St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church, 2011
African American churches--Southern States
National Historic Landmark Program (U.S.)
St. James African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, located at 819 Cypress Avenue in Sanford, Florida, in 2011. The history of St. James AME Church reaches far back into the history of Florida and the American Civil War. Immediately following the Civil War's end, Central Florida received a large migration of former slaves and black laborers. Along with the growth in migration, the AME church experienced significance expansion, as its popularity spread throughout the Southeastern United States. St. James AME Church was a direct result of these two historical patterns. Originally organized in 1867 as a prayer group for freedmen, the church was founded in a small wooden house located on Mellonville Street, along the south shore of Lake Monroe. By 1880, the church relocated to its current location on the corner of East Ninth Street and Cypress Avenue. In 1893, the church upgraded its size, and constructed a larger wooden frame to house its growing congregation. The present-day structure, which features red-brick facings, four matching stained glass windows, a bell tower, and slanted semi-circular seating within its baptistery, was built between 1910 and 1913, and designed by acclaimed African-American architect Prince W. Spears. During the 1920s and 1930s, St. James served as a Mother Church of the AME faith, and sent circuit preachers to its neighboring areas, including West Sanford, Bookertown, Cameron City, Midway, and Fort Reid. On April 24, 1992, St. James AME Church was a designated as a National Historic Landmark, and continues to serve as a religious center for the surrounding African-American community.
Original color digital images by Kathleen MacDonald, 2011.
RICHES of Central Florida
St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church, Georgetown, Sanford, Florida
Created in 1889, the St. James School was originally a foundation for the former St. Joseph's Academy. However, after the Academy closed in 1929, the introduction of the Cathedral school began and it has continued the traditions of St. Joseph's by providing a strong education for its students. Under the guidance of Father Michael J. Fox, who also worked with St. Joseph's, the school has continued educating children from pre-kindergarten to the eighth grade.
Original color digital image, October 20, 2011: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida.
St. James Cathedral School, Downtown Orlando, Florida
St. James Cathedral's Original Wooden Church Building
St. James Cathedral was originally finished in June of 1891 under Bishop John Moore of the Diocese of St. Augustine, Father Swembergh, and later Father Creed, who succeeded Father Swembergh following his death. Since its original 40 by 70 feet wooden structure, the cathedral has been renovated three times. It was rebuilt entirely in 1952, renovated to become the cathedral of the Diocese of Orlando in the late 1970s, after St. Charles Borromeo Cathedral had burned down. More recently, in 2009, the cathedral was renovated again to restore some of the original stone work and rose windows.
Original black and white drawing: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida.
St. James Cathedral, Downtown Orlando, Florida
St. James Catholic Cathedral, located at 215 North Orange Avenue in Downtown Orlando, Florida, around 1940. In 1881, Bishop John Moore (b. ca. 1834-1901) purchased a block of land bound by Orange Avenue, Magnolia Avenue, Jefferson Street, and Robinson Street. On January 23, 1887, the cornerstone of the Holy Nativity Catholic Church was set under the leadership of Father Felix P. Swembergh (d. 1887). The building was designed by Kurz and Allison's Art Studio of Chicago in the American Gothic-style and was completed in June of 1891, under the guidance of Father Joseph J. Creed, who replaced Father Swembergh after his death in October 1887. It was renamed as St. James Catholic Church the following year. In 1889, a storm destroyed the church's roof and the City of Orlando condemned the building. The church was rebuilt in 1889 in the old Carpenter Gothic-style and seated 240. The church also had a school, St. Joseph's Academy, built in 1889. The school site is now where the Downtown Orlando Post Office is located. The building was torn down around 1950 and the new building, designed by Donovan Dean and Arthur White, was completed on January 20, 1952. In 1977, the building was designated as the diocese's cathedral due to the destruction of the St. Charles Borromeo Cathedral by fire. In July of 2009, the cathedral was closed for renovations and was re-dedicated on November 20, 2010.
Original black and white photograph: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Regions Bank, Orlando, Florida.
Orange County Regional History Center
St. James Catholic Cathedral, Downtown Orlando, Florida
This exhibit shows objects from St. James Catholic Cathedral, located at 215 North Orange Ave. In 1881, the church developed the property as a parochial school. The school, known as St. James Academy, was home to 200 students until 1929. In the 1930s the Catholic Church sold the property to the Federal government, which used the land to construct the Downtown Orlando Post Office. In 1989, the church repurchased the land and today shares the building with the United States Postal Service (USPS). Orlando Remembered is a community based group, dedicated to the preservation of Downtown Orlando's past. To date, the group has constructed 18 exhibits in the downtown area that highlight the current building's connection to the past.
Original color digital image by Rosalind J. Beiler, September 10, 2015
St. James Catholic Church, Downtown Orlando, Florida
St. James Catholic Cathedral, located at 215 North Orange Avenue in Downtown Orlando, Florida, in 2001. In 1881, Bishop John Moore purchased a block of land bound by Orange Avenue, Magnolia Avenue, Jefferson Street, and Robinson Street. On January 23, 1887, the cornerstone of the Holy Nativity Catholic Church was set under the leadership of Father Felix P. Swembergh. The building was designed by Kurz and Allison's Art Studio of Chicago, Illinois, in the American Gothic style. The structure was completed in June of 1891, under the guidance of Father Joseph J. Creed, who replaced Father Swembergh after his death in October 1887. It was renamed as St. James Catholic Church the following year. In 1889, a storm destroyed the church's roof and the City of Orlando condemned the building. The church was rebuilt in 1889 in the old Carpenter Gothic style and seated 240. It was torn down around 1950 and the new building, designed by Donovan Dean and Arthur White, was completed on January 20, 1952. In 1977, the building was designated as the diocese's cathedral due to the destruction of the St. Charles Borromeo Cathedral by fire. In July of 2009, the cathedral was closed for renovations and was re-dedicated on November 20, 2010.
Original color image by Thomas Cook, 2001: Private Collection of Thomas Cook.
Holy Nativity Catholic Church, Downtown Orlando, Florida
St. James Catholic Cathedral is located at 215 North Orange Avenue in Downtown Orlando, Florida. In 1881, Bishop John Moore (b. ca. 1834-1901) purchased a block of land bound by Orange Avenue, Magnolia Avenue, Jefferson Street, and Robinson Street. On January 23, 1887, the cornerstone of the Holy Nativity Catholic Church was set under the leadership of Father Felix P. Swembergh (d. 1887). The building was designed by Kurz and Allison's Art Studio of Chicago in the American Gothic-style and was completed in June of 1891, under the guidance of Father Joseph J. Creed, who replaced Father Swembergh after his death in October 1887. It was renamed as St. James Catholic Church the following year. In 1889, a storm destroyed the church's roof and the City of Orlando condemned the building. The church was rebuilt in 1889 in the old Carpenter Gothic-style and seated 240. The church also had a school, St. Joseph's Academy, built in 1889. The school site is now where the Downtown Orlando Post Office is located. The building was torn down around 1950 and the new building, designed by Donovan Dean and Arthur White, was completed on January 20, 1952. In 1977, the building was designated as the diocese's cathedral due to the destruction of the St. Charles Borromeo Cathedral by fire. In July of 2009, the cathedral was closed for renovations and was re-dedicated on November 20, 2010.
Original color digital images by Rachel Williams, July 24, 2014.
A photograph of the St. James Hotel in Fitzgerald, Georgia. The St. James Hotel was built by Eliza Fox and was the first permanent hotel in the area. This photograph is part of a private collection kept by Roger Hipel of St. Cloud, Florida.
Original 5 x 3 black and white photograph: Private Collection of Roger Hipel.
St. John Missionary Baptist Church, 2011
St. John Missionary Baptist Church, located at 920 Cypress Avenue in Georgetown, an African-American community in Sanford, Florida, in 2011. St. John was organized under the leadership of Reverend M. W. Evans on May 10, 1895. Within a few years, the church was rebuilt at its current location, on the corner of Ninth Street and Cypress Avenue, under the guidance of its second pastor, Reverend C. J. Smith. The church experienced tremendous growth during the first half of the 20th century, allowing for a parsonage to be built in 1922, during the administration of Reverend C. L. Bradley, to aid in the housing of its succeeding pastors. The new construction plan was designed by famed African-American architect, Prince W. Spears. By 1941, the church experienced its first split, resulting in the creation of the New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, located just two blocks away at 618 East Tenth Street. Throughout the next decade, St. John's was guided by a variety of reverends and pastors, who helped build additions onto the church structure, including restroom facilities and a basement. After the church operated without a pastor for a period of 15 months, the congregation called upon Reverend B. Whitehurst in June of 1958 to spear-head the church. Under Rev. Whitehurst, St. John became more spiritually and financially fortified, and took its most progressive steps by involving itself in the fight for the African-American community's fight for equal rights and numerous city and county-wide projects. In 1969, the church was remodeled and refurnished, and continued to experience the growth of its congregation. After 116 years of service to Sanford's African-American population, the church carries on its legacy by maintaining their involvement within the current neighborhood, through the offering of weekly services, prayer groups, and community service projects.
Original color digital images by Kathleen MacDonald, June 17, 2011.
St. John Missionary Baptist Church, Georgetown, Sanford, Florida
St. John's Chapel in the White Tower, Tower of London Postcard
A postcard depicting the interior of St. John's Chapel in the White Tower of the Tower of London. The Tower of London was established in 1066 by William I of England, popularly known as William the Conqueror and sometimes known as William the Bastard, to keep hostile Londoners at bay, and the chapel was part of the original construction. It would likely have been brightly painted at the time of its construction. This postcard is part of a collection of postcards kept by Lucile Campbell, a schoolteacher in Sanford, Florida, for 30 years. In 1931, she took advantage of a special rate for teachers and sailed to Europe, where she traveled for several months and is thought to have acquired many of these postcards. During the 1940-1941 school year, Campbell taught at Sanford Grammar School. Before her retirement in 1970, she taught at many other area schools, including the Oviedo School, Westside Grammar School, and Pinecrest Elementary School. Campbell used these postcards as aids in her classrooms to teach advanced subjects, such as Shakespearean drama. The collection, along with her other teaching aids, papers, and photographs, was later found at Sanford Grammar School after it became the University of Central Florida's Public History Center. Campbell's postcard collection and photographs provide insight into the life of a respected Florida educator.
Original 3 x 5 inch black and white postcard: ACC# SM-00-243, file folder 1A (non-U.S. blanks), box 10A, Lucile (Mary Lucile) Campbell Collection, UCF Public History Center, Sanford, Florida.
St. John's Chapel, White Tower, Tower of London, London, Greater London, England, United Kingdom
St. John's River View Near Sanford, Fla.
Postcard of the St. John's River near Sanford. The St. Johns River is the longest river in Florida and is widely used both commercially and recreationally. The St. Johns begins in Indian River County and flows north all the way to Duval County, where it empties into the Atlantic Ocean. Much of the land along the river remained undeveloped frontier land up until the twentieth century. Many of Florida's rivers, including the St. Johns became overdeveloped and was altered for agricultural and residential centers, which caused severe pollution and other detrimental effects to the natural environment.
Original 9 x 14 centimeter color postcard by A.C. Bosselman & Company: Postcard Collection, call number PC2986, Florida Photographic Collection, State Library and Archives of Florida, Tallahassee, Florida.
State Library and Archives of Florida
St. Johns River Floods Rampant: Lake Monroe May Overflow Banks
Lake Monroe (Seminole County and Volusia County, Fla.)
A newspaper article published by The Central Florida Press on June 20, 1930. The article describes floods occurring on the bulkheads of Lake Monroe, which is part of the St. Johns River system. The flooding was first reported by J. A. Young, who was the superintendent of the Florida Light and Power Company in Sanford, Florida.
Original newspaper article: "St. Johns River Floods Rampant: Lame Monroe May Overflow Banks." The Central Florida Press, Vol. 1, No. 9, June 20, 1930, page 1: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
St. Joseph's Academy Boys Basketball Team, 1929
St. Joseph's Academy's seven-member boys basketball team standing in a wooded area in 1929. St. Joseph's Academy, located at 53 East Jefferson Street in Downtown Orlando, Florida, opened on October 17, 1889, with just 40 students. The school, built by Father J. J. Creed of St. James Cathedral, was to serve the children of St. James Church until 1929, when a new Italian Renaissance-style school was opened at 505 East Ridgewood Street between Cathcart Avenue and Hillman Avenue. The school stood at the northeast corner of the church property at Main Street and Robinson Street, where the U.S. Post Office now stands in Downtown Orlando on 51 East Jefferson Street. Photographed from left to right are Franklin Zane, Jack Spellman, Eugene Jane, Paul Yochum, Ray Jane, and Fred Yochum would be the last basketball team of St. Joseph Academy.
Original 10 x 10 inch black and white photograph, 1929: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida.
St. Joseph's Academy, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Students outside of St. Joseph’s Academy in Downtown Orlando, Florida. In 1889, St. Joseph’s Academy was constructed on the church grounds of St. James Catholic Church. The Catholic school was administrated by the Sisters of St. Joseph. The school began with 30 students and the student body peaked in 1927 with 200 pupils in attendance. In 1928, Father Michael Fox began construction of a new, larger school nearby and closed the academy in 1929.
Original 5 x 8 inch black and white photograph: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida.
East Robinson Street and North Magnolia Avenue, Downtown Orlando, Florida
St. Lucie County Regional History Center
St. Lucie County Regional History Center, located at 414 Seaway Drive in Fort Pierce, Florida, in 2014. The history center is located in what was once the Fort Pierce train station. The Fort Pierce train station was located along the tracks that now run through downtown Fort Pierce, Florida. Henry Flagler (1830-1913) expanded his railroad down the Florida east coast from Jacksonville in 1894, forever transforming the economic development of Florida. In 1911, Fort Pierce was established as a division point for the Florida East Coast Railway Company. This new and efficient form of transportation began to take the place of coastal and canal transportation such as cargo shipping and commuter travel and significantly developed the connection between northern markets and southern products. Citrus, sugar, and pineapple farmers and fishermen located on the coast established packinghouses near the station. It also affected the population growth of these areas, as passengers found it easier, faster and more comfortable to travel further south. New employment opportunities also drew in a heavy population, rapidly expanding the agricultural economy of Fort Pierce, which economically benefited immensely from this expansion. The original Fort Pierce train station was torn down and replaced in 1967. A replica of the old depot is located at the entrance of the St. Lucie County Regional History Center building and also houses the "Train Station Room", which includes dioramas, models, murals and photographs of historic Fort Pierce.
Original color digital image by Samantha Moore, 2014.
St. Lucie County Regional History Center, Fort Pierce, Florida
St. Luke's Christian Day School Yearbook, 1966-1967
A yearbook for the 1966-1967 school year at St. Luke's Lutheran Church and School, located at 2021 West State Road 426 in Oviedo, Florida. In 1911, members of the Holy Trinity Slovak Lutheran Church in Cleveland, Ohio, formed the Slavia Colony Company. Later that year, the group purchased 1,200 acres in Oviedo. On March 17, 1912, St. Luke the Evangelizer Church was founded. Pastor Stephen M. Tuhy was installed as the congregation's first full-time pastor on July 31, 1934. A new red brick building was constructed as St. Luke's Evangelical Lutheran Church on June 4, 1939. In 1941, the congregation began issuing a weekly bulletin called "The Light." The church nursery school was established in 1944 and the St. Luke’s Christian Day School opened on September 4, 1947. Lutheran Haven, a home for orphaned children and the elderly, was dedicated on May 30, 1948. On May 5, 1957, an enlarged and renovated church building was dedicated. More renovations were completed and a new sanctuary was dedicated on November 14, 1993. A new building for the school was completed in June of 2001 and the Lutheran Haven Early Childhood Center opened on August 22. The Shepherd's Hope Health Care opened in the old school building on December 10, 2002.
Original yearbook, 1967: Private Collection of Edwin White and Carolyn White.
School Annual Publishing Company
St. Luke's Christian Day School, Oviedo, Florida
St. Luke's Church is located at 5555 North Tropical Trail in Courtenay, an unincorporated community on Merritt Island, Florida. In the 1870s, the church founding families of LaRoche, Porcher, and Sams migrated from Charleston and John's Island of South Carolina and settled in Courtenay. The Carpenter Gothic-style church was erected in 1888, with funding from Lucy A. Boardman and land from Edward Porcher. The first resident Vicar of St. Luke's, Reverend Paul A. Perrine, Jr., was appointed in 1962 and the congregation began to grow steadily. On November 15, 1974, the church was admitted as a Parish in the Diocese of Central Florida, with Father Perrine as the first rector. The church and cemetery were added to the National Register of Historic Places under the name "Old St. Luke's Episcopal Church and Cemetery" on June 15, 1990.
St. Luke's Episcopal Church
St. Luke's Episcopal Church 5555 North Tropical Trail Merritt Island, Florida 32953
St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Courtenay, Merritt Island, Florida
St. Luke's Episcopal Church Historical Records
Selected pages from St. Luke's Episcopal Church's record book covering the period 1888 through 1959 including a brief history of the mission. The record book includes baptisms, confirmations, communicants, marriagess, and burials. St. Luke's Church is located at 5555 North Tropical Trail in Courtenay, an unincorporated community in Merritt Island, Florida. In the 1870s, the church founding families of LaRoche, Porcher, and Sams migrated from Charleston and John's Island of South Carolina and settled in Courtenay, Florida. The Carpenter Gothic-style church was erected in 1888, with funding from Lucy A. Boardman and land from Edward Porcher. The first resident Vicar of St. Luke's, Reverend Paul A. Perrine Jr., was appointed in 1962 and the congregation began to grow steadily. On November 15, 1974, the church was admitted as a Parish in the Diocese of Central Florida, with Father Perrine as the first rector. The church and cemetery were added to the National Register of Historic Places under the name "Old St. Luke's Episcopal Church and Cemetery" on June 15, 1990.
Original record book: St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Merritt Island, Florida: Florida Historical Society Library, Central Brevard Public Library, Cocoa, Florida.
Original photographs of a mural painted on St. Matthew's Tavern in tribute to the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting. 49 white ribbons, each representing one of the victims, are hung on a palm tree next to the front door. Located at 1300 North Mills Avenue, the building housing St. Matthew's Tavern was once a neighborhood gay bar called Paradise. St. Matthew's Tavern opened in December 2013, featuring a tavern style theme mixed with church pews. The bar allows St. Dorothy's Catholic Community to host Mass every Sunday at 11:00 a.m. The group celebrates "love without judgment flowing from Catholic Apostolic tradition." St. Dorothy's, who is not affiliated with the Roman Catholic Diocese, welcomes members who are divorced, gay or "recovering" Catholic. In the early hours of June 12, 2016, an American born security guard named Omar Mir Seddique Mateen shot and killed 49 people and wounded an additional 53 at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. Mateen, who swore allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), was shot and killed by the Orlando Police Department after a three-hour standoff. The incident was the deadliest mass shooting by a single gunman in United States history, the deadliest terrorist attack in the United States since the September 11th attacks of 2001, and the deadliest incident of violence against LGBT people in United States history. Most of the victims were Latino, as the club was hosting a Latin Night at the time of the massacre.
Original color photographs: RICHES of Central Florida, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.
A postcard depicting St. Michael's Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina. The church opened in 1761, but was built on the site of the first Anglican Church built south of Virginia, making it the oldest church edifice in the City of Charleston. This postcard is part of a collection of postcards kept by Lucile Campbell, a schoolteacher in Sanford, Florida, for 30 years. In 1931, she took advantage of a special rate for teachers and sailed to Europe, where she traveled for several months and is thought to have acquired many of these postcards. During the 1940-1941 school year, Campbell taught at Sanford Grammar School. Before her retirement in 1970, she taught at many other area schools, including the Oviedo School, Westside Grammar School, and Pinecrest Elementary School. Campbell used these postcards as aids in her classrooms to teach advanced subjects, such as Shakespearean drama. The collection, along with her other teaching aids, papers, and photographs, was later found at Sanford Grammar School after it became the University of Central Florida's Public History Center. Campbell's postcard collection and photographs provide insight into the life of a respected Florida educator.
Original 3 x 5 inch color postcard: ACC# SM-00-243, file folder 1 (U.S. blanks), box 10A, Lucile (Mary Lucile) Campbell Collection, UCF Public History Center, Sanford, Florida.
St. Michael's Episcopal Church, Charleston, South Carolina
St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church Postcard
A postcard depicting the exterior of the Greek Orthodox Church, located at 36 North Pinellas Avenue in Tarpon Springs, Florida. The church was first built in 1907, but was later replaced by the current building in 1943 in the Neo-Byzantine architectural style. The current church was modeled after the Saint Sophia Cathedral, formerly called Hagia Sophia, in present-day Istanbul, Turkey. The church includes 23 stained-glass windows, Greek marble, and Czechoslovakian chandeliers. This postcard is part of a collection of postcards kept by Lucile Campbell, a schoolteacher in Sanford, Florida, for 30 years. In 1931, she took advantage of a special rate for teachers and sailed to Europe, where she traveled for several months and is thought to have acquired many of these postcards. During the 1940-1941 school year, Campbell taught at Sanford Grammar School. Before her retirement in 1970, she taught at many other area schools, including the Oviedo School, Westside Grammar School, and Pinecrest Elementary School. Campbell used these postcards as aids in her classrooms to teach advanced subjects, such as Shakespearean drama. The collection, along with her other teaching aids, papers, and photographs, was later found at Sanford Grammar School after it became the University of Central Florida's Public History Center. Campbell's postcard collection and photographs provide insight into the life of a respected Florida educator.
Gulf Stream Card and Distributing Company
Original 4 x 6 inch color postcard by the Gulf Stream Card and Distributing Company: ACC# SM-00-243, file folder 1 (U.S. blanks), box 10A, Lucile (Mary Lucile) Campbell Collection, UCF Public History Center, Sanford, Florida.
St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, Tarpon Springs, Florida
St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, located at 813 Pine Avenue in Sanford, Florida in 2011. Considered the oldest African-American Baptist church in Sanford, Florida, St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church was first organized under an arbor brush in 1878. Construction of the first church building began in 1880 on land purchased from General Henry S. Sanford and his wife Gertrude in November of 1881. The church was a small wooden structure administered by its first settled pastor, Reverend Paul Youmans, until 1886. A new, larger church was constructed in 1889 and served the congregation until its condemnation in 1958. After the church was condemned, members of the congregation held services at Hopper Elementary for approximately one month. Following the use of the elementary school, the congregation met at the Seventh Day Adventist Church located on the corner of Pine Avenue and East Seventh Street. After the completion of their current church, the congregation finally relocated to their new building on February 5, 1961. This church structure stands at the same location of the initial church's small wooden building, and continues to demonstrate deep pride within their community's faith, history, and involvement.
Original color digital image by Kathleen A. MacDonald, August 3, 2011.
St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, 2011
St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, located at 813 Pine Avenue in Georgetown, an African-American community in Sanford, Florida, in 2011. Considered the oldest African-American Baptist church in Sanford, St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church was first organized under an arbor brush in 1878. Construction of the first church building began in 1880 on land purchased from General Henry Shelton Sanford and his wife, Gertrude Dupuy Sanford, in November of 1881. The church was a small wooden structure administered by its first settled pastor, Reverend Paul Youmans, until 1886. A new, larger church was constructed in 1889 and served the congregation until its condemnation in 1958. After the church was condemned, members of the congregation held services at Hopper Elementary School for approximately one month. Following the use of the elementary school, the congregation met at the Seventh Day Adventist Church located on the corner of Pine Avenue and East Seventh Street. After the completion of their current church, the congregation finally relocated to their new building on February 5, 1961. This church structure stands at the same location of the initial church's small wooden building, and continues to demonstrate deep pride within their community's faith, history, and involvement.
Original color digital images by Kathleen MacDonald, August 3, 2011.
St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, Georgetown Sanford, Florida
A page from the St. Petersburg High School Yearbook in St. Petersburg, Florida, in 1943. The page contains the students' photographs, quotes, extracurricular activities, and any organizations they participated in. A notable student listed is Joseph Johnson (1924-1944). Joseph Johnson was born and raised in McKenzie, Tennessee, to Joseph Johnson Sr. and Maye Johnson. In 1937, the Johnson family moved to St. Petersburg, where Joseph lived and graduated from high school. Johnson trained at Camp Blanding, FL. Joseph joined the 101st Infantry Regiment, part of the 26th Infantry Division. He took part in the Lorraine Campaign in Eastern France, participating in the liberation of the French cities of Metz and Nancy. While fighting in the vicinity of Sarre-Union, an artillery attack wounded Joseph. He died of his wounds on December 4, 1944, and is currently interred at the Lorraine American Cemetery in St. Avold, France. The Florida-France Soldiers Stories Project seeks to tell the stories of the Florida soldiers buried in the American Battle Monuments Commission cemeteries in France. Our goal is to honor and commemorate the brave individuals who gave their lives supporting the Allied forces, liberating France, and defeating Germany in the Second World War. Simultaneously, our goal is to teach the students who participate in this research project about the history of France and Florida during World War II, about the history of individual servicemen, and about how to implement historical research methods in their work.
Digital reproduction of original yearbook page.
A postcard depicting a St. Philip's Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina. The church opened in 1723, after moving from its original 1680 site, which is now the site of St. Michael's Episcopal Church. The church cemetery serves as the resting place for many distinguished men of the Colonial Period and of the Revolutionary War. This postcard is part of a collection of postcards kept by Lucile Campbell, a schoolteacher in Sanford, Florida, for 30 years. In 1931, she took advantage of a special rate for teachers and sailed to Europe, where she traveled for several months and is thought to have acquired many of these postcards. During the 1940-1941 school year, Campbell taught at Sanford Grammar School. Before her retirement in 1970, she taught at many other area schools, including the Oviedo School, Westside Grammar School, and Pinecrest Elementary School. Campbell used these postcards as aids in her classrooms to teach advanced subjects, such as Shakespearean drama. The collection, along with her other teaching aids, papers, and photographs, was later found at Sanford Grammar School after it became the University of Central Florida's Public History Center. Campbell's postcard collection and photographs provide insight into the life of a respected Florida educator.
St. Philip's Episcopal Church, Charleston, South Carolina
St. Stephen's Catholic Church, located at 575 Tuskawilla Road in Winter Springs, Florida, in 2005. On December 5, 1984, Bishop Thomas Joseph Grady (1914-2002) approved the establishment of a Catholic community to serve eastern Seminole County. Father John J. Bluett was assigned as the Founding Pastor of the church on February 5, 1984. While the church building was being constructed, the community celebrated its First Eucharistic liturgy with 800 congregants at Lake Howell High School on June 16, 1985. On February 22, 1986, Bishop Grady broke ground for the site and the church celebrated its first Eucharistic Celebration on April 16, 1987. In January of 2001, Father George Dunne began his ministry at the church, alongside Father Bluett.
Original color photographs by Laura Lynn Cepero, December 1, 2005: Private Collection of Nancy Lynn Cepero.
St. Stephens Catholic Church, Winter Springs, Florida
The stage and podium at the Geneva Community Center in Geneva, Florida. Three stands holding up several framed photographs line the stage from the left side to the center. On the right of the stage is a white podium with a red, white and blue ribbon. The Geneva Historical & Genealogical Society, Inc. held a 100 year memorial on October 10, 2018, for Roderick Perry Taylor of Geneva, Florida, and the other 564 people who died on the R.M.S. Leinster when it was hit by three German torpedoes in the Irish Sea on Oct. 10, 1918. Most of those killed were young military men and women. The ceremony was held at 2:00 PM at the Geneva Community Center. While memorials were also held on the same day in Ireland and other Allied countries, this was the only memorial in the United States that honored the six American soldiers who drowned.
Original color photographs: RICHES, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.
RICHES
Geneva Community Center, Geneva, Florida
Stage Curtain at the Wayne Densch Performing Arts Center
The stage curtain at the Wayne Densch Performing Arts Center in 2011. Originally the Milane Theatre, the building was constructed at 203 South Magnolia Avenue in Sanford, the former location of the Star Theatre, an abandoned movie house. Scroggs and Ewing, architects from Georgia, prepared the plans for the Milane. The name of the new theater was derived from the combination of the presidents of the Milane Amusement Company president and vice president: Frank L. Miller and Edward F. Lane. The Milane opened in July of 1923 and seated 823 patrons. In 1933, the Milane was sold to Frank and Stella Evans, investors from Lake Mary, Florida. The new owners renamed their business the Ritz Theatre and held the property until the 1990s. However, the Ritz struggled financially in the 1960s and closed in 1978 due to failure to compete with the new multiplex theaters. The building remained vacant until 1984, when it reopened as the Showtime Cantina. The Showtime Cantina closed in 1988 and remained vacant and in decay. In the mid-1990s, Ritz Community Theater Projects, Inc. acquired the property and began rehabilitation in 1998. On May 6, 2000, the theater reopened as the Helen Stairs Theatre in honor of the citizen who led the restoration project, Helen Stairs. The following year, the location was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2008, additional renovations were completed at the theater was renamed the Wayne Densch Performing Arts Center in honor of the Wayne Densch Charitable Trust Fund for contributing to the renovations fund.
Original color digital image by Laura Cepero, June 9, 2011.
Wayne Densch Performing Arts Center, Sanford, Florida
Stage Entrance at the Wayne Densch Performing Arts Center
The current stage entrance of the Wayne Densch Performing Arts Center, which was formerly the segregated colored entrance at the Milane Theatre and later the Ritz Theater. Originally the Milane Theatre, the building was constructed at 203 South Magnolia Avenue in Sanford, the former location of the Star Theatre, an abandoned movie house. Scroggs and Ewing, architects from Georgia, prepared the plans for the Milane. The name of the new theater was derived from the combination of the presidents of the Milane Amusement Company president and vice president: Frank L. Miller and Edward F. Lane. The Milane opened in July of 1923 and seated 823 patrons. In 1933, the Milane was sold to Frank and Stella Evans, investors from Lake Mary, Florida. The new owners renamed their business the Ritz Theatre and held the property until the 1990s. However, the Ritz struggled financially in the 1960s and closed in 1978 due to failure to compete with the new multiplex theaters. The building remained vacant until 1984, when it reopened as the Showtime Cantina. The Showtime Cantina closed in 1988 and remained vacant and in decay. In the mid-1990s, Ritz Community Theater Projects, Inc. acquired the property and began rehabilitation in 1998. On May 6, 2000, the theater reopened as the Helen Stairs Theatre in honor of the citizen who led the restoration project, Helen Stairs. The following year, the location was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2008, additional renovations were completed at the theater was renamed the Wayne Densch Performing Arts Center in honor of the Wayne Densch Charitable Trust Fund for contributing to the renovations fund.
The stage set, during construction, at the Princess Theater, located at 115 West First Street, for Remade - Not Bought. Remade - Not Bought was a Celery Soup: Florida's Folk Life Play and Creative Sanford, Inc. play performed from October 18 through November 3, 2013. The play was written by Peter Newman, Brian Casey, Trish Thompson, Annye Refoe, and Laura Donaldson. Remade - Not Bought was directed by Nicholas Murphy, the artistic director of Cornerstone Theatre in Orlando, and includes original music by Ruth King. The play features stories real-life stories based on oral histories of Sanford residents.
Original color digital images by Autumn Reisz, October 11, 2013.
Creative Sanford, Inc., Sanford, Florida
Motion pictures--Production and direction
Photograph of a staged scene of four men eating watermelon underwater while seated around a table somewhere between 1950 and 1970. Newton "Newt" Perry was born in Valdosta, Georgia in 1908, and moved with his family to Ocala, Florida in 1922. He was a member of the swimming and diving teams at the University of Florida. Perry earned the nickname "The Human Fish" for his performances of underwater stunts in advertising clips and film shorts, and acted as a swim double for actors in movies and TV shows, including Johnny Weissmuller as "Tarzan." Perry also advised filmmakers filming underwater scenes at Silver Springs, Wakulla Springs, and Weeki Wachee Springs, and developed a system for breathing underwater using an air compressor and hose, which was used in the 1948 film "Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid" and during Weeki Wachee Springs' mermaid shows. Perry worked as a lifeguard, public school principal, coach, swimming and scuba diving instructor, and Ocala city pool manager. He opened Perry's Swim School in 1955, and taught more than 120,000 individuals to swim during his career. Perry was inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame in 1981. Perry's daughter Delee Perry took over Perry's Swim School following her father's death in 1987, and it was still in operation as of 2020. Along with a group of investors, Newton Perry opened Weeki Wachee Springs to the public in October of 1947, and used his experiences working at Silver Springs and Wakulla Springs to develop the original concepts for its underwater theater and mermaid shows. Perry sold his stake in Weeki Wachee Springs in 1950. After peaking in the 1950s and 1960s, attendance began to decline as theme parks and highways changed the dynamics of Florida's tourism. The State of Florida took over the attraction as a state park in 2008. Since then, the park has focused on appealing to a modern audience while preserving its history.
Original photograph of staged underwater dining scene, ca. 1950-1970: Personal Collection of Delee Perry.
Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, Weeki Wachee, Florida
Photograph of a man and two women seated at a table on the floor of a body of water some time between 1950 and 1970. A standing man wearing a diving helmet appears to direct the scene participants. Newton "Newt" Perry was born in Valdosta, Georgia in 1908, and moved with his family to Ocala, Florida in 1922. He was a member of the swimming and diving teams at the University of Florida. Perry earned the nickname "The Human Fish" for his performances of underwater stunts in advertising clips and film shorts, and acted as a swim double for actors in movies and TV shows, including Johnny Weissmuller as "Tarzan." Perry also advised filmmakers filming underwater scenes at Silver Springs, Wakulla Springs, and Weeki Wachee Springs, and developed a system for breathing underwater using an air compressor and hose, which was used in the 1948 film "Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid" and during Weeki Wachee Springs' mermaid shows. Perry worked as a lifeguard, public school principal, coach, swimming and scuba diving instructor, and Ocala city pool manager. He opened Perry's Swim School in 1955, and taught more than 120,000 individuals to swim during his career. Perry was inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame in 1981. Perry's daughter Delee Perry took over Perry's Swim School following her father's death in 1987, and it was still in operation as of 2020. Along with a group of investors, Newton Perry opened Weeki Wachee Springs to the public in October of 1947, and used his experiences working at Silver Springs and Wakulla Springs to develop the original concepts for its underwater theater and mermaid shows. Perry sold his stake in Weeki Wachee Springs in 1950. After peaking in the 1950s and 1960s, attendance began to decline as theme parks and highways changed the dynamics of Florida's tourism. The State of Florida took over the attraction as a state park in 2008. Since then, the park has focused on appealing to a modern audience while preserving its history.
Photograph of a staged scene of two men and two women dining underwater, seated at a table and chairs some time between 1950 and 1970. Newton "Newt" Perry was born in Valdosta, Georgia in 1908, and moved with his family to Ocala, Florida in 1922. He was a member of the swimming and diving teams at the University of Florida. Perry earned the nickname "The Human Fish" for his performances of underwater stunts in advertising clips and film shorts, and acted as a swim double for actors in movies and TV shows, including Johnny Weissmuller as "Tarzan." Perry also advised filmmakers filming underwater scenes at Silver Springs, Wakulla Springs, and Weeki Wachee Springs, and developed a system for breathing underwater using an air compressor and hose, which was used in the 1948 film "Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid" and during Weeki Wachee Springs' mermaid shows. Perry worked as a lifeguard, public school principal, coach, swimming and scuba diving instructor, and Ocala city pool manager. He opened Perry's Swim School in 1955, and taught more than 120,000 individuals to swim during his career. Perry was inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame in 1981. Perry's daughter Delee Perry took over Perry's Swim School following her father's death in 1987, and it was still in operation as of 2020. Along with a group of investors, Newton Perry opened Weeki Wachee Springs to the public in October of 1947, and used his experiences working at Silver Springs and Wakulla Springs to develop the original concepts for its underwater theater and mermaid shows. Perry sold his stake in Weeki Wachee Springs in 1950. After peaking in the 1950s and 1960s, attendance began to decline as theme parks and highways changed the dynamics of Florida's tourism. The State of Florida took over the attraction as a state park in 2008. Since then, the park has focused on appealing to a modern audience while preserving its history.
Original photograph of staged scene of two men and two women dining underwater, ca. 1950-1970: Personal Collection of Delee Perry.
Photograph of a staged underwater footrace scene some time between 1950 and 1970. Three men crouch in a starting position on the floor of a body of water as a fourth man prepares to shoot a starting pistol. One woman appears to yell through a megaphone, and a second woman is seated at the right of the scene. Newton "Newt" Perry was born in Valdosta, Georgia in 1908, and moved with his family to Ocala, Florida in 1922. He was a member of the swimming and diving teams at the University of Florida. Perry earned the nickname "The Human Fish" for his performances of underwater stunts in advertising clips and film shorts, and acted as a swim double for actors in movies and TV shows, including Johnny Weissmuller as "Tarzan." Perry also advised filmmakers filming underwater scenes at Silver Springs, Wakulla Springs, and Weeki Wachee Springs, and developed a system for breathing underwater using an air compressor and hose, which was used in the 1948 film "Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid" and during Weeki Wachee Springs' mermaid shows. Perry worked as a lifeguard, public school principal, coach, swimming and scuba diving instructor, and Ocala city pool manager. He opened Perry's Swim School in 1955, and taught more than 120,000 individuals to swim during his career. Perry was inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame in 1981. Perry's daughter Delee Perry took over Perry's Swim School following her father's death in 1987, and it was still in operation as of 2020. Along with a group of investors, Newton Perry opened Weeki Wachee Springs to the public in October of 1947, and used his experiences working at Silver Springs and Wakulla Springs to develop the original concepts for its underwater theater and mermaid shows. Perry sold his stake in Weeki Wachee Springs in 1950. After peaking in the 1950s and 1960s, attendance began to decline as theme parks and highways changed the dynamics of Florida's tourism. The State of Florida took over the attraction as a state park in 2008. Since then, the park has focused on appealing to a modern audience while preserving its history.
Original photograph of staged underwater footrace scene, ca. 1950-1970: Personal Collection of Delee Perry.
Standard Oil Florida Road Map with Pictorial Guide
Standard Oil road map of Florida from 1954. The map shows the state of Florida, especially Central Florida and Orlando in 1954. Details of cities and towns, and major roads before Central Florida was bisected by interstate highways and the Florida Turnpike.
Original color map, 1954: General Drafting Company, Inc.: Private Collection of Thomas Cook.
Stephen Foster Memorial, White Springs, Florida
Stanley's Radio Sales & Service Advertisement
An advertisement for Stanley's Radio Sales & Service in the Florida Polk's Orlando City Directories: Including Conway, Maitland and Winter Park for 1949. Located at 226 South Main Street (present-day Magnolia Avenue) in Downtown Orlando, Florida, Stanley's was in businesses from approximately the mid-1940s to the early 1950s. The manager, Stanley Deware, was a registered Audio Frequency Track Circuits (AFTC) radio mechanic.
Original advertisement, 1949: R. L. Polk & Company Florida Polk's Orlando City Directory: Including Winter Park and Orange County. Richmond, Va: R. L. Polk, 1949: Orange County Regional History Center, Orlando, Florida.
R. L. Polk & Company
Stanley's Radio Sales & Service, Downtown Orlando, Florida
This painting accompanies the Orlando Remembered exhibit at the Downtown Orlando Information Center, located at 201 South Orange Avenue in Downtown Orlando, Florida. The painting was created by James Stoll, who has contributed various works of art, as well as some scale model replicas, to several Orlando Remembered exhibits. This particular portion of the painting features Star Barber Shop and Ferrell Jewelry. Max Yacobian worked as a barber at Star Barber Shop since 1938, and perhaps as early as the late 1920s. By 1939, he became the sole proprietor of the barbershop located at 205 South Orange Avenuea. After cutting hair for over 25 years, he passed away sometime between 1953 and 1956. This lot, as well as the rest of the block, was later replaced by the CNA Tower and Barnett Plaza.
Original color painting by James Stoll: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Downtown Orlando Information Center, Orlando, Florida.
Star Barber Shop, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Ferrell Jewelry, Downtown Orlando, Florida
A postcard depicting the Starlite Motel, located along Florida State Road A1A (SR A1A) in Cocoa Beach, Florida. The motel was founded by B.G. Nabbs, who partnered with Sid Raffle to lease some rooms to the U.S. Air Force (USAF). The motel also had its own bar, called the Starlight Lounge, which became a hub for off-duty personnel from Cape Canaveral during the late 1956s. Starlite Motel was destroyed in a fire in May of 1960.
Original 9 x 14 centimeter color postcard: Private Collection of Bob Van Horn.
State Bank of Orlando and Trust Company Postcard
Postcard showing the State Bank of Orlando Building, located at 1 North Orange Avenue in Downtown Orlando, Florida. The bank was formed in 1893 with Louis Massey as its president. In 1919, the State Bank converted into the State Bank and Trust Company and also acquired the northeast corner of Orange Avenue and Central Boulevard that year. A. G. Bentley constructed a ten-story building on that lot, designed by W. L. Stoddart in the 20th Century Commercial style with Neo-Classical elements. The building was used by the bank until it closed in 1929. In 1927, the building was acquired by Orange County and served as governmental offices, including the office of the sheriff and supervisor of elections. In 1933, the Florida Bank at Orlando acquired the property. In 2002, it housed the temporary home of Florida Atlantic Metropolitan University's Law School.
Original 3.5 x 5.5 inch color postcard by E. C. Kropp Company: E. C. Kropp Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Private Collection of Thomas Cook.
State Bank of Orlando and Trust Company, Orlando, Florida
State Bank of Orlando Check to Burlington Savings Bank (January 4, 1905)
State Bank of Orlando check to Burlington Savings Bankdated January, 4th. 1905. The check was paid to the order of the State Bank of Orlando and the value received and charge was to Burlington Savings Bank of Burlington, Vermont in the sum of $300. The check was signed by Walter A Smith, who was a cashier of the State Bank of Orlando. The bank was formed in 1893 with Louis Massey as president. In 1919, the State Bank converted into the State Bank and Trust Company and also acquired the northeast corner of Orange Avenue and Central Boulevard that year. A. G. Bentley constructed a ten-story building on that lot, designed by W. L. Stoddart in the 20th Century Commercial style with Neo-Classical elements. The building was used by the bank until it closed in 1929. In 1933, the Florida Bank at Orlando acquired the property. In 1927, the building was acquired by Orange County and served as governmental offices, including the office of the sheriff and supervisor of elections. In 2002, it housed the temporary home of Florida Atlantic Metropolitan University's Law School.
Original check to Burlington Savings Bank, January 4, 1905: Private Collection of Thomas Cook.
A postcard depicting the Wyoming State Capitol in Cheyenne, which was built in 1887. At the time that this postcard was printed, Wyoming was the 8th largest state and 47th most populous state. Its state nicknames include the Equality State and the Cowboy State. This postcard is part of a collection of postcards kept by Lucile Campbell, a schoolteacher in Sanford, Florida, for 30 years. In 1931, she took advantage of a special rate for teachers and sailed to Europe, where she traveled for several months and is thought to have acquired many of these postcards. During the 1940-1941 school year, Campbell taught at Sanford Grammar School. Before her retirement in 1970, she taught at many other area schools, including the Oviedo School, Westside Grammar School, and Pinecrest Elementary School. Campbell used these postcards as aids in her classrooms to teach advanced subjects, such as Shakespearean drama. The collection, along with her other teaching aids, papers, and photographs, was later found at Sanford Grammar School after it became the University of Central Florida's Public History Center. Campbell's postcard collection and photographs provide insight into the life of a respected Florida educator.
Wyoming Capitol Building, Cheyenne, Wyoming
A postcard depicting the Arizona State Capitol, located at 1700 West Washington Street in Phoenix, Arizona. building, the original 1901 home of the Arizona State Government, is now the Arizona Capitol Museum, as the government has grown and moved into adjacent buildings. This postcard is part of a collection of postcards kept by Lucile Campbell, a schoolteacher in Sanford, Florida, for 30 years. In 1931, she took advantage of a special rate for teachers and sailed to Europe, where she traveled for several months and is thought to have acquired many of these postcards. During the 1940-1941 school year, Campbell taught at Sanford Grammar School. Before her retirement in 1970, she taught at many other area schools, including the Oviedo School, Westside Grammar School, and Pinecrest Elementary School. Campbell used these postcards as aids in her classrooms to teach advanced subjects, such as Shakespearean drama. The collection, along with her other teaching aids, papers, and photographs, was later found at Sanford Grammar School after it became the University of Central Florida's Public History Center. Campbell's postcard collection and photographs provide insight into the life of a respected Florida educator.
Original 6 x 5 inch color postcard: ACC# SM-00-243, file folder 1 (U.S. blanks), box 10A, Lucile (Mary Lucile) Campbell Collection, UCF Public History Center, Sanford, Florida.
State Champions Bethune-Cookman Football Team
Football -- Florida -- Daytona Beach -- Photographs
A colorized photograph of Bethune-Cookman's 1925 football team. The team won the state championship that year. A notable member is Sumner "Skinner" Hutcheson, Jr.
1 colorized photograph, 1925: Personal Collection of Sumner Hutcheson III.
The Sanford State Farmers' Market after being destroyed by fire in 1957. The Sanford State Farmers' Market was founded in 1934 in order to provide a central location in which farmers would sell their produce directly to consumers. The idea for the Sanford State Farmers' Market was devised by Fred Dorner and Gus Schmach, both members of the Seminole Agricultural Club. Sanford Chamber of Commerce president Harry Papworth also contributed to the development of the market. The Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) authorized construction plans on June 11, 1934. On June 20, 1934, the City of Sanford donated a portion of the Alex V. French properties to the State Marketing Board, which selected the northwest corner of French Avenue and Thirteenth Street. The board approved the installation of telegraph and telephone equipment, as well as a three-pump filling station. The Sanford State Farmer's Market opened on December 18, 1934. By 1939, the Farmers' Market was bringing a total volume of business of $627,065.81. In 1941, business volume reached over $700,000. On April 4, 1957, a fire destroyed the building and caused damages estimated at $2.5 million. Reconstruction began almost immediately and the Farmers' Market was expected to re-open by the fall of 1957. In 1991, plans were created to restore, preserve, and convert the citrus packing house into a museum.
Original 3 x 5 inch black and white photonegative, April 4, 1957: Prints Collection, call number PR09755, Florida Photographic Collection, State Library and Archives of Florida, Tallahassee, Florida.
State Legion Convention Plans Reported Changed
A newspaper article published in The Tampa Tribune on March 11, 1933. The article, entitled "State Legion Convention Plans Reported Changed," reported that James Norman Ball (1890-1940), commander of Leslie Collier post of the American Legion in Sebring, Florida, had been informed of a change in plans regarding where the group's Florida convention would be held. James Norman Ball was born in College Park, New York. After the death of his mother in 1899, Ball lived in an orphanage in Paterson, New Jersey. He eventually lived in the home of William and Sarah Speer in Paterson, where he worked as a stenographer by 1910. Soon after, Ball moved to Jacksonville, Florida, where he met and married Irene Elizabeth O’Hagan on June 21, 1914. During World War I, the Army inducted Ball on April 13, 1918, as he served at Army School of Aerial Photography in Rochester, New York. Aerial photography had become an important new tool for gathering military intelligence. Ball remained in Rochester during the duration of the war and afterwards until his honorable discharge on January 1, 1919. After the war, Ball returned to Florida, where he and his wife Irene raised three children: William Edward Ball, Irene Marguerite Ball, and James Thomas Ball. The Ball family eventually moved to Sebring, Barstow and Tampa, Florida, where James was active in the American Legion, the local Elks Lodge, and the Forty and Eight organizations. Ball died on May 22, 1940, in Tampa, and is buried in the Bay Pines National Cemetery in Saint Petersburg, Florida, in Section 4 Row 4 Site 16. In 2017, the University of Central Florida was one of three universities selected to launch the National Cemetery Administration’s Veterans Legacy Program Project. The program engaged a team of scholars to make the life stories of veterans buried in the Florida National Cemetery available to the public. The project engages UCF students in research and writing and fosters collaboration between students, faculty and local Central Florida schools to produce interactive curriculum for K-12 students. The corresponding website exhibit uses RICHES Mosaic Interface to create a digital archive of related data. The public can use the project-developed augmented-reality app at more than 100 gravesites at the Florida National Cemetery, where they can access the UCF student-authored biographies of veterans.
Digital reproduction of original newspaper article: "State Legion Convention Plans Reported Changed." Tampa tribune, March 11, 1933.
The State of Ohio marriage record for Alexander Lard Lucas (1893-1989) and Anna Thurman. The marriage license was filed and issued on June 27, 1918. Born in Satilla Mills, Georgia, on June 6, 1893, Lucas moved to Jacksonville, Florida, as a teenager. By 1918, he had moved to Cleveland, Ohio, to pursue a career as a mechanic. Lucas was drafted into the United States Army on August 9, of 1918. Following his service, he worked as a tailor in Lansing, Michigan. By 1940, Lucas found a position as a shipping clerk for the Department of the Interior in Washington, DC. He lived in federal public housing attached to the North Interior Building in downtown Washington, where he worked. Between 1942 and 1989, he moved to the Miami area, where he passed away on March 2, 1989, at the age of ninety-five. Alexander Lucas is buried in the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, Florida. In 2017, the University of Central Florida was one of three universities selected to launch the National Cemetery Administration’s Veterans Legacy Program Project. The program engaged a team of scholars to make the life stories of veterans buried in the Florida National Cemetery available to the public. The project engages UCF students in research and writing and fosters collaboration between students, faculty and local Central Florida schools to produce interactive curriculum for k-12 students. The corresponding website exhibit uses RICHES Mosaic Interface to create a digital archive of related data. The public can use the project-developed augmented-reality app at more than 100 gravesites at the Florida National Cemetery, where they can access the UCF student-authored biographies of veterans.
Ohio Department of Health
Digital reproduction of original state marriage record.
Statement from Gray Dawes and Company to Henry Shelton Sanford (August 4, 1886)
Sanford, Henry S. (Henry Shelton), 1823-1891
A statement from Gray Dawes and Company to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) dated August 4, 1886. The statement indicated the yearly interest charge on a loan of £6,423.17.6. With interest accrued at 6%, the amount due by Sanford was £385.8.8. Gray Dawes and Company was founded in 1865 by business partners Archie Gray and Edwyn Sandys Dawes. Located at 13 Austin Friars in London, England, the company was focused, at least initially, on maritime insurance. By the mid-1870s, the company had also expanded its operations into shipping, overseeing a fleet of steamships that circulated within a trade network including London, Calcutta, Madras, and elsewhere. The company was closely linked to the Scottish shipping titan, Sir William MacKinnon (1823-1893). Gray was Mackinnon's nephew. Dawes, meanwhile, went on to become a close and trusted business partner to MacKinnon. As such, the firm became a useful means for MacKinnon to reward his friends and business associates. The company availed insurance accounts to these select individuals, accounts that could be used as a source of credit to be paid at a later date. The company became associated with Henry Shelton Sanford thanks to the mutual connection to MacKinnon. In 1880, MacKinnon lent Sanford, who was faced at the time with financial difficulties, some £8,000 to facilitate the founding of a Florida land investment company. The money offered by MacKinnon was in fact loaned to Sanford by Gray Dawes and Company. Additionally, at the behest of MacKinnon, both Gray and Dawes became reluctant subscribers to Sanford’s land investment scheme, the Florida Land and Colonization Company.
Original statement, August 4, 1886: box 53, folder 3, subfolder 53.3.6, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Gray Dawes and Company, London, England, United Kingdom
Statement from Gray Dawes and Company to Henry Shelton Sanford (August 5, 1887)
Atatement from Gray Dawes and Company to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) dated August 5, 1887. The statement indicated the interest due for the period from August 1887 to February 1888, an amount of £197.94. The initial amount of the loan was £8,000 with an annual interest rate of 5 percent, issued in 1880. By 1887, it appears Sanford had paid back less than £2,000 of the loan and his interest rate had risen to 6 percent. Gray Dawes and Company was founded in 1865 by business partners Archie Gray and Edwyn Sandys Dawes. Located at 13 Austin Friars in London, England, the company was focused, at least initially, on maritime insurance. By the mid-1870s, the company had also expanded its operations into shipping, overseeing a fleet of steamships that circulated within a trade network including London, Calcutta, Madras, and elsewhere. The company was closely linked to the Scottish shipping titan, Sir William MacKinnon (1823-1893). Gray was Mackinnon's nephew. Dawes, meanwhile, went on to become a close and trusted business partner to MacKinnon. As such, the firm became a useful means for MacKinnon to reward his friends and business associates. The company availed insurance accounts to these select individuals, accounts that could be used as a source of credit to be paid at a later date. The company became associated with Henry Shelton Sanford thanks to the mutual connection to MacKinnon. In 1880, MacKinnon lent Sanford, who was faced at the time with financial difficulties, some £8,000 to facilitate the founding of a Florida land investment company. The money offered by MacKinnon was in fact loaned to Sanford by Gray Dawes and Company. Additionally, at the behest of MacKinnon, both Gray and Dawes became reluctant subscribers to Sanford’s land investment scheme, the Florida Land and Colonization Company.
Original statement, August 5, 1887: box 53, folder 3, subfolder 53.3.4, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Statement from Gray Dawes and Company to Henry Shelton Sanford (August 6, 1889)
A statement from Gray Dawes and Company to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) dated August 6, 1889. The statement indicated the amount of interest and discounts due to Sanford for the year. The included a discount of £167.38 on a promissory note valued at £5,357 as well as a discount on a of £214.15.8 on a separate promissory note valued at £6,874.17.4. The statement also noted an interest charge of £119.0.3 on a mortgage of £4,000. Gray Dawes and Company was founded in 1865 by business partners Archie Gray and Edwyn Sandys Dawes. Located at 13 Austin Friars in London, England, the company was focused, at least initially, on maritime insurance. By the mid-1870s, the company had also expanded its operations into shipping, overseeing a fleet of steamships that circulated within a trade network including London, Calcutta, Madras, and elsewhere. The company was closely linked to the Scottish shipping titan, Sir William MacKinnon (1823-1893). Gray was Mackinnon's nephew. Dawes, meanwhile, went on to become a close and trusted business partner to MacKinnon. As such, the firm became a useful means for MacKinnon to reward his friends and business associates. The company availed insurance accounts to these select individuals, accounts that could be used as a source of credit to be paid at a later date. The company became associated with Henry Shelton Sanford thanks to the mutual connection to MacKinnon. In 1880, MacKinnon lent Sanford, who was faced at the time with financial difficulties, some £8,000 to facilitate the founding of a Florida land investment company. The money offered by MacKinnon was in fact loaned to Sanford by Gray Dawes and Company. Additionally, at the behest of MacKinnon, both Gray and Dawes became reluctant subscribers to Sanford’s land investment scheme, the Florida Land and Colonization Company.
Original statement, August 6, 1889: box 53, folder 3, subfolder 53.3.5, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Statement from Gray Dawes and Company to Henry Shelton Sanford (February 23, 1881)
A statement from Gray Dawes and Company to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) dated February 23, 1881. The statement reflected the account activity from January 1880 to February 1881, including the initial loan of £8,000, the interest accrued after one year and 23 days (£425.41), and a payment of £200 by Sanford in July 1880. The total amount due at the time of the statement's creation was £8,225.41. Gray Dawes and Company was founded in 1865 by business partners Archie Gray and Edwyn Sandys Dawes. Located at 13 Austin Friars in London, England, the company was focused, at least initially, on maritime insurance. By the mid-1870s, the company had also expanded its operations into shipping, overseeing a fleet of steamships that circulated within a trade network including London, Calcutta, Madras, and elsewhere. The company was closely linked to the Scottish shipping titan, Sir William MacKinnon (1823-1893). Gray was Mackinnon's nephew. Dawes, meanwhile, went on to become a close and trusted business partner to MacKinnon. As such, the firm became a useful means for MacKinnon to reward his friends and business associates. The company availed insurance accounts to these select individuals, accounts that could be used as a source of credit to be paid at a later date. The company became associated with Henry Shelton Sanford thanks to the mutual connection to MacKinnon. In 1880, MacKinnon lent Sanford, who was faced at the time with financial difficulties, some £8,000 to facilitate the founding of a Florida land investment company. The money offered by MacKinnon was in fact loaned to Sanford by Gray Dawes and Company. Additionally, at the behest of MacKinnon, both Gray and Dawes became reluctant subscribers to Sanford’s land investment scheme, the Florida Land and Colonization Company.
Original statement: box 53, folder 3, subfolder 53.3.3, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Statement from Gray Dawes and Company to Henry Shelton Sanford (January 28, 1880)
A statement from Gray Dawes and Company to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) dated January 28, 1880. The statement lists charges for the shipment of 10 boxes of oranges from New York to London. The oranges may have been sent to the London-based company as a gift from Sanford, who was in London at the time seeking to attract investors for his Florida land development scheme, what would become the Florida Land and Colonization Company. Gray Dawes and Company was founded in 1865 by business partners Archie Gray and Edwyn Sandys Dawes. Located at 13 Austin Friars in London, England, the company was focused, at least initially, on maritime insurance. By the mid-1870s, the company had also expanded its operations into shipping, overseeing a fleet of steamships that circulated within a trade network including London, Calcutta, Madras, and elsewhere. The company was closely linked to the Scottish shipping titan, Sir William MacKinnon (1823-1893). Gray was Mackinnon's nephew. Dawes, meanwhile, went on to become a close and trusted business partner to MacKinnon. As such, the firm became a useful means for MacKinnon to reward his friends and business associates. The company availed insurance accounts to these select individuals, accounts that could be used as a source of credit to be paid at a later date. The company became associated with Henry Shelton Sanford thanks to the mutual connection to MacKinnon. In 1880, MacKinnon lent Sanford, who was faced at the time with financial difficulties, some £8,000 to facilitate the founding of a Florida land investment company. The money offered by MacKinnon was in fact loaned to Sanford by Gray Dawes and Company. Additionally, at the behest of MacKinnon, both Gray and Dawes became reluctant subscribers to Sanford’s land investment scheme, the Florida Land and Colonization Company.
Original statement: box 53, folder 3, subfolder 53.3.1, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Statement from Gray Dawes and Company to Henry Shelton Sanford (July 14, 1880)
A statement from Gray Dawes and Company to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) dated July 14, 1880. The statement lists the 6-month interest charge on an advance of £8,000 to Sanford, loaned against Sanford's property in Florida at a rate of 5 percent per year. The amount due was £200. Gray Dawes and Company was founded in 1865 by business partners Archie Gray and Edwyn Sandys Dawes. Located at 13 Austin Friars in London, England, the company was focused, at least initially, on maritime insurance. By the mid-1870s, the company had also expanded its operations into shipping, overseeing a fleet of steamships that circulated within a trade network including London, Calcutta, Madras, and elsewhere. The company was closely linked to the Scottish shipping titan, Sir William MacKinnon (1823-1893). Gray was Mackinnon's nephew. Dawes, meanwhile, went on to become a close and trusted business partner to MacKinnon. As such, the firm became a useful means for MacKinnon to reward his friends and business associates. The company availed insurance accounts to these select individuals, accounts that could be used as a source of credit to be paid at a later date. The company became associated with Henry Shelton Sanford thanks to the mutual connection to MacKinnon. In 1880, MacKinnon lent Sanford, who was faced at the time with financial difficulties, some £8,000 to facilitate the founding of a Florida land investment company. The money offered by MacKinnon was in fact loaned to Sanford by Gray Dawes and Company. Additionally, at the behest of MacKinnon, both Gray and Dawes became reluctant subscribers to Sanford’s land investment scheme, the Florida Land and Colonization Company.
Original statement: box 53, folder 3, subfolder 53.3.2, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
An undated statement from William Beardall. The statement offered brief information on "clean high pine land as good as any on the grant" set to be put up for auction. It is not clear what land Beardall described or where it was located. William 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. He 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 statement from William Beardall: box 54, folder 18, subfolder 54.18.40, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Florida Land and Colonization Company Office, Sanford, Florida
Statement of the Finances of the Oviedo Woman's Club
A financial statement for the Oviedo Woman's Club (OWC) from the period of May 6, 1927, to March 16, 1928. The Oviedo Woman's Club was founded in 1906 as the Oviedo Magazine Club by seven charter members: H. B. McCall, Edith Meade, Georgia Lee Wheeler, Lillian Lee Lawton, Mattie Aulin Wheeler, Milcah Yonge, and Mary King. The first clubhouse was constructed in 1914 and also served as Oviedo's first library. In 1916, the club joined the FFWC and officially changed its name to the Oviedo Woman's Club. In 1923, the woman's club was federated under the umbrella of the General Federation of Woman's Clubs (GFWC). A new clubhouse was built in 1961 on property donated by R. L. Croom, a former member, which is located at 414 King Street. The Oviedo Woman's Club is involved in many civic projects, including the annual Great Day in the Country Arts and Crafts Festival, the Spring Fundraiser, Tasting Luncheons, and Celebrate Spring Teas.
Original financial statement, March 16, 1928: Private Collection of Beatrice Gestrich.
Oviedo Woman's Club
Steam-Cooled 501G Rated 230 MW with 2600°F Rotor Inlet Temperature
The item is a copy of a reprinted article from the Gas Turbine World magazine issue for November-December of 1994. The subject of the article is the Westinghouse-Mitsubishi 501G gas turbine that had been introduced at the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) International Gas Turbine Conference earlier that year. The 501G was a new gas turbine engine design featuring the results of a joint design effort of Westinghouse Power Generation and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) of Japan. Other input to the design was provided by other members of a multi-national alliance, which included FiatAvio of Italy and Rolls-Royce of the United Kingdom. The 501G was touted as the "largest and most efficient" gas turbine in the world. Introductory simple-cycle power rating was 230MW and simple-cycle efficiency was 38.5 percent (8,860 Btu/kWh, gas, LHV, ISO conditions). The combined cycle performance being quoted at the time was 345MW with a heat rate of 5,883 Btu/kWh (58% efficiency). The 501G was last of the long line of Westinghouse gas turbines before the company was acquired by Siemens AG of Germany in 1998. The first 501G was built at Westinghouse's factory in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, and installed at the McIntosh Station in Lakeland, Florida, in 1998.
Original 8-page magazine article: Farmer, Robert. "Steam-Cooled 501G Rated 230 MW with 2600°F Rotor Inlet Temperature." Gas Turbine World, Vol. 24, No. 6, November-December 1994: Private Collection of Harry Jaeger.
Gas Turbine World
Westinghouse Electric Corporation, The Quadrangle, Orlando, Florida
Steamboat 'Clara' Sailing Past a Dock on Lake Monroe
Steamboats--Florida--St. Johns River--History
Photograph of the Clara steamboat on Lake Monroe in the early twentieth century. By the mid-1880s, Sanford, Florida had become a major distribution center due to the city's strategic location along Lake Monroe and the St. Johns River. Even before Florida obtained statehood, steamboats frequented the St. Johns River carrying U.S. Army soldiers to Fort Mellon, located on the shores of Lake Monroe, to defend the area against Native Americans during the Seminole Wars. Steamboats were used at the fort and during the Battle of Camp Monroe to relocate Seminoles, explore the St. Johns River, and to distribute military forces. During the second half of the 1830s, steamboats were used to tow barges from the river to Lake Monroe in order to stimulate trade. The first commercial steamboat was developed as the Brock Line in the early 1850s. As trade grew, various wharves and docks were built in locations such as Mellonville Avenue, Palmetto Avenue, Oak Street, and Sanford Avenue. The Debary-Baya Merchant Line began transporting passengers in 1883, which further developed the steamboat industry. The line was purchased by the Clyde Line in 1886 and remained open until 1933. The growth of railroads was the primary cause of the decline of the steamboat industry.
Original 6 x 10 inch black and white photoprint: Reference Collection, call number RC02404, Florida Photographic Collection, State Library and Archives of Florida, Tallahassee, Florida.
Steamboats--Florida--Saint Johns River--History
The Caloosa was one of many steamboats that operated along the St. Johns River during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Steamboats first appeared on the St. Johns in the 1860s. During the next several decades, the St. Johns River became Florida's first major tourist attraction for vacationing Northerners. The river became the state's first "highway", enabling homesteaders to move into the central part of the state. The steamboat era on the St. John's came to an end in the 1880s with the introduction of the Central Florida Railroad.
Reproduction of glass plate negative by Jefferson Clay Ensminger: Photographic Collection, box 3, folder Ensminger, General Collection, UCF Public History Center, Sanford, Florida.
A steamboat landing in Sanford in the 1870s. By the mid-1880s, Sanford, Florida had become a major distribution center due to the city's strategic location along Lake Monroe and the St. Johns River. Even before Florida obtained statehood, steamboats frequented the St. Johns River carrying U.S. Army soldiers to Fort Mellon, located on the shores of Lake Monroe, to defend the area against Native Americans during the Seminole Wars. Steamboats were used at the fort and during the Battle of Camp Monroe to relocate Seminoles, explore the St. Johns River, and to distribute military forces. During the second half of the 1830s, steamboats were used to tow barges from the river to Lake Monroe in order to stimulate trade. The first commercial steamboat was developed as the Brock Line in the early 1850s. As trade grew, various wharves and docks were built in locations such as Mellonville Avenue, Palmetto Avenue, Oak Street, and Sanford Avenue. The Debary-Baya Merchant Line began transporting passengers in 1883, which further developed the steamboat industry. The line was purchased by the Clyde Line in 1886 and remained open until 1933. The growth of railroads was the primary cause of the decline of the steamboat industry.
Original 4 x 5 inch black and white photonegative: General Collection, call number N045351, Florida Photographic Collection, State Library and Archives of Florida, Tallahassee, Florida.
A steamboat landing in Sanford in 1908. By the mid-1880s, Sanford, Florida had become a major distribution center due to the city's strategic location along Lake Monroe and the St. Johns River. Even before Florida obtained statehood, steamboats frequented the St. Johns River carrying U.S. Army soldiers to Fort Mellon, located on the shores of Lake Monroe, to defend the area against Native Americans during the Seminole Wars. Steamboats were used at the fort and during the Battle of Camp Monroe to relocate Seminoles, explore the St. Johns River, and to distribute military forces. During the second half of the 1830s, steamboats were used to tow barges from the river to Lake Monroe in order to stimulate trade. The first commercial steamboat was developed as the Brock Line in the early 1850s. As trade grew, various wharves and docks were built in locations such as Mellonville Avenue, Palmetto Avenue, Oak Street, and Sanford Avenue. The Debary-Baya Merchant Line began transporting passengers in 1883, which further developed the steamboat industry. The line was purchased by the Clyde Line in 1886 and remained open until 1933. The growth of railroads was the primary cause of the decline of the steamboat industry.
Original 3 x 5 inch black and white photonegative, 1908: Print Collection, call number PR09756, Florida Photographic Collection, State Library and Archives of Florida, Tallahassee, Florida.
Postcard of a steamboat and pier on the Sanford Riverfront. By the mid-1880s, Sanford, Florida had become a major distribution center due to the city's strategic location along Lake Monroe and the St. Johns River. Even before Florida obtained statehood, steamboats frequented the St. Johns River carrying U.S. Army soldiers to Fort Mellon, located on the shores of Lake Monroe, to defend the area against Native Americans during the Seminole Wars. Steamboats were used at the fort and during the Battle of Camp Monroe to relocate Seminoles, explore the St. Johns River, and to distribute military forces. During the second half of the 1830s, steamboats were used to tow barges from the river to Lake Monroe in order to stimulate trade. The first commercial steamboat was developed as the Brock Line in the early 1850s. As trade grew, various wharves and docks were built in locations such as Mellonville Avenue, Palmetto Avenue, Oak Street, and Sanford Avenue. The Debary-Baya Merchant Line began transporting passengers in 1883, which further developed the steamboat industry. The line was purchased by the Clyde Line in 1886 and remained open until 1933. The growth of railroads was the primary cause of the decline of the steamboat industry.
Original 9 x 14 centimeter black and white postcard by Plaxo Printing Press: Postcard Collection, call number PC3080, Florida Photographic Collection, State Library and Archives of Florida, Tallahassee, Florida.
Steamship Osceola at a dock in Sanford sometime between 1913 and 1928. The steamer was built in 1913 at Jacksonville's Merill Stevens Shipyard for the Clyde Line Steamboat Company. The ship was captained by T.W. Lund and ran between Jacksonville and Sanford (a 140 mile trip) and could carry 60 passengers plus cargo. The ship was unusual in its design, with a recessed stern wheel that was enclosed within the hull of the ship. It was tied to an abandoned wharf and left to rot on the Northbank of Jacksonville in 1928.
Original 8.5 x 11 inch black and white photograph by Chase & Company: Chase Collection (MS 14), box 211, folder 3.30B, Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
Steamship at the South Florida Railroad Company Pier
A steamship at the South Florida Railroad Company pier, which was built in 1880. 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 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 Plant 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, which is now operated by CSX. By the mid-1880s, Sanford, Florida had become a major distribution center due to the city's strategic location along Lake Monroe and the St. Johns River. Even before Florida obtained statehood, steamboats frequented the St. Johns River carrying U.S. Army soldiers to Fort Mellon, located on the shores of Lake Monroe, to defend the area against Native Americans during the Seminole Wars. Steamboats were used at the fort and during the Battle of Camp Monroe to relocate Seminoles, explore the St. Johns River, and to distribute military forces. During the second half of the 1830s, steamboats were used to tow barges from the river to Lake Monroe in order to stimulate trade. The first commercial steamboat was developed as the Brock Line in the early 1850s. As trade grew, various wharves and docks were built in locations such as Mellonville Avenue, Palmetto Avenue, Oak Street, and Sanford Avenue. The Debary-Baya Merchant Line began transporting passengers in 1883, which further developed the steamboat industry. The line was purchased by the Clyde Line in 1886 and remained open until 1933. The growth of railroads was the primary cause of the decline of the steamboat industry.
Original 9 x 6 inch black and white photoprint: Reference Collection, Call number RC07052, Florida Photographic Collection, State Library and Archives of Florida, Tallahassee, Florida.
Steamship Osceola along the St. Johns River near Sanford, Florida in the early 1900s. Osceola was built in 1913 at Jacksonville's Merill Stevens Shipyard for the Clyde Line Steamboat Company. The ship was captained by T.W. Lund and ran between Jacksonville and Sanford (a 140 mile trip) and could carry 60 passengers plus cargo. The ship was unusual in its design, with a recessed stern wheel that was enclosed within the hull of the ship. It was tied to an abandoned wharf and left to rot on the Northbank of Jacksonville in 1928.
Original 3 x 5 inch black and white photograph by Chase & Company: Chase Collection (MS 14), box 211, folder 3.30A, item CC 102, Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
In 2017, the University of Central Florida was one of three universities selected to launch the National Cemetery Administration’s Veterans Legacy Program Project. The program engaged a team of scholars to make the life stories of veterans buried in the Florida National Cemetery available to the public. The project engages UCF students in research and writing and fosters collaboration between students, faculty and local Central Florida schools to produce interactive curriculum for k-12 students. The corresponding website exhibit uses RICHES Mosaic Interface to create a digital archive of related data. The public can use the project-developed augmented-reality app at more than 100 gravesites at the Florida National Cemetery, where they can access the UCF student-authored biographies of veterans.
A ticket stub for a concert featuring Steppenwolf at the Orlando Sports Stadium, which was also known as the Eddie Graham Sports Complex. Steppenwolf is a Canadian-American rock group that enjoyed worldwide success in the late 1960s and early 1970s, coining the term "heavy metal." Their Top 10 songs include "Born to Be Wild," "Magic Carpet Ride," and "Rock Me." The concert took place on November 14, 1970, at 8 p.m. and cost $4. Once host to some of the top names in sports and music, the Orlando Sports Complex was demolished by the Orange County Building Department in 1995 due to code violations.
Original ticket stub: Private Collection of Carl Knickerbocker.
Orlando Sports Stadium, Orlando, Florida
A ticket stub for a concert featuring Steppenwolf at the Orlando Sports Stadium, which was also known as the Eddie Graham Sports Complex. The concert took place on New Year's Eve in 1977. The show was presented by TMT Productions and BJ Booking Agency. The opening bands were Somf City, Friends, and Cantamos Jazz Band, and the ticket price was $5. Once host to some of the top names in sports and music, the Orlando Sports Complex was demolished by the Orange County Building Department in 1995 due to code violations.
Original ticket stub: Private Collection of Julie Wahl.
A page from Oshihiyi, the 1917 Stetson University yearbook. This page focuses on the students enrolled in the Business College, including Paul Hon (1898-1918). Students' nicknames, favorite sayings, ambitions, gifts and pastimes were recorded for posterity. Paul Hon was born in July 1898, in Orleans, Indiana, and moved with his family to DeLand, Florida, in 1900. The Hon family rose to prominence in DeLand, as Hon's father served on the Stetson University Board of Trustees and eventually had a dormitory building named in his honor. Paul Hon, the eldest son in his family, attended Stetson University as a student in the Business College. On May 10, 1917, he enlisted in the United States Army and served as part of Company B of the 1st Engineers until his death on July 20, 1918, during the Aisne-Marne Campaign. The 1st Engineers were often responsible for clearing roads and other such tasks, and occasionally served as support to other areas of the Army. Hon is considered MIA (Missing In Action), as his body has never been recovered. He is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing at the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery in Belleau, France. In 2017, the University of Central Florida was one of three universities selected to launch the National Cemetery Administration’s Veterans Legacy Program Project. The program continues, engaging a team of scholars to make the life stories of veterans buried in national cemeteries available to the public. The project engages UCF students in research and writing and fosters collaboration between students, faculty and local Central Florida schools to produce interactive curriculum for k-12 students. The corresponding website exhibit uses RICHES Mosaic Interface to create a digital archive of related data. The public can use the project-developed augmented-reality app at more than 100 headstones at four national cemeteries, two in Florida (Florida National Cemetery and St. Augustine National Cemetery) and two in France (American Battle Monuments Commission cemeteries at Aisne-Marne and the Meuse-Argonne), where they can access the UCF student-authored biographies of veterans.
Junior Class of John B. Stetson University, Class of 1918
Digital reproduction of original yearbook page: Image courtesy of the Stetson University Library Archives.
Stetson University Business College, DeLand, Florida
A page from Oshihiyi, the 1919 Stetson University yearbook, memorializing Paul Hon (1898-1918). Though this dedication lists Hon's death as July 22, 1918, he actually died two days earlier, according to his military records. Paul Hon was born in July 1898, in Orleans, Indiana, and moved with his family to DeLand, Florida, in 1900. The Hon family rose to prominence in DeLand, as Hon's father served on the Stetson University Board of Trustees and eventually had a dormitory building named in his honor. Paul Hon, the eldest son in his family, attended Stetson University as a student in the Business College. On May 10, 1917, he enlisted in the United States Army and served as part of Company B of the 1st Engineers until his death on July 20, 1918, during the Aisne-Marne Campaign. The 1st Engineers were often responsible for clearing roads and other such tasks, and occasionally served as support to other areas of the Army. Hon is considered MIA (Missing In Action), as his body has never been recovered. He is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing at the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery in Belleau, France. In 2017, the University of Central Florida was one of three universities selected to launch the National Cemetery Administration’s Veterans Legacy Program Project. The program continues, engaging a team of scholars to make the life stories of veterans buried in national cemeteries available to the public. The project engages UCF students in research and writing and fosters collaboration between students, faculty and local Central Florida schools to produce interactive curriculum for k-12 students. The corresponding website exhibit uses RICHES Mosaic Interface to create a digital archive of related data. The public can use the project-developed augmented-reality app at more than 100 headstones at four national cemeteries, two in Florida (Florida National Cemetery and St. Augustine National Cemetery) and two in France (American Battle Monuments Commission cemeteries at Aisne-Marne and the Meuse-Argonne), where they can access the UCF student-authored biographies of veterans.
Junior Class of John B. Stetson University, Class of 1920
A self portrait of Steve Lotz in 2005. Lotz received his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of California, Los Angeles and his Master of Fine Arts from the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. Lotz became an instructor of art at the Florida Technological University (present-day University of Central Florida) in Orlando in 1968, and served as the chairman of the Art Department for its first 10 years. He retired as a Professor Emeritus in 2003. As head of the department, Lotz was integral in establishing the success of the University's visual arts programs. Steve Lotz is an internationally-recognized artist with solo exhibitions of his work held throughout the U.S., Europe, and the Caribbean, and he is represented in numerous public and private collections. His best known work in Central Florida is the monumental triptych, Florida Dream, which has been on view in the main terminal of the Orlando International Airport since it was commissioned in 1981.
Original color photograph by Steve Lotz: Orlando Museum of Art, Orlando, Florida.
Florida Technological University, Orlando, Florida
University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida
Stephen Edward Cousens wearing his United States Navy uniform. Born in New York City in 1948, Cousens served as a Communications Yeomen during the Vietnam War from January 1966 to March 1969. He later settled in Long Beach, California. Cousens passed away in February of 1997, and a memorial marker at the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, Florida, commemorates his life and service. His father, Robert Douglass Cousens, who served in World War II, is also buried at the cemetery with his wife and Steven's mother. In 2017, the University of Central Florida was one of three universities selected to launch the National Cemetery Administration’s Veterans Legacy Program Project. The program engaged a team of scholars to make the life stories of veterans buried in the Florida National Cemetery available to the public. The project engages UCF students in research and writing and fosters collaboration between students, faculty and local Central Florida schools to produce interactive curriculum for k-12 students. The corresponding website exhibit uses RICHES Mosaic Interface to create a digital archive of related data. The public can use the project-developed augmented-reality app at more than 100 gravesites at the Florida National Cemetery, where they can access the UCF student-authored biographies of veterans.
Digital reproduction of original color photograph.
A t-shirt for the band Stiff Kitten. Originally called Bulz Eye, Stiff Kitten was formed in Orlando, Florida, around 1983. The group consisted of Deryle Hughes on lead vocals, slide guitar, and harmonica; Jamie Baker on bass and vocals; Gary Groves on keyboard and vocals; and Greg Saxonis on drums. Saxonis would be eventually be replaced by Dave Tinney and then Jeff Bonenfant. The band moved to Tampa for a brief time before returning to Orlando, eventually changing their name to Sons of Doctors, which became the name most closely associated with them. Largely a classic rock cover band during the 1980s and early 1990s, Hughes began composing music by the mid-1990s. Joe Stump joined in 1996 and contributed guitar and vocals. The group regularly performed at Orlando clubs such as Junkyard, Townsend's, Green Parrot, as well as at the Full Moon Saloon in Daytona Beach during bike weeks. They opened up the Daytona 500 on the infield on February 14, 1999. The band signed with Sony Records and recorded several original tracks, but disbanded in 1999. Deryle Hughes formed Simple Southern Boys with keyboardist Doug Bare in Orlando in 2004. He opened a recording studio called Big Shot Studios in Altamonte Springs in June 2006.
Original color digital images: Private Collection of Mick Dolan.
A t-shirt for the band Stiff Kitten. Originally called Bulz Eye, Stiff Kitten was formed in Orlando, Florida, around 1983. The group consisted of Deryle Hughes on lead vocals, slide guitar, and harmonica
and Greg Saxonis on drums. Saxonis would be eventually be replaced by Dave Tinney and then Jeff Bonenfant. The band moved to Tampa for a brief time before returning to Orlando, eventually changing their name to Sons of Doctors, which became the name most closely associated with them. Largely a classic rock cover band during the 1980s and early 1990s, Hughes began composing music by the mid-1990s. Joe Stump joined in 1996 and contributed guitar and vocals. The group regularly performed at Orlando clubs such as Junkyard, Townsend's, Green Parrot, as well as at the Full Moon Saloon in Daytona Beach during bike weeks. They opened up the Daytona 500 on the infield on February 14, 1999. The band signed with Sony Records and recorded several original tracks, but disbanded in 1999. Deryle Hughes formed Simple Southern Boys with keyboardist Doug Bare in Orlando in 2004. He opened a recording studio called Big Shot Studios in Altamonte Springs in June 2006.
Still Life with Pears by Hal McIntosh. Born in 1927, McIntosh began his formal studies at the Detroit Art Institute in Detroit, Michigan, and the Toledo Museum of Art in Toledo, Ohio. At age 18, the Art Research Studio (present-day Maitland Art Center) in Maitland, Florida, selected him as the institution's youngest-ever artist in residence. His talent later earned him the Directorship of the Academy of Fine Arts in Lynchburg, Virginia, where he served as a museum director and teacher for five years. As a resident of Central Florida, McIntosh taught at the Loch Haven Art Center in Orlando and ran his own institution known as the McIntosh School in Winter Park for 30 years. McIntosh splits his time between his Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and Winter Park studios. With an artistic career lasting over 60 years, Hal McIntosh's influence on our community is profound. His bold abstractions, tranquil waterscapes, and stirring portraiture, all masterfully painted with a touch of McIntosh's signature Orientalism, have been widely exhibited in the area and are part of numerous regional collections, both private and public. Deep connections with the people and places of Orange County have allowed McIntosh to join the ranks as one of the greats and to be remembered eternally as an Art Legend.
Original painting: McIntosh, Hal. Still Life with Pears (painting): Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens, Winter Park, Florida.
Stock Letter for Those Interested in Becoming Weeki Wachee Springs Mermaids, sent to Becky Young in 1972
Mermaids--Florida--Weeki Wachee--History
A typed stock letter sent to Becky Young in 1972 alongside an application for a position as a mermaid. The letter is typed on Weeki Wachee letterhead, which has an image of two performers in a pose underwater as the background. Signed by the Mermaid Supervisor Genie Young, the letter thanks applicants for their interest in the position and gives an overview of the job description and pay schedule. The letter ends asking applicants to send the application and a photograph of themselves back to Genie Young. Along with a group of investors, Newton Perry opened Weeki Wachee Springs to the public in October of 1947. At the time, roadside attractions were becoming popular stops along Florida roadways. The attraction consisted of an amalgamation of vendors, an orchid garden, a river boat tour, as well as the star attraction: a mermaid show that took place in an underwater theater. Eventually, the May Museum of the Tropics, an "abandoned Seminole village", a show called “Birds of Prey”, and a petting zoo were added. After peaking in the 1950s and 1960s, attendance began to decline as theme parks and highways changed the dynamics of Florida's tourism. The State of Florida took over the attraction as a state park in 2008. Since then, the park has focused on appealing to a modern audience while preserving its history.
Original letter from Genie Young to Becky Young, c.1973: Private Collection of Becky Young.
Straight Up With a Twist, March 26 & 27, 1999
A program for the Orlando Gay Chorus' concert, "Straight Up With a Twist", on March 26 &amp
27, 1999, at the First Unitarian Church of Orlando in Orlando, Florida. The program includes short biographies on the Music Director Aubrey Connelly and the Accompanist Kathy Slage, program notes, an outline of the show's itinerary, a list of chorus members and contributors, a donation pledge and a history of GALA Choruses. The Orlando Gay Chorus (OGC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts and humanitarian organization, and part of the Gay and Lesbian Association (GALA) of Choruses. Founded on Valentines Day 1990, OGC is not only one of the largest mixed gay choirs in the United States at over 100 members, but they also boast four smaller ensembles that perform annual concerts, cabarets, and a host of community events, such as Come Out With Pride, Orlando Museum of Art’s Festival of Trees, and World AIDS Day memorial services. In 2017, the group performed at over 105 events, including 15 performances for the first anniversary of the Pulse Nightclub tragedy. Members come from all walks of life and all sexual and gender orientations, including straight allies. OGC lives by the motto “Singing the World to a Better Place” and strives to use music to change attitudes and build a stronger community.
Orlando Gay Chorus
Original 20-page program, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida
First Unitarian Church of Orlando, Orlando, Florida
The StreamLines, a newsletter published by the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council (ECFRPC), for March 1977.This newsletter discusses workshops held by the ECFRPC reviewing financial concerns related to water management, as well as ongoing plans for a drawdown of Lake Apopka, stating that the first phase of the restoration program is due to begin in 1977, and estimates the total cost of the project to be three million dollars. The newsletter also discusses the ECFRPC's 208 Program, a water quality management program aimed at achieving water quality standards mandated by section 208 of the Clean Water Act of 1972. Lake drawdown is a method of environmental restoration that is used to control erosion and aquatic vegetation. Lake drawdown has also been sought as a potential method to lessen the effects of pollution by exposing the lake bed and allowing bottom sediments to dry, trapping pollutants. Opponents of lake drawdowns cite the impact of polluted water on areas downstream of the area being drained, in cases where the targeted lake is connected to a river system. Citrus growers have also opposed drawdowns on the grounds that draining large lakes makes nearby citrus groves more vulnerable to freezes, as lakes help keep temperatures stable throughout the year. Drawdowns of Lake Apopka have been sought by restoration efforts dating back to the 1960s, beginning with the Lake Apopka Restoration Project, organized by Governor Claude R. Kirk Jr. (1926-2011) and headed by C. W. Sheffield. These efforts were delayed and no drawdown was performed by the project. Plans for a drawdown continued to be developed, and federal and state efforts to gather funds and perform feasibility studies began in 1970. An experimental drawdown of Lake Apopka was performed in 1971, lowering the lake level by four feet, but was halted after public fears that wildlife deaths in the area were the result of the drawdown. Drawdown plans continued through the 1970s, but were continually delayed and projected costs for the project rose sharply. The project was cancelled by Governor Bob Graham (b. 1936) in 1979.
Original 4-page typewritten newsletter: StreamLines, March 1977: binder 1977, Friends of Lake Apopka Archives, Ginn Museum, Oakland Nature Preserve, Oakland, Florida.
East Central Florida Regional Planning Council
Street map of the City of Orlando, Florida, printed in 1936. The map shows the route of a 23-mile scenic drive around 18 lakes in Orlando. It has listings of apartment houses, churches, hotels, real estate brokers, newspapers, schools, clubs, newspapers and more. The map also lists 66 places on the scenic drive illustrated on the map.
Original 17 x 22 inch map, 1936: Greater Orlando Chamber of Commerce, Orlando, Florida: Private Collection of Thomas Cook.
Greater Orlando Chamber of Commerce
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
Built in 1875 by General Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891), the Sanford House Hotel was able to accommodate over 150 guests. At the turn of the century, the Sanford House Hotel was the center of all major city events and celebrations. The hotel extended all the way from Firstst Street to Commercial Street and was the center of the city's social and political life. 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.
Original black and white photograph: Photographic Collection, box 3, folder Businesses--Hotels, General Collection, UCF Public History Center, Sanford, Florida.
Student Drawing of Sanford Grammar School
A drawing and description of Sanford Grammar school by a student named Lakeisha Beveritt. Originally established as Sanford High School, the main building was constructed at 301 West Seventh Street in Sanford, Florida, in 1902. The building was designed by W. G. Talley in the Romanesque revival style. Due to an increasing student population, a new school building was constructed on the corner of East Ninth Street and South Palmetto Avenue in 1911. The original building on Seventh Street served as Westside Grammar Elementary School, which was later renamed Sanford Grammar School. After a desperate need for an addition to the school developed, the city granted the school 75,000 dollars. The school's lunchroom was opened on October 10, 1921, after months of fundraising efforts hosted by the Woman's Club. In November 23, 1984, the main school building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places and converted into the Student Museum. However, despite objections from the community, the lunchroom was demolished on September 25, 2008. The main school building reopened as the University of Central Florida's Public History Center in 2012.
Original drawing by Lakeisha Beveritt: Sanford Grammar Collection, Archives Box 4B, UCF Public History Center, Sanford, Florida.
Sanford Grammar School, Sanford, Florida
The Student Museum and Center for Social Studies, located at 301 West Seventh Street in Sanford, Florida, in 2011. The building was originally occupied by Sanford High School, which was established in 1902. The structure was designed by W. G. Talley in the Romanesque revival style. Due to an increasing student population, a new school building was constructed on Sanford Avenue in 1911. The original building on Seventh Street served as Westside Grammar Elementary School, which was later renamed Sanford Grammar School. In 1984, the structure was placed on the National Registry of Historic Places and converted into the Student Museum. The building reopened as the University of Central Florida's Public History Center in 2012.
Original color digital images by Kathleen MacDonald, July 20, 2011.
Student Museum and Center for Social Studies, Sanford, Florida
A kindergarten student at Fort Christmas Historical Park using a pump that was used for chores in the mid-nineteenth century at Fort Christmas, Florida. Present-day Christmas was originally occupied by the Timucuan tribe, which was eventually obliterated by European diseases when the Spanish arrived in Florida. In the early eighteenth century, the Seminole tribes began migrating to Florida to raise cattle and grow citrus. Due to the outbreak of the Second Seminole War, the United States began the construction of Fort Christmas began on December 25, 1837. The fort was used as a supply depot for its strategic location, but was abandoned in March 1838 as the Seminoles moved southward. In the late 1970s, the Orange County Department of Parks and Recreation and the Fort Christmas Historical Society constructed a replica of the historic Fort Christmas just south of Christmas Creek. Fort Christmas Historical Park, located at 1300 Fort Christmas Road, was dedicated in 1977.
Original color digital image by Larry D. Davis, Jr., November 11, 2009: Private Collection of Dr. Larry D. Davis, Jr.
Fort Christmas Historical Park, Christmas, Florida
Original 8.5 x 11 inch black and white photograph: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida.
A class picture taken outside of St. Joseph's Academy in Downtown Orlando, Florida. The academy was created in 1889, along with St. James Cathedral School, and they were both placed along the intersection of Robinson Avenue and Magnolia Avenue. In the beginning, the school had a total student count of around 30. However, by 1927, St. Joseph's had enrolled over 200 students. In 1929, following the supervision of then-pastor of St. James Catholic Church, Father Michael J. Fox, the school building on Ridgewood Street opened as a church school to accommodate students kindergarten through 12th grade. Soon after, the St. James' school would replace St. Joseph's Academy.
Original black and white photograph, June 2, 1913: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida.
The Little Red School House, located at 519 South Palmetto Avenue, is Sanford's oldest standing building. Seminole County bought the land for the two-room school from the Florida Land and Colonization Company. Officially called East Side Primary, the building was constructed in 1883. Professor Coiner of Emory College in Oxford, Georgia, and Angie Tucker of Sanford, Florida, were the first two teachers at the Little Red School House. The building served as the first school house for Sanford's students, until the construction of Sanford Grammar School in 1902. Carrie Ensminger, daughter of Jefferson Clay Ensminger, and future educator, attended school here in 1893. She is pictured farthest to the right on the third row. The building was remodeled numerous times until World War II, when it became a nursery school. Since the 1960sn, the building has been used as a center for Headstart, a soup kitchen, an arts center, and a treatment facility for women with drug addiction issues. In 1995, the City of Sanford acquired the building from the Seminole County School Board. Sanford donated it to the Tajiri School for Performing Arts and Academics, founded by Patricia Merritt-Whatley, in 1998.
Original newspaper article: The Sanford Herald: Photographic Collection, box 3, folder Education--Sanford Public Schools, General Collection, UCF Public History Center, Sanford, Florida.
The Sanford Herald
A newspaper article published by The Oviedo Outlook on May 26, 1977. The article describes the winners of a literary contest sponsored by the Seminole County Language Reading Arts Council. According to the article, ten students from Jackson Heights Middle School, located at 41 Academy Avenue in Oviedo, were selected to have their works published in the Seminole County Literary Magazine. Additionally, an annual authors' luncheon was to be held at the Langford Resort Hotel in Winter Park.
Original newspaper article: "Students Honored for Poetry." The Oviedo Outlook, Vol. 4, No. 40, May 26, 1977, page 9: Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
Jackson Heights Middle School, Oviedo, Florida
Langford Resort Hotel, Winter Park, Florida
Study Without Violin by Hal McIntosh. Born in 1927, McIntosh began his formal studies at the Detroit Art Institute in Detroit, Michigan, and the Toledo Museum of Art in Toledo, Ohio. At age 18, the Art Research Studio (present-day Maitland Art Center) in Maitland, Florida, selected him as the institution's youngest-ever artist in residence. His talent later earned him the Directorship of the Academy of Fine Arts in Lynchburg, Virginia, where he served as a museum director and teacher for five years. As a resident of Central Florida, McIntosh taught at the Loch Haven Art Center in Orlando and ran his own institution known as the McIntosh School in Winter Park for 30 years. McIntosh splits his time between his Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and Winter Park studios. With an artistic career lasting over 60 years, Hal McIntosh's influence on our community is profound. His bold abstractions, tranquil waterscapes, and stirring portraiture, all masterfully painted with a touch of McIntosh's signature Orientalism, have been widely exhibited in the area and are part of numerous regional collections, both private and public. Deep connections with the people and places of Orange County have allowed McIntosh to join the ranks as one of the greats and to be remembered eternally as an Art Legend.
Original painting: McIntosh, Hal. Study Without Violin (painting): Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens, Winter Park, Florida.
Subjects to be Presented at Public Hearing on Local Water Pollution
A document by Arthur "Jimmie" W. Sinclair, executive secretary of the Winter Garden Chamber of Commerce, discussing his planned comments at a public hearing on water pollution held in Orlando Chamber of Commerce building on November 14, 1966. The document gives a timeline of pollution discharges into the lake, and recommends as solution the development of catch basins lining the north shore, and planting of vegetation to act as a buffer zone.
Original document by Arthur W. Sinclair: binder 1966, Friends of Lake Apopka Archives, Ginn Museum, Oakland Nature Preserve, Oakland, Florida.
Orlando Chamber of Commerce, Orlando, Florida
A brochure for the New Smyrna Sugar Mill Ruins, located at 600 Old Mission Road in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. For many years, the site, also known as the Cruger and DePeyster Sugar Mill, was mistaken for the ruins of a Spanish mission with origins dating back to the time of Christopher Columbus (ca. 1451-1506). This misconception led Captain Charles Henry Coe (1856-1954) to publish Debunking the So-Called Spanish Mission Near New Smyrna Beach, Volusia County, Florida in 1941. The steam sugar and saw mill was destroyed by Native Americans in 1845, just five years after it was erected. The ruins were added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1970.
Original 6-fold brochure: Sugar Mill Ruins. 2012. New Smyrna, FL: New Smyrna Beach Area Visitors Bureau: Private Collection of Andrew M. Foster.
New Smyrna Beach Area Visitors Bureau
New Smyrna Sugar Mill Ruins, New Smyrna Beach, Florida
A postcard with a photo of a sugarcane plantation with grazing cattle on the edge of East Lake in St. Cloud, Florida. Hamilton Disston bought the land in the 1880s, which was originally swampland. Disston had the swamps drained and planted 1,000 acres of sugarcane along East Tohopekaliga Lake. Due to multiple winter freezes and national depression, the plantation folded by 1909, when the Grand Army of the Republic Association bought the old plantation land. On the back of the postcard is a handwritten message addressed to Herman [Haerleinp], Chief Gardener at the National Mil (Military) Home in Ohio. The message reads, "St. Cloud Fla 11-26-10. Dear Herman, Mrs. Woodin and I are having a lovely trip here in Florida. The climate is perfect, warm as June. We go from here to Orlando and other points early next week. Regards to all, Woodin". This postcard is part of a private collection kept by Roger Hipel of St. Cloud, Florida.
Original 5 x 3 inch black and white postcard: Private Collection of Roger Hipel.
Suggested Program for Dedication of the New U. S. Post Office and Court House
The suggested program for the dedication ceremony for the new Downtown Orlando Post Office. This document includes a list of the members of the Greater Orlando Chamber of Commerce and a schedule of events. The original post office was housed in the Federal Building, located 44 East Central Boulevard in Downtown Orlando, Florida, from 1917 to 1941. In 1935, when James D. Beggs, Jr. became the postmaster, he began petitioning to move the post office from its Central Boulevard and Court Avenue location to a more spacious building. In 1939, St. James Catholic Church sold a plot of land of Jefferson Street for the new building. The building, located at 51 East Jefferson Street, was designed by Louis A. Simon in the Northern Italian Palazzo Revival-style, and was constructed by J. P. Cullen & Son. The new building opened in 1941 and housed the post office, the courthouse, and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) offices. The building was named an Orlando Historic Landmark in 1989. However, it was eventually sold back to the St. James Church. In 2003, the building was renovated and came under joint ownership by both the church and the federal government. Today, the building retains its post office services but also includes offices for the Catholic Diocese.
Original program: Private Collection of Texann Ivy Buck.
Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Sumner Hutcheson III and Pamela Hutcheson
A black and white photograph of siblings Sumner Hutcheson III and Pamela Hutcheson.
1 original black and white photograph: Personal Collection of Sumner Hutcheson III.
Sumner Hutcheson III at the Unveiling of the Mary McLeod Bethune Statue at Daytona Beach
A color photograph of Sumner Hutcheson III at the Unveiling of the Mary McLeod Bethune Statue at Daytona Beach, Florida, on August 18th, 2022. The 13-foot tall bronze sculpture is 829-pounds and the granite pedestal base is 14,050-pounds. It was was created by Puerto Rican native Master Sculptor Nilda M. Comas.
1 original color photograph, 2022: Personal Collection of Sumner Hutcheson III.
Sumner Hutcheson III at the Unveiling of the Mary McLeod Bethune Statue at the United States Capitol
National Statuary Hall (United States Capitol, Washington, D.C.)
A color photograph of Sumner Hutcheson III at the Unveiling of the Mary McLeod Bethune Statue at the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. on July 13th, 2022. The statue, created by Nilda Comas, is made of Italian Carrara marble and was given to the National Statuary Hall Collection by Florida in 2022. Bethune is the first African American represented in the National Statuary Hall Collection. The statue replaced Confederate General Edmund Kirby Smith's statue.
National Statuary Hall, United States Capitol, Washington, D.C.
Sumner Hutcheson III on the 1967 Miami Jackson High School Swim Team
A black and white photograph of Sumner Hutcheson III swimming in a pool for the 1967 Miami Jackson High School swim team.
Miami Jackson Senior High School, Miami, Florida
A poster for the Orlando Gay Chorus concert, "Sump'n for Christmas”. The event was held at the Knowles Memorial Chapel at Rollins College, located at 1000 Holt Avenue in Winter Park, Florida, on December 16, 17 and 18, 1994. The show was directed by Dr. Charles Callahan. The poster features a large red sack of toys on a white background with a border of gold bells. Text is minimal, depicting title, time, location, and the OGC heading. The Orlando Gay Chorus is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts and humanitarian organization part of GALA Choruses. Founded on Valentines Day 1990, OGC is not only one of the largest mixed gay choirs in the United States at over 100 members, but they also boast four smaller ensembles that perform annual concerts, cabarets, and a whole host of community events like Come Out With Pride, Orlando Museum of Art’s Festival of Trees, and World Aids Day memorial services. In 2017, the group performed at over 105 events, including 15 performances for the first anniversary of the Pulse Nightclub tragedy. Members come from all walks of life and all sexual and gender orientations, including straight allies. OGC lives by the motto “Singing the World to a Better Place” and strives to use music to change attitudes and build a stronger community.
Original color poster: University of Central Florida Special Collections, Orlando, Florida.
Knowles Memorial Chapel, Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida
Sump'n for Christmas, December 16, 17, & 18, 1994
A program for the Orlando Gay Chorus' concert, "Sump'n for Christmas", on December 16, 17, &amp
18, 1994, at the Knowles Memorial Chapel at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. The program includes short biographies on Music Director Dr. Charles Callahan, Accompanist Ken Thompson, II, and other chorus members Thelma Elizabeth Speight and Suellen Fagin-Allen, a brief history of the GALA Choruses, program notes, an outline of the show's itinerary, a list of chorus members and a Christmas greeting. The Orlando Gay Chorus (OGC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts and humanitarian organization, and part of the Gay and Lesbian Association (GALA) of Choruses. Founded on Valentines Day 1990, OGC is not only one of the largest mixed gay choirs in the United States at over 100 members, but they also boast four smaller ensembles that perform annual concerts, cabarets, and a host of community events, such as Come Out With Pride, Orlando Museum of Art’s Festival of Trees, and World AIDS Day memorial services. In 2017, the group performed at over 105 events, including 15 performances for the first anniversary of the Pulse Nightclub tragedy. Members come from all walks of life and all sexual and gender orientations, including straight allies. OGC lives by the motto “Singing the World to a Better Place” and strives to use music to change attitudes and build a stronger community.
Original 24-page black and white program with a colored back page, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida
The Sun First National Bank of Orlando, located at 190 South Orange Avenue in Downtown Orlando, Florida, in 2001. In 1911, Seth Woodruff founded the People's National Bank and renamed it the First National Bank in 1920. In 1926, the bank announced plans to construct a building at the northwest corner of Orange Avenue and Church Street. The building was designed by Howard M. Reynolds in the Art Deco style. The bank opened for business in 1930, closed briefly, and then reopened in 1934 with F. L. Morse as its president. In 1960, the bank moved across the street and, in 1973, it was renamed the Sun First National Bank. Since then, the bank has merged with several other banking corporations.
Original color digital image by Thomas Cook, 2001: Private Collection of Thomas Cook.
First National Bank, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Sun First National Bank, Downtown Orlando, Florida
A postcard of Weeki Wachee Springs sometime in the late 1950s. Louise Nan Steer mentions this postcard in her oral history interview because the blonde girl in the pink bathing suit in the center of the postcard is her twin sister, Lynda. The rest of the women are mermaids that worked at the park. Louise stated that several times during photoshoots, the photographer would gather whoever was available to fill the shot. This is how Lynda became a part of the postcard even though she was not a Weeki Wachee mermaid. The May Natural History Museum of the Tropics is a non-profit organization that displays the world’s largest private insect collection. James May acquired the thousands of insects and arthropods that make up the collection from the late 1800s until his death in 1956. John May continued his father’s legacy, building a museum in Weeki Wachee, Florida, that lasted from 1954-1964, and a museum in Colorado that opened in the 1950s and is still open today. John May also took parts of the collection across the United States and Canada to display at fairs and exhibitions. Along with a group of investors, Newton Perry opened Weeki Wachee Springs to the public in October of 1947. At the time, roadside attractions were becoming popular stops along Florida roadways. The attraction consisted of an amalgamation of vendors, an orchid garden, a river boat tour, as well as the star attraction: a mermaid show that took place in an underwater theater. Eventually, the May Museum of the Tropics, an "abandoned Seminole village", a show called “Birds of Prey”, and a petting zoo were added. After peaking in the 1950s and 1960s, attendance began to decline as theme parks and highways changed the dynamics of Florida's tourism. The State of Florida took over the attraction as a state park in 2008. Since then, the park has focused on appealing to a modern audience while preserving its history.
Weeki Wachee Springs
Original 3.5 x 5 color postcard by Weeki Wachee Springs: May Natural History Museum Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Sunday Afternoon Baseball by Bettye Reagan
A painting by Bettye Reagan, a local artist in Central Florida, inspired by a photograph of men, possibly students, playing baseball in front of the Oviedo School, located at 601 King Street in Oviedo, Florida, in the 1940s. The school was first established in 1922 as a K-12 school. In 1948, the secondary grades separated from the elementary school. The upper grade levels formed Oviedo High School and moved to the campus at 601 King Street. Oviedo High School is notable for The Lion's Tale, the award-winning school newspaper recognized by various national and state scholastic press associations; its high ratings from the Governor's A+ Plan for Education; and its successful athletics programs.
Original painting: Reagan, Bettye. Sunday Afternoon Baseball. 2001: Private Collection of Bettye Reagan.