WUCF Artisodes Short: Youth Experiencing Symphony
Since 1995, the Daytona Beach Symphony Society has given at-risk youths of Volusia County, Florida, the opportunity to experience classical music through their YES! Community Outreach Program. YES! (Youth Experiencing Symphony) targets at-risk students aged six to 18 years old who are enrolled in Title I schools. WUCF-TV is a Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) television station serving the Central Florida television market. The station, operated by the University of Central Florida, is the region's sole PBS member station, reaching an estimated population of 4.6 million people in its aerial viewing area. Arts and culture take center stage in WUCF-TV's weekly local series: "WUCF Artisodes." Each episode airs Thursdays at 8 p.m., featuring a local artist or initiative, as well as stories on the arts from across the country. Developed in partnership with 28 PBS stations nationwide, this series is part of WUCF-TV's mission to give everyone a front-row seat to the arts. This Artisodes Short originally aired as part of "WUCF Artisodes #166: Classic Touch" on April 2, 2015.
Original 5-minute and 28-second audio/video recording of Youth Experiencing Symphony, WUCF-TV, Orlando, Florida, April 2, 2015: WUCF-TV, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.
WUCF-TV
WUCF-TV, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida
Peabody Auditorium, Daytona Beach, Florida
WUCF Artisodes Short: Medical Students & Art
In the hopes of lifting patients' spirits, students from the University of Central Florida's (UCF) College of Medicine have brought music into the hospital. Their therapeutic performances have had a positive impact on patients at Nemours Children's Hospital in Orlando, Florida. WUCF-TV is a Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) television station serving the Central Florida television market. The station, operated by the University of Central Florida, is the region's sole PBS member station, reaching an estimated population of 4.6 million people in its aerial viewing area. Arts and culture take center stage in WUCF-TV's weekly local series: "WUCF Artisodes." Each episode airs Thursdays at 8 p.m., featuring a local artist or initiative, as well as stories on the arts from across the country. Developed in partnership with 28 PBS stations nationwide, this series is part of WUCF-TV's mission to give everyone a front-row seat to the arts. This Artisodes Short originally aired as part of "WUCF Artisodes #139: Music Music Music" on Jul7 31, 2014.
Original 2-minute and 41-second audio/video recording of Medical Students & University of Central Florida, WUCF-TV, Orlando, Florida, April 2, 2015: WUCF-TV, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.
College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida
Nemours Children's Hospital, Orlando, Florida
Violectric is an Orlando-based band that combines the classical sound of violins, violas, and stringed instruments with the energy and irreverence of rock music. In addition to performing, members of the groups teach music to eager students. WUCF-TV is a Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) television station serving the Central Florida television market. The station, operated by the University of Central Florida, is the region's sole PBS member station, reaching an estimated population of 4.6 million people in its aerial viewing area. Arts and culture take center stage in WUCF-TV's weekly local series: "WUCF Artisodes." Each episode airs Thursdays at 8 p.m., featuring a local artist or initiative, as well as stories on the arts from across the country. Developed in partnership with 28 PBS stations nationwide, this series is part of WUCF-TV's mission to give everyone a front-row seat to the arts. This Artisodes Short originally aired as part of "WUCF Artisodes #147: Development through Diversity" on October 16, 2014.
Original 6-minute and 23-second audio/video recording of Violectric, WUCF-TV, Orlando, Florida, April 9, 2015: WUCF-TV, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.
Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Orlando, Florida
A postcard featuring a horse and buggy on Orange Avenue in Daytona, Florida, around 1910. Palm fronds, live oaks, and electric power lines line both sides of the street. In 1871, Mathias Day, Jr. (1824-1904), a migrant from Mansfield, Ohio, purchased a large tract of land along the west bank of the Halifax River, which included the former Williams Plantation. With the construction of Day's hotel, today's Daytona Beach Historic District was created. In 1876, residents named the city "Daytona," in honor of Day, when the area was incorporated as a town. Growth continued in 1886 when the St. Johns & Halifax River Railway extended to Daytona. In 1926, the towns of Daytona, Daytona Beach, Kingston, and Seabreeze merged together as Daytona Beach, in an effort led by J. B. Kahn. By this time, the beach had been nicknamed "The World's Most Famous Beach." Automobile and motorcycle races began in 1902, due to the smooth, compacted sand that covered the beach. Daytona Beach became the site of various land speed record attempts. On March 8, 1836, the first stock car race was held at the Daytona Beach Road Course, which is located in present-day Ponce Inlet. Bill France, Sr. (1909-1992) and the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) established the Daytona International Speedway in 1958 to replace the beach course.
Original 8 centimeter x 12 centimeter color postcard: "Daytona, Florida, Orange Avenue." The Hugh C. Leighton Company, Portland, Maine: accession number 1057, Stetson University Postcard Collection, Archive and Special Collections, duPont-Ball Library, Stetson University, DeLand, Florida.
Greetings from Florida's Indian River Section Postcard
A color postcard featuring the Indian River Section of Florida in 1941. The Indian River is a 121-mile long lagoon running from the Ponce de Leon inlet in New Smyrna Beach to the St. Lucie Inlet in Marion County. The lagoon was originally named Rio de Ais after the Ais tribe of East Florida.
Original 9 centimeter x 14 centimeter color postcard: "Greetings from Florida's Indian River Section." Curt Teich, Chicago, Illinois, 1941: Image number PC0055E, Postcard Collection, Florida State Archives, Division of Library and Information Services, Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida.
Florida Memory
A color postcard featuring the railway station in New Smyrna, Florida, in the 1890s. Although the postcard does not specify, this railway station was likely the Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Indian River Railway Company (later part of the Florida East Coast Railway Company) station within the city. In 1892, Henry Flagler (1830-1913) extended the Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Indian River Railway Company to New Smyrna, which resulted in increased growth for the town.
Original 9 centimeter x 14 centimeter color postcard: "New Smyrna, Fla. Railway Station." Hugh C. Leighton Company, Portland, Maine: Special Collections & University Archives, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.
Big Tree Park, the Oldest and Largest Cypress Tree in U.S.A. Postcard
A photographic postcard featuring The Senator, the giant bald cypress tree that was once the oldest and largest cypress tree in the country. At the time that the photograph was taken, The Senator was 3,500 yers old, 126 feet and 3 inches tall, and 47 feet in circumference. As early as the late 1800s, this centuries-old tree was considered a tourist attraction, but it wasn't until 1927 that a park was established around the tree. Senator Moses O. Overstreet donated six acres of land, which included the tree, to Seminole County to establish a park with the stipulation that a road would be built to take visitors into the park. The generosity of Sen. Overstreet inspired residents to name the giant cypress tree "The Senator." Located at 761 General Hutchinson Parkway in present-day Longwood, Florida, the new park was named the Seminole Big Tree Park in honor of the main attraction. In 1929, President Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933) dedicated a bronze plaque at the site of the tree. The plaque was stolen in 1945, which would place this photograph sometime between 1940 and 1945. Based on a core sample taken by the American Forestry Association, The Senator was estimated to be 3500 years old in 1946. The Big Tree Park also features another giant cypress estimated to be 2000 years old. In 2005, local elementary students named the tree Lady Liberty. It was considered to be the companion tree to The Senator, as they were only 40 feet apart. The Senator continued to be a tourist attraction and local landmark until January 16, 2012, when it was lost in a fire.
Original 14 x 9 centimeter black and white photographic postcard: "Big Tree Park." Special Collections & University Archives, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.
Seminole Big Tree Park, Longwood, Florida
Undertaker's Memorandum for Amos Arrington
Undertakers and undertaking--United States
An undertaker's memorandum for Amos Arrington (1892-1894), who passed away on August 11, 1894. Arrington was an African-American child who was just under two years old when he died. His address is listed as Middle Street, which was likely in the Orlando, Florida, where the Carey Hand Funeral Home was located. Arrington's physician was A. L. Prince. His cause of death was listed as marasmus, which is a severe malnutrition characterized by energy deficiency. Arrington was buried in Orlando, but the memorandum does not specify at which cemetery. The Carey Hand Funeral Home, originally located at 39 West Pine Street, was founded by Elijah Hand in 1885. Hand was the first known embalmer in Orlando. In 1907, his son, Carey Hand, inherited the funeral home. He passed away in 1947 and his wife sold the business the following year. In 1969, the Carey Hand Funeral Home merged with Cox-Parker Funeral Homes. Now called the Carey-Hand Cox Parker Funeral Home, the home is located at 1350 West Fairbanks Avenue in Winter Park, Florida.
Original memoranda, 1894: "Book 002: Carey Hand Funeral Home records, July 16, 1894 to December 31, 1896." Call number RA622 .C36, Carey Hand Funeral Home Records, Special Collections & University Archives, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.
Carey Hand Funeral Home, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Undertaker's Memorandum for Isaac Chapman
An undertaker's memorandum for Isaac Chapman (1792-1894), who passed away on August 30, 1894. Chapman was an African American who died at the age of 102 years and six months. His cause of death was listed as old age and cholera morbus. Chapman was buried in Orlando, Florida, but the memorandum does not specify at which cemetery. The African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church paid for his funeral expenses. The Carey Hand Funeral Home, originally located at 39 West Pine Street, was founded by Elijah Hand in 1885. Hand was the first known embalmer in Orlando. In 1907, his son, Carey Hand, inherited the funeral home. He passed away in 1947 and his wife sold the business the following year. In 1969, the Carey Hand Funeral Home merged with Cox-Parker Funeral Homes. Now called the Carey-Hand Cox Parker Funeral Home, the home is located at 1350 West Fairbanks Avenue in Winter Park, Florida.
Undertaker's Memorandum for Josephine L. Schultz
An undertaker's memorandum for Josephine L. Schultz (ca. 1854-1894), who passed away on October 22, 1894. Schultz was a female from Winter Park, Florida, who died at the age of 44. Her cause of death was listed as consumption, which is now more commonly known as tuberculosis. Schultz was buried in Orlando, but the memorandum does not specify at which cemetery. The Carey Hand Funeral Home, originally located at 39 West Pine Street, was founded by Elijah Hand in 1885. Hand was the first known embalmer in Orlando. In 1907, his son, Carey Hand, inherited the funeral home. He passed away in 1947 and his wife sold the business the following year. In 1969, the Carey Hand Funeral Home merged with Cox-Parker Funeral Homes. Now called the Carey-Hand Cox Parker Funeral Home, the home is located at 1350 West Fairbanks Avenue in Winter Park, Florida.
Fountain at Eola Park, Orlando: "The City Beautiful" Postcard
A postcard showing the Sperry Fountain on the southern shore of Lake Eola in Downtown Orlando, Florida. The fountain was named in honor of Frank E. Sperry (1843-1916), Mayor of Orlando from 1913 to 1916. Lake Eola and the surrounding park are one of the unusual features that sets the city of Orlando apart from other places. From its earliest days, Downtown Orlando was situated on the west side of the lake. As the town grew into a city, Lake Eola continued to be a focal point for the inhabitants, who used it for bathing, swimming, and fishing, while on its shores people picnicked and listened to concerts and religious services. Much of the land around Lake Eola was donated to Orlando by Jacob Summerlin (1820-1893), who designated that it be a public park. It has remained one ever since. The rest of the park land was donated by the Musselwhite family and Mayor Sperry. Once Sperry had settled in Orlando, he started the South Florida Foundry and Machine Works, which developed into a large enterprise and Orlando's first real industry. Sperry was active in the business for a number of years, but sold out his interest because of failing health. He also began to have a great interest in the growing of citrus in the county. He served as Mayor of Orlando and was also a member of the Park Commission. In 1913, while serving with the Park Commission, he donated the final piece of land on Lake Eola that completed a ring around the lake. On that land, he donated $2,000 to place a fountain that stands to this day and bears his name as a reminder of his generosity. The fountain, made of wrought iron was described as a "large acanthus leaf with a duck base surmounted by a bittern set in an octagonal masonry basin with eight vases." At the base of the fountain there is a plaque with the following statement: "This fountain donated by Frank E. Sperry, Mayor 1914 - 1916."
Original color postcard: ""Fountain at Eola Park, Orlando, Florida: 'The City Beautiful.'" Central Cigar and Tobacco Company, Orlando, Florida: Thomas and Georgine Mickler Collection, Special Collections & University Archives, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.
Sperry Fountain, Lake Eola Park, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Orlando Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Station Postcard
A color postcard featuring the Atlantic Coast Line (ACL) Railway Company station, located at 1400 Sligh Boulevard in Orlando, Florida, in the 1930s. This station was constructed in 1926 at a cost of $500,000 and was originally part of the ACL system. However, in 1967, the station joined the Seaboard Coast Line (SCL) Railroad, after a merger between the SCL and the ACL. With stucco facade and towers flanking its entrance, the station has been studied many times for its Mission Revival-style architecture. After being in operation for 65 years, the Orlando Amtrak station was in desperate need of renovations. In 1991, a collective of local organizations, companies and groups came together to fund the needed renovations.
Original 10 x 14 centimeter color postcard: "A.C.L. Railway Station, Orlando, Fla. 'The City Beautiful.'" Orange News Company, Orlando, Florida: Special Collections & University Archives, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company Station, Orlando, Florida
Downtown Orlando Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Station Postcard
A postcard featuring the Atlantic Coast Line (ACL) Railway Company station, located at 127 West Church Street in Downtown Orlando, Florida, in the early 20th century. The station was first constructed in 1880, connecting Orlando to Sanford. After the railroad was bought up by the Plant System in 1883 from the South Florida Railroad, it was extended to Tampa. This brought a large boom to Orlando's economy shipping cattle and lumber, but chiefly citrus. By 1926, the depot was becoming too small for the volume of trade going through, so the depot was moved south to what is today the Amtrak Station. This depot became run down until the mid-1970s, when Church Street Station opened up around the depot and stayed open until the early 2000s. Now, the station is used as a stop along the Sunrail Tram system.
Original 9 x 14 centimeter color postcard: "Atlantic Coast Line Depot, Orlando, Fla." H. and W. B. Drew Company, Orlando, Florida: Special Collections & University Archives, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company Station, Downtown Orlando, Florida
A postcard featuring the agricultural laborers working at a celery field in Orlando, Florida. The Orlando area was originally occupied by the Creek and Seminole tribes. In 1838, Fort Gatlin was erected on the shores of Lake Gatlin, just a few miles south of present-day Downtown Orlando. Centered around Church Street, Orlando became a city in 1884. Originally a cattle town, Orlando grew into a major citrus growing center by the 1920s. The city continued to grow during the Great Depression with aid from the Work Progress Administration (WPA). During World War II, Orlando became a major military center as well, with the development of the McCoy Air Force Base and Pinecastle Air Force Base, and with the addition of the Naval Training Center Orlando (NTC Orlando) in 1968. Downtown Orlando declined in the 1960s and 1970s. Redevelopment began in the 1970s and continued into the 1980s, with projects such as the Church Street Station entertainment complex. In 1998, a building boom began and continued through the 2000s.
Original black and white postcard: "Celery Field, Orlando, Fla.": Orange County Regional History Center, Orlando, Florida.
A postcard featuring Orange Court Apartment Hotel, located at 650 North Orange Avenue in Downtown Orlando, Florida. The hotel was designed in Spanish Revival architectural style by G. Lloyd Preacher (1882-1972) of Atlanta, Georgia, and constructed by G.A. Miller, Inc. (also known as the GA Miller Construction Company) in 1924. The hotel had 275 rooms, a Spanish garden, and a small orange grove. Orange Court was also one of the first hotels in Orlando to have a steam-heated swimming pool. The building was demolished in 1990.
Original color postcard: "Orange Court Apartment Hotel, Orlando, Florida." E. C. Kropp Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Special Collections & University Archives, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.
Orange Court Apartment Hotel, Downtown Orlando, Florida
A postcard featuring East First Street in Sanford, Florida, in the 1930s or 1940s. The Victory Bar and the Sanford Atlantic National Bank, which was located at 1010 East First Street can been seen on the left. On the right of the photograph is a drugstore with advertisements for Coca-Cola soft drinks.
Original 9 x 14 centimeter black and white photographic postcard: "First Street, Sanford, Florida": Special Collections & University Archives, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.
Weeki Wachee Spring on Florida's Gulf Coast Postcard
A postcard featuring an underwater mermaid at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park in 1949. Weeki Wachee, located at 6131 Commercial Way in Spring Hill, Florida, is best known for its famous tourist attraction, Weeki Wachee Springs. The attraction features performances by underwater mermaids, a glass-bottom boat ride, and other natural attractions. The springs are named after the Seminole words for "little spring" or "winding river." In 1946, former U.S. Navy member Newt Perry (1908-1987) began to develop a tourist attraction at Weeki Wachee. By the 1950s, Weeki Wachee was one of the top tourist stops in the United States. The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) purchased the site in 1959 and continued to expand. In 2008, Weeki Wachee was taken over by the state of Florida as a state park.
Original 9 x 14 centimeter color postcard: "Mermaid Performing at the Weeki Wachee Springs Waterpark." 1949: Image number PC12593, Postcard Collection, Florida State Archives, Division of Library and Information Services, Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida.
Weeki Wachee State Park, Spring Hill, Florida
Silver Springs: Nature's Underwater Fairyland Postcard
A color postcard featuring a model posing next to a horseshow palm at the Silver Springs State Park, formerly located at 1425 Northeast 58th Avenue in Silver Springs, Florida, in 1949. Silver Springs was originally settled by the Timucuans in the early 1500s. Although they were able to reclaim their territory after Spanish invasion, the Timucuans were ultimately succeeded by other tribes, such as the Seminoles. In the 1850s, Silver Springs began to attract tourists for steamboat rides. The park's popularity skyrocketed when the glass-bottom boat was invented in 1878.
Original 9 x 7 centimeter color postcard: "Model Posing Next to Lucky Horsehoe Palm Tree at Silver Springs." 1949: Image number PC12591, Postcard Collection, Florida State Archives, Division of Library and Information Services, Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida.
The Visitor Center at Bok Tower Gardens, located at 1151 Tower Boulevard in Lake Wales, Florida. These images were taken by Russell Moore in 2010. Edward Bok (1863-1930) retired to the town of Lake Wales, located south of Orlando. Bok set out a plan to establish a natural garden and bird sanctuary where people to visit to quietly enjoy nature. He engaged Frederick Law Olmstead, Jr. (1870-1957) to design the grounds and asked architect Milton Bennett Medary (1874-1929) to design and build a carillon tower. Lee Lawrie (1877-1963), a noted sculptor from New York, designed the elaborate marble sculpture that adorns the tower. Work was completed in 1928 and on February 1, 1929, President Calvin Coolidge dedicated the Sanctuary. Bok died less than a year later in 1930 and was buried at the foot of the tower. The tower and the carillon housed inside is Bok Tower Gardens' most distinctive feature. The carillon consists of 60 bells, ranging in size from 16 pounds to just under 12 tons. The bells are played like an organ with the keys connected to the clappers of each bell. Bok Tower has had only three regular carillonneurs in its more than 70 years. The Sanctuary's first carillonneur was Anton Brees, serving as the only carillonneur from 1928 until 1967. Milford Myhre has been the resident carillonneur since 1968. William De Turk has been the assistant carillonneur since 1993. De Turk is also the librarian of the Anton Brees Carillon Library, which is reportedly the largest and most comprehensive carillon library in the world.
Original color digital images by Russell Moore, March 7, 2010: Private Collection of Russell Moore.
Visitor Center, Bok Tower Gardens, Lake Wales, Florida
Bok Tower Gardens, located at 1151 Tower Boulevard in Lake Wales, Florida. These images were taken by Russell Moore in 2010. Edward Bok (1863-1930) retired to the town of Lake Wales, located south of Orlando. Bok set out a plan to establish a natural garden and bird sanctuary where people to visit to quietly enjoy nature. He engaged Frederick Law Olmstead, Jr. (1870-1957) to design the grounds and asked architect Milton Bennett Medary (1874-1929) to design and build a carillon tower. Lee Lawrie (1877-1963), a noted sculptor from New York, designed the elaborate marble sculpture that adorns the tower. Work was completed in 1928 and on February 1, 1929, President Calvin Coolidge dedicated the Sanctuary. Bok died less than a year later in 1930 and was buried at the foot of the tower. The tower and the carillon housed inside is Bok Tower Gardens' most distinctive feature. The carillon consists of 60 bells, ranging in size from 16 pounds to just under 12 tons. The bells are played like an organ with the keys connected to the clappers of each bell. Bok Tower has had only three regular carillonneurs in its more than 70 years. The Sanctuary's first carillonneur was Anton Brees, serving as the only carillonneur from 1928 until 1967. Milford Myhre has been the resident carillonneur since 1968. William De Turk has been the assistant carillonneur since 1993. De Turk is also the librarian of the Anton Brees Carillon Library, which is reportedly the largest and most comprehensive carillon library in the world.
Bok Tower, located at 1151 Tower Boulevard in Lake Wales, Florida. These images were taken by Russell Moore in 2010. Edward Bok (1863-1930) retired to the town of Lake Wales, located south of Orlando. Bok set out a plan to establish a natural garden and bird sanctuary where people to visit to quietly enjoy nature. He engaged Frederick Law Olmstead, Jr. (1870-1957) to design the grounds and asked architect Milton Bennett Medary (1874-1929) to design and build a carillon tower. Lee Lawrie (1877-1963), a noted sculptor from New York, designed the elaborate marble sculpture that adorns the tower. Work was completed in 1928 and on February 1, 1929, President Calvin Coolidge dedicated the Sanctuary. Bok died less than a year later in 1930 and was buried at the foot of the tower. The tower and the carillon housed inside is Bok Tower Gardens' most distinctive feature. The carillon consists of 60 bells, ranging in size from 16 pounds to just under 12 tons. The bells are played like an organ with the keys connected to the clappers of each bell. Bok Tower has had only three regular carillonneurs in its more than 70 years. The Sanctuary's first carillonneur was Anton Brees, serving as the only carillonneur from 1928 until 1967. Milford Myhre has been the resident carillonneur since 1968. William De Turk has been the assistant carillonneur since 1993. De Turk is also the librarian of the Anton Brees Carillon Library, which is reportedly the largest and most comprehensive carillon library in the world.
President Calvin Coolidge Dedication Marker at Bok Tower Gardens
The dedication marker for a palm tree planted by President Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933) on February 1, 1929, at Bok Tower Gardens, located at 1151 Tower Boulevard in Lake Wales, Florida. These images were taken by Russell Moore in 2010. Edward Bok (1863-1930) retired to the town of Lake Wales, located south of Orlando. Bok set out a plan to establish a natural garden and bird sanctuary where people to visit to quietly enjoy nature. He engaged Frederick Law Olmstead, Jr. (1870-1957) to design the grounds and asked architect Milton Bennett Medary (1874-1929) to design and build a carillon tower. Lee Lawrie (1877-1963), a noted sculptor from New York, designed the elaborate marble sculpture that adorns the tower. Work was completed in 1928 and on February 1, 1929, President Calvin Coolidge dedicated the Sanctuary. Bok died less than a year later in 1930 and was buried at the foot of the tower. The tower and the carillon housed inside is Bok Tower Gardens' most distinctive feature. The carillon consists of 60 bells, ranging in size from 16 pounds to just under 12 tons. The bells are played like an organ with the keys connected to the clappers of each bell. Bok Tower has had only three regular carillonneurs in its more than 70 years. The Sanctuary's first carillonneur was Anton Brees, serving as the only carillonneur from 1928 until 1967. Milford Myhre has been the resident carillonneur since 1968. William De Turk has been the assistant carillonneur since 1993. De Turk is also the librarian of the Anton Brees Carillon Library, which is reportedly the largest and most comprehensive carillon library in the world.
Original color digital image by Russell Moore, March 7, 2010: Private Collection of Russell Moore.
First Lady Grace Coolidge Dedication Marker at Bok Tower Gardens
The dedication marker for a palm tree planted by First Lady Grace Coolidge (1879-1957), the wife of President Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933), on February 1, 1929, at Bok Tower Gardens, located at 1151 Tower Boulevard in Lake Wales, Florida. These images were taken by Russell Moore in 2010. Edward Bok (1863-1930) retired to the town of Lake Wales, located south of Orlando. Bok set out a plan to establish a natural garden and bird sanctuary where people to visit to quietly enjoy nature. He engaged Frederick Law Olmstead, Jr. (1870-1957) to design the grounds and asked architect Milton Bennett Medary (1874-1929) to design and build a carillon tower. Lee Lawrie (1877-1963), a noted sculptor from New York, designed the elaborate marble sculpture that adorns the tower. Work was completed in 1928 and on February 1, 1929, President Calvin Coolidge dedicated the Sanctuary. Bok died less than a year later in 1930 and was buried at the foot of the tower. The tower and the carillon housed inside is Bok Tower Gardens' most distinctive feature. The carillon consists of 60 bells, ranging in size from 16 pounds to just under 12 tons. The bells are played like an organ with the keys connected to the clappers of each bell. Bok Tower has had only three regular carillonneurs in its more than 70 years. The Sanctuary's first carillonneur was Anton Brees, serving as the only carillonneur from 1928 until 1967. Milford Myhre has been the resident carillonneur since 1968. William De Turk has been the assistant carillonneur since 1993. De Turk is also the librarian of the Anton Brees Carillon Library, which is reportedly the largest and most comprehensive carillon library in the world.
The Pinewood Estate at Bok Tower Gardens, located at 1151 Tower Boulevard in Lake Wales, Florida. The Pinewood Estate is a mansion that was constructed for Charles Austin Buck, the vice president of the Bethlehem Steel Corporation. In 1929, William Lyman Phillips, an architect at Frederick Law Olmstead, Jr.'s (1822-1903) firm, began designing the gardens. In 1930, Charles Wait began designing the house in the Mediterranean style of architecture. Originally called "El Retiro," which means "The Retreat" in Spanish, the estate was acquired by Nellie Lee Holt Bok , the daughter of Bok Tower Gardens founder Edward W. Bok (1863-1930), and renamed the "Pinewood Estate" in 1970.These images were taken by Russell Moore in 2010.
Pinewood Estate, Bok Tower Gardens, Lake Wales, Florida
An oral history interview of Marc Ennis, who joined the U.S. Navy in December of 1990 and attended Recruit Training Center Orlando (RTC Orlando) for boot camp at age 17. After boot camp, he attended Electronic Warfare training at Corry Station Naval Technical Training Center in Pensacola, Florida, and reported to his first ship, USS Gunston Hall, at Little Creek, Virginia. After three and a half years, Ennis trained at aircrew school in Pensacola and then Millington, Tennessee, to become an Aviation Warfare Sensor Operator and rescue swimmer for Sikorsky SH-60/MH-60 Seahawk helicopters. He also joined the fleet replacement squadron aircrew for Helicopter Squadron 1 in Jacksonville, and then reported to his first fleet squadron, Helicopter Squadron 5 (HS-5), also in Jacksonville. After completing his service for HS-5, Ennis reported to the helicopter wing as an instructor. After three years instructing, he transferred to Naval Air Facility Atsugi in Yamato and Ayase, Japan, for sea duty with Helicopter Squadron 14. This interview was conducted by Kendra Hazen and includes topics such as Ennis' background and family, RTC Orlando, his Navy life after training, Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD), and the simulation industry in Central Florida.
Ennis, Marc. Interviewed by Kendra Hazen, February 22, 2014. Audio/video record available. Item DP0014894, UCF Community Veterans History Project, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida Libraries, Orlando, Florida.
RICHES of Central Florida
Recruit Training Center, Orlando, Florida
Corry Station Naval Technical Training Center, Pensacola, Florida
Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Yamato-Ayase, Japan
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.
An oral history interview of Robert Matthews (b. 1957), who served in the U.S. Navy during the Cold War era. Matthews was born in Lake Wales, Florida, on May 23, 1957. He enlisted in the Navy in February of 1977 and was discharged in July of 1984. During his service, Matthews was stationed at Recruit Training Center Orlando (RTC Orlando), Naval Air Station Memphis (NAS Memphis), and Naval Air Maintenance Training Detachment (NAMTRADET) at Naval Air Station Jacksonville (NAS Jacksonville). He also served in Attack Squadron 174 (VA-174) and VA-87. Matthews was a Master Training Specialist and received an Expeditionary Medal. This interview was conducted by Mark Miller on March 28, 2014. Interview topics include Matthews' background, enlistment, training at RTC Orlando, the USS Blue Jacket, the Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC), Matthews' naval career, NAWCTSD, and the Lone Sailor Memorial Project.
Matthews, Robert. Interviewed by Mark Miller, March 28, 2014. Audio/video record available. Item DP0014900, UCF Community Veterans History Project, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida Libraries, Orlando, Florida.
Recruit Training Center, Naval Training Center Orlando, Orlando, Florida
Naval Air Station Memphis, Millington, Tennessee
Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Naval Training Center Orlando, Orlando, Florida
Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Naval Support Activity, Orlando, Florida
Naval Air Station Cecil Field, Duvall County, Florida
Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Jacksonville, Florida
Oral History of Gordon Pierce and Trina Cothrin
An oral history interview of Gordon Pierce (b. 1930) and Trina Cothrin, who both served in the U.S. Navy. Pierce was born in Buffalo, New York, on September 16, 1930. He enlisted in the Navy in 1948 and served until September of 1977, during the Cold War era and the Vietnam War. During his service, Pierce was station on the USS Wasp, the USS Coral Sea, the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt, and the USS John F. Kennedy. He achieved the rank of Master Chief Petty Officer and earned a Navy Commendation Medal and a Navy Achievement Medal. Pierce's daughter, Trina Cothrin (b. 1958), was born in Jacksonville, Florida, on October 13, 1958. Cothrin enlisted in the Navy in October of 1979 and served until October of 1982, when her son was born. She was then in the U.S. Naval Reserve until 1993, when she joined the U.S. Army. She left the military in 2009, after serving in Operation Enduring Freedom during the War in Afghanistan. Throughout her service, Cothrin was stationed at Naval Air Station Miramar (NAS Miramar) in California, Naval Air Station Jacksonville (NAS Jacksonville), U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) in Qatar, and MacDill Air Force Base (MacDill AFB) in Tampa. She ultimately achieved the rank of Chief Yeoman. This oral history interview was conducted by Roger Jordan Sims on March 12, 2014. Interview topics include enlistment, boot camp, Naval Training Center Orlando (NTC Orlando), the Vietnam War, Operation Enduring Freedom and the War in Afghanistan, life after leaving the Navy, how Central Florida has changed over time, the legacy of NTC Orlando, and the Lone Sailor Memorial Project.
Pierce, Gordon. Interviewed by Roger Jordan Sims, March 12, 2014. UCF Community Veterans History Project, DP0014915. Audio/video record available. UCF Community Veterans History Project, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida Libraries, Orlando, Florida.
Cothrin, Trina. Interviewed by Roger Jordan Sims. UCF Community Veterans History Project, DP0014914. March 12, 2014. Audio/video record available. UCF Community Veterans History Project, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida Libraries, Orlando, Florida.
Naval Station Great Lakes, Great Lakes, Illinois
Naval Air Station Sanford, Sanford, Florida
Naval Air Station Key West, Key West, Florida
Naval Training Center Orlando, Orlando, Florida
Naval Air Station Miramar, Miramar, San Diego, California
An oral history interview of Philip Rogers (b. 1953), who served in the U.S. Navy from 1978 to 1998. Rogers was born in the Bronx borough of New York City, New York, in 1953. He attended Lehman College for undergraduate school and Indiana University for graduate school. In May of 1978, Rogers was commissioned as an officer and assigned to teach engineering at the Nuclear Power School at Naval Training Center Orlando (NTC Orlando). After four and a half years, he became an Engineering Duty Office in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. This interview was conducted by Killian Hiltz in Orlando on November 14, 2014. Interview topics include Rogers' background, becoming a commissioned officer, teaching at the Nuclear Power School at NTC Orlando, serving as an Engineering Duty Officer in Pearl Harbor, serving in the Naval Reserves, advanced training, the USS Nathan Hale, the Cold War, the University of Central Florida (UCF), his wife and family, and the terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001.
Rogers, Philip. Interviewed by Killian Hiltz, November 14, 2014. Audio/video record available. Item DP0016191, UCF Community Veterans History Project, Naval Training Center Orlando, Orlando, Florida.
University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida
An oral history interview of Richard Tobias Sloane (b. 1934), who served in the U.S. Navy from 1964 to 1969, during the Vietnam War. Sloane was born in Queens, New York City, New York, on March 4, 1934. In August of 1964, he was commissioned into the Navy. Sloane served in Vietnam from September of 1967 to September of 1968. He also served on the USS Rockbridge, USS Santa Barbara in River Section 35, the USS Garcia, the USS Wisconsin, and the USS Blue Jacket. Sloane achieved the rank of Captain and earned a Purple Heart, Bronze Star with V Device, Legion of Merit, Combat Action Award, and Navy E Ribbon. This oral history interview was conducted by Carli Van Zandt on March 5, 2014. Interview topics include Sloane's background, joining the Navy, the USS Rockbridge, Officer Candidate School (OCS), the Vietnam War, Naval Training Center (NTC) Orlando, the Grinder, the USS Blue Jacket, airbases in Central Florida, the simulation industry, and the Lone Sailor Memorial Project.
Sloane, Richard T.. Interviewed by Carli Van Zandt, March 5, 2014. Audio/video record available. Item DP0014912, UCF Community Veterans History Project, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida Libraries, Orlando, Florida.
Officer Candidate School, Newport, Rhode Island
An oral history interview of William Reuter (b. 1961), who served in the U.S. Navy from 1979 until 2012. Reuter was born in Camden, New Jersey on April 21, 1961. He served in Libya during the Action in the Gulf of Sidra and in the fjords of Norway. Reuter achieved the rank of Captain, earned a Legion of Merit, and served as Executive Officer (XO) at the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD) at Naval Training Center (NTC) Orlando. This oral history interview was conducted by Daniel Bradfield on March 10, 2014. Interview topics include Reuter's experiences as XO at NAWCTSD, the simulation industry, Recruit Training Center (RTC) Orlando, the Lone Sailor Memorial Project, and applying to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
Reuter, William. Interviewed by Daniel Bradfield, March 10, 2014. UCF Community Veterans History Project, DP0014907. Audio/video record available. UCF Community Veterans History Project, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida Libraries, Orlando, Florida.
An oral history interview of Curt Sawyer (b. 1954), who served in the U.S. Army from 1986 to 1994. Sawyer was born in San Francisco, California, on May 1, 1965, but grew up in Tennessee. While living in Fort Myers, Florida, in 1986, Sawyer joined the Army. During his service, he participated in training exercises with the French Foreign Legion in Corsica and served at Guard Post Ouellette in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between North Korea and South Korea. Sawyer achieved the rank of First Lieutenant and received the Expert Infantryman Badge. He was also a graduate of the Army Ranger School, Army Airborne School, Army Air Assault School, and Army Rappelling School. This interview was conducted by Robin Dunn at the University of Central Florida (UCF) on November 13, 2014. Interview topics include attending the United States Military Academy at West Point, Airborne School and Air Assault School, serving in South Korea, the 1st Ranger Regiment, meeting his wife, his post-Army life, and training with the French Foreign Legion.
Sawyer, Curt. Interviewed by Robin Dunn, November 13, 2014. Audio/video record available. Item DP0016000, UCF Community Veterans History Project, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida Libraries, Orlando, Florida.
United States Military Academy at West Point, West Point, New York
Guard Post Ouellete, Demilitarized Zone, South Korea
Eglin Air Force Base, Okaloosa County, Florida
An oral history interview of Chad Etchison (b. 1974), who joined the U.S. Navy in December of 1992 and served during Operation Active Endeavor and the Global War on Terror (GWOT). Ethicson was born in Anderson, Indiana, on December 12, 1974. He attended boot camp at Naval Training Center Orlando (NTC Orlando) and later served on several Navy frigates. He also served President Bill Clinton (b. 1946) as part of the White House Communication Agency and attended the Fleet Combat Training Center in Dam Neck, Virginia. In Orlando, Etchison served at the Naval Expeditionary Combat Command Operations Force Center and the Navy Operations Support Center. Ethicson achieved the rank of Senior Chief Petty Officer (CPO) and earned a Joint Service Commendation Medal, two Navy Commendation Medals, five Navy Achievement Medals, and a Presidential Service Badge. This interview was conducted by Chad Eric Joyner on March 15, 2014, three months before Etchison left the Navy. Interview topics include enlistment, boot camp, NTC Orlando, the Grinder, Ethcison's naval career after Orlando, and how the Orlando area has changed over time.
Ethcison, Chad. Interviewed by Chad Eric Joyner, March 15, 2014. Audio record available. Item DP0014895, UCF Community Veterans History Project, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida Libraries, Orlando, Florida.
Recruit Training Center Orlando, Orlando, Florida
Naval Training Center Great Lakes, Great Lakes, Illinois
Naval Training Center San Diego, San Diego, California
Naval Station Mayport, Jacksonville, Florida
Navy Operations Support Center, Orlando, Florida
An oral history interview of Michael Partain (b. 1968), who served in the U.S. Navy during the Cold War Era. Partain was born at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina on January 30, 1968. He enlisted in the Navy on January 2, 1988, but was disqualified due to illness on February 20. During his short service, Partain trained at Naval Training Center Orlando (NTC Orlando). This oral history interview was conducted by Amanda Hill on March 6, 2014. Interview topics include Partain's background, enlistment, basic training, advanced training at the Nuclear Propulsion School, the effect of the Navy's presence in Central Florida on the region, NTC Orlando, training, his illness and subsequent qualification, and life after leaving the Navy.
Partain, Michael. Interviewed by Amanda Hill, March 6, 2014. Audio/video record available. Item DP0014905, UCF Community Veterans History Project, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida Libraries, Orlando, Florida.
Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina
Recruit Training Center Orlando, Naval Training Center Orlando, Orlando, Florida
An oral history interview of Ray Sturm (b. 1963), who served in the U.S. Army from 1983 to 1989. Sturm was born in Winter Park, Florida, on October 22, 1963. He enlisted in the Army in 1983 and completed his basic training and advanced training at Fort Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina. Sturm then served at Herzo Base in Herzogenaurach, Germany. He served in the 210th Field Artillery Brigade and 34th Infantry Division, and achieved the rank of Sergeant. This interview was conducted by Katie Hollingsworth in Orlando, Florida, on November 13, 2014. Interview topics include basic training and advanced training at Fort Jackson, Herzo Base, his rank as Sergeant, Fort Stewart, the 24th Infantry Division, comradery, Sturm's interest in music, and his post-military life.
Sturm, Ray. Interviewed by Katie Hollingsworth, November 13, 2014. Audio/video record available. Item DP0016004, UCF Community Veterans History Project, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida Libraries, Orlando, Florida.
Herzo Base, Herzogenaurach, Hesse, Germany
An oral history of Paul Mikler (1916-2000)), a history teacher and coach from Oviedo, Florida. Mikler was born on July 8, 1916, and was raised in Slavia, an unincorporated community that was once part of Oviedo. He taught at Oviedo High School (OHS), where he was seminal in shaping the school's baseball program, from 1946 to 1970. Mikler passed away on April 12, 2000. Interview topics include Slovak immigrants in Oviedo, the importance of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, the celery industry, Judge R. W. Ware's praise of Oviedo, driving a Ford Model T automobile, Florida State Road 426 (SR 426), visiting Orlando, grocery and clothes shopping, the increase of drug use of youths over the years, and the future of the city, the state, and the country.
Mikler, Paul. Museum of Seminole County History, Oviedo, Florida.
St. Luke's Lutheran Church, Oviedo, Florida
Slemons Department Store, Orlando, Florida
An oral history interview of Terry W. Wheeler (b. 1959), who served in the U.S. Army, during the Cold War. Wheeler was born in Fort Lee, Virginia, in 1959. He joined the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) and was commissioned into the Army on December 28, 1981. He earned the rank of Captain, as well as several awards and commendations: the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the Army Achievement Medal, and the Army Commendation Medal. Wheeler served in Fort Knox, Kentucky, Schweinfurt, West Germany, and Fort Benning, Georgia. This interview was conducted by Taylor Johnson at the University of Central Florida (UCF) on November 13, 2014. Interview topics include training at Fort Knox, duties as an Armor Officer, assignment in West Germany, Fort Benning, duties as a Tank Company commander, combat simulations, resigning from the Army and attending graduate school, and employment in the private sector.
Wheeler, Terry W. Interviewed by Taylor Johnson, November 13, 2014. Audio/video record available. Item DP0016010, UCF Community Veterans History Project, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida Libraries, Orlando, Florida.
Schweinfurt, Lower Franconia, Bavaria, Germany
U.S. Army Infrantry School, Fort Benning, Georgia
The Apopka Seaboard Air Line Railway Station, located at 36 East Station Street in Apopka, Florida, in 2014. The depot was built in 1918 after a tornado destroyed the original brick building. It operated until the 1960s as a train station, primarily for passenger service though it did have a freight bay. The building was sold to a man who owned a meat store, and was used for storage until Matt Jordan, the current owner, bought the building. The building was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1993.
Original color digital images by Lehman Connolly, February 7, 2014.
Apopka Seaboard Air Line Railroad Depot, Apopka, Florida
Apopka Seaboard Air Line Railroad Depot, 1960s
The Apopka Seaboard Air Line Railway Station, located at 36 East Station Street in Apopka, Florida, in the 1960s. The depot was built in 1918 after a tornado destroyed the original brick building. It operated until the 1960s as a train station, primarily for passenger service though it did have a freight bay. The building was sold to a man who owned a meat store, and was used for storage until Matt Jordan, the current owner, bought the building. The building was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1993.
Photocopy of original black and white photograph: Apopka Historical Society and Museum of the Apopkans, Apopka, Florida.
Apopka Seaboard Air Line Railroad Depot, 1988
The Apopka Seaboard Air Line Railway Station, located at 36 East Station Street in Apopka, Florida, in 1988. The depot was built in 1918 after a tornado destroyed the original brick building. It operated until the 1960s as a train station, primarily for passenger service though it did have a freight bay. The building was sold to a man who owned a meat store, and was used for storage until Matt Jordan, the current owner, bought the building. The building was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1993. This photograph was taken by a Seaboard Air Line railway operator.
Photocopy of original black and white photograph, 1988: Apopka Historical Society and Museum of the Apopkans, Apopka, Florida.
The Oviedo Depot, originally located at 520 South Lake Jessup Avenue in Oviedo, Florida, in 1970. The depot was built in 1886 as part of Henry B. Plant's (1819-1899) railroad system. The Plant System ran from Jacksonville to Key West. The design of the depot was based on the design standards set by the Plant System. This standardized system for the Florida lines had three depot styles based on the population of the town or city it serviced. The Oviedo design was the small town wooden depot design, as opposed to the larger cities that had brick depots. The depot was later moved to its present location at 636 South Lake Jessup Road. During World War II, the roof of the depot was used as guide for patrolling planes that flew out of Sanford Airport. Along with the depot, there was originally a red warehouse for the produce and a water tank used for the train engines. In the 1970s, the depot was sold to the Connolly family, which chose to preserve it from demolition. The depot now sits on the Connolly's property as a guesthouse and its exterior is fully restored.
Print reproduction of original 4 x 3 inch black and white photograph by R. Randolph Stevens, 1970.
Arcadia Publishing
The Oviedo Depot, originally located at 520 South Lake Jessup Avenue in Oviedo, Florida, in 2014. The depot was built in 1886 as part of Henry B. Plant's (1819-1899) railroad system. The Plant System ran from Jacksonville to Key West. The design of the depot was based on the design standards set by the Plant System. This standardized system for the Florida lines had three depot styles based on the population of the town or city it serviced. The Oviedo design was the small town wooden depot design, as opposed to the larger cities that had brick depots. The depot was later moved to its present location at 636 South Lake Jessup Road. During World War II, the roof of the depot was used as guide for patrolling planes that flew out of Sanford Airport. Along with the depot, there was originally a red warehouse for the produce and a water tank used for the train engines. In the 1970s, the depot was sold to the Connolly family, which chose to preserve it from demolition. The depot now sits on the Connolly's property as a guesthouse and its exterior is fully restored.
Original 5 x 4 inch color photographs by Eric Smalls, March 2014.
The Old Orlando Railroad Depot, located at 127 West Church Street in Orlando, Florida, sometime between 1881 and 1890. The station was first constructed in 1880 connecting Orlando to Sanford. After the railroad was bought up by the Plant System in 1883 from the South Florida Railroad, it was extended to Tampa. This brought a large boom to Orlando's economy shipping cattle and lumber, but chiefly citrus. By 1926, the depot was becoming too small for the volume of trade going through, so the depot was moved south to what is today the Amtrak Station. The depot became run down until the mid-1970s when Church Street Station opened up around the depot and stayed open until the early 2000s. Now the station is used as a stop along the SunRail Tram system.
Digital reproduction of original 8 x 10 inch black and white photoprint: Reference Collection, shelf number 12360, call number RC18768, Florida Photographic Collection, State Library and Archives of Florida, Tallahassee, Florida.
State Library and Archives of Florida
Old Orlando Railroad Depot, Orlando, Florida
The Old Orlando Railroad Depot, located at 127 West Church Street in Orlando, Florida, in the 1970s. The station was first constructed in 1880 connecting Orlando to Sanford. After the railroad was bought up by the Plant System in 1883 from the South Florida Railroad, it was extended to Tampa. This brought a large boom to Orlando's economy shipping cattle and lumber, but chiefly citrus. By 1926, the depot was becoming too small for the volume of trade going through, so the depot was moved south to what is today the Amtrak Station. The depot became run down until the mid-1970s when Church Street Station opened up around the depot and stayed open until the early 2000s. Now the station is used as a stop along the SunRail Tram system.
Digital reproduction of original 7 x 10 inch black and white photograph: Prints Collection, call number PR13725, Florida Photographic Collection, State Library and Archives of Florida, Tallahassee, Florida.
Church Street Station, Downtown Orlando, Florida
The Old Orlando Railroad Depot, located at 127 West Church Street in Orlando, Florida, in 2007. The station was first constructed in 1880 connecting Orlando to Sanford. After the railroad was bought up by the Plant System in 1883 from the South Florida Railroad, it was extended to Tampa. This brought a large boom to Orlando's economy shipping cattle and lumber, but chiefly citrus. By 1926, the depot was becoming too small for the volume of trade going through, so the depot was moved south to what is today the Amtrak Station. The depot became run down until the mid-1970s when Church Street Station opened up around the depot and stayed open until the early 2000s. Now the station is used as a stop along the SunRail Tram system.
Original color photograph by John Bradley, April 21, 2007: Wikimedia Commons.
Wikimedia Commons
The Kissimmee Railroad Station, located at 111 Dakin Avenue, in Kissimmee, Florida, in 2014. This train station was first created in 1882 by the South Florida Railroad Company. It originally served as a means for the people of Allendale (present-day Kissimmee) to ship off their lumber and animal skins. As time went on, this depot was where orange farmers and cattle ranchers shipped their produce. Now this station is owned by Amtrak and serves as destination where railroad-bound tourists can go take the Greyhound bus to Walt Disney World or other locations.
Original color digital images by Marina Santos, March 2, 2014.
Kissimmee Railroad Station, Kissimmee, Florida
Lake Wales Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Depot and Lake Wales Depot Museum
The Lake Wales Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Depot, located at 325 South Scenic Highway, in Lake Wales, Florida, in 2014. The depot was established in 1928 by the R. W. Burrows Construction Company. It was the second station built in Lake Wales since the coming of the railroad in 1911. It continued to operate as a functioning railroad depot for several decades. In 1978, the depot was dedicated as the Lake Wales Depot Museum, housing the local history of the Railroad Depot and the City of Lake Wales.
Original color digital image by Tyler Campbell, February 21, 2014.
Lake Wales Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Depot and Lake Wales Depot Museum, Lake Wales, Florida
The Mount Dora Train Station, located at 341 North Alexander Street in Mount Dora, Florida, in 1915. 1886 was when the first railroad stopped in Mount Dora, connecting Jacksonville to Tampa. The Mount Dora Depot cost $8,223 to build. The last passenger train left Mount Dora in 1950 and freight was discontinued in 1973. On March 5, 1992, the station was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
Digital reproduction of original black and white photograph, 1915: Division of Historical Resources, Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida.
Mount Dora Train Station, Mount Dora, Florida
Last Train at the Mount Dora Train Station
The last passenger train at the Mount Dora Train Station, located at 341 North Alexander Street in Mount Dora, Florida, in 2012. 1886 was when the first railroad stopped in Mount Dora, connecting Jacksonville to Tampa. The Mount Dora Depot cost $8,223 to build. The last passenger train left Mount Dora in 1950 and freight was discontinued in 1973. On March 5, 1992, the station was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
Digital reproduction of original color image by Kevin Andrusia on RailPictures.Net, January 2012.
The Mount Dora Train Station, located at 341 North Alexander Street in Mount Dora, Florida, in 1920. 1886 was when the first railroad stopped in Mount Dora, connecting Jacksonville to Tampa. The Mount Dora Depot cost $8,223 to build. The last passenger train left Mount Dora in 1950 and freight was discontinued in 1973. On March 5, 1992, the station was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
Print reproduction of original black and white postcard, 1920: Lynn M. Homan and Thomas Reilly. Mount Dora. Charleston, SC: Arcadia, 2000.
Mount Dora Train Station Historic Marker
The U.S. National Register of Historic Places plaque at the Mount Dora Train Station, located at 341 North Alexander Street in Mount Dora, Florida, in 2007. 1886 was when the first railroad stopped in Mount Dora, connecting Jacksonville to Tampa. The Mount Dora Depot cost $8,223 to build. The last passenger train left Mount Dora in 1950 and freight was discontinued in 1973. On March 5, 1992, the station was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
Original color digital image by Ebyabe, May 20, 2007.
Punta Gorda Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Depot
The Punta Gorda Train Depot, also known as the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Depot, was erected in Punta Gorda, Florida, in 1928. The depot was built with in Spanish style that was popular at the time and resembles a Mediterranean resort. It was built to service mostly freight but passengers were also carried. On east side of the building lay the tracks. During the segregation era, the depot's entrance had different doors for "whites" and "coloreds." Two different waiting areas and bathrooms were built to separate passengers.
Original color digital images by Joseph Ortner, March 2014.
Punta Gorda Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Depot, Punta Gorda, Florida
Atlantic Coast Line Workers at Sanford Railyard
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL) workers at the railroad depot located on West Eighth Street in Downtown Sanford, Florida, around 1906. This depot was originally part of the South Florida Railroad, which held its groundbreaking ceremony for the new railroad station on Oak Avenue in 1880, with former President Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885) in attendance. In 1893, the South Florida Railroad was bought out by Henry B. Plant (1819-1899) to save it from bankruptcy and incorporated into his own railroad system. Shortly thereafter, in the winter of 1894-1895, a freeze hit Sanford, destroying the entire citrus crop. This brought an end to what had been Sanford's thriving citrus industry prompting the development of its vegetable industry. By the 1900s, Sanford was one of the largest vegetable shipping centers in the United States gaining the nickname of "The Celery City" for its most successful crop. Upon Plant's death in 1902, his widow, Margaret Josephine Loughman, sold his railroad system to the Atlantic Coast Line (ACL). The arrival of the ACL in Sanford brought many new railroad workers as the city grew into a hub for shipping produce to surrounding areas. Rand Yard, the ACL's freight yard, housed a car shop, engine servicing facility, small locomotive shop, and the state's largest railroad ice plant. In the early 1900s, Lake Jesup farmers began demanding that the ACL build a line for them to ship their produce into town. The ACL refused; in response, the give biggest growers chartered the Sanford and Everglades Railroad with Sydney Octavius Chase, Sr. (1860-1941) as the president. The new line was completed as an ACL branch at Lake Charm. The ACL was prompted to buy out the new line in 1913 when the Seaboard Air Line (SAL) showed interest in buying it, thus incorporating the branch which became the most profitable in the ACL system. By the mid-1900s, the amount of good farmland was shrinking in Sanford due to development, driving farmers further south to farms with much more acreage. This, coupled with the establishment of Naval Air Station Sanford (NAS Sanford), turned the city's focus from agriculture to the military. In 1967, the ACL merged with the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad (SCL) and later was acquired by CSX. Today, the railroad station originally built by the ACL is no longer in use.
Original 6.625 x 4.625 inch black and white photographic print: Vincent Collection, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Atlantic Coast Line Railyard, Sanford, Florida
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Passenger Cars at Fort Pierce
The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL) passenger cars at the depot in Fort Pierce, Florida, during the 1950s. The Fort Pierce train station was located along the tracks that now run through Downtown Fort Pierce. Henry Flagler (1830-1913) expanded his Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) down the Florida east coast from Jacksonville in 1894, forever transforming the economic development of Florida. In 1911, Fort Pierce was established as a division point for the FEC. This new and efficient form of transportation began to take the place of coastal and canal transportation such as cargo shipping and commuter travel and significantly developed the connection between northern markets and southern products. Citrus, sugar, and pineapple farmers and fishermen located on the coast established packinghouses near the station. It also affected the population growth of these areas, as passengers found it easier, faster, and more comfortable to travel further south. New employment opportunities also drew in a heavy population, rapidly expanding the agricultural economy of Fort Pierce, which economically benefited immensely from this expansion. The original Fort Pierce train station was torn down and replaced in 1967. A replica of the old depot is located at the entrance of the St. Lucie County Regional History Center building and also houses the "Train Station Room," which includes dioramas, models, murals and photographs of historic Fort Pierce.
Digital reproduction of original 8 x 10 inch black and white photoprint by Harry Wolfe: Reference Collection, shelf number 14025, image number RC03667, Florida Photographic Collection, State Library and Archives of Florida, Tallahassee, Florida.
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, Fort Pierce, Florida
Florida East Coast Railway Company Engine No. 30 in Fort Pierce
The Florida East Coast Railway Company (FEC) Engine No. 30 in Fort Pierce, Florida. This photograph is of the northbound FEC train and was taken from the viewpoint of the water tank. The Fort Pierce train station was located along the tracks that now run through Downtown Fort Pierce. Henry Flagler (1830-1913) expanded his Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) down the Florida east coast from Jacksonville in 1894, forever transforming the economic development of Florida. In 1911, Fort Pierce was established as a division point for the FEC. This new and efficient form of transportation began to take the place of coastal and canal transportation such as cargo shipping and commuter travel and significantly developed the connection between northern markets and southern products. Citrus, sugar, and pineapple farmers and fishermen located on the coast established packinghouses near the station. It also affected the population growth of these areas, as passengers found it easier, faster, and more comfortable to travel further south. New employment opportunities also drew in a heavy population, rapidly expanding the agricultural economy of Fort Pierce, which economically benefited immensely from this expansion. The original Fort Pierce train station was torn down and replaced in 1967. A replica of the old depot is located at the entrance of the St. Lucie County Regional History Center building and also houses the "Train Station Room," which includes dioramas, models, murals and photographs of historic Fort Pierce.
Digital reproduction of original 4 x 5 inch black and white photonegative: General Collection, image number N038573, Florida Photographic Collection, State Library and Archives of Florida, Tallahassee, Florida.
Florida East Coast Railway Company Railroad, Fort Pierce, Florida
Lake Wales Depot Museum Dedication Ceremony
The dedication of the Lake Wales Depot Museum, located at 325 South Scenic Highway, was part of a project in Lake Wales, Florida, to commemorate the Bicentennial of the United States on July 4, 1976. The museum still exists today and houses a variety of exhibits on local and state topics. Mimi Hardman, depicted in the colonial outfit on the right, was instrumental in the renovation project of the train depot and still acts as the head of the Lake Wales Historical Society and runs the depot museum. The Lake Wales Depot Museum is housed in the Lake Wales Train Depot that was built in 1928 by the R. W. Burrows Construction Company along the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL). It was the second station built in Lake Wales since the coming of the railroad in 1911. It continued to operate as a functioning railroad depot for several decades. In 1978, the depot was dedicated as the Lake Wales Depot Museum, housing the local history of the Railroad Depot and the City of Lake Wales.
Original black and white photograph, July 4, 1976: Lake Wales Public Library Archives, Lake Wales Public Library, Lake Wales, Florida.
Lake Wales Depot Museum, Lake Wales, Florida
Amtrak Seaboard Coast Line Railroad Station
The Amtrak Seaboard Coast Line Railroad (SCL) Station, located at 1400 Sligh Boulevard in Orlando, Florida, in 2014. This station was constructed in 1926 at a cost of $500,000 and was originally part of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL). However, in 1967, the station was acquired by the SCL after a merger with the ACL. With stucco facade and towers flanking its entrance, the station has been studied for its Mission Revival-style architecture. After being in operation for 65 years, the station, then owned by Amtrak, was in desperate need of renovations. In 1991, a collective of local organizations, companies and groups came together to fund the needed renovations.
Original color digital images by Chris Clemente, March 24, 2014.
Amtrak Seaboard Coast Line Railroad Station, Orlando, Florida
The Atlantic Coast Line (ACL) railroad depot located on West Eighth Street in Downtown Sanford, Florida, around 1900. W. H. Hill and Company can also be seen to the right side of the photograph. This depot was originally part of the South Florida Railroad, which held its groundbreaking ceremony for the new railroad station on Oak Avenue in 1880, with former President Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885) in attendance. In 1893, the South Florida Railroad was bought out by Henry B. Plant (1819-1899) to save it from bankruptcy and incorporated into his own railroad system. Shortly thereafter, in the winter of 1894-1895, a freeze hit Sanford, destroying the entire citrus crop. This brought an end to what had been Sanford's thriving citrus industry prompting the development of its vegetable industry. By the 1900s, Sanford was one of the largest vegetable shipping centers in the United States gaining the nickname of "The Celery City" for its most successful crop. Upon Plant's death in 1902, his widow, Margaret Josephine Loughman, sold his railroad system to the Atlantic Coast Line (ACL). The arrival of the ACL in Sanford brought many new railroad workers as the city grew into a hub for shipping produce to surrounding areas. Rand Yard, the ACL's freight yard, housed a car shop, engine servicing facility, small locomotive shop, and the state's largest railroad ice plant. In the early 1900s, Lake Jesup farmers began demanding that the ACL build a line for them to ship their produce into town. The ACL refused; in response, the give biggest growers chartered the Sanford and Everglades Railroad with Sydney Octavius Chase, Sr. (1860-1941) as the president. The new line was completed as an ACL branch at Lake Charm. The ACL was prompted to buy out the new line in 1913 when the Seaboard Air Line (SAL) showed interest in buying it, thus incorporating the branch which became the most profitable in the ACL system. By the mid-1900s, the amount of good farmland was shrinking in Sanford due to development, driving farmers further south to farms with much more acreage. This, coupled with the establishment of Naval Air Station Sanford (NAS Sanford), turned the city's focus from agriculture to the military. In 1967, the ACL merged with the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad (SCL) and later was acquired by CSX. Today, the railroad station originally built by the ACL is no longer in use.
Original 7.125 x 5 inch black and white photographic print: Vincent Collection, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Atlantic Coast Line Depot, Sanford, Florida
The Seaboard Air Line Railroad (SAL) Depot, located at 3 North Museum Avenue in Avon Park, Florida, was built in 1924 after the company acquired the right of way in Avon Park. The station primarily carried freight, including consumer goods shipped to Avon Park and citrus that was exported from the town. It also carried passengers, including tourists from the North on the famous Orange Blossom Express that went from New York to Miami. The line also carried soldiers and their families during World War II. In 1967, SAL merged with Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL) to form the the depot became the Seaboard Coast Line (SCL). After this SCL Depot was closed in 1978, it was purchased by the City of Avon Park. It was then leased by the Historical Society of Avon Park and has operated as a museum since 1981. It is located in the Avon Park Historic District which was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1990.
Original black and white photograph, 1924: Railroad Collection, Avon Park Depot Museum, Avon Park, Florida.
Avon Park Seaboard Air Line Depot, Avon Park, Florida
Avon Park Atlantic Coast Line Train Station
The Atlantic Coast Line (ACL) Train Station was first built in 1912 in Avon Park, Florida. The station primarily carried freight, including consumer goods shipped to Avon Park and citrus that was exported from the town. It also carried passengers, including tourists from the North on the famous Orange Blossom Express that went from New York to Miami. The line also carried soldiers and their families during World War II. In 1967, the Seaboard Air Line Railroad (SAL) merged with Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL) to form the the depot became the Seaboard Coast Line (SCL). After this SCL Depot was closed in 1978, it was purchased by the City of Avon Park. It was then leased by the Historical Society of Avon Park and has operated as a museum since 1981. It is located in the Avon Park Historic District which was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1990.
Original black and white photograph, 1912: Railroad Collection, Avon Park Depot Museum, Avon Park, Florida.
Avon Park Atlantic Coast Line Train Station, Avon Park, Florida
The Seaboard Air Line (SAL) Depot, located at 3 North Museum Avenue in Avon Park, Florida, was built in 1924 after the company acquired the right of way in Avon Park. The station primarily carried freight, including consumer goods shipped to Avon Park and citrus that was exported from the town. It also carried passengers, including tourists from the North on the famous Orange Blossom Express that went from New York to Miami. The line also carried soldiers and their families during World War II. In 1967, SAL merged with Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL) to form the the depot became the Seaboard Coast Line (SCL). After this SCL Depot was closed in 1978, it was purchased by the City of Avon Park. It was then leased by the Historical Society of Avon Park and has operated as a museum since 1981. It is located in the Avon Park Historic District which was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1990.
Original color digital image by Nicholas Simons, March 13, 2014.
Avon Park Depot Museum, Avon Park, Florida
The Mount Dora Train Station, located at 341 North Alexander Street in Mount Dora, Florida. 1886 was when the first railroad stopped in Mount Dora, connecting Jacksonville to Tampa. The Mount Dora Depot cost $8,223 to build. The last passenger train left Mount Dora in 1950 and freight was discontinued in 1973. On March 5, 1992, the station was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
Original color digital image: Examiner.com.
Orange Blossom Special Comes to Lake Wales
The Orange Blossom Special at the Lake Wales Train Depot. The coming of the railroad to Lake Wales, Florida, brought with it a connection to civilization. Prior to the coming of the railroad there was very little if any development in the area. The first rail line came to Lake Wales in 1919 and from that point until the end of the boom period of Florida history the city expanded extensively. This photograph shows the inaugural run of the Orange Blossom Special from New York to West Palm Beach on the second rail line to arrive in Lake Wales, the Seaboard Air Line Railroad (SAL) , on November 22, 1925. The Lake Wales Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Depot is located at 325 South Scenic Highway.
Original 7 x 11 inch black and white photograph, November 22, 1925: Historic Lake Wales Society, Lake Wales, Florida.
Lake Wales Train Depot, Lake Wales, Florida
U.S. National Register of Historic Places Dedication Marker for the Lake Wales Train Depot
The U.S. National Register of Historic Places dedication marker for the Lake Wales Train Depot. The Lake Wales Train Depot, which is currently the Lake Wales Depot Museum, was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, along with several other buildings in Lake Wales, Florida, in 1990. The train depot was built in 1928 by R. W. Burrows Construction Company. It was the second train depot to be constructed along the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL) in Lake Wales. It was built to house the large influx of train traffic through the city. The Lake Wales Depot Museum is located at 325 South Scenic Highway.
The Port Orange Train Station in Port Orange, Florida. Originally built in 1894, the Port Orange Train Station was a part of the Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) and was used as a flag stop for freight and passenger transport as late as 1955. In 1966, it was moved 500 feet north of its original location. On February 5, 1998, the station was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. The building is now privately owned and used as a storage facility for a construction company.
Original color digital images by Roy McKinney, April 2, 2014.
Port Orange Train Station, Port Orange, Florida
Church Street Station, located at 127 West Church Street in Downtown Orlando, Florida, in 2007. The station was first constructed in 1880 connecting Orlando to Sanford. After the railroad was bought up by the Plant System in 1883 from the South Florida Railroad it was extended to Tampa. This brought a large boom to Orlando's economy shipping cattle and lumber, but chiefly citrus. By 1926, the depot was becoming too small for the volume of trade going through, so the depot was moved south to what is today the Amtrak Station. The depot became run down until the mid-1970s when Church Street Station opened up around the depot and stayed open until the early 2000s. Now the station is used as a stop along the Sunrail Tram system.
Original color digital image by Ebyabe, April 21, 2007.
The Ocala Union Station, located at 531 Northeast First Avenue in Ocala, Florida, in 2014. Built in 1917, the Ocala Union Station was not the pioneer depot for Ocala's booming phosphorus mining, citrus cultivation, and Silver Springs tourism. Ocala was a developing city for transportation long before Seaboard Air Line Railroad (SAL) and Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL) crossed lines and created Union Station. According to the Historic Ocala website, Ocala had achieved its population, well-developed system of transportation, and prosperous economy by 1895, well before the arrival of the Ocala Union Station, Periodic recessions, however, from 1890 to 1920 took an especially hard toll on Florida. U.S. Census data shows that the Marion County population fell from 26,941 in 1910 to 23,968 in 1920—an 11 percent drop. As the Ocala Union Station grew as a result of tourism, trade, and the Florida Land Boom, it helped reverse the trend. Census data from 1930 shows 29,578 people living in Marion County, which houses the station to this day.
Original color digital images by Carlos R. Mercado, March 12, 2014.
A postcard of Church Street Station, located at 127 West Church Street in Downtown Orlando, Florida. The station was first constructed in 1880 connecting Orlando to Sanford. After the railroad was bought up by the Plant System in 1883 from the South Florida Railroad it was extended to Tampa. This brought a large boom to Orlando's economy shipping cattle and lumber, but chiefly citrus. By 1926, the depot was becoming too small for the volume of trade going through, so the depot was moved south to what is today the Amtrak Station. The depot became run down until the mid-1970s when Church Street Station opened up around the depot and stayed open until the early 2000s. Now the station is used as a stop along the SunRail tram system.
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Depot, Orlando, Florida
Church Street Station, located at 127 West Church Street in Downtown Orlando, Florida, in 2012. The station was first constructed in 1880 connecting Orlando to Sanford. After the railroad was bought up by the Plant System in 1883 from the South Florida Railroad it was extended to Tampa. This brought a large boom to Orlando's economy shipping cattle and lumber, but chiefly citrus. By 1926, the depot was becoming too small for the volume of trade going through, so the depot was moved south to what is today the Amtrak Station. The depot became run down until the mid-1970s when Church Street Station opened up around the depot and stayed open until the early 2000s. Now the station is used as a stop along the SunRail tram system.
Community Redevelopment Area Design Studio
A sign for the Community Redevelopment Area Design Studio, located at the Ocala Union Station at 531 Northeast First Avenue in Ocala, Florida, in 2014. The Office of Long Term Planning & Sustainability in Ocala has designated Ocala Union Station as a redevelopment area and hosts weekly lectures, presentations, and design exercises. Built in 1917, the Ocala Union Station was not the pioneer depot for Ocala's booming phosphorus mining, citrus cultivation, and Silver Springs tourism. Ocala was a developing city for transportation long before Seaboard Air Line Railroad (SAL) and Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL) crossed lines and created Union Station. According to the Historic Ocala website, Ocala had achieved its population, well-developed system of transportation, and prosperous economy by 1895, well before the arrival of the Ocala Union Station, Periodic recessions, however, from 1890 to 1920 took an especially hard toll on Florida. U.S. Census data shows that the Marion County population fell from 26,941 in 1910 to 23,968 in 1920—an 11 percent drop. As the Ocala Union Station grew as a result of tourism, trade, and the Florida Land Boom, it helped reverse the trend. Census data from 1930 shows 29,578 people living in Marion County, which houses the station to this day.
Original color digital image by Carlos R. Mercado, March 12, 2014.
The Ocala Union Station, located at 531 Northeast First Avenue in Ocala, Florida, in the 1920s. Built in 1917, the Ocala Union Station was not the pioneer depot for Ocala's booming phosphorus mining, citrus cultivation, and Silver Springs tourism. Ocala was a developing city for transportation long before Seaboard Air Line Railroad (SAL) and Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL) crossed lines and created Union Station. According to the Historic Ocala website, Ocala had achieved its population, well-developed system of transportation, and prosperous economy by 1895, well before the arrival of the Ocala Union Station, Periodic recessions, however, from 1890 to 1920 took an especially hard toll on Florida. U.S. Census data shows that the Marion County population fell from 26,941 in 1910 to 23,968 in 1920—an 11 percent drop. As the Ocala Union Station grew as a result of tourism, trade, and the Florida Land Boom, it helped reverse the trend. Census data from 1930 shows 29,578 people living in Marion County, which houses the station to this day.
Digital reproduction of reprinted black and white photograph: Kevin McCarthy and Ernest Jernigan. Ocala. Charleston, SC: Arcadia, 2001.
Florida East Coast Railway Fort Pierce Station
The Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) Fort Pierce Station in Fort Pierce, Florida, in the 1900s. The Fort Pierce train station was located along the tracks that now run through downtown Fort Pierce, Florida. Henry Flagler expanded his railroad down the Florida east coast from Jacksonville in 1894, forever transforming the economic development of Florida. In 1911, Fort Pierce was established as a division point for the Florida East Coast Railway Company. This new and efficient form of transportation began to take the place of coastal and canal transportation such as cargo shipping and commuter travel and significantly developed the connection between northern markets and southern products. Citrus, sugar, and pineapple farmers and fishermen located on the coast established packinghouses near the station. It also affected the population growth of these areas, as passengers found it easier, faster and more comfortable to travel further south. New employment opportunities also drew in a heavy population, rapidly expanding the agricultural economy of Fort Pierce, which economically benefited immensely from this expansion. The original Fort Pierce train station was torn down and replaced in 1967. A replica of the old depot is located at the entrance of the St. Lucie County Regional History Center building and also houses the "Train Station Room," which includes dioramas, models, murals and photographs of historic Fort Pierce.
Digital reproduction of original 8 x 10 inch black and white photoprint: Print Collections, image number PR00824, Florida Photographic Collection, State Library and Archives of Florida, Tallahassee, Florida.
Florida East Coast Railway Station, Fort Pierce, Florida
The Fort Pierce Florida East Coast Depot in the 1940s. The Fort Pierce train station was located along the tracks that now run through Downtown Fort Pierce. Henry Flagler (1830-1913) expanded his Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) down the Florida east coast from Jacksonville in 1894, forever transforming the economic development of Florida. In 1911, Fort Pierce was established as a division point for the FEC. This new and efficient form of transportation began to take the place of coastal and canal transportation such as cargo shipping and commuter travel and significantly developed the connection between northern markets and southern products. Citrus, sugar, and pineapple farmers and fishermen located on the coast established packinghouses near the station. It also affected the population growth of these areas, as passengers found it easier, faster, and more comfortable to travel further south. New employment opportunities also drew in a heavy population, rapidly expanding the agricultural economy of Fort Pierce, which economically benefited immensely from this expansion. The original Fort Pierce train station was torn down and replaced in 1967. A replica of the old depot is located at the entrance of the St. Lucie County Regional History Center building and also houses the "Train Station Room," which includes dioramas, models, murals and photographs of historic Fort Pierce.
Digital reproduction of original 4 x 5 inch black and white photonegative by William Monypenny: General Collection, image number N029509, Florida Photographic Collection, State Library and Archives of Florida, Tallahassee, Florida.
Avenue A in Fort Pierce, Florida. To the left is the first Fort Pierce City Hall, with the Hendry House and First Baptist Church of Fort Pierce just behind it. To the right of the church and across the street is the East Coast Lumber and Supply Company. On the far right is the Fort Pierce Train Station, Florida East Coast Railway main line in the early 1900s. The Fort Pierce train station was located along the tracks that now run through Downtown Fort Pierce. Henry Flagler (1830-1913) expanded his Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) down the Florida east coast from Jacksonville in 1894, forever transforming the economic development of Florida. In 1911, Fort Pierce was established as a division point for the FEC. This new and efficient form of transportation began to take the place of coastal and canal transportation such as cargo shipping and commuter travel and significantly developed the connection between northern markets and southern products. Citrus, sugar, and pineapple farmers and fishermen located on the coast established packinghouses near the station. It also affected the population growth of these areas, as passengers found it easier, faster, and more comfortable to travel further south. New employment opportunities also drew in a heavy population, rapidly expanding the agricultural economy of Fort Pierce, which economically benefited immensely from this expansion. The original Fort Pierce train station was torn down and replaced in 1967. A replica of the old depot is located at the entrance of the St. Lucie County Regional History Center building and also houses the "Train Station Room," which includes dioramas, models, murals and photographs of historic Fort Pierce.
Digital reproduction of original 8 x 10 inch black and white photograph: Print Collections, image number C0PR03369, Florida Photographic Collection, State Library and Archives of Florida, Tallahassee, Florida.
St. Lucie County Regional History Center
St. Lucie County Regional History Center, located at 414 Seaway Drive in Fort Pierce, Florida, in 2014. The history center is located in what was once the Fort Pierce train station. The Fort Pierce train station was located along the tracks that now run through downtown Fort Pierce, Florida. Henry Flagler (1830-1913) expanded his railroad down the Florida east coast from Jacksonville in 1894, forever transforming the economic development of Florida. In 1911, Fort Pierce was established as a division point for the Florida East Coast Railway Company. This new and efficient form of transportation began to take the place of coastal and canal transportation such as cargo shipping and commuter travel and significantly developed the connection between northern markets and southern products. Citrus, sugar, and pineapple farmers and fishermen located on the coast established packinghouses near the station. It also affected the population growth of these areas, as passengers found it easier, faster and more comfortable to travel further south. New employment opportunities also drew in a heavy population, rapidly expanding the agricultural economy of Fort Pierce, which economically benefited immensely from this expansion. The original Fort Pierce train station was torn down and replaced in 1967. A replica of the old depot is located at the entrance of the St. Lucie County Regional History Center building and also houses the "Train Station Room", which includes dioramas, models, murals and photographs of historic Fort Pierce.
Original color digital image by Samantha Moore, 2014.
St. Lucie County Regional History Center, Fort Pierce, Florida
A pineapple packing house in Fort Pierce, Florida, located long the Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) siding. The Fort Pierce train station was located along the tracks that now run through Downtown Fort Pierce. Henry Flagler (1830-1913) expanded his Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) down the Florida east coast from Jacksonville in 1894, forever transforming the economic development of Florida. In 1911, Fort Pierce was established as a division point for the FEC. This new and efficient form of transportation began to take the place of coastal and canal transportation such as cargo shipping and commuter travel and significantly developed the connection between northern markets and southern products. Citrus, sugar, and pineapple farmers and fishermen located on the coast established packinghouses near the station. It also affected the population growth of these areas, as passengers found it easier, faster, and more comfortable to travel further south. New employment opportunities also drew in a heavy population, rapidly expanding the agricultural economy of Fort Pierce, which economically benefited immensely from this expansion. The original Fort Pierce train station was torn down and replaced in 1967. A replica of the old depot is located at the entrance of the St. Lucie County Regional History Center building and also houses the "Train Station Room," which includes dioramas, models, murals and photographs of historic Fort Pierce.
Digital reproduction of original 4 x 5 inch black and white photonegative: General Collection, image number N031005, Florida Photographic Collection, State Library and Archives of Florida.
A map of St. Lucie County, Florida, in 1907. Present-day St. Lucie County was originally inhabited by the Ais tribe. During the early 19th century, Spain issued a 2,000 land grant to James Hutchinson, but the area remained largely uninhabited. During the mid-19th century, Seminoles and runaway slaves took refuge in the area. The county seat, Fort Pierce, was established in 1837 during the Second Seminole War and named after Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin K. Pierce. Under the Armed Occupation Act, the U.S. government began issuing land grants to American settlers. Fort Capron was established in present-day St. Lucie Village during the Third Seminole War in 1851. Henry Flagler's (1830-1913) railroad system expanded to the present-day St. Lucie County area in the 1890s, allowing the area's pineapple, fishing, seafood canning, and cattle industries to expand. Citrus became another prosperous industry in the area during the early 20th century. St. Lucie County was officially created from the southern portion of Brevard County in 1905. Indian River County separated to form its own county in 1925 and Martin County was established from the southeastern portion of St. Lucie County and the northern portion of Palm Beach County that same year. The western part of the county was used to form Okeechobee County in 1917. St. Lucie County benefited from Florida's land boom in the 1920s, but was also affected by Florida's bust in 1929 and the Great Depression in the 1930s. During World War II, the U.S. Naval Amphibious Training Base was established in Fort Pierce, marking the beginning of the county's population boom that would last throughout the 1950s. St. Lucie County saw a population boom in the late 20th century. In the 21st century, the county was devastated by two major hurricanes in 2004 and from the financial collapse beginning in 2008.
Digital reproduction of original color map: New Encyclopedia and Gazetteer: Chicago: Dodd, Mead, & Company, 1907: Exploring Florida Maps, Florida Center for Instructional Technology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida.
Florida East Coast Railway Workers in Fort Pierce, 1947
Florida East Coast Railway working grading for railroad expansion in 1947 in Fort Pierce, Florida. The Fort Pierce train station was located along the tracks that now run through Downtown Fort Pierce. Henry Flagler (1830-1913) expanded his Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) down the Florida east coast from Jacksonville in 1894, forever transforming the economic development of Florida. In 1911, Fort Pierce was established as a division point for the FEC. This new and efficient form of transportation began to take the place of coastal and canal transportation such as cargo shipping and commuter travel and significantly developed the connection between northern markets and southern products. Citrus, sugar, and pineapple farmers and fishermen located on the coast established packinghouses near the station. It also affected the population growth of these areas, as passengers found it easier, faster, and more comfortable to travel further south. New employment opportunities also drew in a heavy population, rapidly expanding the agricultural economy of Fort Pierce, which economically benefited immensely from this expansion. The original Fort Pierce train station was torn down and replaced in 1967. A replica of the old depot is located at the entrance of the St. Lucie County Regional History Center building and also houses the "Train Station Room," which includes dioramas, models, murals and photographs of historic Fort Pierce.
Digital reproduction of original 8 x 10 inch black and white photoprint: Reference Collection, shelf number 14029, image number RC02257, Florida Photographic Collection, State Library and Archives of Florida.
Florida East Coast Railway Train Station, Fort Pierce, Florida
Church Street Station, located at 127 West Church Street in Orlando, Florida. The station was first constructed in 1880 connecting Orlando to Sanford. After the railroad was bought up by the Plant System in 1883 from the South Florida Railroad it was extended to Tampa. This brought a large boom to Orlando's economy shipping cattle and lumber, but chiefly citrus. By 1926, the depot was becoming too small for the volume of trade going through, so the depot was moved south to what is today the Amtrak Station. The depot became run down until the mid-1970s when Church Street Station opened up around the depot and stayed open until the early 2000s. Now the station is used as a stop along the Sunrail Tram system.
A map of St. Lucie County, Florida, in 1911. Present-day St. Lucie County was originally inhabited by the Ais tribe. During the early 19th century, Spain issued a 2,000 land grant to James Hutchinson, but the area remained largely uninhabited. During the mid-19th century, Seminoles and runaway slaves took refuge in the area. The county seat, Fort Pierce, was established in 1837 during the Second Seminole War and named after Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin K. Pierce. Under the Armed Occupation Act, the U.S. government began issuing land grants to American settlers. Fort Capron was established in present-day St. Lucie Village during the Third Seminole War in 1851. Henry Flagler's (1830-1913) railroad system expanded to the present-day St. Lucie County area in the 1890s, allowing the area's pineapple, fishing, seafood canning, and cattle industries to expand. Citrus became another prosperous industry in the area during the early 20th century. St. Lucie County was officially created from the southern portion of Brevard County in 1905. Indian River County separated to form its own county in 1925 and Martin County was established from the southeastern portion of St. Lucie County and the northern portion of Palm Beach County that same year. The western part of the county was used to form Okeechobee County in 1917. St. Lucie County benefited from Florida's land boom in the 1920s, but was also affected by Florida's bust in 1929 and the Great Depression in the 1930s. During World War II, the U.S. Naval Amphibious Training Base was established in Fort Pierce, marking the beginning of the county's population boom that would last throughout the 1950s. St. Lucie County saw a population boom in the late 20th century. In the 21st century, the county was devastated by two major hurricanes in 2004 and from the financial collapse beginning in 2008.
Digital reproduction of original color map: Rand McNally, 1911: Exploring Florida Maps, Florida Center for Instructional Technology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida.
Rand McNally
A portrait of Edward "Rod" R. Rodriguez, which is housed at the Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, located at 640 Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard in Daytona Beach, Florida. Rodriguez was the foster son of Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune (1875-1955). He was also the second male to register at the school in 1923, when it merged with the Cookman Institute. While a student, he was a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Rodriguez later served as the first curator and director of the Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, located on the Bethune-Cookman University campus. The foundation was established on March 17, 1953, as "a place to awaken people and to have them realize that there is something in the world they can do." The foundation is housed in the Mary McLeod Bethune Home, which is also known as "The Retreat."
Original 8 x 10 inch black and white photographic print: Image 77, Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, Daytona Beach, Florida.
Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, Mary McLeod Bethune Home, Bethune-Cookman University, Daytona Beach, Florida
A portrait of Margaret Bethune, which is housed at the Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, located at 640 Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard in Daytona Beach, Florida. Bethune was the daughter-in-law of Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune (1875-1955). She married Dr. Bethune's son, Albert McLeod Bethune, Sr. Bethune also enrolled in mortuary school sometime between 1934 and 1941.
Original 8 x 10 inch black and white photographic print: Sun room, image 172, Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, Daytona Beach, Florida.
A portrait of Wilhelmina White Colston, which is housed at the Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, located at 640 Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard in Daytona Beach, Florida. She was a student and later teacher at Bethune-Cookman College (BCC). In 1935, Wilhelmina White married James Allen Colston, who would later serve as the second president of Bethune-Cookman College from 1942 to 1944. After marrying, Wilhelmina retired from teaching. She also attended Talladega College in Talladega, Alabama, and then Howard University in Washington, D.C., where she earned a master's degree. Together, the couple had one daughter, Jean Allie Colston Foster, and three grandchildren.
Original 8 x 10 inch black and white photographic print: Sun room, image 89, Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, Daytona Beach, Florida.
Bethune-Cookman University, Daytona Beach, Florida
Abbott, Robert S. (Robert Sengstacke), 1868-1940
A portrait of Robert Sengstacke Abbott, which is housed at the Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, located at 640 Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard in Daytona Beach, Florida. Abbott was the founder of The Chicago Defender, the first African-American weekly newspaper. Abbott was born to formerly enslaved parents on November 24, 1870, in St. Simons Island, Georgia. After attending Hampton Institute in Hampton, Virginia, from 1892 to 1896 and graduating from Kent College of Law in Chicago, Illinois, in 1898, Abbott made several attempts to establish law officers throughout the Midwest, but was unable to due to racial prejudice. He then went on to found The Chicago Defender, which was the most widely circulated black newspaper in the country and commonly referred to as "America's Black Newspaper." Daytona Beach-based educator and civil rights activist Dr. Dr. Mary Jane McLeod Bethune also wrote weekly columns for the paper between 1948 and 1955. Abbott died of Bright's Disease in Chicago on February 29, 1940, and is buried at Lincoln Cemetery in Blue Island, Illinois.
Original 8 x 10 inch black and white photographic print: Sun room, image 175, Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, Daytona Beach, Florida.
A portrait of Willa Beatrice Brown Chappell, which is housed at the Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, located at 640 Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard in Daytona Beach, Florida. Chappell was the first African-American woman in the United States to earn a commercial pilots license and the first black female officer in the Civil Air Patrol. Brown was born on January 22, 1906, in Glasgow, Kentucky. She graduated from the Indiana State Teachers College in 1927 and received a Master's of Business Administration from Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois, in 1937. After pursuing careers in education and social work, she later decided to take flying lessons from Cornelius R. Coffey, who she would later marry. The couple co-founded the Coffey School of Aeronautics at Harlem Airport in Chicago. Brown, Coffey, and Enoch P. Waters also established the National Airmen's Association of America in 1939. The NAAA's main objective was to persuade the United States military to allow black aviation cadets. As an equal rights activist, Coffey lobbied the government for the integration of the Army Air Corps and the Civilian Pilot Training Program. Congress later voted to allow "separate but equal" participation in civilian flight training programs, designating the Coffey School as the facilitator of the African-American program. Brown became the coordinator for the CPTP in Chicago and the Coffey School later provided training for the Tuskegee Airmen. Brown also served the Civil Aeronautics Authority as a coordinator and the Federal Aviation Administration's Women's Advisory Board as a member. She died on July 18, 1992.
Original 8 x 10 inch black and white photographic print: Sun room, image 66, Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, Daytona Beach, Florida.
A portrait of Albin Polasek, a local art legend in Orange County, Florida, who is also recognized nationally and internationally for his work. Polasek was born in Frenštát pod Radhoštěm, Moravia (now part of the Czech Republic), on February 14, 1879. He later migrated to Vienna, Austria, where he apprenticed as a woodcarver. In 1901, at age 22, Polasek immigrated to the Midwestern United States. At age 25, he began attending the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he studied under Charles Grafly. Two of his most well-known sculptures were created while he was a student: Man Carving His Own Destiny and Eternal Moment. Polasek was granted American citizenship in 1909 and he earned the Prix de Rome in 1910, which granted him a three-year fellowship at the American Academy of Art in Rome, Italy. He also received the Paris Salon for The Sower in 1913 and the George D. Widener Memorial Gold Medal from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in 1915 for Aspiration. After completing his studies in Rome, Polasek migrated to New York City, New York. In 1916, when he was 37, the Art Institute of Chicago in Chicago, Illinois, invited Polasek to head its sculpture department. While in Chicago, he sculpted Forest Idyl, Victorious Christ, and The Spirit of Music. In 1927, he was elected as an Associate Member of the National Academy of Design, which is an honorary degree conferred to America's top painters, sculptors, and architects. Polasek also achieved full academician status in 1933. In 1950, when Polasek was 70, he retired to Winter Park, Florida, where he built a home on Lake Osceola. That same year, he suffered from a stroke, which paralyzed the right side of his body. Seven months later, he married one of his former students, Ruth Sherwood, who died just two years later. Despite being confined to a wheelchair, Polasek was able to create 18 major works in his later years. In 1961, he married Emily Muska Kubat and the set up the Albin Polasek Foundation, opening up the Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens, located at 633 Osceola Avenue in Winter Park, which featured his personal galleries, chapel, and gardens. On May 19, 1965, Polasek passed away and was buried beside his first wife at Palm Cemetery. In 2000, Polasek was named a "Great Floridian," a distinction reserved for those who have made a significant contribution to the state culturally and historically. In 2004, he was inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame.
Original black and white photographic print: Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens, Winter Park, Florida.
Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens, Winter Park, Florida
Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens
The home and art studio of Albin Polasek, located at 633 Osceola Avenue in Winter Park, Florida, around the time of its construction. Polasek, known internationally for his sculptures, retired to Lake Osceola in Winter Park in 1950. The same year that he had moved to Florida, Polasek suffered from a stroke, which paralyzed the right side of his body. Seven months later, he married one of his former students, Ruth Sherwood, who died just two years later. Despite being confined to a wheelchair, Polasek was able to create 18 major works in his later years. In 1961, he married Emily Muska Kubat and the set up the Albin Polasek Foundation, opening up the Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens, located in parts of Polasek's home and studio, which featured his personal galleries, chapel, and gardens. On May 19, 1965, Polasek passed away and was buried beside his first wife at Palm Cemetery.
Albin Polasek Home and Art Studio, Winter Park, Florida
Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens
The Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens, located at 633 Osceola Avenue in Winter Park, Florida. Albin Polasek, known internationally for his sculptures, retired to Lake Osceola in Winter Park in 1950. The same year that he had moved to Florida, Polasek suffered from a stroke, which paralyzed the right side of his body. Seven months later, he married one of his former students, Ruth Sherwood, who died just two years later. Despite being confined to a wheelchair, Polasek was able to create 18 major works in his later years. In 1961, he married Emily Muska Kubat and the set up the Albin Polasek Foundation, opening up the Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens, located in parts of Polasek's home and studio, which featured his personal galleries, chapel, and gardens. On May 19, 1965, Polasek passed away and was buried beside his first wife at Palm Cemetery.
Original color photographic print: Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens, Winter Park, Florida.
Albin Polasek with Mayor Allen Trovillion
Albin Polasek with Mayor Allen Trovillion in Polasek's home and art studio, located at 633 Osceola Avenue in Winter Park, Florida. Trovillion served as the Mayor of Winter Park from 1962 to 1966. A Republican, he later went on to represent District 26 in the Florida House of Representatives from 1994 to 2002. Polasek, known internationally for his sculptures, retired to Lake Osceola in Winter Park in 1950. The same year that he had moved to Florida, Polasek suffered from a stroke, which paralyzed the right side of his body. Seven months later, he married one of his former students, Ruth Sherwood, who died just two years later. Despite being confined to a wheelchair, Polasek was able to create 18 major works in his later years. In 1961, he married Emily Muska Kubat and the set up the Albin Polasek Foundation, opening up the Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens, located in parts of Polasek's home and studio, which featured his personal galleries, chapel, and gardens. On May 19, 1965, Polasek passed away and was buried beside his first wife at Palm Cemetery.
Albín Polášek Home and Art Studio, Winter Park, Florida
The cover of All Florida, a TV guide published by The Florida Times-Union, for November 17, 1963. The cover features Albin Polasek, who was also featured on page 10 of the TV guide. All Florida also featured other artists from Orange County, including Hal McIntosh, Maury Hurt, and Bill Orr. Polasek is a local art legend in Orange County who is also recognized nationally and internationally for his work. Polasek was born in Frenštát pod Radhošt?m, Moravia (now part of the Czech Republic), on February 14, 1879. He later migrated to Vienna, Austria, where he apprenticed as a woodcarver. In 1901, at age 22, Polasek immigrated to the Midwestern United States. At age 25, he began attending the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he studied under Charles Grafly. Two of his most well-known sculptures were created while he was a student: Man Carving His Own Destiny and Eternal Moment. Polasek was granted American citizenship in 1909 and he earned the Prix de Rome in 1910, which granted him a three-year fellowship at the American Academy of Art in Rome, Italy. He also received the Paris Salon for The Sower in 1913 and the George D. Widener Memorial Gold Medal from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in 1915 for Aspiration. After completing his studies in Rome, Polasek migrated to New York City, New York. In 1916, when he was 37, the Art Institute of Chicago in Chicago, Illinois, invited Polasek to head its sculpture department. While in Chicago, he sculpted Forest Idyl, Victorious Christ, and The Spirit of Music. In 1927, he was elected as an Associate Member of the National Academy of Design, which is an honorary degree conferred to America's top painters, sculptors, and architects. Polasek also achieved full academician status in 1933. In 1950, when Polasek was 70, he retired to Winter Park, Florida, where he built a home on Lake Osceola. That same year, he suffered from a stroke, which paralyzed the right side of his body. Seven months later, he married one of his former students, Ruth Sherwood, who died just two years later. Despite being confined to a wheelchair, Polasek was able to create 18 major works in his later years. In 1961, he married Emily Muska Kubat and the set up the Albin Polasek Foundation, opening up the Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens, located at 633 Osceola Avenue in Winter Park, which featured his personal galleries, chapel, and gardens. On May 19, 1965, Polasek passed away and was buried beside his first wife at Palm Cemetery. In 2000, Polasek was named a "Great Floridian," a distinction reserved for those who have made a significant contribution to the state culturally and historically. In 2004, he was inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame.
Original TV guide cover: The Florida Times-Union, November 17, 1963: Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens, Winter Park, Florida.
The Florida Times-Union
Albín Polasek Home and Art Studio, Winter Park, Florida
The home and art studio of Albin Polasek, located at 633 Osceola Avenue in Winter Park, Florida. Polasek is a local art legend in Orange County who is also recognized nationally and internationally for his work. Polasek was born in Frenštát pod Radhoštěm, Moravia (now part of the Czech Republic), on February 14, 1879. He later migrated to Vienna, Austria, where he apprenticed as a woodcarver. In 1901, at age 22, Polasek immigrated to the Midwestern United States. At age 25, he began attending the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he studied under Charles Grafly. Two of his most well-known sculptures were created while he was a student: Man Carving His Own Destiny and Eternal Moment. Polasek was granted American citizenship in 1909 and he earned the Prix de Rome in 1910, which granted him a three-year fellowship at the American Academy of Art in Rome, Italy. He also received the Paris Salon for The Sower in 1913 and the George D. Widener Memorial Gold Medal from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in 1915 for Aspiration. After completing his studies in Rome, Polasek migrated to New York City, New York. In 1916, when he was 37, the Art Institute of Chicago in Chicago, Illinois, invited Polasek to head its sculpture department. While in Chicago, he sculpted Forest Idyl, Victorious Christ, and The Spirit of Music. In 1927, he was elected as an Associate Member of the National Academy of Design, which is an honorary degree conferred to America's top painters, sculptors, and architects. Polasek also achieved full academician status in 1933. In 1950, when Polasek was 70, he retired to Winter Park, Florida, where he built a home on Lake Osceola. That same year, he suffered from a stroke, which paralyzed the right side of his body. Seven months later, he married one of his former students, Ruth Sherwood, who died just two years later. Despite being confined to a wheelchair, Polasek was able to create 18 major works in his later years. In 1961, he married Emily Muska Kubat and the set up the Albin Polasek Foundation, opening up the Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens, which featured his personal galleries, chapel, and gardens. On May 19, 1965, Polasek passed away and was buried beside his first wife at Palm Cemetery. In 2000, Polasek was named a "Great Floridian," a distinction reserved for those who have made a significant contribution to the state culturally and historically. In 2004, he was inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame.
Art Legends of Orange County: The Art of Hal McIntosh
Oral history of Hal McIntosh, conducted by Erin Parke on March 16, 2015. McIntosh is a nationally renowned artist who currently resides in Winter Park, Florida. Born in 1927, Hal McIntosh began his formal studies at the Detroit Art Institute in Detroit, Michigan, and the Toledo Museum of Art in Toledo, Ohio. At age 18, the Art Research Studio (present-day Maitland Art Center) in Maitland, Florida, selected him as the institution’s youngest-ever artist in residence. His talent later earned him the Directorship of the Academy of Fine Arts in Lynchburg, Virginia, where he served as a museum director and teacher for five years. As a resident of Central Florida, McIntosh taught at the Loch Haven Art Center in Orlando and even ran his own institution known as the McIntosh School in Winter Park for 30 years. McIntosh splits his time between his Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and Winter Park studios. With an artistic career lasting over 60 years, Hal McIntosh’s influence on our community is profound. His bold abstractions, tranquil waterscapes, and stirring portraiture, all masterfully painted with a touch of McIntosh’s signature Orientalism, have been widely exhibited in the area and are part of numerous regional collections, both private and public. Deep connections with the people and places of Orange County have allowed McIntosh to join the ranks as one of the greats and to be remembered eternally as an Art Legend. In this oral history interview, McIntosh discusses his early life and education, his teaching philosophy, and where he gets the inspiration and influence for his art. He also mentions his relationship with Albin Polasek and Emily Muska Kubat Polasek. Eric Varty, a close friend of Hal, also contributes briefly to the conversation.
Original 1-hour, 6-minute, and 42-second oral history: McIntosh, Hal. Interviewed by Erin Parke on March 16, 2015. Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens, Winter Park, Florida.
Sheet music for the song, "States and Their Capitals," with words and music by Mary M. Blunt. The cover features a photograph of Blunt. The song was copyrighted in 1944. According to the cover, Blunt lived at 112 North Terry Street in Orlando, Florida. At the time that the song was composed, the United States only had 48 states and had five territories. The territories were Alaska, Guam, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. American Samoa was also a territory, but lacked an established civilian government. Alaska and Hawaii earned statehood in 1959.
Original 4-page sheet music, 1944: African American Legacy: The Carol Mundy Collection, 1794-2010, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida.
An autographed portrait of President Harry S. Truman, which is housed at the Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, located at 640 Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard in Daytona Beach, Florida. Truman ran for Vice President alongside President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in the Presidential Election of 1944. On April 12, 1945, he became the 33rd President of the United States, due to the death of President Roosevelt that same day. His presidency is remembered primarily for securing victory over the Empire of Japan in World War II, authorizing the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, issuing the Truman Doctrine to contain communism, contributing to the rebuilding of war-torn Europe via the Marshall Plan, taking steps to expand civil rights and racial equality (such as the integration of the military), and intervening in the Korean War. Dr. Bethune served as a consultant on interracial relations and as an international delegate under Truman's administration.
Original 8 x 10 inch black and white photographic print: Sun room, image 159, Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, Daytona Beach, Florida.
A portrait of Ralph Lee, which is housed at the Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, located at 640 Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard in Daytona Beach, Florida. Lee and his wife, Ada M. Lee, were two of the founders of the Mary McLeod Bethune Circle No. 1 in Jacksonville in 1927. Bethune Circles hosted fundraising events to support Dr. Mary Jane McLeod Bethune and her school, Bethune-Cookman College (B-CC). Lee's wife was one of Dr. Bethune's closest friend and also a member of B-CC's Women's Advisory Board. The Circle was led by Lee and several female members of the Ebenezer Methodist Church.
Original 8 x 10 inch black and white photographic print: Sun room, image 121, Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, Daytona Beach, Florida.
An autographed portrait of James C. Murray, which is housed at the Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, located at 640 Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard in Daytona Beach, Florida. Murray was the pastor of Stewart Memorial Methodist Church, located just down the road from the museum at 554 Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard. Originally called Stewart Memorial Episcopal Church, the church was founded in 1893 by Reverend Thomas H. B. Walker. The location of the congregation's first meetings is unknown, but a chapel was constructed at Second Avenue (present-day Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard) and Spruce Street. Funds for its construction were donated by retired minister Reverend M. L. Stewart, for whom the church was named. The chapel was demolished in the 1920s and a new, two-story building was completed in 1926, after being delayed by a devastating storm in 1926. The church was renamed Stewart Memorial Methodist Church in 1939, when the congregation reunited with the Methodist Church and was placed in the Central Jurisdiction of the Methodist Church, which was for African-American congregations only. On May 23, 1955, Murray attended Dr. Bethune's funeral. In 1967, the church changed its name to Stewart Memorial United Methodist Church. The congregation moved to a new building in 1973. The remaining structure was purchased by the City of Daytona Beach and converted into the Richard V. Moore Community Center, named after Dr. Moore, president of Bethune-Cookman College from 1947 to 1974.
Original 8 x 10 inch black and white photographic print: Sun room, image 133, Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, Daytona Beach, Florida.
Stewart Memorial Methodist Church, Daytona Beach, Florida
Bethune-Cookman College (Daytona Beach, Fla.)
A portrait of Dr. James Allen Colston, which is housed at the Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, located at 640 Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard in Daytona Beach, Florida. Born in 1910, Dr. Colston is best known as the second president of Bethune-Cookman College from 1942 to 1946. He received his Bachelor of Science in education from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1932; his Master of Arts from Atlanta University in 1933 in Atlanta; and his Ph.D. from New York University in New York City, New York. In 1935, he married Wilhelmina White Colston, a graduate and educator at Bethune-Cookman. In 1942, Dr. Mary Jane McLeod Bethune retired from her presidency at B-CC and named Dr. Colston her successor. By 1945, Dr. Colston had launched the college's School of Education. He went on to serve as president of Georgia State College (present-day Savannah State University) in Savannah, Georgia, from 1947 to 1949. He then went on to preside over Knoxville College in Knoxville, Tennessee, from 1951 to 1965. Dr. Colston became one of the first African Americans to preside over a mostly white college, Bronx Community College, from 1966 to 1976.
Original 8 x 10 inch black and white photographic print: Sun room, image 136, Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, Daytona Beach, Florida.
Bethune-Cookman College, Daytona Beach, Florida
An autographed portrait of Dr. John Hope, which is housed at the Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, located at 640 Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard in Daytona Beach, Florida. Dr. Hope was born in Augusta, Georgia, on June 2, 1868. He is well-known as an African-American educator and activist. He earned his college degrees at Worcester Academy in Worcester, Massachusetts, and Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. Dr. Hope became the first African-American president of two colleges in Atlanta, Georgia: Atlanta Baptist College (present-day Morehouse College) in 1906 and Atlanta University (present-day Clark Atlanta University) in 1929. He was also active in a number of civil rights organizations, including the Niagara Movement, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and the Commission on Interracial Cooperation.
Original 8 x 10 inch black and white photographic print: Sun room, image 107, Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, Daytona Beach, Florida.
Atlanta Baptist College, Atlanta, Georgia
A portrait of Charlotte Clark Ford, which is housed at the Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, located at 640 Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard in Daytona Beach, Florida. Ford was the Dean of Instruction at Bethune-Cookman College. Originally the Daytona Educational and Industrial Training School for Negro Girls, Bethune-Cookman was established by African-American educator and civil rights activist Dr. Mary Jane McLeod Bethune in October 1904. In 1923, the school merged with the Cookman Institute of Jacksonville and then became affiliated with the Methodist Church the following year. The school served as a co-educational high school until 1931 when it became a junior college. In 1941, the school was accredited as a four-year college and was renamed Bethune-Cookman College.
Original 8 x 10 inch black and white photographic print: Sun room, image 131, Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, Daytona Beach, Florida.
An autographed portrait of Hubert Thomas Delany, which is housed at the Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, located at 640 Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard in Daytona Beach, Florida. Delaney is best known as the first African-American Tax Commissioner of New York and one of the first black judges appointed in New York City, New York. He was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, on May 11, 1901. Delaney graduate from the City College of New York in 1923. In 1926, he earned a law degree from New York University School of Law, where he was a member of the Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, the first Greek fraternity founded by African Americans. Delaney was a board member for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and was also vice president of the NAACP Legal and Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. In addition, he advised a number of civil rights activists, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.; and Langston Hughes. He died on December 28, 1990, in Manhattan, New York.
Original 8 x 10 inch black and white photographic print: Sun room, image 101, Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, Daytona Beach, Florida.