Baldwin Park, a neighborhood located southwest of Lake Baldwin in Orlando, Florida, sometime betwen 2005 and 2006. The neighborhood is 1,000 acres, is home to 8,000 residents, and includes 125 businesses. Baldwin Park was built at the former site of the Naval Training Center Orlando (NTC Orlando). The community is an example of New Urbanism, a design movement which features walkable neighborhoods with a range of housing styles and job types. The movement began in the early 1980s and is influenced by the principles of traditional neighborhood design (TND) and transit-oriented development (TOD).
Original color photographs by Laura Lynn Cepero: Private Collection of Nancy Lynn Cepero.
Orlando Magic at the Orlando Arena, 1991
The Orlando Magic playing the Milwaukee Bucks at the Orlando Arena, located at 1 West Amelia Street in Orlando, Florida, on December 19, 1991. The game ended with the Bucks defeating the Magic 95 to 87. Following the 1991-1992 season, the Magic would gain popularity as it acquired Shaquille O'Neal (b. 1972). Other notable Magic superstars over the years include Penny Hardaway (b. 1971), Tracy McGrady (b. 1979), and Dwight Howard (b. 1985). Planning for the Orlando Arena, colloquially nicknamed "The O-Rena", began in 1983, but the project was delayed for several years due to financial issues. A groundbreaking ceremony was held in January of 1987. Shortly thereafter, the National Basketball Association (NBA) approved the creation of a franchise in Orlando. Construction was completed in 1989 and cost $110 million. The Orlando Magic was founded that same year, becoming the first major-league professional sports franchise in the Orlando area. On September 19, 1991, the DeVos family, with Richard DeVos (b. 1926) as the head, bought the franchise for $85 million. Although the arena originally seated nearly 15,300 spectators, renovations between 1994 and 1995 increased the arena's capacity to approximately 17,500 guests. The name of the arena was changed to the TD Waterhouse Centre in 2000. In December of 2006, the venue was briefly named The Arena in Orlando and then the Amway Arena, after the City of Orlando and Orange County agreed to construct a new arena. The old Amway Arena closed on September 30, 2010, and operations moved to the new Amway Center, located at 400 West Church Street. Demolition of the old structure began on December 15, 2011. As of 2014, the City of Orlando has made plans to create a "Creative Village" on the site. This new complex would offer space for offices, residences, educational centers, hotels, retail stores, and entertainment venues.
Original color photographs, December 19, 1991: Private Collection of Nancy Lynn Cepero.
Universal's Islands of Adventure, located at 6000 Universal Boulevard in Orlando, Florida, in 2001. The Incredible Hulk roller coaster can be seen to the right of the photograph. Part of Universal Studios Florida, the theme park opened on May 28, 1999. The idea for Islands of Adventure were first conceived in 1991. By 1993, plans were being announced. Construction began in 1997.
Original color photograph, 2001: Private Collection of Nancy Lynn Cepero.
Universal's Islands Of Adventure, Orlando, Florida
Laura Lynn Cepero (b. 1987), Alicia Lynn Cepero (b. 1975), and Samantha Ariel Pryor (b. 1990) in Mystery Fun House, an Orlando attraction, in 2001. The attraction was founded by David A. Siegel on March 28, 1976, and was located at 5767 Major Boulevard. The fun house was closed in 2001.
Original color photograph by Nancy Lynn Cepero, 2001: Private Collection of Nancy Lynn Cepero.
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney-MGM Studios, 2000
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney-MGM Studios (now called Disney's Hollywood Studios), located at 351 South Studio Drive in 2000. MGM Studios is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Disney and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer agreed to a licensing contract that would allowed Disney to use the MGM name and logo for Disney-MGM Studios. Despite several lawsuits and countersuits between the two partners, the theme park opened on May 1, 1989. Around this same time, the Tower of Terror was being designed for Euro Disney (now Disneyland Paris). Euro Disney abandoned the project, which was picked up by MGM Studios. The ride is based on the television program The Twilight Zone. Construction began in the beginning of 1992 and the attraction opened on July 22, 1994. Disney-MGM Studios was renamed Disney's Hollywood Studios on January 7, 2008.
Original color photograph, 2000: Private Collection of Nancy Lynn Cepero.
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Disney-MGM Studios, Orlando, Florida
Nancy Lynn Cepero (b. 1954), on the right, at Adventureland at Magic Kingdom in 1974. Magic Kingdom, located at 1180 Seven Seas Drive, is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Construction for the resort began in 1967, after the death of Walt Disney (1901-1966). Magic Kingdom was the first park of the Walt Disney Resort to open on October 1, 1971. The park included 33 attractions in six themed areas: Main Street U.S.A., Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, and Liberty Square. Adventureland features themes of jungles in Africa, Asia, and South America.
Original color photograph by Ray Cepero, 1974: Private Collection of Nancy Lynn Cepero.
Adventureland, Magic Kingdom, Orlando, Florida
Tom Sawyer Island at Magic Kingdom, 1974
Nancy Lynn Cepero (b. 1954) walking across the bridge at Tom Sawyer Island at Magic Kingdom in 1974.Magic Kingdom, located at 1180 Seven Seas Drive, is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Construction for the resort began in 1967, after the death of Walt Disney (1901-1966). Magic Kingdom was the first park of the Walt Disney Resort to open on October 1, 1971. The park included 33 attractions in six themed areas: Main Street U.S.A., Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, and Liberty Square. Tom Sawyer Island is an island in Frontierland that opened on May 20, 1973. It features references to Mark Twain's (1835-1910) novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.
Tom Sawyer Island, Magic Kingdom, Orlando, Florida
Main Street, U.S.A. at Magic Kingdom, 1974
Main Street, U.S.A. at Magic Kingdom in 1974. Magic Kingdom, located at 1180 Seven Seas Drive, is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Construction for the resort began in 1967, after the death of Walt Disney (1901-1966). Magic Kingdom was the first park of the Walt Disney Resort to open on October 1, 1971. The park included 33 attractions in six themed areas: Main Street U.S.A., Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, and Liberty Square. Main Street features architectural and decorative influences from various regions in the country.
Original color photograph, 1974: Private Collection of Nancy Lynn Cepero.
Main Street, U.S.A., Magic Kingdom, Orlando, Florida
Rainbow Elementary School's Chorus at Downtown Disney, 1998
The chorus of Rainbow Elementary School, a school in Winter Springs, at Downtown Disney, an entertainment complex located at 1780 East Buena Vista Drive in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, in 1998. Originally called the Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village, the complex opened on March 22, 1975. In 1977, the complex was renamed Walt Disney World Village. Pleasure Island was added to the village on May 1, 1989, ad the complex was renamed the Disney Village Marketplace later that year. In 1995, Walt Disney World began to enhance and expand the complex, while also combing the Disney Village Marketplace and Pleasure Island into one district called Downtown Disney, which was introduced on September 7, 1998. On March 14, 2013, Disney announced that Downtown Disney would be revitalized as Disney Springs.
Original color photograph by Nancy Lynn Cepero, 1998: Private Collection of Nancy Lynn Cepero.
A LEGO structure at Downtown Disney, an entertainment complex located at 1780 East Buena Vista Drive in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, in 1998. Originally called the Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village, the complex opened on March 22, 1975. In 1977, the complex was renamed Walt Disney World Village. Pleasure Island was added to the village on May 1, 1989, and the complex was renamed the Disney Village Marketplace later that year. In 1995, Walt Disney World began to enhance and expand the complex, while also combining the Disney Village Marketplace and Pleasure Island into one district called Downtown Disney, which was introduced on September 7, 1998. On March 14, 2013, Disney announced that Downtown Disney would be revitalized as Disney Springs.
Original color photograph, 1998: Private Collection of Nancy Lynn Cepero.
LEGO Imagination Center, Downtown Disney, Orlando, Florida
Special Olympics Track Practice at University High School, 1998
Special Olympics track practice at University High School, located at 2450 Cougar Way in Orlando, Florida, in 1998. The school was established in 1990 and is part of Orange County Public Schools (OCPS). University has both an International Baccalaureate (IB) program and a Global Technologies (GT) program. Special Olympics was founded by Eunice Kennedy Shriver (1921-2009), the sister of President John F. Kennedy (1917-1963), in 1968. The project began as a day camp for children with intellectual disabilities in June of 1962. The first International Special Olympics Summer Games were held in 1968 at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois.
University High School, Orlando, Florida
Discovery Island, located at the Walt Disney World Resort Bay Lake near Orlando, Florida, in September of 1991. Before the arrival of Walt Disney World, the 11.5-acre island was called Raz Island, in honor of the family that inhabited it. In the late 1930s, Delmar "Radio Nick" S. Nicholson (1898-1978) purchased the property and renamed it Idle Bay Isle. Twenty years later, the island was sold and renamed Riles Island, which was used as retreat for hunting. Disney finally bought the island in 1965, prior to the construction of the Walt Disney World Resort. On April 8, 1974, the property opened to guests as Treasure Island. Some years later, it was designated as a zoological park and renamed Discovery Island. On April 8, 1999, the park was closed to the public and all animals were relocated to Disney's Animal Kingdom or other zoos. Despite talks of developing Myst Island in cooperation of the developers of the video game Myst, the park remains closed to the public.
Original color photographs, September 1991: Private Collection of Nancy Lynn Cepero.
Disney's River Country, located at the Walt Disney World Resort Bay Lake near Orlando, Florida, in June of 1991. In the first photograph, Dennis Cepero (b. 1986) can be seen in the bottom left corner wearing a white t-shirt. In the second photograph, Ray Cepero (b. 1947) can be seen in a blue swimsuit, with his daughter, Laura Lynn Cepero (b. 1987) sitting to his right. Set on the shore of Bay Lake, Disney's first water park opened on June 20, 1976. The wilderness-theme water park utilized a water-filtering system that used water dammed from Bay Lake. Despite competition from Disney's more successful water parks—Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach—River Country continued to operate until September 1, 2001. Originally, the park had planned to re-open when the warm-weather season came around in the spring of 2002. However, business for all Disney attractions suffered as a result of the terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C. on September 11, 2001. River Country did not re-open due to lack of guest demand.
Original color photographs, June 1991: Private Collection of Nancy Lynn Cepero.
Disney's River Country, Orlando, Florida
Street Performer at Church Street Station, 1998
A street performer at Church Street Station, located at 76-135 West Church Street in Downtown Orlando, Florida, in March of 1998. The original site was occupied by a railroad depot built around 1883 for the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL). The depot was designed by T. B. Cotter in the Queen Anne/Eclectic Victorian style and constructed by Henry B. Plant (1819-1899). The building was demolished around 1890 and the current Church Street Station Depot was constructed by the South Florida Railroad on the same lot. The site also served the Tavares, Orlando and Atlantic Railroad, and the Orlando and Winter Park Railway. In 1926, the Orlando Health/Amtrak station took over passenger operations, but Church Street Station continued to serve as a ticket outlet and freight station until 1972. In 1973, a Dixieland-theme entertainment complex was established between the railroad tracks and Garland Avenue in seven vacant buildings for $22 million. The depot itself houses retail shops. The depot was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1976 and named an Orlando Historic Landmark in 1978. In 1988, the complex was expanded to include the Church Street Exchange and the Church Street Market. The development was led by Bob Snow and Steve Fuller and sold in 1989 for $61 million. The complex peaked in the 1980s, drawing approximately 1.7 million visitors a year. Due to failure to compete with major theme parks, visitor attendance dwindled and the complex was sold in 2001, only to close shortly after.
Original color photograph, March 1998: Private Collection of Nancy Lynn Cepero.
Church Street Station, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Church Street Station, located at 76-135 West Church Street in Downtown Orlando, Florida, in January of 1989. The original site was occupied by a railroad depot built around 1883 for the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL). The depot was designed by T. B. Cotter in the Queen Anne/Eclectic Victorian style and constructed by Henry B. Plant (1819-1899). The building was demolished around 1890 and the current Church Street Station Depot was constructed by the South Florida Railroad on the same lot. The site also served the Tavares, Orlando and Atlantic Railroad, and the Orlando and Winter Park Railway. In 1926, the Orlando Health/Amtrak station took over passenger operations, but Church Street Station continued to serve as a ticket outlet and freight station until 1972. In 1973, a Dixieland-theme entertainment complex was established between the railroad tracks and Garland Avenue in seven vacant buildings for $22 million. The depot itself houses retail shops. The depot was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1976 and named an Orlando Historic Landmark in 1978. In 1988, the complex was expanded to include the Church Street Exchange and the Church Street Market. The development was led by Bob Snow and Steve Fuller and sold in 1989 for $61 million. The complex peaked in the 1980s, drawing approximately 1.7 million visitors a year. Due to failure to compete with major theme parks, visitor attendance dwindled and the complex was sold in 2001, only to close shortly after.
Original color photographs, 1989: Private Collection of Nancy Lynn Cepero.
Rosie O'Grady's Good Time Emporium, 1989
Gertrude Welsh at Rosie O'Grady's Good Time Emporium in 1989. Rosie O'Grady's was a restaurant that was once part of the Church Street Station entertainment complex in Downtown Orlando, Florida. The original site was occupied by a railroad depot built around 1883 for the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL). The depot was designed by T. B. Cotter in the Queen Anne/Eclectic Victorian style and constructed by Henry B. Plant (1819-1899). The building was demolished around 1890 and the current Church Street Station Depot was constructed by the South Florida Railroad on the same lot. The site also served the Tavares, Orlando and Atlantic Railroad, and the Orlando and Winter Park Railway. In 1926, the Orlando Health/Amtrak station took over passenger operations, but Church Street Station continued to serve as a ticket outlet and freight station until 1972. In 1973, a Dixieland-theme entertainment complex was established between the railroad tracks and Garland Avenue in seven vacant buildings for $22 million. The depot itself houses retail shops. The depot was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1976 and named an Orlando Historic Landmark in 1978. In 1988, the complex was expanded to include the Church Street Exchange and the Church Street Market. The development was led by Bob Snow and Steve Fuller and sold in 1989 for $61 million. The complex peaked in the 1980s, drawing approximately 1.7 million visitors a year. Due to failure to compete with major theme parks, visitor attendance dwindled and the complex was sold in 2001, only to close shortly after.
Original color photograph, 1989: Private Collection of Nancy Lynn Cepero.
Rosie O'Grady's Good Time Emporium, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Gertrude Welsh and Lynn Lenahan at Church Street Station, located at 76-135 West Church Street in Downtown Orlando, Florida, in January of 1989. The original site was occupied by a railroad depot built around 1883 for the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL). The depot was designed by T. B. Cotter in the Queen Anne/Eclectic Victorian style and constructed by Henry B. Plant (1819-1899). The building was demolished around 1890 and the current Church Street Station Depot was constructed by the South Florida Railroad on the same lot. The site also served the Tavares, Orlando and Atlantic Railroad, and the Orlando and Winter Park Railway. In 1926, the Orlando Health/Amtrak station took over passenger operations, but Church Street Station continued to serve as a ticket outlet and freight station until 1972. In 1973, a Dixieland-theme entertainment complex was established between the railroad tracks and Garland Avenue in seven vacant buildings for $22 million. The depot itself houses retail shops. The depot was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1976 and named an Orlando Historic Landmark in 1978. In 1988, the complex was expanded to include the Church Street Exchange and the Church Street Market. The development was led by Bob Snow and Steve Fuller and sold in 1989 for $61 million. The complex peaked in the 1980s, drawing approximately 1.7 million visitors a year. Due to failure to compete with major theme parks, visitor attendance dwindled and the complex was sold in 2001, only to close shortly after.
Original color photograph by Nancy Lynn Cepero by Nancy Lynn Cepero, 1989: Private Collection of Nancy Lynn Cepero.
A variety of birds at Ormond Beach, Florida, in 2014. Some of the species of birds shown in the images include gulls, terns, sanderlings, dowitchers, and willets. Ormond Beach is a city located in Volusia County, just north of Daytona Beach. Timucuan Indians frequented the area, but it was not settled until 1643, when a group of Quakers arrived after being blown off course. Although relations were originally friendly, Timucuan chief Oseanoha led a raid of the Quaker encampment in 1704, obliterating the population. By 1708, the Spanish settled in the area, until the British took control. The city was named after James Ormond I, an Anglo-Irish-Scottish sea captain responsible for transporting Franciscan settlers to Florida on behalf of King Ferdinand VII of Spain. In 1821, the U.S. acquired Florida from Spain, but settlement was delayed by the Second Seminole War. Following the American Civil War, the area became a popular tourist destination for wealthy travelers. In 1875, settlers from New Britain, Connecticut, founded the city as New Britain, but the city was incorporated in 1880 as Ormond. The city was named after James Ormond I, an Anglo-Irish-Scottish sea captain responsible for transporting Franciscan settlers to Florida on behalf of King Ferdinand VII of Spain (1784-1833). The St. Johns & Halifax Railroad arrived in 1886 and the Ormond Hotel was constructed in 1888. The first automobile races were held on a track of beach from Ormond south to Daytona Beach in 1902. As a result, Ormond Beach is nicknamed "The Birthplace of Speed."
Original color digital images by Ray Cepero, February 12, 2014: Private Collection of Ray Cepero.
Sunrise at Ormond Beach, Florida, in 2012. Ormond Beach is a city located in Volusia County, just north of Daytona Beach. Timucuan Indians frequented the area, but it was not settled until 1643, when a group of Quakers arrived after being blown off course. Although relations were originally friendly, Timucuan chief Oseanoha led a raid of the Quaker encampment in 1704, obliterating the population. By 1708, the Spanish settled in the area, until the British took control. In 1821, the U.S. acquired Florida from Spain, but settlement was delayed by the Second Seminole War. Following the American Civil War, the area became a popular tourist destination for wealthy travelers. In 1875, settlers from New Britain, Connecticut, founded the city as New Britain, but the city was incorporated in 1880 as Ormond. The city was named after James Ormond I, an Anglo-Irish-Scottish sea captain responsible for transporting Franciscan settlers to Florida on behalf of King Ferdinand VII of Spain (1784-1833). The St. Johns & Halifax Railroad arrived in 1886 and the Ormond Hotel was constructed in 1888. The first automobile races were held on a track of beach from Ormond south to Daytona Beach in 1902. As a result, Ormond Beach is nicknamed "The Birthplace of Speed."
Original color digital image by Ray Cepero, September 15, 2012: Private Collection of Ray Cepero.
Ormond Beach, Florida, in 2012. Ormond Beach is a city located in Volusia County, just north of Daytona Beach. Timucuan Indians frequented the area, but it was not settled until 1643, when a group of Quakers arrived after being blown off course. Although relations were originally friendly, Timucuan chief Oseanoha led a raid of the Quaker encampment in 1704, obliterating the population. By 1708, the Spanish settled in the area, until the British took control. In 1821, the U.S. acquired Florida from Spain, but settlement was delayed by the Second Seminole War. Following the American Civil War, the area became a popular tourist destination for wealthy travelers. In 1875, settlers from New Britain, Connecticut, founded the city as New Britain, but the city was incorporated in 1880 as Ormond. The city was named after James Ormond I, an Anglo-Irish-Scottish sea captain responsible for transporting Franciscan settlers to Florida on behalf of King Ferdinand VII of Spain (1784-1833). The St. Johns & Halifax Railroad arrived in 1886 and the Ormond Hotel was constructed in 1888. The first automobile races were held on a track of beach from Ormond south to Daytona Beach in 1902. As a result, Ormond Beach is nicknamed "The Birthplace of Speed."
Original color digital image by Ray Cepero, May 26, 2012: Private Collection of Ray Cepero.
Hurricane Charley Aftermath in Ormond Beach
The aftermath of Hurricane Charley in Ormond Beach, Florida. Hurricane Charley formed on August 9, 2004, and dissipated on August 15. Charley was a Category 4 hurricane that made landfall in southwest Florida and was the strongest hurricane to hit the United States since Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Although Hurricane Charley weakened to 85 mph winds while passing over the Central Florida region, it still caused considerable damage, as seen in these photographs. Overall, the hurricane resulted in eight direct fatalities in Florida and cost the state over $13 billion in damage.
Original color photographs by Ray Cepero, August 2004: Private Collection of Nancy Lynn Cepero.
Ormond Beach, Florida, in 1993. Ormond Beach is a city located in Volusia County, just north of Daytona Beach. Timucuan Indians frequented the area, but it was not settled until 1643, when a group of Quakers arrived after being blown off course. Although relations were originally friendly, Timucuan chief Oseanoha led a raid of the Quaker encampment in 1704, obliterating the population. By 1708, the Spanish settled in the area, until the British took control. In 1821, the U.S. acquired Florida from Spain, but settlement was delayed by the Second Seminole War. Following the American Civil War, the area became a popular tourist destination for wealthy travelers. In 1875, settlers from New Britain, Connecticut, founded the city as New Britain, but the city was incorporated in 1880 as Ormond. The city was named after James Ormond I, an Anglo-Irish-Scottish sea captain responsible for transporting Franciscan settlers to Florida on behalf of King Ferdinand VII of Spain (1784-1833). The St. Johns & Halifax Railroad arrived in 1886 and the Ormond Hotel was constructed in 1888. The first automobile races were held on a track of beach from Ormond south to Daytona Beach in 1902. As a result, Ormond Beach is nicknamed "The Birthplace of Speed."
Original color photographs, 1993: Private Collection of Nancy Lynn Cepero.
The Brevard Zoo, located at 8225 North Wickham Road in Melbourne, Florida, in 2000. Pictured in the photograph are, from left to right: an unidentified child, Alicia Lynn Cepero; Robert "Bobby" James Lenahan, Jr.; Laura Lynn Cepero; and Lynn Lenahan (née Sabatino). Construction for the zoo was spearheaded by the East Coast Zoological Society of Florida, Inc. (ECZS) and began in 1992. The zoo opened on March 26, 1994.
Original color photograph by Nancy Lynn Cepero, 2000: Private Collection of Nancy Lynn Cepero.
The Chabad of Greater Orlando, located at 708 Lake Howell Road in Maitland, Florida, in 2005. Chabad-Lubavitch is one of the largest Orthodox Jewish movements. "Chabad" is a Hebrew acronym for chochmah, binah, and da'at (wisdom, comprehension, and knowledge, respectively). "Lubavitch" is the name of the Russian town where the movement was founded by Shneur Zalman of Liadi (1745-1812) in 1755. Like other Orthodox Judaic denominations, Chabad Jews strictly follow the laws and ethics of the Torah, the Jewish religious text. The worldwide Chab movement numbers approximate 200,000 adherents.
Original color photograph by Laura Lynn Cepero, 2005: Private Collection of Nancy Lynn Cepero.
Chabad of Greater Orlando, Maitland, Florida
Special Olympics Track Practice at Lake Mary High School, 1997
A Special Olympics track practice at Lake Mary High School, located at 655 Longwood Lake Mary Road in Lake Mary, Florida, on April 12, 1997. Lake Mary High first opened in 1981. From 2002 to 2006, the school has underwent a $20 million construction and remodeling project. Special Olympics was founded by Eunice Kennedy Shriver (1921-2009), the sister of President John F. Kennedy (1917-1963), in 1968. The project began as a day camp for children with intellectual disabilities in June of 1962. The first International Special Olympics Summer Games were held in 1968 at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois.
Original color photograph, 1997: Private Collection of Nancy Lynn Cepero.
Lake Mary High School, Lake Mary, Florida
Three members of the Cepero family at Rock Springs Run State Reserve near Sorrento, Florida, in 1996. Photographed from left to right are Dennis Cepero (b. 1985), Laura Lynn Cepero (b. 1987), and Alicia Lynn Cepero (b. 1975). Rock Springs Run State Reserve is a state park that includes Indian mounds, pine flatwoods, swamps, and artesian springs. The site also includes Seminole Creek, Wekiwa Springs Run, Rock Springs Run, and Wekiwa River.
Original color photograph, 1996: Private Collection of Nancy Lynn Cepero.
Rock Springs Run State Reserve, Lake County, Florida
Alicia Lynn Cepero (b. 1975) on a water slide at Water Mania, a presently abandoned water park located at 4449 West U.S. Route 192 in Kissimmee, Florida. The 36-acre park was originally owned by brothers Gary Larson and Randy Larson and opened in 1986. In 2005, the park, along with Larson's Lodge and Country Hearth Hotel were sold. Water Mania closed on September 5, 2005.
Original color photographs, September 1989: Private Collection of Nancy Lynn Cepero.
Heathrow is an unincorporated community just west of Lake Mary, Florida. Heathrow was founded by Jeno F. Paulucci (1918-2011) in 1985. As a food business entrepreneur, Paulucci used the area to grow celery for Chun King, which was his line of Chinese-style food.
Original color postcard: Private Collection of Nancy Lynn Cepero.
Hudson Beach, Florida, in May of 1991. Hudson Beach is located west of U.S. Route 19 and north of Port Richey in Pasco County. Before Hudson Beach was developed as a public beach in 1960, there was a small island located near present-day Harbor Drive that was used for swimming and picnicking. Original plans to develop the beach were led by Bud Clark, joined by Tom Sawyer and the Hudson Community Club. Despite slow progress, the State of Florida announced plans to develop a state park on the site, along with U.S.-19. The project was completed in 1960.
Original color photographs, May 1991: Private Collection of Nancy Lynn Cepero.
Doobie Brothers and Santana Tribute Concert at the Daytona Beach Bandshell, 2014
A Doobie Brothers and Santana Tribute Concert at the Daytona Beach Bandshell on August 16, August 16, 2014. Two restaurants, My Pi Pizza! and Sloppy Joe's, and a movie theater, Paragon Theaters, can also be seen in the images. Located at 70 Boardwalk in Daytona Beach, Florida, this amphitheater was constructed between 1936 1937. The Federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) began constructed in September of 1936 and the first program was presented on July 4, 1937. The bandshell was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic places on March 5, 1999.
Original color digital images by Ray Cepero, August 16, 2014: Private Collection of Ray Cepero.
The Daytona International Speedway, located at 1801 West International Speedway Boulevard in Daytona Beach, Florida, in 1995. Home of 500-mile-long National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) Spring Cup Series motor race, this race track was opened in 1959. Automobile and motorcycle races began in 1902, due to the smooth, compacted sand that covered the beach. Daytona Beach became the site of various land speed record attempts in the first half of the 20th century. On March 8, 1936, the first stock car race was held on the Daytona Beach Road Course, which is located in present-day Ponce Inlet. Bill France, Sr. (1909-1992), the founder of NASCAR, began planning the track's construction in 1953 to replace the beach course. The track was engineered by Charles Moneypenney and construction was completed in 1958. The track has been renovated in 1978, 2004, and 2010. New renovations for Project Daytona Rising is scheduled for completion in January of 2016. The track also hosts events for the Auto Racing Club of America (ARCA), the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA), Tudor United Sport scar Championship (USCC), the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA), and Motocross.
Original color photograph, 1995: Private Collection of Nancy Lynn Cepero.
The Daytona Beach Bandshell in Daytona Beach, Florida, in 1995. Located at 70 Boardwalk in Daytona Beach, Florida, this amphitheater was constructed between 1936 1937. The Federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) began constructed in September of 1936 and the first program was presented on July 4, 1937. The bandshell was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic places on March 5, 1999.
Cocoa Beach, Florida, in September of 1991. The first non-Amerindian settlement of the area, known as Oceanus, was a group of emancipated slaves following the end of the American Civil War. A group of citizens of neighboring Cocoa purchased the property in 1888, but left it undeveloped for several decades. In 1923, one of the groups members, Gus C. Edwards, purchased the land from his fellow co-owners. Cocoa Beach was incorporated as town on June 5, 1925. Edwards was elected the first mayor. The Florida Department of Transportation constructed State Road 140 (present-day State Road A1A) in 1935, allowing for increased development. In 1944, a Florida Legislature bill that would have dissolved the city government was defeated. The town was incorporated as a city on June 29, 1957. With the construction of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)'s John F. Kennedy Space Center (KCS), the city of Cocoa Beach experienced major growth in population and economic development. However, the city experienced layoffs and economic decline during the period between the conclusion of the Apollo Program and the introduction of the Space Shuttle Program.
An oral history of Bob Hattaway, conducted by Daniel Motta on June 14, 2012. Hattaway was born and raised in Altamonte Springs, Florida. In the interview, Hattaway discusses growing up in Altamonte Springs, working in the fern industry, his real estate and agricultural endeavors, his family's influence in Altamonte Springs and Casselberry, the greenhouse business, local politics, and the air travel industry.
Original 49-minute and 20-second oral history:Hattaway, Bob. Interviewed by Daniel Motta. June 14, 2012. Audio record available. Museum of Seminole County History, Sanford, Florida.
Winter Park High School, Winter Park, Florida
Orlando International Airport, Orlando, Florida
Orlando-Sanford International Airport, Sanford, Florida
Adult Toy Storage, Altamonte Springs, Florida
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (U.S.)
An oral history of Charles Whittington b. 1938), conducted by Joseph Morris on November 18, 2011. Whittington was born in Sanford, Florida, in March of 1938. In the interview, he discusses his childhood in Sanford and Charleston, celery and gladiola farming, his father's service in the U.S. Navy, his mother and sister, how Sanford has changed over time, his employment history, his world travel experiences, his activities after retirement, his work with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA),his wife and children, his service in the U.S. Army and in the U.S. Air Force, and the Apollo 8.
Original 58-minute and 16-second oral history: Whittington, Charles Interviewed. by Joseph Morris. November 18, 2011. Audio record available. Museum of Seminole County History, Sanford, Florida.
Sinclair Oil Corporation Gas Station, Sanford, Florida
Charleston Naval Shipyard, Charleston, South Carolina
List of Recipients of Oranges from Belair Grove
An undated memorandum listing recipients of oranges sent from Belair Grove in Sanford, Florida. Recipients included the President Chester A. Arthur (1829-1886), ; William B. Allison (1829-1908), Republican Senator from Iowa; Senator Henry B. Anthony, Republican Senator from Rhode Island; Eugene Hale (1836-1918), Republican Senator from Maine; abolitionist Amos Adams Lawrence (1814-1886); U.S. Court of Claims Judge Bancroft Davis (1822-1907), who also was the president of the Newburgh and New York Railway Company; former Republican Governor of Connecticut Marshall Jewell (1825-1883); and Union General William Tecumseh Sherman (1820-1891). During that period, Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891), the owner of Belair Grove, actively courted President Arthur and high-ranking Republicans in the U.S Congress as part of his bid to win recognition in the country, and with it, international legitimacy, for King Leopold II (1835-1909) of Belgium's colonial enterprise in the Congo, what would become known as the Congo Free State. In 1883, acting on behalf of the King Leopold, Sanford mounted a lobbying campaign in Washington, D.C. Preceding these efforts, Sanford regularly corresponded with the President and influential legislators about the Belgian Congo. As part of his lobbying efforts, Sanford regularly sent boxes of Florida oranges to high-ranking officials. This list of recipients reflects the efforts of Sanford to sway public figures in positions of power.
Original memorandum by James Edmundson Ingraham: box 52, folder 5, subfolder 52.5.3, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
List of Recipients of Oranges from Belair Grove (January 18, 1883)
A memorandum listing recipients of oranges sent from Belair Grove in Sanford, Florida, dated January 18, 1883. The list denoted recipients of full boxes and half boxes of oranges. Recipients included J. S. Mack, Major W. D. Buckham, the wife of Lieutenant Aulick Palmer, J. H. Hammersley, H. O. Conner, and W. A. H. Wright. The boxes of oranges were presumably sent at the request of Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891), the owner of Belair Grove, though it is not clear how he knew the recipients. During that period, Henry Sanford, the owner of Belair Grove, actively courted President Arthur and high-ranking Republicans in the U.S Congress as part of his bid to win recognition in the country, and with it, international legitimacy, for King Leopold II (1835-1909) of Belgium's colonial enterprise in the Congo, what would become known as the Congo Free State. In 1883, acting on behalf of the King Leopold, Sanford mounted a lobbying campaign in Washington, D.C. Preceding these efforts, Sanford regularly corresponded with the President and influential legislators about the Belgian Congo. As part of his lobbying efforts, Sanford regularly sent boxes of Florida oranges to high-ranking officials. This list of recipients reflects the efforts of Sanford to sway public figures in positions of power.
Original memorandum, January 18, 1883: box 52, folder 5, subfolder 52.5.2, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
List of Recipients of Oranges from Belair Grove (December 24, 1882)
A memorandum listing recipients of oranges sent from Belair Grove in Sanford, Florida, dated December 24, 1882. The list denoted recipients of full boxes and half boxes of oranges. Notable recipients included Republican President Chester A. Arthur (1829-1886); William B. Allison (1829-1908), Republican Senator from Iowa; Senator Henry B. Anthony, Republican Senator from Rhode Island; Eugene Hale (1836-1918), Republican Senator from Maine; abolitionist Amos Adams Lawrence (1814-1886); U.S. Court of Claims Judge Bancroft Davis (1822-1907), who also was the president of the Newburgh and New York Railway Company; and Union General William Tecumseh Sherman (1820-1891). During that period, Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891), the owner of Belair Grove, actively courted President Arthur and high-ranking Republicans in the U.S Congress as part of his bid to win recognition in the country, and with it, international legitimacy, for King Leopold II (1835-1909) of Belgium's colonial enterprise in the Congo, what would become known as the Congo Free State. In 1883, acting on behalf of the King Leopold, Sanford mounted a lobbying campaign in Washington, D.C. Preceding these efforts, Sanford regularly corresponded with the President and influential legislators about the Belgian Congo. As part of his lobbying efforts, Sanford regularly sent boxes of Florida oranges to high-ranking officials. This list of recipients reflects the efforts of Sanford to sway public figures in positions of power.
Original memorandum by James Edmundson Ingraham, December 24, 1882: box 52, folder 5, subfolder 52.5.1, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
An oral history with Diane Yeaton, President of the Board of Trustees of the Marine Discovery Center, located at 520 Barracuda Boulevard in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. Yeaton migrated to New Smyrna Beach from Rhode Island in 2002. The Marine Discovery Center, Inc. (MDC) was founded in 1998 for the purpose of protecting the Indian River Lagoon. Founders include New Smyrna Beach Mayor, James Vandergrifft, as well as various civic leaders, biologists, and other members of the community.
Original 12-minute and 12-second oral history: Yeaton, Diane. Interview by Zachary McCormick. Daytona State College, New Smyrna Beach-Edgewater Campus. October 29, 2013. Audio/video record available.
Daytona State College
Marine Discovery Center, New Smyrna Beach, Florida
Marine Science Center, Ponce Inlet, Florida
An oral history with Sally Mackay, former mayor of New Smyrna Beach, Florida, and founder of the Hub on Canal, located at 132 Canal Street. Mackay migrated to Central Florida from Great Britain in 1973. In November of 2007, she was elected Mayor of New Smyrna Beach. She also served on the Volusia Council of Governments Executive Board, the Volusia League of Cities, and Florida League of Cities.
Original 49-minute and 18-second oral history: Mackay, Sally. Interview by Karen Botta, Ian Jones, Shannon Haley, Zachary McCormick, Brenna Broadway, and John Robert Grooms, Jr. Daytona State College, New Smyrna Beach-Edgewater Campus. November 12, 2013. Audio/video record available.
Croydon High School, London, England, United Kingdom
The Hub on Canal, New Smyrna Beach, Florida
Lake Monroe (Seminole County and Volusia County, Fla.)
An oral history of Bobby Martin (b. 1944), conducted by Daniel Motta on June 13, 2012. Martin was born in Tampa, Florida, in 1944, but spent much of his life as a commercial fisherman on Lake Jesup and Lake Monroe. In the interview, Martin discusses growing up in Longwood, serving in the military during the Vietnam War, the commercial fishing industry, the relationship between fishermen, fishing methods, catfish farming and the decline of the wild commercial fishing industry, leaving the fishing industry, and the dangers of fishing.
Original 59-minute and 36-second oral history: Martin, Bobby. Interviewed by Daniel Motta. June 13, 2012. Museum of Seminole County History, Sanford, Florida.
Sanford Boat Works & Marina, Sanford, Florida
An oral history of Mary Carolyn Bistline (b. 1928), conducted by Stephanie Youngers on December 10, 2010. Bistline was born on December 22, 1928, in Memphis, Tennessee, but has spent most of her life in Florida. In this interview, Bistline discusses growing up in Miami, the economic and social development of Miami, going to college and getting married, migrating to Longwood, her career in education, the history of her family and her husband's family, the Central Florida Society for Historic Preservation, her husband and children, opening Oak Tree Preschool, and her children and grandchildren.
Original 48-minute and 15-second oral history: Bistline, Mary Carolyn. Interviewed by Stephanie Youngers. December 10, 2010. Museum of Seminole County History, Sanford, Florida.
Bradlee-McIntyre House, Longwood, Florida
Florida Southern College, Lakeland, Florida
An oral history of Arthurene Wilson Cook (b. 1930), conducted by Joseph Morris on October 4, 2011. Cook was born in Orlando, Florida, in 1930, but migrated to Sanford around 1942. In the interview, Cook discusses life in Sanford, her employment experiences, her husbands and children, growing up during the Great Depression, prosperity in the post-World War II era, her husband's career in the railroad industry, her children and grandchildren, and her battle with cancer.
Original 44-minute and 42-second oral history: Cook, Arthurene Wilson. Interviewed by Joseph Morris. October 4, 2011. Audio record available. Museum of Seminole County History, Sanford, Florida.
Magic Kingdom Park, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
An oral history of John Louis Salsbury, conducted by Joseph Morris on September 9, 2011. Salsbury was born in Tampa, Florida, but he has spent much of his life in Sanford. In the interview, Salsbury discusses his family's history, Port Tampa during the Spanish-American War, his service in the U.S. Air Force, photographing Space Shuttle launches and astronauts, how Sanford has changed over time, and the Florida Aviation Historical Society.
Original 1-hour, 4-minute, and 54-second oral history: Salsbury, John Louis. Interviewed by Joseph Morris. September 9, 2011. Audio record available. Museum of Seminole County History, Sanford, Florida.
South Park Avenue and West 9th Street, Sanford, Florida
Port Tampa Dock, Port Tampa, Tampa, Florida
Norton Air Force Base, San Bernardino, California
Naval Air Station Keflavík, Keflavík, Iceland
Homestead Air Reserve Base, Homestead, Florida
John F. Kennedy Space Center, Titusville, Florida
Disney-MGM Studios, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
An oral history of Charlie Morgan, conducted by Joseph Morris on September 21, 2011. Morgan was born in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1940, but migrated to Bookertown, an African-American community in Sanford, Florida. In the interview, Morgan discusses life in Bookertown, working in the agriculture and construction industries, segregation and race relations in Sanford, moonshine, civil rights, serving in the military during the Vietnam War, how Bookertown and Sanford have changed over time, and Mary McLeod Bethune (1875-1955).
Original 1-hour, 14-minute, and 22-second oral history: Morgan, Charlie Interviewed by Joseph Morris. September 21, 2011. Audio record available. Museum of Seminole County History, Sanford, Florida.
An oral history of Rex Clonts, Jr., conducted by Joseph Morris on November 2, 2011. Clonts was born in Orlando, Florida, but he was raised in Oviedo. In the interview, Clonts discusses his family's work in agriculture, celery farming, how Oviedo has changed over time, the effect of Walt Disney World and the University of Central Florida (UCF) on the region, the citrus and cattle industries, the relationship between the Oviedo community and the Naval Air Station Sanford (NAS Sanford), and fire ants in Florida.
Original 55-minute and 16-second oral history: Clonts, Rex, Jr. Interviewed by Joseph Morris. November 2, 2011. Audio record available. Museum of Seminole County History, Sanford, Florida.
Naval Air Station Sanford, Sanford, Florida
An oral history of Harold Haldeman, conducted by Daniel Motta on July 11, 2012. Haldeman was born on November 12, 1924, in Tampa, Florida, but spent much of his life in Osceola. In the interview, Haldeman discusses his childhood, migration to Osceola, the differences between Maitland and Osceola, the sawmill in Osceola, the lumber industry, race relations in Central Florida, the effect of the Great Depression and World War II on industry, the Geneva airfield, and education in Geneva during the Depression.
Original oral history: Haldeman, Harold. Interviewed by Daniel Motta. July 11, 2012. Museum of Seminole County History, Sanford, Florida.
University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
Seminole County Landfill, Geneva, Florida
Oral History of Leonard Casselberry and Jane Casselberry
An oral history of Leonard and Jane Casselberry, conducted by Daniel Motta on May 30, 2012. In the interview, the Casselberrys discuss life in Casselberry, Florida, which was founded by Leonard's father, Hibbard Casselberry. Other topics discussed include the founding of Casselberry, working in the fern industry, the effect of World War II on the home front, how Leonard and Jane met, how Casselberry has changed over time, Hibbard Casselberry's involvement in growing azaleas and oak trees, and the Casselberrys' occupations after Leonard left the U.S. Navy.
Original 39-minute and 14-second oral history: Casselberry, Leonard and Jane Casselberry. Interviewed by Daniel Motta. UCF Community Veterans History Project. May 30, 2012. Audio record available. Museum of Seminole County History, Sanford, Florida.
Oral History of Ima Jean Bostick Yarborough
An oral history interview of Ima Jean Bostick Yarborough, conducted by Joseph Morris on November 10, 2011. Yarborough was born on August 2, 1935 in Ocala, Florida, but spent much of her adult life working in the cattle industry in Geneva. In the interview, she discusses her childhood in Ocala, how Ocala has changed over time, living in Oxford, the cattle industry, life in Geneva, the 4-H program, and her husband's military service.
Original 1-hour and 56-second oral history: Yarborough, Ima Jean Bostick. Interviewed by Joseph Morris. November 10, 2011. Audio record available. Museum of Seminole County History, Sanford, Florida.
An oral history intervied of Ed L'Heureux, conducted by Stephanie Youngers on November 12, 2010. L'Heureux was born in Gloversville, New York, in May of 1939, but migrated to Winter Park, Florida, at the age of five. In the interview, L'Heureux discusses growing up in Winter Park, fish fry events, his wife and family, his careers as an insurance agent and as an author, Rollins College, The Yearling, race relations in Winter Park, hurricanes, his father's trucking business, his service in the military, and the effects of the development of Walt Disney World on Central Florida.
Original 39-minute and 25-second oral history: L'Heureux, Ed. Interviewed by Stephanie Youngers. November 12, 2010. Museum of Seminole County History, Sanford, Florida.
Winter Park Elementary, Winter Park, Florida
Mann and Mills Dry Goods Store and Lafayette Apartments
The Mann and Mills Dry Goods store at 31 South Main Street in Winter Garden, Florida. The building was constructed by James Lafayette Dillard (1858-1943) in 1922. Thomas Franklin Mann and Willie Mills migrated to Winter Garden in 1912, where they opened their original store in the Dillard and Boyd Building. They later relocated to the location in the photograph. The second floor featured the Lafayette Apartments was named in honor of Dillard. The building went through various owners over the years and during World War II, a man named Collie Biggers opened the Gem Theatre there to compensate for the popularity of the Garden Theatre. An array of businesses use the building now.
Original black and white photograph: Up From the Ashes Exhibit, Winter Garden Heritage Foundation, Winter Garden, Florida.
Lafayette Apartments, Winter Garden, Florida
Mann and Mills Dry Goods, Winter Garden, Florida
Two men walking on Main Street past the South Apopka Supply Company in Winter Garden, Florida. Located at 32 South Main Street, the building was erected around 1915 and stood directly south of the 1912 Dillard and Boyd Building. The South Apopka Supply Co. building later housed Earl W. Ewing's Real Estate and Insurance Business and the R. C. Stevens Construction Company. The Shelby Hotel can also be seen in the distance, on the corner of East Plant Street and North Main Street.
South Apopka Supply Company, Winter Garden, Florida
The M. V. Dillard and Company Garage, located on the corner of Plant Street and Main Street, just north of the Shelby Hotel, in Winter Garden, Florida. The garage was owned by James Lafayette Dillard (1858-1943), a local icon in Winter Garden. The garage was managed by Dillard's son, Marvin Dillard, who also worked as a taxi driver, transporting young men between Winter Garden and Orlando on Saturday nights. The second floor was occupied by a Cuban couple from Ybor City, who were hired by Dillard to make cigars. Some time later, the second floor became an armory. Dillard migrated to Central Florida from Virginia with his wife, Mattie Showalter, in 1887. He established himself primarily as a citrus and vegetable grower, but he also operated the M. V. Dillard and Company Garage, which was managed by his son, Marvin Dillard. In addition, he founded the Bank of Winter Garden, served as Wnter garden City Commissioner and a Florida State Legislator, and helped rebuild Downtown Winter Garden after two destructive fires in 1909 and 1912. Some of the buildings that Dillard helped construct include the Dillard and Boyd General Merchandise Store, the Shelby Hotel, and the Mann and Mills Dry Goods Store. He also donated land to the First Baptist Church of Winter Garden.
The interior of James Lafayette Dillard's (1858-1943) citrus packing house, located on South Dillard Street in Winter Garden, Florida, just south of the Tavares and Gulf Railroad tracks. Also seen in the photographs are members of Dillard's family. Standing in back, third from the left are Dillard; his daughter, Mabel Dillard; his wife, Mattie Showalter Dillard; and his daughter, Gladys Dillard. Sarah Jane Fowler is standing third from left in front. Dillard migrated to Central Florida from Virginia with his wife, Mattie Showalter, in 1887. He established himself primarily as a citrus and vegetable grower, but he also operated the M. V. Dillard and Company Garage, which was managed by his son, Marvin Dillard. In addition, he founded the Bank of Winter Garden, served as Wnter garden City Commissioner and a Florida State Legislator, and helped rebuild Downtown Winter Garden after two destructive fires in 1909 and 1912. Some of the buildings that Dillard helped construct include the Dillard and Boyd General Merchandise Store, the Shelby Hotel, and the Mann and Mills Dry Goods Store. He also donated land to the First Baptist Church of Winter Garden.
Dillard Packing House, Winter Garden, Florida
James Lafayette Dillard and Mabel Dillard at Dillard's Orange Groves
A photograph of James Lafayette Dillard (1858-1943) and his daughter, Mabel Dillard, riding in a horse-drawn carriage through Dillard's orange groves. Dillard migrated to Central Florida from Virginia with his wife, Mattie Showalter, in 1887. He established himself primarily as a citrus and vegetable grower, but he also operated the M. V. Dillard and Company Garage, which was managed by his son, Marvin Dillard. In addition, he founded the Bank of Winter Garden, served as Wnter garden City Commissioner and a Florida State Legislator, and helped rebuild Downtown Winter Garden after two destructive fires in 1909 and 1912. Some of the buildings that Dillard helped construct include the Dillard and Boyd General Merchandise Store, the Shelby Hotel, and the Mann and Mills Dry Goods Store. He also donated land to the First Baptist Church of Winter Garden.
James Lafayette Dillard (1858-1943) is a local icon in Winter Garden, Florida. Dillard migrated to Central Florida from Virginia with his wife, Mattie Showalter, in 1887. He established himself primarily as a citrus and vegetable grower, but he also operated the M. V. Dillard and Company Garage, which was managed by his son, Marvin Dillard. In addition, he founded the Bank of Winter Garden, served as Wnter garden City Commissioner and a Florida State Legislator, and helped rebuild Downtown Winter Garden after two destructive fires in 1909 and 1912. Some of the buildings that Dillard helped construct include the Dillard and Boyd General Merchandise Store, the Shelby Hotel, and the Mann and Mills Dry Goods Store. He also donated land to the First Baptist Church of Winter Garden.
South Intersection of Main Street and Plant Street, Winter Garden
A southward view of Main and Plant Street in Winter Garden, Florida, prior to the fires of 1909 and 1912. The large building on the right is A. B. Newton's Dry Good Store, which was later replaced by Dillard and Boyd General Merchandise Store. Behind the dry good store is Croft and Jones Grocery. In the distance, on the left, is the Orange Hotel. Tavares and Gulf Railroad Company railroad cars are pictured in the background.
Intersection of Main Street and Plant Street, Winter Garden, Florida
The business district of Winter Garden, Florida, photographed prior to the 1909 and 1912 fires that destroyed all of the buildings pictured. Winter Garden's business district was located at the intersection of East Plant Street and North Main Street. The building pictured in the middle is the Dillard and Boyd General Merchandise Store. The foremost building was used for Dr. James A. Davis' pharmacy and on the side is an advertisement for Dr. Bell's Pine Tar Honey.
Letter from E. R. Trafford to Henry Shelton Sanford (December 24, 1883)
Sanford, Henry S. (Henry Shelton), 1823-1891
A letter from E. R. Trafford to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891), dated December 24, 1883. Contents included discussion of a petition for a Post Office in MacKinnon, Florida; indication that "fifteen cars of logs in today from Longwood - 15 more to come Wednesday"; and that William Beardall was returning to Sanford. Trafford was a company agent for the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC) from 1882 to 1886. The FLCC was a joint-stock venture that invested in Florida land development and sales in the 1880s and early 1890s. The company was formed by Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) with help from a group of British investors. The original impetus for the company's formation was Sanford's inability to continue his land acquisition and development efforts in Florida independently. Located at 13 Austin Friars, the company was officially registered in London on June 10, 1880. With the formation of the FLCC, all of Henry Sanford's Florida properties were transferred to the company in exchange for a £10,000 cash payment and another £50,000 in company stock. Sanford was named President and Chairman of the Board.In 1880, the company owned 26,000 acres scattered across Florida, including in the cities of Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Sanford, as well as in Alachua County and Marion County. Almost from the outset, there was serious friction between the British board members and Henry Sanford. Disagreements erupted over business strategy, as Sanford frequently proposed initiatives deemed too bold for the cautious British investors. From 1882 to 1892, the company saw steady, if meager, profits. Most of its income came from the sale of lots in the city of Sanford. From 1885 until 1890, the company, while remaining solvent, continued to see declining profits. From 1886 to 1890, the profits were so modest that the company declined to pay dividends on its yearly profits. Needed improvements and developments in the city of Sanford during the late 1880s sapped much of the company's income. Following Henry Sanford's death in 1891, many of the investors lost the motivation to continue. On September 15, 1892, the various directors acted to dissolve the company. Its assets, including roughly 65,000 acres of Florida land, were divided among shareholders.
Original letter from E. R. Trafford to Henry Shelton Sanford, December 24, 1883: box 54, folder 18, subfolder 54.18.12, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Letter from William Beardall to Henry Shelton Sanford (December 28, 1883)
Safford, A. P. K. (Anson Peasley Keeler), -1891
A letter from William Beardall to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891), dated December 28, 1883. The letter provides updates on company lands in Anclote, Florida, and its environs. Beardall describes efforts to drain water from company land in Anclote, which was a small settlement near Tarpon Springs, with the ultimate goal of making the land cultivatable. In the letter, he also discusses the state of "communications from Cedar Keys[sic] and Tampa," which he found to be "very bad," mainly because the "Lake Buller Villa Co. arrangement of tri-weekly steamer having fallen thro[sic]." He also informed Sanford that guests continued to visit Tarpon Springs, "but not many," adding that a hotel in the area had recently opened and that "Governor Safford" was there overseeing development. He was presumably referring to Anson P. K. Safford (ca. 1830-1891), former Republican governor of the Arizona Territory from 1869 to 1877, who played a major role in the founding of Tarpon Springs. He also briefly informs Sanford about the founding of a town in Central Florida called Minneola, noting that it was beset by transportation issues because of the lack of a railroad connection. Beardall was an Englishman who worked for the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC) at its local office in Sanford, Florida. He served as an assistant to the company agent, E. R. Trafford. Beardall had worked previously for the Scottish industrialist Sir William MacKinnon before joining the FLCC. The FLCC was a joint-stock venture that invested in Florida land development and sales in the 1880s and early 1890s. The company was formed by Henry Shelton Sanford with help from a group of British investors. Located at 13 Austin Friars in London, the company was officially registered in London on June 10, 1880. With the formation of the FLCC, all of Henry Sanford's Florida properties were transferred to the company in exchange for a ₤10,000 cash payment and another ₤50,000 in company stock. Sanford was named President and Chairman of the Board. In 1880, the company owned 26,000 acres scattered across Florida, including in the cities of Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Sanford, as well as in Alachua and Marion counties. Almost from the outset, there was serious friction between the British board members and Henry Sanford. Disagreements erupted over business strategy, as Sanford frequently proposed initiatives deemed too bold for the cautious British investors. As a result of consistently meager profits from its inception, following Henry Sanford's death in 1891 many of the investors lost the motivation to continue. On September 15, 1892, the various directors acted to dissolve the company. Its assets, including roughly 65,000 acres of Florida land, were divided among shareholders.
Original letter from E. R. Trafford to Henry Shelton Sanford, December 28, 1883: box 54, folder 18, subfolder 54.18.11, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Letter from E. R. Trafford to Henry Shelton Sanford (December 7, 1883)
A letter from E. R. Trafford to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891), dated December 7, 1883. In the letter, Trafford provided a brief update about Sanford, Florida, noting that "we have quite a building boom." He also added that there was a need for a post office in the town of MacKinnon, a settlement that was along an unspecified railroad line. Finally, he expressed interest in meeting with Sanford to "go over" various land acquisitions. Trafford was a company agent for the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC) from 1882 to 1886. The FLCC was a joint-stock venture that invested in Florida land development and sales in the 1880s and early 1890s. The company was formed by Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) with help from a group of British investors. The original impetus for the company's formation was Sanford's inability to continue his land acquisition and development efforts in Florida independently. Located at 13 Austin Friars, the company was officially registered in London on June 10, 1880. With the formation of the FLCC, all of Henry Sanford's Florida properties were transferred to the company in exchange for a £10,000 cash payment and another £50,000 in company stock. Sanford was named President and Chairman of the Board.In 1880, the company owned 26,000 acres scattered across Florida, including in the cities of Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Sanford, as well as in Alachua County and Marion County. Almost from the outset, there was serious friction between the British board members and Henry Sanford. Disagreements erupted over business strategy, as Sanford frequently proposed initiatives deemed too bold for the cautious British investors. From 1882 to 1892, the company saw steady, if meager, profits. Most of its income came from the sale of lots in the city of Sanford. From 1885 until 1890, the company, while remaining solvent, continued to see declining profits. From 1886 to 1890, the profits were so modest that the company declined to pay dividends on its yearly profits. Needed improvements and developments in the city of Sanford during the late 1880s sapped much of the company's income. Following Henry Sanford's death in 1891, many of the investors lost the motivation to continue. On September 15, 1892, the various directors acted to dissolve the company. Its assets, including roughly 65,000 acres of Florida land, were divided among shareholders.
Original letter from E. R. Trafford to Henry Shelton Sanford, December 7, 1883: box 54, folder 18, subfolder 54.18.10, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Letter from E. R. Trafford to Henry Shelton Sanford (September 11, 1883)
A letter from E. R. Trafford to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891), dated September 11, 1883. In the letter, Trafford informs Sanford about the struggles of the Sanford Sawmill, asking tersely "where is that hundred dollars a day that Crolly promised? Where is any profit at all?" Later in the letter, Trafford points to "gross mismanagement" as a primary culprit for the mill's struggles. It is unclear who the man referred to as "Crolly" is, as he does not appear elsewhere in the correspondence, but based on the context of the letter, it appears plausible that Crolly was someone closely linked to the Sanford Sawmill. Trafford was a company agent for the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC) from 1882 to 1886. The FLCC was a joint-stock venture that invested in Florida land development and sales in the 1880s and early 1890s. The company was formed by Henry Shelton Sanford with help from a group of British investors. The original impetus for the company's formation was Sanford's inability to continue his land acquisition and development efforts in Florida independently. Located at 13 Austin Friars, the company was officially registered in London on June 10, 1880. With the formation of the FLCC, all of Henry Sanford's Florida properties were transferred to the company in exchange for a £10,000 cash payment and another £50,000 in company stock. Sanford was named President and Chairman of the Board.In 1880, the company owned 26,000 acres scattered across Florida, including in the cities of Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Sanford, as well as in Alachua County and Marion County. Almost from the outset, there was serious friction between the British board members and Henry Sanford. Disagreements erupted over business strategy, as Sanford frequently proposed initiatives deemed too bold for the cautious British investors. From 1882 to 1892, the company saw steady, if meager, profits. Most of its income came from the sale of lots in the city of Sanford. From 1885 until 1890, the company, while remaining solvent, continued to see declining profits. From 1886 to 1890, the profits were so modest that the company declined to pay dividends on its yearly profits. Needed improvements and developments in the city of Sanford during the late 1880s sapped much of the company's income. Following Henry Sanford's death in 1891, many of the investors lost the motivation to continue. On September 15, 1892, the various directors acted to dissolve the company. Its assets, including roughly 65,000 acres of Florida land, were divided among shareholders.
Original letter from E. R. Trafford to Henry Shelton Sanford, September 11, 1883: box 54, folder 18, subfolder 54.18.9, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Letter from E. R. Trafford to James E. Ingraham (August 23, 1882)
A letter from E. R. Trafford to James Edmundson Ingraham (1850-1924), dated August 23, 1882. In the letter, Trafford informed Ingraham about the company efforts to buy lands from the U.S. Department of the Interior, an endeavor that was met with some difficulty because the governmental department "would not permit any one person to purchase more than 640 acres in one day" and "also refused to receive applications from persons outside the United States." Trafford also included a report of the lands in question. The report indicated the quality of the land, including its capacity for crop cultivation, its proximity to bodies of water, and its connection to lines of transportation and communication. The report highlights the questions and concerns regarding land investment during the period and also indirectly demonstrates the hardships faced by potential settlers in sparsely-settled regions. Trafford was a company agent for the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC) from 1882 to 1886. The FLCC was a joint-stock venture that invested in Florida land development and sales in the 1880s and early 1890s. The company was formed by Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) with help from a group of British investors. The original impetus for the company's formation was Sanford's inability to continue his land acquisition and development efforts in Florida independently. Located at 13 Austin Friars, the company was officially registered in London on June 10, 1880. With the formation of the FLCC, all of Henry Sanford's Florida properties were transferred to the company in exchange for a £10,000 cash payment and another £50,000 in company stock. Sanford was named President and Chairman of the Board.In 1880, the company owned 26,000 acres scattered across Florida, including in the cities of Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Sanford, as well as in Alachua County and Marion County. Almost from the outset, there was serious friction between the British board members and Henry Sanford. Disagreements erupted over business strategy, as Sanford frequently proposed initiatives deemed too bold for the cautious British investors. From 1882 to 1892, the company saw steady, if meager, profits. Most of its income came from the sale of lots in the city of Sanford. From 1885 until 1890, the company, while remaining solvent, continued to see declining profits. From 1886 to 1890, the profits were so modest that the company declined to pay dividends on its yearly profits. Needed improvements and developments in the city of Sanford during the late 1880s sapped much of the company's income. Following Henry Sanford's death in 1891, many of the investors lost the motivation to continue. On September 15, 1892, the various directors acted to dissolve the company. Its assets, including roughly 65,000 acres of Florida land, were divided among shareholders.
Original letter from E. R. Trafford to James E. Ingraham, August 23, 1882: box 54, folder 18, subfolder 54.18.8, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Letter from William Beardall to Henry Shelton Sanford (August 4, 1883)
A letter from William Beardall to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891), dated August 4, 1883. In the letter, Beardall responded to inquiries from Sanford as well as provided updates on relevant matters. Beardall indicated to Sanford the cost of expanding the lodge located at Belair Grove in the City of Sanford, Florida (present-day Lake Mary). He also discussed matters concerning the construction of a railroad depot in Sanford, the cost of which would be potentially shared with the South Florida Railroad Company or "persons living in the neighbourhood." Beardall also provided updates on the status of the Swedish immigrants employed by Sanford, noting that "all the Swedes who are left here are employed at the Saw mill." Finally, Beardall also offered an update on the quality of Belair Grove, writing that "it is looking better than ever I saw it by far, both in quality of new growth, crop, and color." Beardall was an Englishman who worked for the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC) at its local office in Sanford, Florida. He served as an assistant to the company agent, E. R. Trafford. Beardall had worked previously for the Scottish industrialist Sir William MacKinnon before joining the FLCC. The FLCC was a joint-stock venture that invested in Florida land development and sales in the 1880s and early 1890s. The company was formed by Henry Shelton Sanford with help from a group of British investors. Located at 13 Austin Friars in London, the company was officially registered in London on June 10, 1880. With the formation of the FLCC, all of Henry Sanford's Florida properties were transferred to the company in exchange for a ₤10,000 cash payment and another ₤50,000 in company stock. Sanford was named President and Chairman of the Board. In 1880, the company owned 26,000 acres scattered across Florida, including in the cities of Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Sanford, as well as in Alachua and Marion counties. Almost from the outset, there was serious friction between the British board members and Henry Sanford. Disagreements erupted over business strategy, as Sanford frequently proposed initiatives deemed too bold for the cautious British investors. As a result of consistently meager profits from its inception, following Henry Sanford's death in 1891 many of the investors lost the motivation to continue. On September 15, 1892, the various directors acted to dissolve the company. Its assets, including roughly 65,000 acres of Florida land, were divided among shareholders.
Original letter from William Beardall to Henry Shelton Sanford, August 4, 1883: box 54, folder 18, subfolder 54.18.7, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Letter from E. R. Trafford to Henry Shelton Sanford (May 19, 1883)
A letter from E. R. Trafford to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891), dated May 19, 1883. In the letter, Trafford updated Sanford on several areas of importance, including the company efforts to sell the Sanford House Hotel, the progress of the South Florida Railroad line extending to Tampa, various tracts of land for sale in Florida, improvements to 1st Street in Sanford, and also matters concerning company sales. Trafford was a company agent for the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC) from 1882 to 1886. The FLCC was a joint-stock venture that invested in Florida land development and sales in the 1880s and early 1890s. The company was formed by Henry Shelton Sanford with help from a group of British investors. The original impetus for the company's formation was Sanford's inability to continue his land acquisition and development efforts in Florida independently. Located at 13 Austin Friars, the company was officially registered in London on June 10, 1880. With the formation of the FLCC, all of Henry Sanford's Florida properties were transferred to the company in exchange for a £10,000 cash payment and another £50,000 in company stock. Sanford was named President and Chairman of the Board.In 1880, the company owned 26,000 acres scattered across Florida, including in the cities of Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Sanford, as well as in Alachua County and Marion County. Almost from the outset, there was serious friction between the British board members and Henry Sanford. Disagreements erupted over business strategy, as Sanford frequently proposed initiatives deemed too bold for the cautious British investors. From 1882 to 1892, the company saw steady, if meager, profits. Most of its income came from the sale of lots in the city of Sanford. From 1885 until 1890, the company, while remaining solvent, continued to see declining profits. From 1886 to 1890, the profits were so modest that the company declined to pay dividends on its yearly profits. Needed improvements and developments in the city of Sanford during the late 1880s sapped much of the company's income. Following Henry Sanford's death in 1891, many of the investors lost the motivation to continue. On September 15, 1892, the various directors acted to dissolve the company. Its assets, including roughly 65,000 acres of Florida land, were divided among shareholders.
Original letter from E. R. Trafford to Henry Shelton Sanford, May 19, 1883: box 54, folder 18, subfolder 54.18.6, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Letter from E. R. Trafford to Henry Shelton Sanford (May 12, 1883)
A letter from E. R. Trafford to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891), dated May 12, 1883. In the letter, Trafford offered updates about a number of topics, including a lawsuit carried out by Alexander St. Clair-Abrams (1845-1931) against Sanford, the Plant Syndicate buying controlling interest of the South Florida Railroad, as well as improvements to Commercial Street in the City of Sanford, Florida. The letter, filled with sensitive rumors and sarcastic remarks concerning Sanford's rivals, lends insight into the relationship between Sanford and his local agents based in Florida. Trafford was a company agent for the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC) from 1882 to 1886. The FLCC was a joint-stock venture that invested in Florida land development and sales in the 1880s and early 1890s. The company was formed by Henry Shelton Sanford with help from a group of British investors. The original impetus for the company's formation was Sanford's inability to continue his land acquisition and development efforts in Florida independently. Located at 13 Austin Friars, the company was officially registered in London on June 10, 1880. With the formation of the FLCC, all of Henry Sanford's Florida properties were transferred to the company in exchange for a £10,000 cash payment and another £50,000 in company stock. Sanford was named President and Chairman of the Board.In 1880, the company owned 26,000 acres scattered across Florida, including in the cities of Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Sanford, as well as in Alachua County and Marion County. Almost from the outset, there was serious friction between the British board members and Henry Sanford. Disagreements erupted over business strategy, as Sanford frequently proposed initiatives deemed too bold for the cautious British investors. From 1882 to 1892, the company saw steady, if meager, profits. Most of its income came from the sale of lots in the city of Sanford. From 1885 until 1890, the company, while remaining solvent, continued to see declining profits. From 1886 to 1890, the profits were so modest that the company declined to pay dividends on its yearly profits. Needed improvements and developments in the city of Sanford during the late 1880s sapped much of the company's income. Following Henry Sanford's death in 1891, many of the investors lost the motivation to continue. On September 15, 1892, the various directors acted to dissolve the company. Its assets, including roughly 65,000 acres of Florida land, were divided among shareholders.
Original letter from E. R. Trafford to Henry Shelton Sanford, May 12, 1883: box 54, folder 18, subfolder 54.18.5, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Letter from E. R. Trafford to Henry Shelton Sanford (March 29, 1883)
Beck, James B. (James Burnie), 1822-1890
A letter from E. R. Trafford to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891), dated March 29, 1883. Among other topics, Trafford noted the withdrawal of state lands from market near Suwannee County, Florida. He also informed Sanford that Senator Beck was in Enterprise and would be "over [at Sanford, Florida] tomorrow." He was presumably referring to Senator James B. Beck (1822-1890), a Democratic Senator from the state of Kentucky and member of Senate Committee on Transportation Routes to the Seaboard. The letter also mentioned that there were "five steamers at the Wharf." Trafford was a company agent for the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC) from 1882 to 1886. The FLCC was a joint-stock venture that invested in Florida land development and sales in the 1880s and early 1890s. The company was formed by Henry Shelton Sanford with help from a group of British investors. The original impetus for the company's formation was Sanford's inability to continue his land acquisition and development efforts in Florida independently. Located at 13 Austin Friars, the company was officially registered in London on June 10, 1880. With the formation of the FLCC, all of Henry Sanford's Florida properties were transferred to the company in exchange for a £10,000 cash payment and another £50,000 in company stock. Sanford was named President and Chairman of the Board.In 1880, the company owned 26,000 acres scattered across Florida, including in the cities of Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Sanford, as well as in Alachua County and Marion County. Almost from the outset, there was serious friction between the British board members and Henry Sanford. Disagreements erupted over business strategy, as Sanford frequently proposed initiatives deemed too bold for the cautious British investors. From 1882 to 1892, the company saw steady, if meager, profits. Most of its income came from the sale of lots in the city of Sanford. From 1885 until 1890, the company, while remaining solvent, continued to see declining profits. From 1886 to 1890, the profits were so modest that the company declined to pay dividends on its yearly profits. Needed improvements and developments in the city of Sanford during the late 1880s sapped much of the company's income. Following Henry Sanford's death in 1891, many of the investors lost the motivation to continue. On September 15, 1892, the various directors acted to dissolve the company. Its assets, including roughly 65,000 acres of Florida land, were divided among shareholders.
Original letter from E. R. Trafford to Henry Shelton Sanford, March 29, 1883: box 54, folder 18, subfolder 54.18.4, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Letter from E. R. Trafford to Henry Shelton Sanford (February 10, 1883)
A letter from E. R. Trafford to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891), dated February 10, 1883. The letter concerned the fate of one of Sanford's former employees, a Swedish immigrant who was arrested, presumably for theft, but never charged because of a lack of evidence. Trafford informed Sanford that the Swede had been advised to sue Sanford for some $3,000 in damages, adding that the ex-employee had indicated that he would be willing to drop the suit for a sum of $1,000. Trafford wrote that he had responded that it was a "case of black-mail" and that he thought that "we should put both him and his lawyers in jail." The letter demonstrates the role of Sanford's Florida agents and managers in maintaining affairs in Sanford's absence, as well as the conflicts between Sanford and the Swedish laborers. Trafford was a company agent for the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC) from 1882 to 1886. The FLCC was a joint-stock venture that invested in Florida land development and sales in the 1880s and early 1890s. The company was formed by Henry Shelton Sanford with help from a group of British investors. The original impetus for the company's formation was Sanford's inability to continue his land acquisition and development efforts in Florida independently. Located at 13 Austin Friars, the company was officially registered in London on June 10, 1880. With the formation of the FLCC, all of Henry Sanford's Florida properties were transferred to the company in exchange for a £10,000 cash payment and another £50,000 in company stock. Sanford was named President and Chairman of the Board.In 1880, the company owned 26,000 acres scattered across Florida, including in the cities of Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Sanford, as well as in Alachua County and Marion County. Almost from the outset, there was serious friction between the British board members and Henry Sanford. Disagreements erupted over business strategy, as Sanford frequently proposed initiatives deemed too bold for the cautious British investors. From 1882 to 1892, the company saw steady, if meager, profits. Most of its income came from the sale of lots in the city of Sanford. From 1885 until 1890, the company, while remaining solvent, continued to see declining profits. From 1886 to 1890, the profits were so modest that the company declined to pay dividends on its yearly profits. Needed improvements and developments in the city of Sanford during the late 1880s sapped much of the company's income. Following Henry Sanford's death in 1891, many of the investors lost the motivation to continue. On September 15, 1892, the various directors acted to dissolve the company. Its assets, including roughly 65,000 acres of Florida land, were divided among shareholders.
Original letter from E. R. Trafford to Henry Shelton Sanford, February 10, 1883: box 54, folder 18, subfolder 54.18.3, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Letter from E. R. Trafford to Henry Shelton Sanford (January 31, 1883)
A letter from E. R. Trafford to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891), dated January 31, 1883. In the letter, Trafford assessed the value of land owned by Sanford at Fort Gardiner Island. In the letter, he concluded that he knew "of no place in the State of Florida, so desirable from its many advantages for the cultivation of the lemon[,] pineapple[,] and other fruits of that class." He also stated the Fort Gardiner Island was attractive because of its relative proximity to the city of Sanford and its position on Lake Kissimmee. Trafford was a company agent for the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC) from 1882 to 1886. The FLCC was a joint-stock venture that invested in Florida land development and sales in the 1880s and early 1890s. The company was formed by Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) with help from a group of British investors. The original impetus for the company's formation was Sanford's inability to continue his land acquisition and development efforts in Florida independently. Located at 13 Austin Friars, the company was officially registered in London on June 10, 1880. With the formation of the FLCC, all of Henry Sanford's Florida properties were transferred to the company in exchange for a £10,000 cash payment and another £50,000 in company stock. Sanford was named President and Chairman of the Board.In 1880, the company owned 26,000 acres scattered across Florida, including in the cities of Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Sanford, as well as in Alachua County and Marion County. Almost from the outset, there was serious friction between the British board members and Henry Sanford. Disagreements erupted over business strategy, as Sanford frequently proposed initiatives deemed too bold for the cautious British investors. From 1882 to 1892, the company saw steady, if meager, profits. Most of its income came from the sale of lots in the city of Sanford. From 1885 until 1890, the company, while remaining solvent, continued to see declining profits. From 1886 to 1890, the profits were so modest that the company declined to pay dividends on its yearly profits. Needed improvements and developments in the city of Sanford during the late 1880s sapped much of the company's income. Following Henry Sanford's death in 1891, many of the investors lost the motivation to continue. On September 15, 1892, the various directors acted to dissolve the company. Its assets, including roughly 65,000 acres of Florida land, were divided among shareholders.
Original letter from E. R. Trafford to Henry Shelton Sanford, January 31, 1883: box 54, folder 18, subfolder 54.18.2, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Telegram from E. R. Trafford to Henry Shelton Sanford (April 3, 1882)
A telegram from E. R. Trafford to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891), dated April 3, 1882. The telegram reads "them welborne says suits all right[sic]." It is unclear what this sentence is in reference to. Trafford was a company agent for the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC) from 1882 to 1886. The FLCC was a joint-stock venture that invested in Florida land development and sales in the 1880s and early 1890s. The company was formed by Henry Shelton Sanford with help from a group of British investors. The original impetus for the company's formation was Sanford's inability to continue his land acquisition and development efforts in Florida independently. Located at 13 Austin Friars, the company was officially registered in London on June 10, 1880. With the formation of the FLCC, all of Henry Sanford's Florida properties were transferred to the company in exchange for a £10,000 cash payment and another £50,000 in company stock. Sanford was named President and Chairman of the Board.In 1880, the company owned 26,000 acres scattered across Florida, including in the cities of Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Sanford, as well as in Alachua County and Marion County. Almost from the outset, there was serious friction between the British board members and Henry Sanford. Disagreements erupted over business strategy, as Sanford frequently proposed initiatives deemed too bold for the cautious British investors. From 1882 to 1892, the company saw steady, if meager, profits. Most of its income came from the sale of lots in the city of Sanford. From 1885 until 1890, the company, while remaining solvent, continued to see declining profits. From 1886 to 1890, the profits were so modest that the company declined to pay dividends on its yearly profits. Needed improvements and developments in the city of Sanford during the late 1880s sapped much of the company's income. Following Henry Sanford's death in 1891, many of the investors lost the motivation to continue. On September 15, 1892, the various directors acted to dissolve the company. Its assets, including roughly 65,000 acres of Florida land, were divided among shareholders.
Original telegram from E. R. Trafford to Henry Shelton Sanford, April 3, 1882: box 54, folder 18, subfolder 54.18.1, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Waterfront Park at the Sanford House Hotel
This photograph is of the waterfront on Commercial Street in Sanford, Florida. The Palm Avenue Dock is in the distance and the foreground is the park at the Sanford House Hotel. There is a century plant in the center of walkway in the park. The Sanford House Hotel Park, adjoining the Sanford House Hotel, overlooked the waterfront of Lake Monroe at Commercial Street and Palmetto Avenue in 1934. The hotel was built by Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) with the intent of attracting tourists and providing housing for would-be wealthy settlers to the city of Sanford. The Sanford House Hotel was joined by the Lake Monroe House, a lower-cost alternative geared towards laborers, both of which were completed in 1876. Facing the waterfront, the hotel was located at the intersection of Commercial Street and Palmetto Avenue. The Sanford House Hotel featured three stories—two of which included porches—and enough rooms to serve 150 guests. The hotel’s landscaping included flower beds and citrus trees. A boardwalk led visitors straight from the hotel to the shores of Lake Monroe. Rates for a room in 1884 ranged from $15 to $20 per week. The 1887 fire came very close to the Sanford House, and it was feared that sparks would add it to the destruction. What saved it were wet blankets which were draped from the roof and windows. The Sanford House Hotel was torn down in May of 1920. At the turn of the century, the Sanford House Hotel was the center of all major city events and celebrations. While guide books from the period often included positive reference to the hotel, it failed to attract many visitors. The hotel did not make any profit during its first years of operation. By its third year, the 1879-1880 season, the hotel netted only $800 in profits. The hotel continued to make meager profits for the remainder of the nineteenth century. Nonetheless, it served as a central point of focus during city celebrations during the period.
Original 11 inch x 8.5 inch photograph by Upton, 1882: Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Sanford Looking West from Commercial Street
This photograph was taken from Commercial Street looking West towards Oak Avenue in Sanford, Florida. The railroad dock can be seen in the distance. When Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) first established the City of Sanford, he laid out the streets on a grid plan. Streets running toward Lake Monroe were given names of native Florida trees, while streets running parallel to the lake were numbered.
The former building at First Street and Magnolia Avenue in Sanford, Florida, prior to the construction of the N. P. Yowell Building and Garner Woodruff Building. The building was named after Fort Reid, which was established by Colonel William S. Harney (1800-1889) on July 7, 1840. Col. Harney named the fort after Robert R. Reid (1789-1841), the fourth Territorial Governor of Florida. "Reed" is another common spelling used in Sanford. Newton P. Yowell first came to Central Florida in 1884 with his family. Nine years after arriving in Florida, Yowell borrowed money from his mother and friends and opened a dry goods store. Shortly after Yowell opened his store in Sanford, the freeze of 1894-1895 hit the community. Even though crops were damaged and many people left Sanford, the Yowell Store remained open and survived the hard economic times. After the freeze, Yowell began construction on a new two-story brick building that would become the new store.
North Palmetto Avenue and East Commercial Street, Sanford, Florida
Sanford Looking Northeast from the Sanford House Hotel
This photograph was taken from the porch of the Sanford House Hotel looking northeast. Sanford's telegraph office and Henry Shelton Sanford's (1823-1891) company store are located at the base of Palmetto Avenue. The docks at Palmetto Avenue can also be seen in the image. The Sanford House Hotel was built by Henry Sanford with the intent of attracting tourists and providing housing for would-be wealthy settlers to the city of Sanford, Florida. The hotel was joined by the Lake Monroe House, a lower-cost alternative geared towards laborers, both of which were completed in 1876. Facing the waterfront, the hotel was located at the intersection of Commercial Street and Palmetto Avenue. The Sanford House Hotel featured three stories—two of which included porches—and enough rooms to serve 150 guests. The hotel’s landscaping included flower beds and citrus trees. A boardwalk led visitors straight from the hotel to the shores of Lake Monroe. Rates for a room in 1884 ranged from $15 to $20 per week. The 1887 fire came very close to the Sanford House, and it was feared that sparks would add it to the destruction. What saved it were wet blankets which were draped from the roof and windows. The Sanford House Hotel was torn down in May of 1920. At the turn of the century, the Sanford House Hotel was the center of all major city events and celebrations. While guide books from the period often included positive reference to the hotel, it failed to attract many visitors. The hotel did not make any profit during its first years of operation. By its third year, the 1879-1880 season, the hotel netted only $800 in profits. The hotel continued to make meager profits for the remainder of the nineteenth century. Nonetheless, it served as a central point of focus during city celebrations during the period.
Michael J. Doyle's Dry Goods & Grocery Store, 1882
Michael J. Doyle's Dry Goods & Grocery Store in Sanford, Florida, in 1882. Doyle was an Irish immigrant who originally settled in Volusia County prior to the American Civil War. His store was most likely located on First Street between Palmetto Avenue and Magnolia Avenue.
Michael J. Doyle's Dry Goods and Grocery Store, Sanford, Florida
Palmetto Avenue and First Street in Sanford, 1882
First Street between Palmetto Avenue and Magnolia Avenue in Sanford, Florida, in 1882. On the southeast corner of Palmetto and First is the town drug store, which also housed the post office. The two-story building to the south of the drug store is Hester & Sheppard's saloon. West of the drug store is the George A. Sawyer building. P. J. Parramore's livery stable can also been seen in the distance of the left-hand side of the photograph. An artesian well of sulphur water is photographed in the center of the Palmetto-First intersection. The backyard of the Sanford House Hotel is on the northwest corner of the intersection. Henry L. DeForest's general store is located northward across First Street. On First Street, west of DeForest's store, is Darady's saloon. The Stafford & Ellis hardware store and tinshop was located in the tall building across First Street. Rudoplh Muller's boardinghouse and barber shop is the wide house behind the large oak tree, with Louis Hoefer's bakery to the west.
Palm Avenue and First Street, Sanford, Florida
FIRE!! The Fire Fiend's Destructive Work at Sanford
A newspaper article about a fire that occurred on August 18, 1886, in Sanford, Florida. According to the article, the fire was first discovered in the Trafford and Company hardware store, located at the corner of North Park Avenue and West Commercial Street. The fire spread to Parramore's Livery stables and the depot and offices of the South Florida Railroad Company.
Print reproduction of microfilmed newspaper advertisements: The South Florida Argus, August 19, 1886: Microfilm Cabinet, Reel BN06021, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
South Florida Railroad Station, Sanford, Florida
The South Florida Argus Advertisements (January 8, 1886)
A page of newspaper advertisements from The South Florida Argus issue for January 8, 1886. This issue includes advertisements for various Central Florida-based businesses, including the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC), the Apopka House, the Music House of Florida, and Ensminger Brothers. The South Florida Argus was Republican paper published by Adolphus Edwards and printed in the Old Fort Reed Building on First Street in Sanford, Florida. The Sanford Journal, a Democratic newspaper, had its offices next door in the very same building. There was, of course, some rivalry between the two papers. After some time, Edwards gave up printing The South Florida Argus to become the local postmaster.
Print reproduction of microfilmed newspaper advertisements: The South Florida Argus, January 8, 1886: Microfilm Cabinet, Reel BN06021, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Ensminger Brothers Photography Studio, Sanford, Florida
Music House of Florida, Jacksonville, Florida
Louis I. Stephens' Store, Sanford, Florida
South Florida Argus Vol 2., No. 15, January 6, 1886
The South Florida Argus Vol. 2, No. 15 issue for January 6, 1886. This issue included advertisements for several Sanford-based businesses, including Wilson's Collection Agency, Charles & Vandeman's drug store, the Lyman Bank, and Trafford and Company. The South Florida Argus was Republican paper published by Adolphus Edwards and printed in the Old Fort Reed Building on First Street in Sanford, Florida. The Sanford Journal, a Democratic newspaper, had its offices next door in the very same building. There was, of course, some rivalry between the two papers. After some time, Edwards gave up printing The South Florida Argus to become the local postmaster.
Print reproduction of microfilmed newspaper advertisements: The South Florida Argus, January 6, 1886: Microfilm Cabinet, Reel BN06021, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
South Florida Argus Advertisements (January 6, 1886)
A page of newspaper advertisements in The South Florida Argus issue for January 3, 1886. This issue includes advertisements for the Kissimmee Land Agency, as well as several Sanford-based businesses, including Steele & Bassinger, Scott & Thrasher, L. M. Moore, S. Montgomery, John L. Ferguson, and the New York Jewelry Store. The South Florida Argus was Republican paper published by Adolphus Edwards and printed in the Old Fort Reed Building on First Street in Sanford, Florida. The Sanford Journal, a Democratic newspaper, had its offices next door in the very same building. There was, of course, some rivalry between the two papers. After some time, Edwards gave up printing The South Florida Argus to become the local postmaster.
Kissimmee Land Agency, Kissimmee, Florida
A newspaper advertisement in The South Florida Argus issue for January 3, 1886. This issue includes an advertisement for W. H. Fletcher, a roofer based in Sanford, Florida. The South Florida Argus was Republican paper published by Adolphus Edwards and printed in the Old Fort Reed Building on First Street in Sanford. The Sanford Journal, a Democratic newspaper, had its offices next door in the very same building. There was, of course, some rivalry between the two papers. After some time, Edwards gave up printing The South Florida Argus to become the local postmaster.
Print reproduction of microfilmed newspaper advertisements: The South Florida Argus, January 3, 1886: Microfilm Cabinet, Reel BN06021, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
A newspaper advertisement in The South Florida Argus issue for January 3, 1886. This issue includes an advertisement for Trafford and Company, wholesale and retail dealers located at the corner of North Park Avenue and West Commercial Street in Sanford, Florida. The South Florida Argus was Republican paper published by Adolphus Edwards and printed in the Old Fort Reed Building on First Street in Sanford. The Sanford Journal, a Democratic newspaper, had its offices next door in the very same building. There was, of course, some rivalry between the two papers. After some time, Edwards gave up printing The South Florida Argus to become the local postmaster.
A newspaper advertisement for the South Florida Railroad. The Lake Monroe and Orlando Railroad was organized in 1875. The charter planned to constructed a railroad from the St. Johns River port in Sanford south to Orlando. On October 16, 1878, the South Florida Railroad was incorporated, but it did not receive a charter until December 9, 1879, when it gained control over the Lake Monroe and Orlando Railroad charter. The first train on the new railroad ran between Sanford and Orlando on November 11, 1880. Henry B. Plant (1819-1899) and his Plant System purchased three-fifths of the South Florida Railroad stock on May 4, 1883, and soon began laying tracks towards Tampa, whose railroad station opened on December 10, 1883. In 1893, the Savannah, Florida and Western Railway, which was also a part of the Plant System, acquired the South Florida Railroad. The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL) acquired the entire Plant System in 1902. In 1967, the ACL merged with the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad (SCL), which is now operated by CSX.
A newspaper advertisement in The South Florida Argus issue for January 3, 1886. This issue includes an advertisement for a new grocery store located in Magruder's Block, diagonally opposite of the San Leon Hotel in Sanford, Florida. The store was run by William H. Adams, Sr.
Print reproduction of microfilmed newspaper advertisements: The South Florida Argus, January 3, 1886: Microfilm Cabinet, reel BN06021, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
William H. Adams, Sr's Grocery Store, Sanford, Florida
M. S. Brown Clothing Store Advertisement
A newspaper advertisement in The South Florida Argus issue for January 3, 1886. This issue includes an advertisement for M. S. Brown, a clothing retailer whose business was located at Gumpert's Block in Sanford, Florida.
M. S. Brown Clothing Store, Sanford, Florida
A newspaper advertisement in The South Florida Argus issue for January 3, 1886. This issue includes an advertisement for the Lyman Bank, located at 101 West First Street in Sanford, Florida. The building was originally constructed in 1883 by Lyman Bank and had a brick facade. In 1887, the bank changed owenership and became the First National Bank No. 1. Building renovations took place the same year, which included adding a marble facade, moving the front entrance to the corner of the building, and placing a clock at the front of the building which would become the town clock located in Magnolia Square. First National Bank. 1 is the oldest brick building in Sanford's downtown commercial district. The organizational meetings to create Rollins College were also held in the same building in 1885.
F. E. Lane Wholesale and Retail Advertisement
A newspaper advertisement in The South Florida Argus issue for January 3, 1886. This issue includes an advertisement for F. E. Lane, a wholesale and retail dealer in hardware, stoves, and other items. Lane's store was located at the corner of East First Street and North Park Avenue in Sanford, Florida.
F. E. Lane Wholesale and Retail, Sanford, Florida
The South Florida Argus Advertisements (January 3, 1886)
Undertakers and undertaking--United States
A page of newspaper advertisements in The South Florida Argus issue for January 3, 1886. This issue includes advertisements for various Sanford-based businesses, including the Home Fertilizer Company, Chase and Company, and the Wigwam. The South Florida Argus was Republican paper published by Adolphus Edwards and printed in the Old Fort Reed Building on First Street in Sanford, Florida. The Sanford Journal, a Democratic newspaper, had its offices next door in the very same building. There was, of course, some rivalry between the two papers. After some time, Edwards gave up printing The South Florida Argus to become the local postmaster.
Print reproduction of microfilmed newspaper advertisements: South Florida Argus, January 3, 1886: Microfilm Cabinet, University of Florida Library Reel BN06021, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
A newspaper article about Sanford, Florida, during the year of 1913. According to the article, the Sanford community had recovered from the Great Freeze of 1886 and was thriving economically by 1913. This page also included an article on the Ford Model A car and two stops on the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL) at Lake Mary. The present-day Sanford area was originally inhabited by the Mayaca/Joroco natives by the time that Europeans arrived. The tribe was decimated by war and disease by 1760 and was replaced by the Seminole tribe. In 1821, the United States acquired Florida from Spain and Americans began to settle in the state. Camp Monroe was established in the mid-1830s to defend the area against Seminoles during the Seminole Wars. In 1836, the U.S. Army built a road (present-day Mellonville Avenue) to Camp Monroe during the Second Seminole War. Following an attack on February 8, 1837, the camp was renamed Fort Mellon in honor of the battle's only American casualty, Captain Charles Mellon (1794-1837). The town of Mellonville was founded nearby in 1842 by Daniel Stewart. When Florida became a state three years later, Mellonville became the county seat of Orange County, which was originally a portion of Mosquito County. Citrus was the first cash crop in the area and the first fruit packing plant was constructed in 1869. In 1870, a lawyer from Connecticut by the name of Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) purchased 12,548 acres of open land west of Mellonville. His vision was to make this new land a major port city, both railway and by water. Sitting on Lake Monroe, at the head of the St. Johns River, the city of Sanford earned the nickname of the Gate City of South Florida. Sanford became not only a transportation hub, but a leading citrus industry in Florida, and eventually across the globe. The Great Fire of 1887 devastated the city, which also suffered from a statewide epidemic of yellow fever the following year. The citrus industry flourished until the Great Freezes of 1894 and 1895, causing planters to begin growing celery in 1896 as an alternative. Celery replaced citrus as the city's cash crop and Sanford was nicknamed Celery City. In 1913, Sanford became the county seat of Seminole County, once part of Orange County. Agriculture dominated the region until Walt Disney World opened in October of 1971, effectively shifting the Central Florida economy towards tourism and residential development.
Print reproduction of microfilmed newspaper article: "It Was New Era in 1887." The Sanford Herald, April 26, 1968, Semi-Centennial Edition, page 4: Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
The Sanford Herald
Letter from E. R. Trafford per William Beardall to Henry Shelton Sanford (February 28, 1884)
A letter from E. R. Trafford per William Beardall to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891), dated February 28, 1884. In the letter, Beardall requested Sanford's signature for four enclosed deeds. Three people—A. E. Phillips, R. Muller, and W. G. Hill—all bought lots in the town of Sanford, Florida. The fourth person, J. O. Roan, bought 35 acres in Polk County. Trafford was a company agent for the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC) from 1882 to 1886. The FLCC was a joint-stock venture that invested in Florida land development and sales in the 1880s and early 1890s. The company was formed by Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) with help from a group of British investors. The original impetus for the company's formation was Sanford's inability to continue his land acquisition and development efforts in Florida independently. Located at 13 Austin Friars, the company was officially registered in London on June 10, 1880. With the formation of the FLCC, all of Henry Sanford's Florida properties were transferred to the company in exchange for a £10,000 cash payment and another £50,000 in company stock. Sanford was named President and Chairman of the Board.In 1880, the company owned 26,000 acres scattered across Florida, including in the cities of Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Sanford, as well as in Alachua County and Marion County. Almost from the outset, there was serious friction between the British board members and Henry Sanford. Disagreements erupted over business strategy, as Sanford frequently proposed initiatives deemed too bold for the cautious British investors. From 1882 to 1892, the company saw steady, if meager, profits. Most of its income came from the sale of lots in the city of Sanford. From 1885 until 1890, the company, while remaining solvent, continued to see declining profits. From 1886 to 1890, the profits were so modest that the company declined to pay dividends on its yearly profits. Needed improvements and developments in the city of Sanford during the late 1880s sapped much of the company's income. Following Henry Sanford's death in 1891, many of the investors lost the motivation to continue. On September 15, 1892, the various directors acted to dissolve the company. Its assets, including roughly 65,000 acres of Florida land, were divided among shareholders.
Original letter from E. R. Trafford per William Beardall to Henry Shelton Sanford, February 28, 1884: box 54, folder 18, subfolder 54.18.20, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Letter from E. R. Trafford to Henry Shelton Sanford (February 25, 1884)
A letter from E. R. Trafford to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891), dated February 25, 1884. In this brief letter, Trafford informed Sanford that several deeds had been received and that the town of Sanford, Florida had a concert to raise the needed funds for the completion of the Episcopal Church. Trafford was a company agent for the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC) from 1882 to 1886. The FLCC was a joint-stock venture that invested in Florida land development and sales in the 1880s and early 1890s. The company was formed by Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) with help from a group of British investors. The original impetus for the company's formation was Sanford's inability to continue his land acquisition and development efforts in Florida independently. Located at 13 Austin Friars, the company was officially registered in London on June 10, 1880. With the formation of the FLCC, all of Henry Sanford's Florida properties were transferred to the company in exchange for a £10,000 cash payment and another £50,000 in company stock. Sanford was named President and Chairman of the Board.In 1880, the company owned 26,000 acres scattered across Florida, including in the cities of Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Sanford, as well as in Alachua County and Marion County. Almost from the outset, there was serious friction between the British board members and Henry Sanford. Disagreements erupted over business strategy, as Sanford frequently proposed initiatives deemed too bold for the cautious British investors. From 1882 to 1892, the company saw steady, if meager, profits. Most of its income came from the sale of lots in the city of Sanford. From 1885 until 1890, the company, while remaining solvent, continued to see declining profits. From 1886 to 1890, the profits were so modest that the company declined to pay dividends on its yearly profits. Needed improvements and developments in the city of Sanford during the late 1880s sapped much of the company's income. Following Henry Sanford's death in 1891, many of the investors lost the motivation to continue. On September 15, 1892, the various directors acted to dissolve the company. Its assets, including roughly 65,000 acres of Florida land, were divided among shareholders.
Original letter from E. R. Trafford to Henry Shelton Sanford, February 25, 1884: box 54, folder 18, subfolder 54.18.19, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Letter from E. R. Trafford per William Beardall to Henry Shelton Sanford (February 21, 1884)
A letter from E. R. Trafford per William Beardall to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891), dated February 21, 1884. In the letter, Beardall requested Sanford's signature for four enclosed deeds. The first deed was for Richard Forkert, who bought five acres from the Sanford Grant for $150. The second deed was for Nan Jackson, who bought a lot in the town of Sanford for $150. The third deed was for Heth Canfield and J. B. Cole, who bought numerous lots in St. Augustine. The fourth deed was for Lack Limpson, who bought 40 acres from the Arredondo Grant. Trafford was a company agent for the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC) from 1882 to 1886. The FLCC was a joint-stock venture that invested in Florida land development and sales in the 1880s and early 1890s. The company was formed by Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) with help from a group of British investors. The original impetus for the company's formation was Sanford's inability to continue his land acquisition and development efforts in Florida independently. Located at 13 Austin Friars, the company was officially registered in London on June 10, 1880. With the formation of the FLCC, all of Henry Sanford's Florida properties were transferred to the company in exchange for a £10,000 cash payment and another £50,000 in company stock. Sanford was named President and Chairman of the Board.In 1880, the company owned 26,000 acres scattered across Florida, including in the cities of Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Sanford, as well as in Alachua County and Marion County. Almost from the outset, there was serious friction between the British board members and Henry Sanford. Disagreements erupted over business strategy, as Sanford frequently proposed initiatives deemed too bold for the cautious British investors. From 1882 to 1892, the company saw steady, if meager, profits. Most of its income came from the sale of lots in the city of Sanford. From 1885 until 1890, the company, while remaining solvent, continued to see declining profits. From 1886 to 1890, the profits were so modest that the company declined to pay dividends on its yearly profits. Needed improvements and developments in the city of Sanford during the late 1880s sapped much of the company's income. Following Henry Sanford's death in 1891, many of the investors lost the motivation to continue. On September 15, 1892, the various directors acted to dissolve the company. Its assets, including roughly 65,000 acres of Florida land, were divided among shareholders.
Original letter from E. R. Trafford per William Beardall to Henry Shelton Sanford, February 21, 1884: box 54, folder 18, subfolder 54.18.18, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Letter from E. R. Trafford to Henry Shelton Sanford (February 16, 1884)
A letter from E. R. Trafford to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891), dated February 16, 1884. In the letter, Trafford provided Sanford with updates about Sanford, Florida. He notes that the signed deeds for Helen M. Randall and Gustaf Lundquist had been received. He also wrote that "the mill is now in full blast," indicating that 60,000 feet of logs just received from the railroad, the first raft of 70,000 feet will arrive from down the river tonight. Trafford concluded the letter optimistically noting that "everything improving [sic]." Trafford was a company agent for the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC) from 1882 to 1886. The FLCC was a joint-stock venture that invested in Florida land development and sales in the 1880s and early 1890s. The company was formed by Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) with help from a group of British investors. The original impetus for the company's formation was Sanford's inability to continue his land acquisition and development efforts in Florida independently. Located at 13 Austin Friars, the company was officially registered in London on June 10, 1880. With the formation of the FLCC, all of Henry Sanford's Florida properties were transferred to the company in exchange for a £10,000 cash payment and another £50,000 in company stock. Sanford was named President and Chairman of the Board.In 1880, the company owned 26,000 acres scattered across Florida, including in the cities of Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Sanford, as well as in Alachua County and Marion County. Almost from the outset, there was serious friction between the British board members and Henry Sanford. Disagreements erupted over business strategy, as Sanford frequently proposed initiatives deemed too bold for the cautious British investors. From 1882 to 1892, the company saw steady, if meager, profits. Most of its income came from the sale of lots in the city of Sanford. From 1885 until 1890, the company, while remaining solvent, continued to see declining profits. From 1886 to 1890, the profits were so modest that the company declined to pay dividends on its yearly profits. Needed improvements and developments in the city of Sanford during the late 1880s sapped much of the company's income. Following Henry Sanford's death in 1891, many of the investors lost the motivation to continue. On September 15, 1892, the various directors acted to dissolve the company. Its assets, including roughly 65,000 acres of Florida land, were divided among shareholders.
Original letter from E. R. Trafford to Henry Shelton Sanford, February 16, 1884: box 54, folder 18, subfolder 54.18.17, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Letter from William Beardall to Henry Shelton Sanford (February 15, 1884)
A letter from William Beardall to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891), dated February 15, 1884. In the letter, Beardall provided updates of several buyers' payments. He noted that J. C. Thorpe and D. B. Graves "are paid up all" and that George E. Rogers is "awaiting delivery of deed." Gustaf Lundquist, he added, "owes $100 which he is willing to pay on delivery of deed." Beardall was an Englishman who worked for the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC) at its local office in Sanford, Florida. He served as an assistant to the company agent, E. R. Trafford. Beardall had worked previously for the Scottish industrialist Sir William MacKinnon before joining the FLCC. The FLCC was a joint-stock venture that invested in Florida land development and sales in the 1880s and early 1890s. The company was formed by Henry Shelton Sanford with help from a group of British investors. Located at 13 Austin Friars in London, the company was officially registered in London on June 10, 1880. With the formation of the FLCC, all of Henry Sanford's Florida properties were transferred to the company in exchange for a ₤10,000 cash payment and another ₤50,000 in company stock. Sanford was named President and Chairman of the Board. In 1880, the company owned 26,000 acres scattered across Florida, including in the cities of Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Sanford, as well as in Alachua and Marion counties. Almost from the outset, there was serious friction between the British board members and Henry Sanford. Disagreements erupted over business strategy, as Sanford frequently proposed initiatives deemed too bold for the cautious British investors. As a result of consistently meager profits from its inception, following Henry Sanford's death in 1891 many of the investors lost the motivation to continue. On September 15, 1892, the various directors acted to dissolve the company. Its assets, including roughly 65,000 acres of Florida land, were divided among shareholders.
Original letter from William Beardall to Henry Shelton Sanford, February 15, 1884: box 54, folder 18, subfolder 54.18.16, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Letter from E. R. Trafford per William Beardall to Henry Shelton Sanford (February 13, 1884)
A letter from E. R. Trafford per William Beardall to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891), dated February 13, 1884. In the letter, Trafford requested Sanford's signature for two enclosed deeds. The first deed was for J. C. Thorpe and D. B. Graves, who bought a five-acre plot from the Sanford Grant land for $250. The second deed was for George E. Rogers, who bought the lot with the Sanford Grove in St. Augustine, Florida, for $350. Trafford was a company agent for the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC) from 1882 to 1886. The FLCC was a joint-stock venture that invested in Florida land development and sales in the 1880s and early 1890s. The company was formed by Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) with help from a group of British investors. The original impetus for the company's formation was Sanford's inability to continue his land acquisition and development efforts in Florida independently. Located at 13 Austin Friars, the company was officially registered in London on June 10, 1880. With the formation of the FLCC, all of Henry Sanford's Florida properties were transferred to the company in exchange for a £10,000 cash payment and another £50,000 in company stock. Sanford was named President and Chairman of the Board.In 1880, the company owned 26,000 acres scattered across Florida, including in the cities of Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Sanford, as well as in Alachua County and Marion County. Almost from the outset, there was serious friction between the British board members and Henry Sanford. Disagreements erupted over business strategy, as Sanford frequently proposed initiatives deemed too bold for the cautious British investors. From 1882 to 1892, the company saw steady, if meager, profits. Most of its income came from the sale of lots in the city of Sanford. From 1885 until 1890, the company, while remaining solvent, continued to see declining profits. From 1886 to 1890, the profits were so modest that the company declined to pay dividends on its yearly profits. Needed improvements and developments in the city of Sanford during the late 1880s sapped much of the company's income. Following Henry Sanford's death in 1891, many of the investors lost the motivation to continue. On September 15, 1892, the various directors acted to dissolve the company. Its assets, including roughly 65,000 acres of Florida land, were divided among shareholders.
Original letter from E. R. Trafford per William Beardall to Henry Shelton Sanford, February 13, 1884: box 54, folder 18, subfolder 54.18.15, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
E. R. Trafford to Henry Shelton Sanford (February 8, 1884)
A letter from E. R. Trafford to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) dated February 8, 1884. In the letter, Trafford discussed land acquisition efforts and speculation. He described the efforts of land purchasers to buy available acreage from the state's Internal Improvement Fund lands at roughly 640 acres a day or 20,000 acres per month. The letter indicates the speculative nature of the land acquisition and the efforts of the investors to buy the lands at a discount. Trafford noted that "the proposed extension of the Railroad is not known here yet—though I fear the telegraph operator has dropped a hint. Property is very cheap here - but will take a jump when RR is known—I think it would pay you to invest one or two thousand in improved property here—this is undoubtedly the finest pine region of the State." Trafford also discussed some of the costs needed to clear and develop the land. Trafford was a company agent for the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC) from 1882 to 1886. The FLCC was a joint-stock venture that invested in Florida land development and sales in the 1880s and early 1890s. The company was formed by Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) with help from a group of British investors. The original impetus for the company's formation was Sanford's inability to continue his land acquisition and development efforts in Florida independently. Located at 13 Austin Friars, the company was officially registered in London on June 10, 1880. With the formation of the FLCC, all of Henry Sanford's Florida properties were transferred to the company in exchange for a £10,000 cash payment and another £50,000 in company stock. Sanford was named President and Chairman of the Board.In 1880, the company owned 26,000 acres scattered across Florida, including in the cities of Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Sanford, as well as in Alachua County and Marion County. Almost from the outset, there was serious friction between the British board members and Henry Sanford. Disagreements erupted over business strategy, as Sanford frequently proposed initiatives deemed too bold for the cautious British investors. From 1882 to 1892, the company saw steady, if meager, profits. Most of its income came from the sale of lots in the city of Sanford. From 1885 until 1890, the company, while remaining solvent, continued to see declining profits. From 1886 to 1890, the profits were so modest that the company declined to pay dividends on its yearly profits. Needed improvements and developments in the city of Sanford during the late 1880s sapped much of the company's income. Following Henry Sanford's death in 1891, many of the investors lost the motivation to continue. On September 15, 1892, the various directors acted to dissolve the company. Its assets, including roughly 65,000 acres of Florida land, were divided among shareholders.
Original letter from E. R. Trafford to Henry Shelton Sanford, February 8, 1884: box 54, folder 18, subfolder 54.18.14, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Letter from E. R. Trafford per William Beardall to Henry Shelton Sanford (February 6, 1884)
Letter from E. R. Trafford per William Beardall to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891), dated February 6, 1884. In the letter, Trafford requested Sanford's signature for two enclosed deeds. The first deed was for Helen M. Randall, who bought several lots in the town of Sanford. The second deed was for Gustaf Lundquist, who bought two 5-acre lots in the "Swede settlement" of the Sanford Grant lands. Trafford was a company agent for the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC) from 1882 to 1886. The FLCC was a joint-stock venture that invested in Florida land development and sales in the 1880s and early 1890s. The company was formed by Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) with help from a group of British investors. The original impetus for the company's formation was Sanford's inability to continue his land acquisition and development efforts in Florida independently. Located at 13 Austin Friars, the company was officially registered in London on June 10, 1880. With the formation of the FLCC, all of Henry Sanford's Florida properties were transferred to the company in exchange for a £10,000 cash payment and another £50,000 in company stock. Sanford was named President and Chairman of the Board.In 1880, the company owned 26,000 acres scattered across Florida, including in the cities of Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Sanford, as well as in Alachua County and Marion County. Almost from the outset, there was serious friction between the British board members and Henry Sanford. Disagreements erupted over business strategy, as Sanford frequently proposed initiatives deemed too bold for the cautious British investors. From 1882 to 1892, the company saw steady, if meager, profits. Most of its income came from the sale of lots in the city of Sanford. From 1885 until 1890, the company, while remaining solvent, continued to see declining profits. From 1886 to 1890, the profits were so modest that the company declined to pay dividends on its yearly profits. Needed improvements and developments in the city of Sanford during the late 1880s sapped much of the company's income. Following Henry Sanford's death in 1891, many of the investors lost the motivation to continue. On September 15, 1892, the various directors acted to dissolve the company. Its assets, including roughly 65,000 acres of Florida land, were divided among shareholders.
Original letter from E. R. Trafford per William Beardall to Henry Shelton Sanford, February 6, 1884: box 54, folder 18, subfolder 54.18.13, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
A map of exhibits created by Orlando Remembered. The Orlando Remembered Committee of the Historical Society of Central Florida, Inc. was created to "showcase artistic renderings of the time depicted, with artifacts and historical memorabilia from the location in an effort to preserve the memory of Orlando's history while acknowledging the potential of the City's future." Various exhibits around Orlando memorialize the history of the blocks at which they are located.
Original color map by Orlando Remembered.
Orlando Remembered
Baldwin Park Navy Base, Orlando, Florida
Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre, Orlando, Florida
Downtown Orlando Post Office, Orlando, Florida
First Presbyterian Church of Orlando, Orlando, Florida
Orange County Courthouse, Orlando, Florida
Rosaline Avenue and Central Boulevard, Orlando, Florida
Rutland Building, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Orlando Remembered Exhibit at the Orlando Public Library
An exhibit created by Orlando Remembered at the Orlando Public Library, located at 101 East Central Boulevard in Downtown Orlando, Florida. The Orlando Remembered Committee of the Historical Society of Central Florida, Inc. was created to "showcase artistic renderings of the time depicted, with artifacts and historical memorabilia from the location in an effort to preserve the memory of Orlando's history while acknowledging the potential of the City's future." The exhibit at the Orlando Public Library memorializes several institution located around the Albertson Public Library, including the Orlando Chamber of Commerce building, the City of Orlando Fire Station No. 1, the Orlando Salvation Army buildings, and the home of fire chief Maxie G. Bennett.
Original exhibit by Orlando Remembered, Orlando Public Library, Orlando, Florida.
Albertson Public Library, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Orlando Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Home of Maxie G. Bennett, Downtown Orlando, Florida
City of Orlando Fire Station No. 1, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Orlando Junior Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Salvation Army, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Orlando Public Library, Downtown Orlando, Florida