, and Richard Packwood. The Vanderpool family was also heavily involved in civic affairs, which included the establishment of the town of Eatonville by Vanderpool and Josiah C. Eaton. The Vanderpools were paricipants in the creation of the Florida Audubon Society and the organization of the Maitland Public Library. Harriet Vanderpool, along with Bishop Henry C. Whipple, founded the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, and, in 1927, she wrote the "Maitland Song," which the chamber of commerce adopted as the official song for the city. In 1887, Vanderpool became Mayor of Maitland and during this time, acquired land for the city first cemetery. In 1892, he built the first packinghouse in Maitland, which was featured in TheGate City Chronicle as the state most modern and best packinghouse.
Duplicate of original 5.5 x 8.5 inch receipt: Vanderpool Collection, accession number 2014.002.016V, room 2, case 2, shelf 10, box GV, Maitland Historical Museum, Art & History Museums - Maitland, Maitland, Florida.
Savannah, Florida & Western Railway Company Receipt for Isaac Vanderpool (February 28, 1893)
A receipt from the Savannah, Florida & Western Railway Company to Isaac Vanderpool for the transportation of goods from Longwood to Maitland, dated February 28, 1893. The Vanderpools were one of the original families in Maitland, Florida, with Isaac Vanderpool, the patriarch of the family, buying 160 acres of land in the year 1870. In 1876, after facing a large financial loss and disaster in New York, Isaac and his wife, Harriet Vanderpool, permanently moved to the Maitland area. At the time of their arrival, the area only had about four or five family homesteads and orange groves. Vanderpool was part of the first committee to help incorporate the town of Lake Maitland. The committee included Vanderpool, Henry S. Kedney, George Packwood, and Richard Packwood. The Vanderpool family was also heavily involved in civic affairs, which included the establishment of the town of Eatonville by Vanderpool and Josiah C. Eaton. The Vanderpools were paricipants in the creation of the Florida Audubon Society and the organization of the Maitland Public Library. Harriet Vanderpool, along with Bishop Henry C. Whipple, founded the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, and, in 1927, she wrote the "Maitland Song," which the chamber of commerce adopted as the official song for the city. In 1887, Vanderpool became Mayor of Maitland and during this time, acquired land for the city first cemetery. In 1892, he built the first packinghouse in Maitland, which was featured in TheGate City Chronicle as the state most modern and best packinghouse.
Duplicate of original 5.5 x 8.5 inch receipt, February 28, 1893: Vanderpool Collection, accession number 2014.002.017V, room 2, case 2, shelf 10, box GV, Maitland Historical Museum, Art & History Museums - Maitland, Maitland, Florida.
Certificate of Appointment for William H. Coe
A certificate of appointment for William Henry Coe (1824-1879), the founder of Glencoe, Florida. The certificate was issued by Collector of Customs Thomas F. House and confirmed by the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury on April 10, 1879. Coe was appointed as Deputy Collector of Customs for the District of St. Augustine. the was responsible for collecting import duties on foreign goods that entered the United States through the port at New Smyrna until his death on October 23. Shortly thereafter, his son, Captain Charles Henry Coe, was appointed to the position. Due to poor health, Coe moved with his wife and children from Connecticut to Jacksonville in 1874 and established an orange grove the following year four miles west of New Smyrna, an area that would later become Glencoe. In 1877, Coe became an editor for The Florida Star, a newspaper founded by his son, Captain Charles Henry Coe (1856-1954). In April of 1879, Coe was appointed Deputy Collector of Customs for the port at New Smyrna. Just a few months later, on October 23, Coe died of silicosis, likely a result of his work as a copper miner in Illinois during the 1840s. Coe is buried in at Hawks Park Cemetery in Edgewater.
Original certificate of appointment, April 10, 1879: Private Collection of Andrew M. Foster.
Letter from Thomas F. House to William Henry Coe (September 2, 1878)
A letter of correspondence from Thomas F. House to William Henry Coe (1824-1879), the founder of Glencoe, Florida, dated September 2, 1878. In the letter, House, who is the Collector of Customs for the District of St. Augustine, informs Coe that in the event that the current Deputy Collector of Customs accepts an appointment to another position, the will consider Coe's application as a replacement. On April 10, 1879, Coe was officially appointed the position. the was responsible for collecting import duties on foreign goods that entered the United States through the port at New Smyrna until his death on October 23. Shortly thereafter, his son, Captain Charles Henry Coe, was appointed to the position. Due to poor health, Coe moved with his wife and children from Connecticut to Jacksonville in 1874 and established an orange grove the following year four miles west of New Smyrna, an area that would later become Glencoe. In 1877, Coe became an editor for The Florida Star, a newspaper founded by his son, Captain Charles Henry Coe (1856-1954). In April of 1879, Coe was appointed Deputy Collector of Customs for the port at New Smyrna. Just a few months later, on October 23, Coe died of silicosis, likely a result of his work as a copper miner in Illinois during the 1840s. Coe is buried in at Hawks Park Cemetery in Edgewater.
Original letter from Thomas F. House to William Henry Coe, September 2, 1878: Private Collection of Andrew M. Foster.
Collector's Office, Custom House, St. Augustine, Florida
George Lee and Charlotte "Lottie" Lee (1887-1989), sisters from Oviedo, sometime in the late 19th century. George married Benjamin Franklin Wheeler, a prominent citrus grower, celery cultivator, and politician, in 1908. Lottie married Thomas Willington Lawton (1882-1963), who is best known as principal of the Oviedo School from 1905 to 1907 and as the first elected Superintendent of Schools of Seminole County from 1916 to 1952.
Original 5 x 7 inch black and white photographic print by Howard: Private Collection of Vicki Clonts.
James Hiram Lee, Sr. and Laura Agusta Barnett Lee
Husband and wife, James Hiram Lee, Sr. (1844-1920) and Laura Agusta Barnett Lee (1851-1940) sometime in the late 19th century. A veteran of the Confederate military, Lee served as an Orange County Commissioner, before Seminole County was established. The county courthouse was constructed in 1892, while Lee was chairman of the commission. Barnett migrated from Columbia County to Oviedo and married Lee in 1867. The couple settled near Lake Charm in the Lake Jesup community (present-day Oviedo) in 1874 and had nine children, including William "Wiley" Lee (1869-1905); John Theodore Lee (1871-1959); Mary Louise Lee (1876-1877); Annie Ethel Lee Carter; James Hiram Lee, Jr. (1890-1959); Charles Simeon Lee (1892-1991), George Lee Wheeler, and Lillian Della Lee Lawton (ca. 1883-1977).
The Nelson Brothers packinghouse in Downtown Oviedo, Florida, in the early 20th century. The company was originally founded by Steen Nelson and Gus Nelson and called Nelson Brothers. The company changed its name to Nelson and Company after it became a three-way partnership between the brothers and Benjamin Franklin Wheeler, Sr. In 1923, Wheeler became sole owner after buying out the company. Nelson and Company is located in what is now the Nelson and Company Historic District, and was incorporated in September of 2001. The 80-acre district encompasses four of Nelson and Company's historic buildings. This particular building was destroyed by Hurricane Charley in 2004.
Original 10 x 5 inch black and white photographic print: Private Collection of Vicki Clonts.
Nelson Brothers Packinghouse, Downtown Oviedo, Florida
Early Settlers of Orange County, Florida: Reminiscent-Historic-Biographic
Early Settlers of Orange County, Florida, printed in 1915 and published by Clarence E. Howard of Orlando, Florida. The book also includes an article "Early History of Orlando" written by J.N. Whitner of Sanford, Florida. This 68-page book contains the biographies of many of Orange County's early settlers.
Howard, Clarence E. Early Settlers of Orange County, Florida: Reminiscent-Historic-Biographic. Orlando, Fla: C.E. Howard, 1915.
Fifteenth Census Population for Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, 1930
The Fifteenth United States Census records for Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, for 1930. The census divides the population into categories of name, age, sex, race, marital status, occupants and relation to head of house, whether the home is owned or rented, value of home or rent, whether home is a farm residence, whether the home has a radio. It also records college attendance, literacy, birthplace and birthplace of parents, citizenship status, language spoken before coming to United States, year of immigration, occupation or business, class of worker, whether they worked the previous day, military status, and the war or expedition participated in. A notable resident listed in the record is Gerald Wilford Near (1922-1995). Born on May 27, 1922, in Detroit, Michigan, Near married Ruth Marie Harris in Fulton County, Ohio, on August 17, 1941. On October 15, 1942, Near enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. He was assigned to the 12th Defense Battalion in January 1943, where he would remain for the majority of his military career. Near’s unit arrived at Woodlark Island, New Guinea, in June 1943, where they protected a United States airfield that screened the landings in the Solomon Islands. Near left the 12th Defense Battalion around June 1944, when the unit became redesignated as the 12th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion. He returned to the United States and reported to the Marine Barracks at the Navy Yard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in July 1944. Near was discharged from the Marine Corps as a Corporal on February 14, 1946. He died on November 17, 1995, in Venice, Florida, and was memorialized at Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, Florida, on January 9, 1996. 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 census record by Clarence L. Howe on April 10, 1930.
Fifteenth Census Population Morriso County, Parsippany, New Jersey, 1930
The Fifteenth United States census records for Marriso County, Parsippany, New Jersey, for 1930. The census divides the population into categories of name, age, sex, race, marital status, occupants and relation to head of house, whether the home is owned or rented, value of home or rent, whether home is a farm residence, whether the home has a radio. It also records college attendance, literacy, birthplace and birthplace of parents, citizenship status, language spoken before coming to United States, year of immigration, occupation or business, class of worker, whether they worked the previous day, military status, and the war or expedition participated in. A notable resident listed in this record is Peter Nadzeika. Born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1919, Nadzeika's parents immigrated to the United States from Lithuania. He spent most of his childhood with his family in Parsippany, New Jersey, where the family owned a farm and later a tavern. Nadzeika enlisted in the United States Army in March of 1941, and served in the 870th Ordnance Heavy Automotive Maintenance Company, which was part of the Persian Gulf Command during World War II. Nadzeika was wounded during the war. After his service, he started a family and owned a tavern. Around 1975, he moved to New Port Richey, Florida, where he passed away in 1996. He is buried at the Florida National Cemetery. 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 census records by Effie Howell, April 22, 1930.
Oral History of Reverend Margaret E. "Peggy" Howland
An oral history interview of Reverend Margaret E. “Peggy” Howland, a member of the Orlando Gay Chorus and a former Presbyterian minister. The interview was conducted by Geoffrey Cravero at the interviewee’s residence in Orlando, Florida, on December 13th, 2016. Some of the topics covered include becoming one of the first female ministers, fighting for GLBTQ+ rights, joining the Orlando Gay Chorus, her role in the Orlando Gay Chorus, her favorite productions, the mass shooting at Pulse nightclub, women in the chorus, the Orlando Gay Chorus’s response to Pulse tragedy, changing community attitudes on homosexuality, missing out on initial vigils, memorials and outreaches, physical challenges, performing at the first responders breakfast, the long-term consequences of Pulse tragedy, and her closing remarks.
Howland, Margaret E. "Peggy". Interviewed by Geoffrey Cravero, December 13, 2016. Audio record available. RICHES, Orlando, Florida.
Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Orlando, Florida
Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses Festival, Denver, Colorado
Joy Metropolitan Community Church, Orlando, Florida
Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Florida
Envelope from J. Huang to Elaine Pancake
An envelope from J. Huang to Elaine Pancake, the customer relations coordinator for the Downtown Orlando Post Office, located at 51 East Jefferson Street in Downtown Orlando, Florida. This particular post office was constructed in a Spanish Colonial Revival style from 1939 to 1941 and dedicated on April 14, 1941. It has been occupied by the United States Postal Service since 1941, the Federal District Courthouse from 1941 to circa 1974, and the office of the Roman Catholic Church since 2003.
Original envelope from J. Huang to Elaine Pancake, July 2003: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida.
Steamboats--Florida--St. Johns River--History
Lake Monroe (Seminole County and Volusia County, Fla.)
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
Annual Report of the Board of Supervisors of the Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District,1972
The annual report of the Board of Supervisors of the Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District for 1972. The organization began in 1948 with a goal to assist in agricultural interests. Over the years, the Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District began to also concentrate on the development and management of recreational enterprises. Their interests also entailed inventory and evaluations for land uses and solving issues concerning soil and water resources. In this year's report, the board gives an annual review of the accomplishments of the past and a summation of the objectives for the next year. The report acknowledges contributions from the Seminole County Board of Commissioners and the assistance of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Florida State Forestry Service. The report also thanks the local office of the Farm Bureau and the local radio station, WTRR, for promoting conservation efforts.
Original 2-page typewritten report by the Board of Supervisors of the Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District,1972: Folder SSWCD Annual Reports, 1949-1975, Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District, Sanford, Florida.
Annual Report of the Board of Supervisors of the Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District, January 1974
The annual report of the Board of Supervisors of the Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District for January 1974. The organization began in 1948 with a goal to assist in agricultural interests. Over the years, the Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District began to also concentrate on the development and management of recreational enterprises. Their interests also entailed inventory and evaluations for land uses and solving issues concerning soil and water resources. This report discusses the introduction of new plants and grasses to Seminole County and also mentions a flood hazard study for U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD). In this year's report, the board gives an annual review of the accomplishments of the past and a summation of the objectives for the next year.
Original 5-page typewritten report by the Board of Supervisors of the Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District, January 1974: Folder SSWCD Annual Reports, 1949-1974, Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District, Sanford, Florida.
Memorandum of Understanding between the Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District and Seminole County, 1974
Memorandum of Understanding between the Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District and Seminole County for 1974. The Seminole Soil and Water Conservatiob District began in 1948 with a goal to assist in agricultural interests. Over the years, the Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District began to also concentrate on the development and management of recreational enterprises. Their interests also entailed inventory and evaluations for land uses and solving issues concerning soil and water resources. The Memorandum of Understanding between the Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District and Seminole County for 1974 discusses ways in which the Soil Conservation Service is authorized to cooperate with and furnish assistance to the District for conservation and resource development work. The two page Memorandum lists what Seminole County will do and what the Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District will do together to tackle common objectives pertaining to conservation, development, land use, water use, wildlife preservation, and related resources.
Original 2-page typewritten report by the Board of Supervisors of the Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District,1974: Folder SSWCD Statistical and Historical Information, 1948-1977, Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District, Sanford, Florida.
Postcard of the water hyacinths in Lake Monroe near Sanford. Lake Monroe is a lake that is part of the St. Johns River system in Florida and is also the eigth largest lake in the Orlando metropolitan area. Sanford is located on its northern shore and DeBary and Deltona are located along its northern shore. Two major roadways, State Road 415 and Interstate, run near the lake. Lake Monroe also formes the border of Seminole County and Volusia County.
Original 9 x 14 centimeter color postcard by Frank Huld: Postcard Collection, call number PC5052, Florida Photographic Collection, State Library and Archives of Florida, Tallahassee, Florida.
An oral history with Thomas D. Wright, a surfer and lawyer with Wright, Casey & Stowers, P.L. in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. Wright was born in Florida on April 8, 1951. Other topics discussed in the oral history include growing up in New Smyrna Beach, how others perceive surfers, the evolution of surfing, how surfing affects society, surfboards preference, surfing contests, how New Smyrna Beach was affected by surfing, and plans to establish the East Coast Surfing Museum.
Wright, Thomas D. Interview by Dakota Hull. Daytona State College, New Smyrna Beach-Edgewater Campus. August 1, 2013. Audio/video record available. Daytona State College, New Smyrna Beach, Florida.
Daytona State College
Letter from John R. Hull to Edna P. Hancock (April 23, 1945)
A letter from First Lieutenant John R. Hull to Edna P. Hancock dated April 23, 1945. In the letter, 1st Lt. Hull expresses sympathy for the death of Hancock's husband, Sergeant John B. Hancock (1913-1944), who was Killed in Action (KIA) while serving in the U.S. Army during World War II. Sgt. Hancock was born in Thomasville, Georgia, in 1913, but later migrated to Auburndale, Florida. Hancock managed a Great Atlantic &amp
P) store in Haines City until he enlisted in the 45th Infantry Division's 179th Infantry Regiment. Sgt. Hancock served initially in Africa in 1943, until the 45th Infantry Division's participation in the Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky. The division then went on to participate in the Allied invasion of Italy, where Sgt. Hancock was injured. He was returned to duty in February of 1944 in southern France. On November 1, 1944, Sgt. Hancock went Missing in Action (MIA) after serving in the Allied invasion of Southern France, codenamed Operation Dragoon. He was eventually buried at Epinal American Cemetery and Memorial in Dinozé, France.
Photocopy of original 1-page typewritten letter from John R. Hull to Edna P. Hancock, April 23, 1945: Private Collection of Linda Hughes.
A photograph captured by Staff Sergeant Humphrey McCarter of a medical detachment belonging to the 761st Tank Battalion. The photograph is then featured on page 118 of Trezzvant W. Anderson’s “Come out Fighting: The Epic Tale of the 761st Tank Battalion, 1942-1945.” A notable soldier listed in the photograph's description is Clifford C. Adams (1923-1944). Adams was born in Charleston, SC, but raised in Overtown, FL. A suburb of Miami, Overtown became a center for Miami’s black community at a time when Miami was becoming increasingly segregated. The Army assigned Adams to the 761st Tank Battalion and landed him and his comrades in France on October 9, 1944. During the Battalion’s first combat mission, Adams was struck in the chest by an exploding shell while giving medical attention to another soldier; he died later that day. The Florida-France Soldiers Stories Project seeks to tell the stories of the Florida soldiers buried in the American Battle Monuments Commission cemeteries in France. Our goal is to honor and commemorate the brave individuals who gave their lives supporting the Allied forces, liberating France, and defeating Germany in the Second World War. Simultaneously, our goal is to teach the students who participate in this research project about the history of France and Florida during World War II, about the history of individual servicemen, and about how to implement historical research methods in their work.
Digital reproduction of original black and white photograph.
Alterations, since last Return, among the Enlisted Men
The alterations, since last return, among the enlisted men of the Company K Tenth Cavalry from July of 1889. The monthly returns were used to report on the strength of each regiment, including total numbers of men present, absent, sick, or on extra duty, as well as happenings during the month. Officers were listed by name, as were enlisted men who were absent, on special duty, or who joined or left the unit during the month. Later returns included strength reports in terms of horses and artillery. A notable soldier listed in this record is William H. Walden. Born and raised in Virgo County, Indiana, Walden married Mary E. Cook in Richmond, Virginia, on November 11, 1884. On November 1, 1892, Walden enlisted in the United States Army, serving as a blacksmith in the Company K Tenth United States Cavalry. This unit travelled to Florida to prepare for deployment to Cuba, but Company K remained in the United States. Walden died on July 17, 1898, from acute peritonitis caused by an incision wound across the chest and abdomen. Originally buried in the Lakeland City Cemetery in Lakeland, Florida, he now rests in the Saint Augustine National Cemetery in St. Augustine, Florida, in Section A, Grave Number 130. 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 returns of alterations.
Untitled, an oil painting by Orlando native Maury Hurt (1934-2013), who graduated from the University of Florida with a design degree in 1956. Hurt continued to work in the graphic arts fields for several years after serving a short tour in the U.S. Army before abandoning the profession to become a full-time painter. From a studio at the Art & History Museums’s Maitland Art Center, Hurt’s work centered on primitive and archaic themes often focusing on the relationship of humans, animals, and early prehistoric life. Hurst, along with Bill Orr, was instrumental in leading the movement to save the Art Center from developers in the 1960s. His legacy lies in his masterful work and is mentorship of artists across Central Florida.
Original 42 x 36 inch oil painting: Hurt, Maury. Untitled: Art & History Museums - Maitland, Maitland, Florida.
University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
Sumner Hutcheson III at the Unveiling of the Mary McLeod Bethune Statue at the United States Capitol
National Statuary Hall (United States Capitol, Washington, D.C.)
A color photograph of Sumner Hutcheson III at the Unveiling of the Mary McLeod Bethune Statue at the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. on July 13th, 2022. The statue, created by Nilda Comas, is made of Italian Carrara marble and was given to the National Statuary Hall Collection by Florida in 2022. Bethune is the first African American represented in the National Statuary Hall Collection. The statue replaced Confederate General Edmund Kirby Smith's statue.
1 original color photograph, 2022: Personal Collection of Sumner Hutcheson III.
National Statuary Hall, United States Capitol, Washington, D.C.
Sumner Hutcheson III at the Unveiling of the Mary McLeod Bethune Statue at Daytona Beach
A color photograph of Sumner Hutcheson III at the Unveiling of the Mary McLeod Bethune Statue at Daytona Beach, Florida, on August 18th, 2022. The 13-foot tall bronze sculpture is 829-pounds and the granite pedestal base is 14,050-pounds. It was was created by Puerto Rican native Master Sculptor Nilda M. Comas.
A colorized photograph of the family home of Sumner Hutcheson III, located in the Paradise section of the Brownsville neighborhood in Miami-Dade County. Brownsville is a community known for its impact on the civil rights movement as a gathering place for leaders such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and Muhammad Ali.
1 original colorized photograph, 2022: Personal Collection of Sumner Hutcheson III.
Sumner Hutcheson III on the 1967 Miami Jackson High School Swim Team
A black and white photograph of Sumner Hutcheson III swimming in a pool for the 1967 Miami Jackson High School swim team.
1 original black and white photograph: Personal Collection of Sumner Hutcheson III.
Miami Jackson Senior High School, Miami, Florida
Sumner Hutcheson III and Pamela Hutcheson
A black and white photograph of siblings Sumner Hutcheson III and Pamela Hutcheson.
Bethune-Cookman College (Daytona Beach, Fla.)
An oral history interview of Sumner Hutcheson III. The interview was conducted by Geoffrey Cravero in Trevor Colbourn Hall at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida, on September 15th, 2025. Some of the topics covered include growing up in Brownsville, the entrepreneurship of his parents and meeting Black musical artists in his fathers store, his grandfather, Sumner Hutcheson I, being influenced by Marcus Garvey and immigrating to the United States from the Bahamas, his grandparents move back to Miami, his grandfathers entrepreneurship, and his familys businesses, the history of Brownsville and the types of professionals in the community, attending grade school, and educators that influenced him and his sister, his father attending Bethune-Cookman University and joining the schools first football team, his father facing discrimination while traveling with his football team and the power of Mary McLeod Bethune, the role of friends in the Jewish community in his fathers businesses, lessons learned from his father, facing discrimination on the high school swim team and his fathers response, the consequences of racial integration, and growing up around the Latino community, attending Bethune-Cookman and Barry Universities, becoming involved in the American Red Cross and his career experience with the organization, including working for Elizabeth Dole, retiring from the Red Cross, selling real estate, and returning to work for the Red Cross, retiring from the Red Cross for the second time, and becoming Vice-President of University Advancement at Bethune-Cookman, retiring from Bethune-Cookman and immediately being recruited to work for Florida International University, his life after retirement doing consulting work and working with the Peace and Justice Institute, meeting Presidents John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush, finding a last-minute helicopter to bring Bernadine Healy to the Mary McLeod Bethune home, and his closing remarks.
Hutcheson III, Sumner. Interviewed by Geoffrey Cravero, September 15, 2025. Audio record available. RICHES of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.
Bethune-Cookman University, Daytona Beach, Florida
Miami Jackson High School, Miami, Florida
Mary McLeod Bethune Home, Daytona Beach, Florida
List of Recipients of Oranges from Belair Grove (December 24, 1882)
A memorandum listing recipients of oranges sent from Belair Grove in Sanford, Florida, dated December 24, 1882. The list denoted recipients of full boxes and half boxes of oranges. Notable recipients included Republican President Chester A. Arthur (1829-1886); William B. Allison (1829-1908), Republican Senator from Iowa; Senator Henry B. Anthony, Republican Senator from Rhode Island; Eugene Hale (1836-1918), Republican Senator from Maine; abolitionist Amos Adams Lawrence (1814-1886); U.S. Court of Claims Judge Bancroft Davis (1822-1907), who also was the president of the Newburgh and New York Railway Company; and Union General William Tecumseh Sherman (1820-1891). During that period, Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891), the owner of Belair Grove, actively courted President Arthur and high-ranking Republicans in the U.S Congress as part of his bid to win recognition in the country, and with it, international legitimacy, for King Leopold II (1835-1909) of Belgium's colonial enterprise in the Congo, what would become known as the Congo Free State. In 1883, acting on behalf of the King Leopold, Sanford mounted a lobbying campaign in Washington, D.C. Preceding these efforts, Sanford regularly corresponded with the President and influential legislators about the Belgian Congo. As part of his lobbying efforts, Sanford regularly sent boxes of Florida oranges to high-ranking officials. This list of recipients reflects the efforts of Sanford to sway public figures in positions of power.
Original memorandum by James Edmundson Ingraham, December 24, 1882: box 52, folder 5, subfolder 52.5.1, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
List of Recipients of Oranges from Belair Grove
An undated memorandum listing recipients of oranges sent from Belair Grove in Sanford, Florida. Recipients included the President Chester A. Arthur (1829-1886), ; William B. Allison (1829-1908), Republican Senator from Iowa; Senator Henry B. Anthony, Republican Senator from Rhode Island; Eugene Hale (1836-1918), Republican Senator from Maine; abolitionist Amos Adams Lawrence (1814-1886); U.S. Court of Claims Judge Bancroft Davis (1822-1907), who also was the president of the Newburgh and New York Railway Company; former Republican Governor of Connecticut Marshall Jewell (1825-1883); and Union General William Tecumseh Sherman (1820-1891). During that period, Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891), the owner of Belair Grove, actively courted President Arthur and high-ranking Republicans in the U.S Congress as part of his bid to win recognition in the country, and with it, international legitimacy, for King Leopold II (1835-1909) of Belgium's colonial enterprise in the Congo, what would become known as the Congo Free State. In 1883, acting on behalf of the King Leopold, Sanford mounted a lobbying campaign in Washington, D.C. Preceding these efforts, Sanford regularly corresponded with the President and influential legislators about the Belgian Congo. As part of his lobbying efforts, Sanford regularly sent boxes of Florida oranges to high-ranking officials. This list of recipients reflects the efforts of Sanford to sway public figures in positions of power.
Original memorandum by James Edmundson Ingraham: box 52, folder 5, subfolder 52.5.3, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Letter from Andy Ireland to Harold L. Moody (June 17, 1981)
A letter from U.S. Representative Andy Ireland (b. 1930) to Harold L. Moody, fisheries biologist with the Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission (GFC), dated June 17, 1981. In the letter, Rep. Ireland discusses his co-sponsorship of House Resolution 38, which would create an Ad Hoc Committee for Water Resources. Rep. Ireland states that water management programs suffer from mismanagement and lack of coordination at the state and federal levels. He also states that as of the time of writing, there were 12 panels and 29 subcommittees in the U.S. House of Representatives and 10 committees and 21 subcommittees in the U.S. Senate that each deal with water management. Rep. Ireland's proposed Ad Hoc Committee on Water Resources would work towards a coordinated policy at the national level. Although the letter does not state so explicitly, it was likely written in reference to Lake Apopka, which is one of Florida’s largest lakes and was once considered to be one of the world’s best lakes for bass fishing. The lake’s sport fish population began to decline in the 1960s, with major die-offs occurring almost yearly. The lake’s problems are generally considered to be the result of over-nutrification from various sources. Twenty thousand acres of wetlands bordering the lake’s north shore were drained in the 1940s and used for highly fertile “muck farms.” These farms were routinely flooded to protect the fragile soil, and the fertilizer and pesticide-laden water was then discharged back into the lake prior to each growing season. Other sources of pollution include discharge from citrus processing operations, as well as treated wastewater from sewage plants. The nutrient-rich discharge promoted algae growth in the lake, turning the water to a green color, and blocked sunlight from reaching aquatic vegetation, which provided food and habit to the lake’s fish population. The lake’s bottom soil became increasingly “mucky,” also disrupting aquatic vegetation from taking root. Restoration work on the lake began in the 1960s with attempts by various agencies to remove “trash fish,” such as gizzard shad, from the lake via seining, which would hopefully allow the lake’s sportfish to thrive. The Lake Apopka Restoration Council, an initiative formed under Governor Claude Kirk (1926-2011) in 1967, launched several studies to find methods to improve the lake, though no serious action was taken. Various methods were debated to restore the lake through the 1970s and 1980s, including “drawdown,” which entailed completely draining the lake to allow the mucky bottom to consolidate. Restoration attempts were stalled for lack of funding and research. The Lake Apopka Restoration Council was reformed in 1985 under Governor Bob Graham (b. 1936), and, in 1987, the Surface Water and Improvement Management Act was passed. Together, these actions allowed comprehensive restoration plans to take shape, such as the Marsh Flow-way, a project by the St John’s Water Management District that uses natural methods to remove nutrients from the lake. The Friends of Lake Apopka, a citizen environmental advocacy group, began to push for further restoration efforts in the 1990s. The lake’s north shore muck farms were eventually purchased by the State of Florida, helping to reduce the amount of nutrient entering the lake.
Original 1-page typewritten letter from Andy Ireland to Harold L. Moody, June 17, 1981: binder 1981, Friends of Lake Apopka Archives, Ginn Museum, Oakland Nature Preserve, Oakland, Florida.
According to its website, "The Rural Heritage Center engages families and community in cultural and educational experiences by preserving rural traditions which teach lessons for present and future generations."
Island & Village of Geneva Rural Heritage Center, Inc.
Historic Geneva School House 101 East Main Street Geneva, Florida 32732
Daily Personnel Diary for the USS Astoria. The document includes gains, losses, miscellaneous, name, file or service number, rank or rating, change abbreviation, and description of and authority for change. A notable person listed is Willard Kenneth Paeplow. Paeplow was born on June 6, 1926, in Buffalo, New York. On April 21, 1944, just before his eighteenth birthday, he joined the United States Navy, where he served until June 1947. During his enlistment, Paeplow served on the USS Springfield (CL-66). He was present when the ship escorted President Franklin Delano Roosevelt to the Malta Conference in January 1945. Paeplow enlisted in the United States Navy again in June 1964, and served another twenty-two years, before retiring in June 1986. He passed away on April 22, 1993, and is buried in the 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 daily personnel diary.
An audio recording of "Bags' Groove," composed by Milt "Bags" Jackson (1923-1999) and performed by Larry Coryell (b. 1943) live on-air on WUCF-FM on June 8, 1999. Coryell is an American jazz fusion guitarist, composer, and one of the pioneers of jazz-rock, a fusion genre that combines elements of blues, rock, country, and bop. Considered by many to be one of the greatest guitarists of all time, Coryell has shared the stage with Miles Davis (1926-1991) and Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970). He has remained active since the 1960s, recording over 100 albums. "Bags' Groove" is a jazz standard first recorded by Davis' quintet in 1954.
Original 8-minute and 49-second audio recording: Jackson, Milt. "Bags' Groove," by the Larry Coryell: WUCF-FM, Orlando, Florida, June 8, 1999.
Mitchell Hammock Road when it was an unpaved dirt road in Oviedo, Florida, in 1989. Oviedo City Council members signed a deal with Seminole County officials and a developer to pave Mitchell Hammock Road and turn it into a major highway. The developer, the Anden Group, paid for the road to be paved from Lockwood Road to Florida State Road 426. The City of Oviedo would pay for the addition of two lanes. Developing Mitchell Hammock became a priority because of the development of the Twin Rivers and Alafaya Woods communities by the Anden Group, which would generate a huge amount of traffic congestion, thus necessitating pavement.
Original 3 x 5 inch color photographs by Karen Jacobs, 1989: Private Collection of Karen Jacobs.
East Mitchell Hammock Road, Oviedo, Florida
Mitchell Hammock Road in 1990, just after being paved. Oviedo City Council members signed a deal with Seminole County officials and a developer to pave Mitchell Hammock Road and turn it into a major highway. The developer, the Anden Group, paid for the road to be paved from Lockwood Road to Florida State Road 426. The City of Oviedo would pay for the addition of two lanes. Developing Mitchell Hammock became a priority because of the development of the Twin Rivers and Alafaya Woods communities by the Anden Group, which would generate a huge amount of traffic congestion, thus necessitating pavement.
Original 3 x 5 inch color photographs by Karen Jacobs, 1990: Private Collection of Karen Jacobs.
Mitchell Hammock Road when it was being paved in 1989. Oviedo City Council members signed a deal with Seminole County officials and a developer to pave Mitchell Hammock Road and turn it into a major highway. The developer, the Anden Group, paid for the road to be paved from Lockwood Road to Florida State Road 426. The City of Oviedo would pay for the addition of two lanes. Developing Mitchell Hammock became a priority because of the development of the Twin Rivers and Alafaya Woods communities by the Anden Group, which would generate a huge amount of traffic congestion, thus necessitating pavement.
Intersection at Lockwood Boulevard and East Mitchell Hammock Road
Lockwood Boulevard was a dirt road until 1990, when the City of Oviedo and the Anden Group, a local developer, paved Mitchell Hammock Road between Florida State Road 426 and Lockwood Boulevard, in order to alleviate traffic congestion due to the growth of the Alafaya Woods and Twin Rivers developments. Construction began in 1989 and was completed in 1990. Since 1990, the pasture and woodland that surrounded Longwood Boulevard have become the Twin Rivers development and golf course, as well as Riverside Park.
Lockwood Boulevard and East Mitchell Hammock Road, Oviedo, Florida
Letter from J. A. Jacobson to Isaac Vanderpool (December 17, 1895)
A letter from J. A. Jacobson to Isaac Vanderpool, dated December 17, 1895, regarding a shipment of orange trees. The Vanderpools were one of the original families in Maitland, Florida, with Isaac Vanderpool, the patriarch of the family, buying 160 acres of land in the year 1870. In 1876, after facing a large financial loss and disaster in New York, Isaac and his wife, Harriet Vanderpool, permanently moved to the Maitland area. At the time of their arrival, the area only had about four or five family homesteads and orange groves. Vanderpool was part of the first committee to help incorporate the town of Lake Maitland. The committee included Vanderpool, Henry S. Kedney, George Packwood, and Richard Packwood. The Vanderpool family was also heavily involved in civic affairs, which included the establishment of the town of Eatonville by Vanderpool and Josiah C. Eaton. The Vanderpools were paricipants in the creation of the Florida Audubon Society and the organization of the Maitland Public Library. Harriet Vanderpool, along with Bishop Henry C. Whipple, founded the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, and, in 1927, she wrote the "Maitland Song," which the chamber of commerce adopted as the official song for the city. In 1887, Vanderpool became Mayor of Maitland and during this time, acquired land for the city first cemetery. In 1892, he built the first packinghouse in Maitland, which was featured in The Gate City Chronicle as the state most modern and best packinghouse.
Original 1-page letter from J. A. Jacobson to Isaac Vanderpool, December 17, 1895: Vanderpool Collection, accession number 2014.002.021V, room 2, case 2, shelf 10, box GV, Maitland Historical Museum, Art & History Museums - Maitland, Maitland, Florida.
A chart showing the U.S. gas turbine market from 1965 to 1990, with forecasts through 2000. The chart begins with the Great Northeast Blackout of 1965, which accelerated the growth of electric utility market for gas turbines in the United States. Later events, most notably the 1973 Arab-Israeli War (also known as the Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War, or October War), followed by the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries' (OAPEC) oil embargo and the U.S. Fuel Use Act (FUA) of 1978, caused a steep decline in the industry. A strong recovery followed with the rise of the Independent Power Producer (IPP) cogeneration market under the Public Utility Regulatory Policy Act (PURPA), upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in Federal Energy Regulatory Commission v. Mississippi (1982).
Original color chart by Harry L. Jaeger: Personal Collection of Harry L. Jaeger.
Times Square, Midtown Manhattan, New York City, New York
Union Carbide Building, Midtown Manhattan, New York City, New York
Plane and Patches for Lieutenant Dean N. Post, Jr.
The plane and patches for Lieutenant Dean N. Post, Jr. (1921-1944). Lt. Post was a pilot from Tampa, Florida, who served in the U.S. Army during World World II with the 357th Fighter Group of the 264th Fighter Squadron. His airplane crashed in Martimpré, France, on May 27, 1944, and was executed by German authorities after being hidden by French citizens in Gérardmer. Lt. Post is buried at Epinal American Cemetery and Memorial in Dinozé, France.
The Downtown Orlando Information Center with the BB&T Bank building in the background. The Barnett Plaza was built in 1962 and was the location of the CNA Tower. The center is located at 400 South Orange Avenue in Downtown Orlando, Florida.
Original color digital image by Andrew W. Jeffries, October 2014: University of Central Florida, Department of History, Orlando, Florida.
Downtown Orlando Information Center, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Jenkins, Bill (William Sterling), 1909-1996
Bell Towers, an oil painting created by William "Bill" Sterling Jenkins in 1941. The painting depicts the small town of Taxco de Alarcón in Mexico. Jenkins received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1934 from the University of Florida and was awarded a postgraduate scholarship to study art at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Florence, Italy. He spent several intensive years traveling through Europe by rail and bicycle, creating figure and landscape paintings. Upon his return, he established an art school in Columbus, Georgia. In 1942, he married Alice Moberg after meeting her in Mexico, where he studied silversmithing. Following a brief stint in the U.S. Army, Jenkins received an honorable discharge after contracting pneumonia and was sent to the Veterans Administration hospital in Orlando, Florida, to recuperate. He then worked for the VA and pioneered a program of rehabilitative art therapy classes for veterans. After earning his master’s degree in psychology from Florida State University in 1950, he settled in Winter Park and established Jenkins Construction Company, building many residential communities and shopping centers. In 1975, Jenkins established Crealdé School of Art, donating the organization and the property to the community in 1990. He also established the Jenkins Chair at the University of Central Florida, and donated the majority of his paintings to the UCF Art Gallery.
Original 26.5 x 18.5 inch oil painting: Jenkins, Bill. Bell Towers, 1941: Private Collection of the Jenkins Family.
Jeremiah Jenkins learning to ride his bike on the BMX bike path at Angebilt Park, just outside of the Church of the Nazarene on Westmoreland Drive and 22nd Street. Know called Kaley Square Park, the park was used to launch hot air balloons for the Citrus Bowl.
Original 3 x 5 inch color photograph by Christine McClendon, 1986: Private Collection of Dedra Jenkins.
Angebilt Park, Holden-Parramore, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Cake for the Grand Opening of Bwernai House
The cake served at the grand opening of Bwerani House, a village house operated by Dedra Jenkins and her mother, Christine McClendon, beginning in 2000. The Center for Drug Free Living sponsored the grand opening, and they set up tents, sports, and Uno in the backyard. In Swahili, "Bwerani" means "Come (You Are Welcome)," which is what is written on the cake. The village house provided a place for children ages 10 to 18 to go after school, in hopes that they would not get involved with drugs. Jenkins taught the young men and women about communication, cleaning, cooking, and relationships, much of it based on Biblical principles. She also helped them complete craft projects, such as baking soda volcanoes and making candy apples. Children were also welcomed at the Bwerani House on weekends. In 2009, when the youngest attendees became adults and McClendon became ill, Jenkins discontinued services at Bwerani House.
Original 4 x 6 inch color photograph by Dedra Jenkins, February 2000: Private Collection of Dedra Jenkins.
Bwernai House, Holden-Parramore, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Children Outside of Dedra Jenkins' House
A group of 13 young children in front of Dedra Jenkins' house in the Parramore neighborhood of Downtown Orlando, Florida. From the lower right, moving counter clockwise, the children in the photo are: Demetrius Jenkins, Jr.; the eldest son of Jenkins; Marcus; an unidentified child; Enoch Jenkins, the second son of Jenkins; Kendrick; Benjamin Daniel Jenkins, the fourth son of Jenkins; Jeremiah Jenkins, the third son of Jenkins; and two other unidentified children. After this photograph was taken, the children went to Wet'n'Wild, a waterpark in Orlando.
Original 3 x 3 inch color photograph by Dedra Jenkins: Private Collection of Dedra Jenkins.
Holden-Parramore, Downtown Orlando, Florida
The children of Christine McClendon in the Parramore neighborhood of Downtown Orlando, Florida. This photograph was taken outside of the home of McClendon's daughter, Dedra Jenkins. McClendon can be seen in the pink dress on the left. Jenkins' cousins can also be seen in the photograph. Joseph Hill is pictured to the left of McClendon. Verna Hill in the center is in the center holding a photograph, with Paulette Bobo, Jenkins' second cousin, standing in front of her. Felix Gardner is standing on top of a car behind Verna and Debra Hill Gardner is pictured on the far right. Bordered on the east by Division Street and on the west by Orange Blossom Trail (OBT), the Parramore began as an agricultural community. Parramore was historically a segregated African-American community and now comprises three separate downtown neighborhoods: Lake Dot, Callahan, and Holden-Parramore. Once an economically thriving area and the home of many prominent black businesses and institutions, including the Wells’ Built Hotel, South Street Casino, and Wallace’s Beauty Mill, Parramore suffered under Jim Crow segregation, and has lost 65 percent of its population in the last 50 years. It is now one of Orlando’s poorest neighborhoods, with an unemployment rate of 23.8 percent in 2015. However, neighborhood institutions like the Well's Built Museum of African American History and Culture, housed in the historic Wells’ Built Hotel, have worked to preserve memorabilia from Orlando’s African-American community and the local civil rights movement. Current plans to revitalize the Parramore area focus on maintaining its black heritage and culture while building new businesses, schools, and improved housing.
Original 3 x 5 inch color photograph by Dedra Jenkins, 1985: Private Collection of Dedra Jenkins.