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.
RICHES of Central 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 autographed portrait of Frances Reynolds Keyser, which is housed at the Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, located at 640 Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard in Daytona Beach, Florida. Keyser was the first qualified teacher at the Daytona Educational and Industrial Training School for Negro Girls, which was established by African-American educator and civil rights activist Dr. Mary Jane McLeod Bethune in October 1904. The school was the precursor to Bethune-Cookman College (B-CC). Keyser graduated from Hunter College in New York City, New York, and then headed a parochial school in Florida. She then returned to New York to serve as superintendent of the White Rose Home, which as a social work agency for young African-American women. Keyser was also a board member of the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA), the president and a founding member of the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs Empire State Federation, and an executive committee member and board member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
Original 8 x 10 inch black and white photographic print: Sun room, image 48, Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, Daytona Beach, Florida.
Daytona Educational and Industrial Training School for Negro Girls, Daytona Beach, Florida
Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, Mary McLeod Bethune Home, Bethune-Cookman University, Daytona Beach, 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 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
University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida
Bethune-Cookman College (Daytona Beach, Fla.)
An autographed portrait of Arrabella Dennison, which is housed at the Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, located at 640 Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard in Daytona Beach, Florida. Dennison was the secretary for Dr. Mary Jane McLeod Bethune at Bethune-Cookman College (B-CC). 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. Dennison also served as the executive secretary for the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) when it was established by Dr. Bethune in 1935. NCNW was organized to advance opportunities for African-American women via research, advocacy, and national and community-based programs.
Original 8 x 10 inch black and white photographic print: Sun room, image 101, Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, Daytona Beach, Florida.
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 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.
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
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.
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 Albert McLeod Bethune, Sr., which is housed at the Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, located at 640 Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard in Daytona Beach, Florida. Albert Bethune was the only child of Albertus Bethune and Dr. Mary Jane McLeod Bethune. He was born on February 3, 1899, and served in the United States Army during World War I, when he was a young adult. Albert Bethune was one of the first students at his mother's school, after it merged with the Cookman Institute in 1923. He later went to the Haines Institute in Augusta, Georgia. Albert then became the owner and operator of Bethune Funeral Home for 25 years. He was also a retired coordinator of vocational services at Bethune-Cookman College (B-CC). He died on October 31, 1989.
Original 8 x 10 inch black and white photographic print: Sun room, image 78, Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, Daytona Beach, Florida.
Alan Baxter, an unidentified man, and radio personality, radio personality Mick Dolan, on May 5, 2012, at the Shovelhead Lounge in Longwood, Florida. The three men are wearing black t-shirts with a photograph of Mark Samansky and the caption, "CINCO DE MARKO" printed on them. Baxter and Samansky co-hosted the "Baxter and Mark Show," which aired from 5:30 am to 10:00 am weekdays on 100.3 WDIZ-FM, from 1983 to 1992. Known for their twisted and irreverent sense of humor, extensive knowledge of rock music, and musical parodies, the pair performed on-air and at various small Orlando venues and was a staple of rock radio in Orlando. Samansky passed away in 2011, and "Cinco de Marko" became a celebration of his life, since he was born on May 5.
Original color photograph: Private Collection of Mick Dolan.
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
Mark Samansky, a popular radio personality, a pioneering DJ, and one of the earliest "shock jocks" in Orlando, Florida. He was half of the iconic “Baxter and Mark Show," which aired from 5:30 am to 10:00 am weekdays on 100.3 WDIZ-FM, from 1983 to 1992. Known for his twisted and irreverent sense of humor, extensive knowledge of rock music, and musical parodies, Samansky performed on-air and at various small Orlando venues, Samansky was a staple of rock radio in the region for 20 years. Samansky's radio career began in 1976 in Cheyenne, Wyoming, before he moved to Denver, Colorado; Chicago, Illinois; and finally, Houston, Texas, where he began a hit show with fellow disc jockey Alan Baxter, "The Baxter and Mark Show," which they brought to Orlando in 1983. The show was the #1 rated radio show among adults 18 to 34 years old in Orlando for a period. Samansky left the show in 1992 and moved to 740 WWNZ-AM in Orlando, where he remained until he was fired in 1993 for an off-color comment he made on-air. He next moved to the Orlando classic-rock station 96.5 WHTQ-FM, experiencing a ratings-topping summer in 1996 among 25- to 54-year-olds. Samansky later served a one-year stint at 101.1 WJRR-FM in 2000 alongside Larry the Cable Guy, and helped produce the future-famous comedian's first album. Samansky passed away in 2011.
Original black and white photograph: Private Collection of Mick Dolan.
Crowd for the Rolling Stones at Rock Superbowl XII
The crowd at Rock Superbowl XII featuring the Rolling Stones at the Tangerine Bowl in Orlando, Florida, on October 25, 1981. The ticket price was $15.60, including tax, and the show began at noon, with the doors opening at 9 am. The opening act was Van Halen. The concert was promoted by Cellar Door Productions and Beach Club Productions. This photograph was taken by Orlando radio personality, Mick Dolan. The Rolling Stones are an English rock and blues band formed in 1962 that have become one of the most successful musical acts of all time. The band enjoyed the height of their commercial and critical success during the 1960s and 1970s. The Tangerine Bowl has also been known as Orlando Stadium, the Citrus Bowl, Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium and is currently known as Orlando Citrus Bowl Stadium. It opened in 1936 and has been home to numerous sporting and entertainment events throughout its existence. The Rolling Stones 1981 Tour was the first time a band had a corporate sponsorship, allowing Jovan Musk to pay them several million dollars to sponsor the tour without the band having to officially endorse the company. The band explained that "selling out" to corporate sponsors would help keep ticket prices down. The average ticket price was $16 and the tour grossed $50 million in tickets sales, the highest of any tour in 1981. This would be the last time the band toured the United States until 1989.
Mick Dolan's Ticket Stub and Press Pass Collection
A collection of ticket stubs and press passes from Orlando radio personality, Mick Dolan. The items are collectively mounted and framed, along with several guitar picks, business cards and stickers. Some of the ticket stubs include Twisted Sister at the Lakeland Civic Center in Lakeland, Florida, on October 19, 1984; Uriah Heep on October 4, 1986; The Romantics on June 20, 1984; The Police at Rock Super Bowl XIX on October 29, 1983; The B-52's at Orlando Seminole Jai Alai Fronton in Fern Park on July 1983; Joe Jackson at Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre in Orlando on March 30, 1983; and Bob Seger, Triumph, and Men at Work. Some of the press passes include Molly Hatchet's 1986-1987 Tour; Ratt at Orange County Civic Center in Orlando on December 6, 1985; Van Halen at Lakeland Civic Center on January 22, 1984;, Elvis Costello at the Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre on August 5, 1984; Foghat at Tom's Point After Lounge in Orlando on November 13, 1983; Men at Work's 1985 Tour; Pat Travers Band's 1986 Tour; Rick Springfield's 1983 World Tour; Iron Maiden; REO Speed Wagon; STYX; Ted Nugent; Triumph;, A Flock of Seagulls; and Yes.
Orlando Seminole Jai Alai Fronton, Fern Park, Florida
Lakeland Civic Center, Lakeland, Florida
Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre, Orlando, Florida
Orange County Civic Center, Orlando, Florida
Tom's Point After Lounge, Orlando, Florida
Ben Ward, Jr. at the Mead Manor subdivision in Downtown Oviedo, Florida. This photograph from a newspaper article about the history of Mead Manor and Ward, a real estate developer, and his involvement in the project, as well as other ongoing development projects, such as Grove Hill. Named for horticulturalist Dr. Theodore Luqueer Mead, Mead Manor was developed by the Oviedo Land Company, which was formed by B. F. Wheeler, John Evans, Bill Martin, Ben Ward, Rex Clonts, Robert Lee, Bernie Blackwood, and Bob Williams. With the advent of Florida Technological University (present-day University of Central Florida) during the 1960s, development began in order to take advantage of the arrival of faculty and staff from the university. Mead Manor is credited with beginning the land development boom in Oviedo, leading to other residential subdivisions, such as Alafaya Woods and Grove Hill.
Photocopy of original 4 x 3 inch black and white newspaper photograph: Private Collection of Colene Ward.
A newspaper article that examines Oviedo's growth through the creation of number of subdivisions, most notably Mead Manor. Named for horticulturalist Dr. Theodore Luqueer Mead, Mead Manor was developed by the Oviedo Land Company, which was formed by B. F. Wheeler, John Evans, Bill Martin, Ben Ward, Rex Clonts, Robert Lee, Bernie Blackwood, and Bob Williams. With the advent of Florida Technological University (present-day University of Central Florida) during the 1960s, development began in order to take advantage of the arrival of faculty and staff from the university. Mead Manor is credited with beginning the land development boom in Oviedo, leading to other residential subdivisions, such as Alafaya Woods and Grove Hill.
Photocopy of original newspaper article: "Oviedo." Homebuyer, Spring 2000: Private Collection of Colene Ward.
Mitchell Hammock Road when it was an unpaved dirt road in Oviedo, Florida, in 1989. Oviedo City Council members signed a deal with Seminole County officials and a developer to pave Mitchell Hammock Road and turn it into a major highway. The developer, the Anden Group, paid for the road to be paved from Lockwood Road to Florida State Road 426. The City of Oviedo would pay for the addition of two lanes. Developing Mitchell Hammock became a priority because of the development of the Twin Rivers and Alafaya Woods communities by the Anden Group, which would generate a huge amount of traffic congestion, thus necessitating pavement.
Original 3 x 5 inch color photographs by Karen Jacobs, 1989: Private Collection of Karen Jacobs.
East Mitchell Hammock Road, Oviedo, Florida
Mitchell Hammock Road in 1990, just after being paved. Oviedo City Council members signed a deal with Seminole County officials and a developer to pave Mitchell Hammock Road and turn it into a major highway. The developer, the Anden Group, paid for the road to be paved from Lockwood Road to Florida State Road 426. The City of Oviedo would pay for the addition of two lanes. Developing Mitchell Hammock became a priority because of the development of the Twin Rivers and Alafaya Woods communities by the Anden Group, which would generate a huge amount of traffic congestion, thus necessitating pavement.
Original 3 x 5 inch color photographs by Karen Jacobs, 1990: Private Collection of Karen Jacobs.
Mitchell Hammock Road when it was being paved in 1989. Oviedo City Council members signed a deal with Seminole County officials and a developer to pave Mitchell Hammock Road and turn it into a major highway. The developer, the Anden Group, paid for the road to be paved from Lockwood Road to Florida State Road 426. The City of Oviedo would pay for the addition of two lanes. Developing Mitchell Hammock became a priority because of the development of the Twin Rivers and Alafaya Woods communities by the Anden Group, which would generate a huge amount of traffic congestion, thus necessitating pavement.
Intersection at Lockwood Boulevard and East Mitchell Hammock Road
Lockwood Boulevard was a dirt road until 1990, when the City of Oviedo and the Anden Group, a local developer, paved Mitchell Hammock Road between Florida State Road 426 and Lockwood Boulevard, in order to alleviate traffic congestion due to the growth of the Alafaya Woods and Twin Rivers developments. Construction began in 1989 and was completed in 1990. Since 1990, the pasture and woodland that surrounded Longwood Boulevard have become the Twin Rivers development and golf course, as well as Riverside Park.
Lockwood Boulevard and East Mitchell Hammock Road, Oviedo, Florida
The transcription of a eulogy given by Harry H. Boston, Jr. after the death of his father, Harry "Big Newt" Homer, Sr. Boston, who was an integral part of Oviedo's African-American community. Originally from Valdosta, Georgia, he graduate from Valdosta State College (now Valdosta State University). After college, he joined the U.S. Army, where he served as a medic during World War II. After migrating to Oviedo, Florida, Boston built a baseball diamond where local black youths played. The teams were known as the Oviedo Black Hawks for boys and Oviedo Lady Black Hawks for girls. On his bus, affectionately nicknamed the "Big Newt Bus," Boston would take the teams to games across Florida and other states as far north as Tennessee. The City of Oviedo honored him by naming Boston Hill Park, located at 777 South Central Avenue, in his honor. On May 21, 1994, the city also proclaimed that date Harry "Big Newt" Boston Day. Boston passed away on October 3 of that same year at the Winter Park Memorial Hospital in Winter Park.
Original 1-page typed transcription by Harry H. Boston, Jr., 1994: Private Collection of Jacqueline Morgan.
The funeral program for Harry "Big Newt" Homer, Sr. Boston, who was an integral part of Oviedo's African-American community. Originally from Valdosta, Georgia, he graduate from Valdosta State College (now Valdosta State University). After college, he joined the U,S, Army, where he served as a medic during World War II. After migrating to Oviedo, Florida, Boston built a baseball diamond where local black youths played. The teams were known as the Oviedo Black Hawks for boys and Oviedo Lady Black Hawks for girls. On his bus, affectionately nicknamed the "Big Newt Bus," Boston would take the teams to games across Florida and other states as far north as Tennessee. The City of Oviedo honored him by naming Boston Hill Park, located at 777 South Central Avenue, in his honor. On May 21, 1994, the city also proclaimed that date Harry "Big Newt" Boston Day. Boston passed away on October 3 of that same year at the Winter Park Memorial Hospital in Winter Park.
Original 6-fold program, 1994: Private Collection of Jacqueline Morgan.
Golden's Funeral Homes, Inc., Winter Park, Florida
In Memory of Harry "Big Newt" Boston, Sr.
This is the dedication from former members of the Oviedo Black Hawks baseball team for Harry "Big Newt" Homer, Sr. Boston, who was an integral part of Oviedo's African-American community. Originally from Valdosta, Georgia, he graduate from Valdosta State College (now Valdosta State University). After college, he joined the U,S, Army, where he served as a medic during World War II. After migrating to Oviedo, Florida, Boston built a baseball diamond where local black youths played. The teams were known as the Oviedo Black Hawks for boys and Oviedo Lady Black Hawks for girls. On his bus, affectionately nicknamed the "Big Newt Bus," Boston would take the teams to games across Florida and other states as far north as Tennessee. The City of Oviedo honored him by naming Boston Hill Park, located at 777 South Central Avenue, in his honor. On May 21, 1994, the city also proclaimed that date Harry "Big Newt" Boston Day. Boston passed away on October 3 of that same year at the Winter Park Memorial Hospital in Winter Park.
Original 4-page pamphlet by the Oviedo Black Hawks, May 2000: Private Collection of Jacqueline Morgan.
Teachers, Students Undergo Major Schedule Changes
A newspaper article published by The Lion's Tale, Oviedo High School's student newspaper, in February of 1984. This article discusses the schedule changes affecting certain English teachers and their students in order to maintain funding from the Enhanced Writing Program. Oviedo High School is a Seminole County Public School located in Oviedo, Florida. Originally called the Oviedo School, the institution was first established in 1922 as a K-12 school. In 1948, the secondary grades separated from the elementary school. The upper grade levels formed Oviedo High School and moved to the campus at 601 King Street. Oviedo High School is notable for The Lion's Tale, the award-winning school newspaper recognized by various national and state scholastic press associations; its high ratings from the Governor's A+ Plan for Education; and its successful athletics programs.
Original newspaper article: Keene, Karen. "Teachers, Students Undergo Major Schedule Changes." The Lion's Tale, Vol. XIII, No. 5, February 1984: Private Collection of Dan Beistel.
The Lion's Tale
OHS Students Earn Credits by Examination
A newspaper article published by The Lion's Tale, Oviedo High School's student newspaper, in February of 1984. This article discusses the Secondary Level Examination Program (SLEP), which grants high school credits to students that successfully passed tests for courses. Several students from Oviedo High School, Lake Brantley High School, and Lake Mary High School earned credits from the examination. Oviedo High School is a Seminole County Public School located in Oviedo, Florida. Originally called the Oviedo School, the institution was first established in 1932 as a K-12 school. In 1948, the secondary grades separated from the elementary school. The upper grade levels formed Oviedo High School and moved to the campus at 601 King Street. Oviedo High School is notable for The Lion's Tale, the award-winning school newspaper recognized by various national and state scholastic press associations; its high ratings from the Governor's A+ Plan for Education; and its successful athletics programs.
Original newspaper article: "Students Earn Credits by Examination." The Lion's Tale, Vol. XIII, No. 5, February 1984: Private Collection of Dan Beistel.
Lake Brantley High School, Altamonte Springs, Florida
Lake Mary High School, Lake Mary, Florida
A newspaper article published by The Lion's Tale, Oviedo High School's student newspaper, in February of 1984. This article is about OHS honor student Belinda Bakalla, who was designated a Tusculum Scholar. Tusculum College in Greenville, Tennessee, awards each Tusculum Scholar a scholarship that covers tuition in full. Oviedo High School is a Seminole County Public School located in Oviedo, Florida. Originally called the Oviedo School, the institution was first established in 1922 as a K-12 school. In 1948, the secondary grades separated from the elementary school. The upper grade levels formed Oviedo High School and moved to the campus at 601 King Street. Oviedo High School is notable for The Lion's Tale, the award-winning school newspaper recognized by various national and state scholastic press associations; its high ratings from the Governor's A+ Plan for Education; and its successful athletics programs.
Original newspaper article: "Bakalla Designated Tusculum Scholar." The Lion's Tale, Vol. XIII, No. 5, February 1984: Private Collection of Dan Beistel.
A newspaper article published by The Lion's Tale, Oviedo High School's student newspaper, in February of 1984. This article is about OHS senior Ed Norton, who was chosen as the recipient of the La Sertoma Club award. The La Sertoma Club is an international, non-partisan, non-political, non-profit, and non-sectarian organization that focuses on youth and community needs and scholarships for over 80 years. Oviedo High School is a Seminole County Public School located in Oviedo, Florida. Originally called the Oviedo School, the institution was first established in 1932 as a K-12 school. In 1948, the secondary grades separated from the elementary school. The upper grade levels formed Oviedo High School and moved to the campus at 601 King Street. Oviedo High School is notable for The Lion's Tale, the award-winning school newspaper recognized by various national and state scholastic press associations; its high ratings from the Governor's A+ Plan for Education; and its successful athletics programs.
Original newspaper article: Walter, Cheryl. "Norton Awarded by La Sertoma Club." The Lion's Tale, Vol. XIII, No. 5, February 1984: Private Collection of Dan Beistel.
A newspaper article published by The Lion's Tale, Oviedo High School's student newspaper, in February of 1984. This article reports on the new RAISE initiative, which established new requirements for Florida student athletes and how these requirements, as well as the academic standards set by the Florida High School Sports Association, have affected the OHS athletics program. Oviedo High School is a Seminole County Public School located in Oviedo, Florida. Originally called the Oviedo School, the institution was first established in 1922 as a K-12 school. In 1948, the secondary grades separated from the elementary school. The upper grade levels formed Oviedo High School and moved to the campus at 601 King Street. Oviedo High School is notable for The Lion's Tale, the award-winning school newspaper recognized by various national and state scholastic press associations; its high ratings from the Governor's A+ Plan for Education; and its successful athletics programs.
Original newspaper article: "Requirements for Athletes 'Raised'." The Lion's Tale, Vol. XIII, No. 5, February 1984: Private Collection of Dan Beistel.
Mr. and Mrs. Ed Hayslett Win Freezer and Beef
A newspaper article published by The Oviedo Outlook on July 7, 1971. This article is about Oviedo's Fourth of July celebration that took place the previous weekend. According to the article, Mr. and Mrs. Ed Hayslett of Chuluota, Florida, won a General Electric freezer and a side of beef. A number of businesses and local community members participated in the celebration and sponsored a several games and prizes.
Original newspaper article: "Mr. and Mrs. Ed Hayslett Win Freezer and Beef." The Oviedo Outlook, Vol. 1, No. 3, July 7, 1971: Private Collection of Dan Beistel.
The Oviedo Outlook
John Courier Field, Oviedo High School, Oviedo, Florida
A newspaper article published by The Oviedo Outlook on July 7, 1971. This article is the publication of an open letter by Oviedo High School band director, Richard A. Feinberg, asking for donations for the marching band. The article also outlines upcoming football games and marching band performances. Oviedo High School is a Seminole County Public School located in Oviedo, Florida. Originally called the Oviedo School, the institution was first established in 1922 as a K-12 school. In 1948, the secondary grades separated from the elementary school. The upper grade levels formed Oviedo High School and moved to the campus at 601 King Street. Oviedo High School is notable for The Lion's Tale, the award-winning school newspaper recognized by various national and state scholastic press associations; its high ratings from the Governor's A+ Plan for Education; and its successful athletics programs.
Original newspaper article: Feinberg, Richard A.. "Patron Donations Help Band." The Oviedo Outlook, Vol. 1, No. 3, July 7, 1971: Private Collection of Dan Beistel.
A newspaper article published by The Oviedo Outlook on July 7, 1971. This article discusses the Seminole-Goldenrod Fire Association membership drive. Goldenrod formed its volunteer fire department in the 1950s with its own trucks and erected a building on Palmetto Avenue in Goldenrod, Florida, to serve both Orange County and Seminole County residents. Around 1969, Orange County established a fire department at that location at 4755 Palmetto Avenue. In order to service the Seminole County residents of Goldenrod, the volunteer fire department moved to this location and became the Seminole-Goldenrod Volunteer Fire Department. The location was later taken over by Seminole County and renamed the Seminole County Fire Station 23.
Original newspaper article: Mathers, Marilyn. "Fire Association to Begin Drive." The Oviedo Outlook, Vol. 1, No. 3, July 7, 1971: Private Collection of Dan Beistel.
Seminole-Goldenrod Volunteer Fire Department, Goldenrod, Florida
A newspaper article published by The Oviedo Outlook on July 7, 1971. This article reports that the Oviedo City Police Department will begin to have 24-hour police protection.
Original newspaper article: "Oviedo with 24 Hour Police Protection." The Oviedo Outlook, Vol. 1, No. 3, July 7, 1971: Private Collection of Dan Beistel.
Oviedo City Police Department, Oviedo, Florida
A newspaper photograph published by The Oviedo Outlook on July 7, 1971. This photograph shows a car stuck in a ditch off of Florida State Road 426 in Slavia, Florida. According to the caption, the driver's car slipped off the road when it was raining.
Original newspaper article: "...And Another Learns His Lesson." The Oviedo Outlook, Vol. 1, No. 3, July 7, 1971: Private Collection of Dan Beistel.
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.
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.
An autographed portrait of Eugene Kinckle Jones, which is housed at the Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, located at 640 Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard in Daytona Beach, Florida. Jones was born on July 30, 1885, in Richmond, Virginia. While attending Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, in 1906, Jones, along with six other students, founded the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. He served as the chapter's second president and organized the fraternity's first three chapters to branch out from the school: Beta at Howard University in Washington, D.C.; Gamma at Virginia Union University in Richmond; and the original Delta chapter at the University of Toronto in Toronto, Ontario, Canada (present-day Huston-Tillotson University). Jones later became an organizer for the National Urban League, and then founded the Boston Urban League in 1917. The following year, he became the NUL's first Executive Secretary and stayed in that position until he retired in 1941. Under Jones' guidance, the League implemented boycotts broke down barriers to equal employment opportunities for African Americans in the 1920s and 1930s. He also served in President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Black Cabinet, which advised the President on race issues. Jones died on January 11, 1954, in Flushing, Queens, New York.
Original 8 x 10 inch black and white photographic print: Sun room, image 114, Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, Daytona Beach, Florida.
Randolph, A. Philip (Asa Philip), 1889-1979
March on Washington Movement (Organization)
Civil rights movements--New York (State)--New York
March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom (1963 : Washington, D.C.)
An autographed portrait of Asa Philip Randolph, which is housed at the Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, located at 640 Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard in Daytona Beach, Florida. Randolph was born in Crescent City, Florida, on April 15, 1889. In 1891, his family moved to Jacksonville, where Randolph later attended Cookman Institute, the only academic high school in Florida available to African Americans. He graduated in 1907 and migrated to New York City, New York, in 1911. Randolph spent the rest of his life as a leader in the Civil Rights Movement, the labor movement, and in various socialist parties. Some of his most notable accomplishments include organizing the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (BSCP) in 1925, leading the March on Washington Movement (MOWM) of 1941-1946, and heading the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963. His organizations were responsible for convincing President Franklin Delano Roosevel to issue Executive Order 8802, which banned discrimination in defense industries, in 1941; pressuring President Harry S. Truman to issue Executive Order 9981, which ended segregation in the United States Armed Forces, in 1948; and inspuring the Freedom Budget (also known as the Randolph Freedom Budget), which focused on solving economic problems specific to the African-American community.
Original 8 x 10 inch black and white photographic print: Sun room, image 12, Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, Daytona Beach, Florida.
An autographed portrait of Vijaya Lakshmi Nehru Pandit, which is housed at the Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, located at 640 Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard in Daytona Beach, Florida. Pandit was born on August 18, 1900, in Allahabad in the North-Western Provinces of British India. In 1937, she became the first Indian woman to hold a cabinet post when she was elected to the provincial legislature of the United Provinces of British India. Pandit was also designated the minister of local self-government and the minister of public health, a position which she held until 1939 and again from 1946 to 1947. In 1946, Pandit was elected to the Constituent Assembly. After Indian gained independence from Great Britain in 1947, Pandit became the Indian Ambassador to the Soviet Union from 1947 to 1949, the Ambassador to the United States and to Mexico from 1949 to 1951, Ambassador to Ireland from 1955 to 1961, High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 1958 to 1961, and Ambassador to Spain from 1958 to 1961. She also led the Indian delegation to the United Nations from 1946 to 1968. In 1953, Pandit became the first female President of the United Nations General Assembly. Pandit also served as Governor of Mahra from 1962 to 1964 and then as Phulpur's representative at the Lok Sabha, Indian's lower house, from 1964 to 1968. In the late 1960s, Pandit retired but was later appointed to the UN Human Rights Commission in 1979. She died on December 1, 1990.
Original 8 x 10 inch black and white photographic print: Sun room, image 124, Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, Daytona Beach, Florida.
Roosevelt, Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, 1884-1962
An autographed portrait of Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, which is housed at the Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, located at 640 Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard in Daytona Beach, Florida. Roosevelt was born on October 11, 1884, in New York City, New York, and was commonly known by her middle name, Eleanor. Roosevelt is best known as the First Lady of the United States (FLOTUS) for her husband, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who served from March 4, 1933 to April 12, 1945. Before coming to Washington, D.C., she served as the First Lady of New York from 1929 to 1932, when her husband was Governor. Roosevelt's activity while First Lady was controversial at the time, but she has since become respected for her activism on a number topics, including race relations, women's roles in the workplace, civil rights for African Americans and Asian Americans, and the rights of World War II refugees. She also arranged from the appointment of Dr. Mary Jane McLeod Bethune as Director of the Division of Negro Affairs of the National Youth Administration (NYA). Dr. Bethune presented Roosevelt with an honorary degree from her college, Bethune-Cookman College in Daytona Beach, Florida, on March 19, 1953. Following her husband's death, Roosevelt continued her political career as the first Chair of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) from 1956 to 1951, Representative to the UNCHR from 1947 to 1953, Delegate to the UN General Assembly (UNGA) from 1946 to 1952, and Chairwoman of the Presidential Commission on the Status of Women from 1961 to 1962. Roosevelt died on November 7, 1962, in Manhattan in New York City.
Original 8 x 10 inch black and white photographic print: Sun room, image 27, Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, Daytona Beach, Florida.
Dr. Mary Jane McLeod Bethune with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt
Dr. Mary Jane Mcleod Bethune presenting the First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt an honorary degree from Bethune-Cookman College in Daytona Beach, Florida, on March 19, 1953. The two women had developed a friendship previously and Roosevelt had arranged for Dr. Bethune's appointment as Director of the Division of Negro Affairs of the National Youth Administration (NYA) when Roosevelt's husband, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, was President. 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 154, Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, Daytona Beach, Florida.
Southeastern Federation of Colored Women's Clubs
The Southeastern Federation of Colored Women's Clubs (SFCWC) sometime between 1920 and 1955. Photographed in the front row from left to right is Margaret Murray Washington (Mrs. Booker T. Washington), Mary McLeod Bethune, Lucy Craft Laney, and Mary Jackson McCrorey. The second Row from left to right is Janie Porter Barrett, M.L. Crosthwaite, Charlotte Hawkins Brown, and Eugenia Burns Hope. SFCWC was founded by Dr. Bethune in 1920 to united state club federations from Florida, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Virginia. The organization sought to combat school desegregation and to improve health facilities. Dr. Bethune also served as the SFCWC's first president from 1920 to 1925. Under her leadership, the group was able to found a state home for delinquent, young, African-American women and establish and operate the Home for Delinquent Girls in Ocala in 1921.
Original 10 x 8 inch black and white photographic print: Living room, Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, Daytona Beach, Florida.
Dr. Mary Jane McLeod Bethune, the founder of Bethune-Cookman College in Daytona Beach, Florida. Dr. Bethune was born in Mayesville, South Carolina, on July 10, 1875. In October of 1904, she founded the Daytona Educational and Industrial Training School for Negro Girls. 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. Dr. Bethune served as the college president from 1923 to 1942 and again from 1946 to 1947. Dr. Bethune was also active in civil rights and women's rights. She founded the Southeastern Federation of Colored Women's Clubs (SFCWC) in 1920. She also campaigned for President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1932 and was offered a position in his Black Cabinet after he won the election. Dr. Bethune died in Daytona Beach on May 18, 1955.
Original 8 x 10 inch black and white photographic print: Mary McLeod Bethune Foundation, Daytona Beach, Florida.
Still Life with Pears by Hal McIntosh. Born in 1927, 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 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.
Original painting: McIntosh, Hal. Still Life with Pears (painting): Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens, Winter Park, Florida.
Study Without Violin by Hal McIntosh. Born in 1927, 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 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.
Original painting: McIntosh, Hal. Study Without Violin (painting): Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens, Winter Park, Florida.
The String by Hal McIntosh. Born in 1927, 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 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.
Original painting: McIntosh, Hal. The String (painting): Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens, Winter Park, Florida.
An oral history of Ida Boston, conducted by Porsha Dossie on April 18, 2015. Boston is a resident of Oviedo, Florida, and a retired school bus driver for the Seminole County Public Schools. In 1956, she married her husband, Russell Boston, who is the grandson of Prince Butler Boston, a leading figure in Oviedo's black community. In this oral history, Boston discusses the legacy of Prince Butler Boston, establishing a colored cemetery, funding colored schools in the Oviedo area, and the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church. Boston also discusses black life in Oviedo, including membership in the Oviedo Citizens in Action Committee (OCIAC), which desegregated public places in Oviedo and fought for integration of Oviedo's schools.
Boston, Ida. Interviewed by Porsha Dossie, April 18, 2015. Audio/video record available. Oviedo History Harvest, Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, Oviedo, Florida
Home of the Boston Family, Oviedo, Florida
Home of Prince Butler Boston, Oviedo, Florida
The Supervillains at the Beacham Theater, 2012
The Supervillains performing live at the Beacham Theater, located at 46 North Orange Avenue in Downtown Orlando, Florida, on November 21, 2012. The first and second photographs feature, from left to right, drummer/vocalist Dominic Maresco and bassist Daniel Grundorf. The third photograph shows keyboardist/guitarist Tom "T-Rex" Moulton. The Supervillains were formed in 1998 by drummer/vocalist Dominic Maresco and guitarist/vocalist Scott "Skart" Suldo, while they were in high school in St. Cloud, Florida. Initially a punk-rock band, the group adapted elements of ska and reggae to their sound, leading to opportunities to support reggae acts such as The Wailers and Inner Circle, reggae-rock acts such as Slightly Stoopid and Pepper, ska acts such as Reel Big Fish and Streetlight Manifesto, punk acts such as Pennywise and Authority Zero, and rock acts such as Fishbone and 311. After several successful tours as an opening band, The Supervillains began headlining their own national tours, often performing over 200 shows per year, and released eight studio albums as of June 2015. The band incorporated several horn players and other members for eight or nine years, but have since operated as a four-piece, with Maresco, Suldo, Daniel Grundrof on bass and Tom "T-Rex" Moulton on keyboards and guitar. After selling over 100,000 records, the group formed their own label, Rah Rah Rah Records, in 2011.
Original color photograph by Alicia Lyman, November 21, 2012: Archive: Concerts Archive, Alicia Lyman.
The Supervillains performing live at The Social, located at 54 North Orange Avenue in Downtown Orlando, Florida, on July 20, 2007. The first photograph features, from left to right, Scott "Skart" Suldo on guitar, Dominic Maresco on drums, Jonathan "Smally" Cestero on saxophone, and an unidentified trumpet player. The second photograph shows Suldo and the third photograph shows Suldo with Maresco. The Supervillains were formed in 1998 by drummer/vocalist Dominic Maresco and guitarist/vocalist Scott "Skart" Suldo, while they were in high school in St. Cloud, Florida. Initially a punk-rock band, the group adapted elements of ska and reggae to their sound, leading to opportunities to support reggae acts such as The Wailers and Inner Circle, reggae-rock acts such as Slightly Stoopid and Pepper, ska acts such as Reel Big Fish and Streetlight Manifesto, punk acts such as Pennywise and Authority Zero, and rock acts such as Fishbone and 311. After several successful tours as an opening band, The Supervillains began headlining their own national tours, often performing over 200 shows per year, and released eight studio albums as of June 2015. The band incorporated several horn players and other members for eight or nine years, but have since operated as a four-piece, with Maresco, Suldo, Daniel Grundrof on bass and Tom "T-Rex" Moulton on keyboards and guitar. After selling over 100,000 records, the group formed their own label, Rah Rah Rah Records, in 2011.
Original color photographs by Alicia Lyman, July 30, 2007: Archive: Concerts Archive, Alicia Lyman.
A bass drum used by Dominic Maresco of The Supervillains. The photograph was taken on March 14, 2003, when the band performed at Hard Rock Live in Orlando, Florida. The Supervillains were formed in 1998 by drummer/vocalist Dominic Maresco and guitarist/vocalist Scott "Skart" Suldo, while they were in high school in St. Cloud, Florida. Initially a punk-rock band, the group adapted elements of ska and reggae to their sound, leading to opportunities to support reggae acts such as The Wailers and Inner Circle, reggae-rock acts such as Slightly Stoopid and Pepper, ska acts such as Reel Big Fish and Streetlight Manifesto, punk acts such as Pennywise and Authority Zero, and rock acts such as Fishbone and 311. After several successful tours as an opening band, The Supervillains began headlining their own national tours, often performing over 200 shows per year, and released eight studio albums as of June 2015. The band incorporated several horn players and other members for eight or nine years, but have since operated as a four-piece, with Maresco, Suldo, Daniel Grundrof on bass and Tom "T-Rex" Moulton on keyboards and guitar. After selling over 100,000 records, the group formed their own label, Rah Rah Rah Records, in 2011.
Original color photograph by Alicia Lyman, March 14, 2003: Archive: Concerts Archive, Alicia Lyman.
The Supervillains at the House of Blues Orlando, 2002
The Supervillains performing live at the House of Blues Orlando in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, on December 20, 2002. The first photograph features, from left to right, Jonathan "Smally" Cestero on saxophone, Andrew Neil Estes on trombone, Scott Suldo on guitar, J. P. Thieme on trumpet, Gus Ramage on bass, Dominic Maresco on drums, and Ben Montgomery on guitar. The second photograph features Maresco. The third photograph features, from left to right, Thieme , Suldo, Cestero, Ramage, and Montgomery. The Supervillains were formed in 1998 by drummer/vocalist Dominic Maresco and guitarist/vocalist Scott "Skart" Suldo, while they were in high school in St. Cloud, Florida. Initially a punk-rock band, the group adapted elements of ska and reggae to their sound, leading to opportunities to support reggae acts such as The Wailers and Inner Circle, reggae-rock acts such as Slightly Stoopid and Pepper, ska acts such as Reel Big Fish and Streetlight Manifesto, punk acts such as Pennywise and Authority Zero, and rock acts such as Fishbone and 311. After several successful tours as an opening band, The Supervillains began headlining their own national tours, often performing over 200 shows per year, and released eight studio albums as of June 2015. The band incorporated several horn players and other members for eight or nine years, but have since operated as a four-piece, with Maresco, Suldo, Daniel Grundrof on bass and Tom "T-Rex" Moulton on keyboards and guitar. After selling over 100,000 records, the group formed their own label, Rah Rah Rah Records, in 2011.
Original color photographs by Alicia Lyman, December 20, 2002: Archive: Concerts Archive, Alicia Lyman.
House of Blues Orlando, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
Solillaquists of Sound at Slingapour's, 2003
Solillaquists of Sound performing live at at Slingapour's, a venue located at 18 Wall Street in Wall Street Plaza in Downtown Orlando, Florida, on February 19, 2003. The first photograph features, from left to right, Tonya Combs, Alexandrah, DiViNCi and MC Swamburger. The second photograph the first three, minus Swamburger. The third and fourth photographs feature Swamburger with Alexandrah and then with DiViNCi, respectively. The final photograph shows DiViNCi playing a Media Player Classic (MPC). Solillaquists of Sound, also known as Solilla, is an American hip-hop quartet formed in Orlando in August 2002. The group, consisting of MCs (masters of ceremonies) Swamburger and Alexandrah, poet/vocalist Tonya Combs, and producer/composer/MPC player DiViNCi, employs sophisticated, socially conscious lyrics and musical composition, based on the life-affirming, justice-oriented views held by the members. The group utilizes melody and harmony in their vocals, often delivering many punctuated syllables in rapid succession in tight synchronicity. In 2002, Asaan Brooks, also known as Swamburger, began having weekly meetings in his Orlando home about music, community involvement, spirituality, and veganism. At one of these meetings, Brooks and his friend, producer and MPC player Glen Valencia, Jr., also known as DiViNCi, with whom he had already recorded material, decided to begin performing together. A frequent attendee of their shows, Tonya Combs, joined them on background vocals, and soon the group's friend, singer Alexandra Sarton, also known as Alexandrah, left her home in Chicago, Illinois, to join the band. The group categorized themselves in their own genre, FAHEEM (funk/astro/hip-hop/extraterrestrially energized message), which they felt more accurately conveyed both their music and their beliefs regarding spirituality, life, and love. They were invited by hip-hop artist Sage Francis to tour with him, and his label, Epitaph, signed them to their sister label, Anti-, in early 2006. They recorded two albums under the label, As If We Existed (2006) and No More Heroes (2008), before leaving the label and producing their own albums, The 4th Wall: Part 1 (2012) and The 4th Wall: Part 2 (2013). In addition to Francis, the band has toured with artists such as Michael Franti & Spearhead, KRS-One, Bad Brains, Ozomatli, El-P, and Lyrics Born. The group is also known for their community involvement, appearing on a tribute record for fellow rapper/producer J Dilla, also known as James Dewitt Yancey, who passed away in 2006 from a blood disease. The album, Death of the Muse, featured J-Live, Chali 2na of Jurassic 5, and Maureen "Ma Dukes" Yancey,Maureen Yancey, the mother of J Dilla. Okayplayer.com featured the effort as one of their top news stories, and LA Weekly called the track "the most awesome song in the history of awesomedom." The group hopes to open the Solilla Center 4 Creative Kids, a non-profit school designed to empower youth with the knowledge of all things good for mind, body, and spirit, offering kids yoga, an art gallery, massage, a cafe, smoothie and juice bar, language, art, poetry, gardening, and vegan cooking classes, as well as an after-school tutoring program.
Original color photographs by Alicia Lyman, February 19, 2003: Archive: Concerts Archive, Alicia Lyman.
Slingapour's, Wall Street Plaza, Orlando, Florida
Solillaquists of Sound at BackBooth, 2003
Solillaquists of Sound performing live at BackBooth, located at 37 West Pine Street in Downtown Orlando, Florida, on October 25, 2003. The first photograph features Alexandra Sarton, popularly known as Alexandrah, and the second photograph shows, from left to right, Tonya Combs, and DiViNCi. Solillaquists of Sound, also known as Solilla, is an American hip-hop quartet formed in Orlando in August 2002. The group, consisting of MCs (masters of ceremonies) Swamburger and Alexandrah, poet/vocalist Tonya Combs, and producer/composer/MPC player DiViNCi, employs sophisticated, socially conscious lyrics and musical composition, based on the life-affirming, justice-oriented views held by the members. The group utilizes melody and harmony in their vocals, often delivering many punctuated syllables in rapid succession in tight synchronicity. In 2002, Asaan Brooks, also known as Swamburger, began having weekly meetings in his Orlando home about music, community involvement, spirituality, and veganism. At one of these meetings, Brooks and his friend, producer and MPC player Glen Valencia, Jr., also known as DiViNCi, with whom he had already recorded material, decided to begin performing together. A frequent attendee of their shows, Tonya Combs, joined them on background vocals, and soon the group's friend, singer Alexandra Sarton, also known as Alexandrah, left her home in Chicago, Illinois, to join the band. The group categorized themselves in their own genre, FAHEEM (funk/astro/hip-hop/extraterrestrially energized message), which they felt more accurately conveyed both their music and their beliefs regarding spirituality, life, and love. They were invited by hip-hop artist Sage Francis to tour with him, and his label, Epitaph, signed them to their sister label, Anti-, in early 2006. They recorded two albums under the label, As If We Existed (2006) and No More Heroes (2008), before leaving the label and producing their own albums, The 4th Wall: Part 1 (2012) and The 4th Wall: Part 2 (2013). In addition to Francis, the band has toured with artists such as Michael Franti & Spearhead, KRS-One, Bad Brains, Ozomatli, El-P, and Lyrics Born. The group is also known for their community involvement, appearing on a tribute record for fellow rapper/producer J Dilla, also known as James Dewitt Yancey, who passed away in 2006 from a blood disease. The album, Death of the Muse, featured J-Live, Chali 2na of Jurassic 5, and Maureen "Ma Dukes" Yancey,Maureen Yancey, the mother of J Dilla. Okayplayer.com featured the effort as one of their top news stories, and LA Weekly called the track "the most awesome song in the history of awesomedom." The group hopes to open the Solilla Center 4 Creative Kids, a non-profit school designed to empower youth with the knowledge of all things good for mind, body, and spirit, offering kids yoga, an art gallery, massage, a cafe, smoothie and juice bar, language, art, poetry, gardening, and vegan cooking classes, as well as an after-school tutoring program.
Original color photographs by Alicia Lyman, October 25, 2003: Archive: Concerts Archive, Alicia Lyman.