Evolution of the Central Station Steam Turbine in the United States
An academic paper by Ronald L. Bannister and George J. Silvestri, Jr., presented at the American Society of Mechanical Engineers' (ASME) Winter Annual Meeting in 1988. Westinghouse Electric Corporation pioneered in the development of steam turbines for power generation when George Westinghouse (1846-1914) acquired the license to build and market the steam turbine developed by the Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Company. The first U.S.-built Westinghouse steam turbine (120kW) was built and installed in 1897. In 1902, the first Westinghouse electric utility steam turbine (1500kW) was installed at Hartford Electric Light Company. Originally called the Westinghouse Electric Company, George Westinghouse (1846-1914) founded his manufacturing company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on January 8, 1886. In 1889, he renamed his business The Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company. Westinghouse's primary products include turbines, generators, motors and switchgear related to the generation, transmission, and use of electricity. The company changed its name to Westinghouse Electric Corporation in 1945. In 1981, the company began to relocate its division headquarters for the Steam-Turbine Generator Divisions from Pennsylvania (turbines from Lester and generators from Pittsburgh) to Orlando, Florida. The Power Generation Business Unit (PGBU) building was located in The Quadrangle, at 4400 Alafaya Trail. Originally, Westinghouse had purchased a large plot of land for future development that extended westward from Alafaya Trail to Rouse Road. The original headquarters was located on several acres of that land parcel close to Alafaya Trail. As the PGBU grew in size, other buildings were rented and then, after PGBU was sold to Siemens Corporation, additional buildings were added to the complex. In 1994, after a major corporate management shuffling and commitment to change from an industrial manufacturing company to primarily a broadcasting/communications company, Westinghouse bought the CBS Network and changed its name to the CBS Corporation. As the PGBU grew in size, other buildings were rented and then, after PGBU was sold to Siemens Corporation in 1998, additional buildings were added to the Quadrangle.
Original 15-page academic paper: Bannister, Ronald L. and George J. Silvestri, Jr., "Evolution of the Central Station Steam Turbine in the United States." Paper presented at the winter annual meeting for the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, New York City, New York, November-December 1988.
Westinghouse Power Generation Business Unit, Orlando, Florida
The Watermark, Vol. 1, No. 2, September 14, 1994
The second issue of The Watermark was published on September 14, 1994, and focused on a wider spectrum of LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer/Questioning, and others) topics. Kicking off the news was the cover article covering the "Gayby Boom," which was the push for LGBTQ+ members to have children. Continuing a more family-focused set of articles was an article covering the harassment of gay teens at Apopka High School, a look at the LGBTQ+ community housing market, and a new section of restaurant reviews. This issue also included a larger selection of national news stories, including Oregon’s Anti-Gay initiative, Seattle’s Domestic Partnership Registration, North Carolina’s attempt to keep records of unmarried couples, and the U.S. Navy’s reinstatement of a gay sailor are among the highlights. Notably missing are articles covering the nightlife of the area, through advertisements are still present. As the publication ages and spreads, nightlife becomes one of its primary sections so seeing an early issue without demonstrates the evolving nature of the publication during its early years. Since 1994, The Watermark has been the cornerstone source of LGBTQ+ centered news for the Central Florida region. Founded by Tom Dyer in Orlando, the publication began generating bi-weekly issues beginning August 31, 1994. Since then, The Watermark has consistently published newspaper-style issues every other Thursday. Gaining traction, the publication expanded in 1995 to include Tampa and, in 1997, The Watermark became a permanent piece of LGBTQ+ culture when the publication initiated the first large-scale Gay Days Weekend event, the Beach Ball at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon. Before 1999, the publication printed 20,000 copies every week, distributing them to over 500 locations between its two major cities. Following 1999, the publication launched watermarkonline.com shifting to an online publication style. In 2016, Rick Claggett purchased The Watermark.
Original 24-page newspaper: The Watermark, Vol. 1, No. 2, September 14, 1994: Publications Collection, GLBT History Museum of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.
Watermark Media
The Watermark, Vol. 1, No. 6, November 9, 1994
The sixth issue of The Watermark was published on November 9, 1994, and discusses community reactions to several LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer/Questioning, and others) issues. Notably, the major issue covered was a discussion of Tom Woodard, a police officer who five years earlier revealed he was gay and fought for the right to remain employed despite that. This issue also addressed community reactions to the death of Marion Baker, who was a larger than life gay activist, even though she was straight. The paper also continues its trend of publishing international articles this time focusing on, the Supreme Court consideration to ban gays from adoption, a lesbian couple in Utah being denied family housing, a man who was shot in San Francisco for holding another man’s hand, and Russia’s requirement for international visitors to be tested for HIV/AIDS. Another article focuses on southeast exclusive grocery chain, Publix attempting to convince its voting customers to vote in alignment with the Religious Right. An important note is that this issue is missing two-pages, pages 15 and 16. Since 1994, The Watermark has been the cornerstone source of LGBTQ+ centered news for the Central Florida region. Founded by Tom Dyer in Orlando, the publication began generating bi-weekly issues beginning August 31, 1994. Since then, The Watermark has consistently published newspaper-style issues every other Thursday. Gaining traction, the publication expanded in 1995 to include Tampa and, in 1997, The Watermark became a permanent piece of LGBTQ+ culture when the publication initiated the first large-scale Gay Days Weekend event, the Beach Ball at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon. Before 1999, the publication printed 20,000 copies every week, distributing them to over 500 locations between its two major cities. Following 1999, the publication launched watermarkonline.com shifting to an online publication style. In 2016, Rick Claggett purchased The Watermark.
Original 28-page newspaper: The Watermark, Vol. 1, No. 6, November 9, 1994: Publications Collection, GLBT History Museum of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.
Letter from Dorothy Barbour to Carolyn S. Cope (September 12, 1979)
A letter from Dorothy Barbour to Carolyn S. Cope, whose first name is misspelled in the letter. In the letter, Barbour requests land information connected to the planned site for the Florida Mall in Orlando, Florida. Cope was a real estate broker for Two XI, Inc., located in Coconut Grove in Miami, Florida. The mall was designed and constructed by the Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation, founded by Edward J. DeBartolo, Sr. (1909-1994) in 1944. Edward J. DeBartolo Jr. (b. 1946) joined his father's business and together they became known as the "kings of the shopping mall." By the late 1980s, the DeBartolo Corporation had constructed 51 shopping malls, including 21 in Florida. The Florida Mall, located on the corner of Sand Lake Road and Orange Blossom Trail, was designed to appeal to Central Florida's large tourist economy and opened in March of 1986. Originally, the mall sat on 250 acres, contained over 1.3 million square feet of shopping space, and featured over 160 stores.
Original 1-page typed letter from Dorothy Barbour to Carolyn S. Cope, September 12, 1979: Pine Castle Historical Society, Pine Castle, Florida.
Fifteenth Census Population Schedule for Lodi, New Jersey
The U.S. Census population schedule for Lodi, New Jersey, in 1930. Individuals are identified by name, titles and terms, gender, age, marital status, race, relationship to head of household, birthplace, birth year, the last place of residence, and occupation. Many of the residents' last names appear to be of Italian origin. A notable resident listed in this record is Private James M. Hutton, Jr. (ca. 1914-1944), who appears on row 99. Pvt. Hutton was a private in the U.S. Army during World War II. He was born to James Hutton sometime around 1914. Pvt. Hutton grew up in Jersey and moved to Miami, Florida, sometime before 1940. He married Florence E. Offnick and had a son, James Hutton III. Pvt. Hutton was drafted into the Army on October 30, 1943, and was placed in the 157th Infantry Regiment's 45th Infantry Division. He died during combat in France on September 26, 1944, and is currently buried at the Epinal American Cemetery and Memorial in Dinozé, France. Pvt. Hutton was awarded the Purple Heart for his service.
Digital reproduction of original census record by Fred Barceline, April 7, 1930. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X486-1CY.
Bureau of the Census
An oral history of former recruit training Commander Scott T. Kidd. This interview was conducted by Mark Barnes at the University of Central Florida's Colbourn Hall in Orlando, Florida. This oral history was produced as part of the Community Veterans History Project (CVHP) and the Lone Sailor Memorial Committee for the purpose conducting background research for a memorial honoring the former Orlando Naval Training Center (NTC Orlando). Kidd was a former recruit commander at Naval Training Center Orlando (NTC Orlando) from 1989 to 1993. He also served in the U.S. Navy from 1983 to 1994. Kidd was the first recruit commander at the base to lead a fully integrated company of male and female recruits. He also served on the USS Ponce LPD-15, the USS Niagara Falls AFS-3, and the USS Iowa.
Kidd, Scott T. Interviewed by Mark Barnes. UCF Community Veterans History Project. February 2, 2014. Audio/video record available. UCF Community Veterans History Project, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida Libraries, Orlando, Florida.
Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida Libraries
UCF Community Veterans History Project
RICHES of Central Florida
Naval Station Great Lakes, Great Lakes, Illinois
Naval Training Center Orlando, Orlando, Florida
An oral history of Jeffrey Edward Clark, former member of the U.S. Navy. This interview was conducted by Mark Barnes at the Shriners Temple in Maitland, Florida, on May 6, 2014. The interview was conducted as part of the UCF Community Veteran's History Project (CVHP) and background research for a memorial honoring the former Naval Training Center Orlando (NTC Orlando). Clark served in the Navy from 1985 until 1989. He attended recruit training in Orlando and also went to apprenticeship school at the base. He was a Signalman Petty Officer Third Class, Enlisted Rank 4, aboard the USS Richard E. Byrd DDG-23, which operated in the North Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea. Upon leaving the Navy, Clark returned to Orlando and attended the University of Central Florida.
Clark, Jeffrey Edward. Interviewed by Mark Barnes. UCF Community Veterans History Project. May 6, 2014. Audio/video record available. UCF Community Veterans History Project, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida Libraries, Orlando, Florida.
Flagler Palm Coast High School, Palm Coast, Florida
Military Entrance Processing Center, Jacksonville, Florida
South Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando, Florida
Daytona Beach Community College, Daytona Beach, Florida
University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida
Orlando Remembered Exhibits at the Orlando City Hall
Two exhibits, produced by Orlando Remembered, showing objects from the Orlando City Hall, located at 400 South Orange Avenue in Downtown Orlando, Florida. These exhibits house objects relating to Orlando's municipal government. The current building opened in July of 1991. The former city hall was located directly in front of current building and was in operation from 1958 to 1991. The exhibit features photographs and memorabilia from past Orlando mayors dating back to 1932. 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 Mark Barnes, January 12, 2016.
Orlando City Hall, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Orlando Remembered Exhibit at the Orange County Courthouse
This exhibit, produced by Orlando Remembered, shows objects from the Orange County Courthouse, located at 425 North Orange Avenue in Downtown Orlando, Florida. Included in the exhibit are objects from the Wyoming Hotel, which once stood at the location presently occupied by the Orange County Courthouse. The hotel operated from 1904 to 1959 and was a popular resort for northern tourists visiting the area during the winter. 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.
Wyoming Hotel, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Orange County Courthouse, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Orlando Remembered Exhibit at Howard Middle School
This exhibit, produced by Orlando Remembered, shows objects from Howard Middle School, located at 800 East Robinson Street in Downtown Orlando, Florida. This exhibit shows objects from what was Orlando High School from 1927 to 1952, and then Howard Middle School from 1953 to the present. These schools had many famous alumni, including movie star Buddy Ebsen (1908-2003) and astronaut John Young (1930-). The exhibit features sports, academic, and club related memorabilia from the early days of the school. 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.
Orlando High School, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Howard Middle School, Downtown Orlando, Florida
This exhibit, produced by Orlando Remembered, shows objects from Rutland's, located at 111 North Orange Avenue in Downtown Orlando, Florida. The original building, located at 63 North Orange Avenue, was constructed in 1940 by Joe Rutland. Over the years, the building was home to the Sears &amp
Roebuck Company's downtown store, which closed in 1974. The current, 21-story structure was built in 1986 and is known as the Regions Bank. 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.
Sears, Roebuck & Company, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Orlando Remembered at the SunTrust Center
This exhibit, produced by Orlando Remembered, shows objects from the SunTrust Center, located at 200 South Orange Avenue in Downtown Orlando, Florida. This exhibit features items from previous occupants of the block, including Albert's Drug Store and the First National Bank. F. L. Morse, president of the First National Bank, purchased the block in March of 1934 for $25,000. In 1973, First National merged with 26 other local banks to form Sun Banks. The current 25-story building was opened in 1988 and is the tallest building in Orlando. 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.
First National Bank, Downtown Orlando, Florida
SunTrust Center, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Postcard sent in 1938 showing the Magnificent Singing Tower at the Bok Tower Gardens, located at 1151 Tower Boulevard in Lake Wales, Florida. Edward Bok retired to the town of Lake Wales, located south of Orlando. Bok set out a plan to establish a natural garden and bird sanctuary where people to visit to quietly enjoy nature. He engaged Frederick Law Olmstead, Jr. to design the grounds and asked architect Milton B. Medary to design and build a carillon tower. Lee Lawrie, a noted sculptor from New York, designed the elaborate marble sculpture that adorns the tower. Work was completed in 1928, and on February 1, 1929, President Calvin Coolidge dedicated the Sanctuary. Edward Bok died less than a year later in 1930 and was buried at the foot of the tower. The tower and the carillon housed inside is Bok Tower Gardens' most distinctive feature.The carillon consists of sixty bells, ranging in size from sixteen pounds to just under twelve tons. The bells are played like an organ with the keys connected to the clappers of each bell. Bok Tower has had only three regular carillonneurs in its more than seventy years. The Sanctuary's first carillonneur was Anton Brees, serving as the only carillonneur from 1928 until 1967. Milford Myhre has been the resident carillonneur since 1968. William De Turk has been the assistant carillonneur since 1993. De Turk is also the librarian of the Anton Brees Carillon Library, which is reportedly the largest and most comprehensive carillon library in the world.
Original 3.5 x 5.5 inch color postcard by E. G. Barnhill and C. T. Curt Teich & Company, Inc., 1938: Florida Post Card Company, Jacksonville, Florida: Private Collection of Thomas Cook.
Thunderbirds Finish First Year of Battle
A newspaper article from 45th Division News, a publication for the U.S. Army's 45th Infantry Division of the 157th Infantry Regiment. The 45th Infantry Division was part of the Oklahoma Army National Guard, with its members fighting in World War II and the Korean War. The division took part in the Allied invasion of Sicily and the attack on Salerno in the Italian Campaign in 1943, followed by the Battle of Anzio and the Battle of Monte Cassino in 1944. During Operation Dragoon, the 45th Division landed in southern France in latter half of 1944. In 1945, the 45th joined other forces for the Western Allied invasion of Germany, ending the European Theatre of World War II when Germany surrendered in May.
Original newspaper article: Barrett, Bill. "Thunderbirds Finish First Year of Battle." 45th Division News, Vol. IV, No. 44, July 8, 1944: 45th Infantry Division Museum, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: Private Collection of Linda Hughes.
Lake Monroe (Seminole County and Volusia County, Fla.)
U.S. Route 17 in Sanford, Florida, in 1958. U.S. 17 begins in Punta Gorda, briefly runs east, and then goes north along Peace River through Arcadia, Zolfo Springs, and Wauchula. The road then joins U.S. Highway 98 at Fort Meade and continues northward until Bartow, when it separates to travel northeast. At Winter Haven, U.S. Route 17 becomes concurrent with U.S. Route 92 through Kissimmee, where both highways join U.S. Route 192. When all three roads meet U.S. Route 441, U.S. 17-92 turns north into Downtown Orlando and then splits from U.S. 441 at Florida State Road 50 (Colonial Drive) and continues east until it turns north at Florida State Road 15 (Mills Avenue). In Sanford, U.S. 17-92 crosses over the St. Johns River into Volusia County and then splits north of DeLand as U.S. 17 travels north toward Palatka, again crossing the St. Johns River. The highway then continues through Clay County, suburban Jacksonville, and Nassau County until it reaches the Florida border. The entire highway spans across Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia.
Original 4 x 5 inch black and white photoprint by Charles Barron, January 1958: Department of Commerce Collection, call number C026666, Florida Photographic Collection, State Library and Archives of Florida, Tallahassee, Florida.
State Library and Archives of Florida
Artists Bill Orr and Maury Hurt. Both painters were instrumental in leading the movement to save the Maitland Art Center in Maitland, Florida, from developers in the 1960s. Bill Orr (1925-), photographed on the left, grew up in Michigan, where he worked breaking in mustang ponies. When World War II broke out, Orr joined the U.S. Army and was a member of the cavalry regiment. Later seeing action on Okinawa in the Pacific Theater, he was among the first servicemen to serve in Japan after the war. Orr found his way to the Research Studio in 1961 after applying for a position through a newspaper advertisement. As an artist, Orr made a living doing life-size portraits of horses. He would go on to establish himself as a leading equine artist, a tribute to his lifetime love of horses. Orlando native Maury Hurt (1934-2013), photographed on the right, graduated from the University of Florida with a design degree in 1956. After serving a short tour in the U.S. Army, Hurt continued to work in the graphic arts fields for several years before abandoning the profession to become a full-time painter. From a studio at the Art & History Museums' Maitland Art Center, Hurt’s work centered on primitive and archaic themes often focusing on the relationship of humans, animals, and early prehistoric life. Hurst's legacy lies in his masterful work and is mentorship of artists across Central Florida.
Original color photograph by Rob Bartlett: Orlando Weekly, Orlando, Florida.
Orlando Weekly
Memorandum from Dominic A. Bartol (August 14, 1989)
A memorandum from Dominic A. Bartol, General Manager of Westinghouse Electric Corporation's Power Generation Business Unit's (PGBU) Engineering Department, regarding the restructuring of the division in 1989. In 1983, the Westinghouse power generation business operation, starting with the Steam Turbine Generator Division, was taking shape in its new Orlando headquarters under the management team led by General Manager Dr. Stan Quick (under E. J. "Gene" Cattabiani, Vice President of the Power Generation Group). This series of letters, memoranda, and charts documents the changes in management leadership at the Orlando site from 1983 through 1998, when the Westinghouse Power Genration Business was acquired by Siemens. Following the announcement of the retirement of Dr. Quick in 1984, the management was led by the team of Bob Ractcliffe and Howard Pierce. In 1987, Tom Campbell was appointed General Manager of the Power Generation Technology Systems Division under Nat Woodsen and Jim Moore, Vice Presidents of the Power Systems Business Unit. In 1988, the Power Generation Business Unit (PGBU) was formed under Frank R. Bakos, Vice President and General Manager (under Executive Vice President Ted Stern), and, in 1995, Randy H. Zwirn took the helm as Vice President and General Manager of the PGBU. He remained at the executive level for 20 years, through the PGBU acquisition by Siemens in 1998 and beyond to 2016. Originally called the Westinghouse Electric Company, George Westinghouse (1846-1914) founded his manufacturing company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on January 8, 1886. In 1889, he renamed his business The Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company. Westinghouse's primary products include turbines, generators, motors and switchgear related to the generation, transmission, and use of electricity. The company changed its name to Westinghouse Electric Corporation in 1945. In 1981, the company began to relocate its division headquarters for the Steam-Turbine Generator Divisions from Pennsylvania (turbines from Lester and generators from Pittsburgh) to Orlando. The PGBU building was located in The Quadrangle, at 4400 Alafaya Trail.
Original 16-page typed memorandum from Dominic A. Bartol, August 14, 1989: Private Collection of Harry L. Jaeger.
Westinghouse Electric Corporation, The Quadrangle, Orlando, Florida
Letter from Dick J. Batchelor to Gary Sharp (December 13, 1974)
In this letter, Florida Representative Dick J. Batchelor (b. 1947) writes to Gary Sharp that he does not have the authority over purchasing the Gourd Neck Springs area, and that the decision rests with the Environmental Endangered Lands Committee. Gourd Neck Springs is a small spring located in the southwest portion of Lake Apopka, in a small cove called “Gourd Neck” due to its distinctive shape. This area of the lake was considered in the 1960s as a potential nursery for fish. The Lake Apopka Technical Committee explored damming the Gourd Neck, separating it from the lake and preventing polluted lake water from entering, but these plans did not materialize. Efforts were also made in the 1960s to have the Gourd Neck area purchased by the State of Florida for use as a public park. The Gourd Neck Springs Park Association was formed in 1961 to study the site’s potential for a park and lobby for support from legislators. The land bordering the area was privately-owned by various individuals. One of these, Gary Sharp, continued seeking support for a park into the 1970s. While the project received support from Florida legislators and environmentalists, the land was never purchased by the state.
Photocopy of original 1-page typewritten letter from Dick J. Batchelor to Gary Sharp, December 13, 1974: binder 1974, Friends of Lake Apopka Archives, Ginn Museum, Oakland Nature Preserve, Oakland, Florida.
Sixteenth Census Population Schedule for Graceville
The U.S. Census population schedule for Election Precinct 14 in Graceville, Florida, in 1930. Individuals are identified by name, titles and terms, gender, age, marital status, race, relationship to head of household, birthplace, birth year, the last place of residence, and occupation. A notable resident listed in this record was Wilson Foch Smith (ca. 1918-1945). Smith was born in Jackson County, Florida, to Robert Smith and Hester Smith on October 24, 1918. He worked as a farmhand in the Graceville area prior to his enlistment into the U.S. Army on January 22, 1941. Cpl. Smith was assigned to Company B of the 654th Tank Destroyer Battalion. He died in a Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando airplane crash after one of its engines caught on fire. Cpl. Smith was on his way to a hospital in France and then back to the United States when the plane crashed in Taillefontaine, France on May 23, 1945, killing 44 of its passengers. Cpl. Smith is currently buried at Epinal American Cemetery and Memorial in Dinozé, France.
Digital reproduction of original census record by Frances S. Bax, April 2, 1930: Image Number 00031, Digital Folder Number 004950234, GS Film Number 2340057, Affiliate Film Number 322, Affiliate Publication Number T626, National Archives &amp
Records Administration, Washington, D.C.
Letter from Hal M. Beardall to Joshua Coffin Chase (December 4, 1931)
An original letter of correspondence between Joshua Coffin Chase and Dr. Hal M. Beardall, whose office was located at 147 East Church Street in Orlando, Florida. Topics discussed in the letter include the state of health of Jack Hall, who suffered a severe pelvic fracture, most likely at Isleworth Grove. Chase & Company was established by brothers Sydney Octavius Chase and Joshua Coffin Chase in 1884. The company sold insurance and later invested in storage facilities and fertilizer sales. Chase & Company was known mainly for its agricultural interests and maintained a series of citrus groves throughout Central Florida. The company was based out of Sanford and became one of the city's largest employers into the early twentieth century. By 1886, the Chase brothers purchased several citrus groves to expand their business, including Isleworth Grove in Windermere, Florida. Isleworth Grove covered a total of 1,300 acres along the Butler Chain of Lakes. Between 1894 and 1895, Central Florida was hit by several freezes and most of the citrus crop was destroyed. Chase & Company did not grow citrus crops again until 1904 when Joshua came back from an extended stay in California. Between 1894 and 1900, different types of pesticide equipment was created, including equipment driven by steam, machines, and horses.Randall Chase joined in the family business soon after his brother, Sydney Chase, Jr., did in 1922. Randall became the president of Chase & Company from 1948-1965. The Isleworth property stayed in the Chase family until 1984 when Franklin Chase, the son of Sydney Chase, sold the property to famed golfer Arnold Palmer.
Original letter from Hal M. Beardall to Joshua Coffin Chase, December 4, 1931: box 49, folder 20.84, Chase Collection (MS 14), Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
Chase & Company Office, Sanford, Florida
Letter from William Beardall to Henry Shelton Sanford (February 15, 1884)
A letter from William Beardall to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891), dated February 15, 1884. In the letter, Beardall provided updates of several buyers' payments. He noted that J. C. Thorpe and D. B. Graves "are paid up all" and that George E. Rogers is "awaiting delivery of deed." Gustaf Lundquist, he added, "owes $100 which he is willing to pay on delivery of deed." Beardall was an Englishman who worked for the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC) at its local office in Sanford, Florida. He served as an assistant to the company agent, E. R. Trafford. Beardall had worked previously for the Scottish industrialist Sir William MacKinnon before joining the FLCC. The FLCC was a joint-stock venture that invested in Florida land development and sales in the 1880s and early 1890s. The company was formed by Henry Shelton Sanford with help from a group of British investors. Located at 13 Austin Friars in London, the company was officially registered in London on June 10, 1880. With the formation of the FLCC, all of Henry Sanford's Florida properties were transferred to the company in exchange for a ₤10,000 cash payment and another ₤50,000 in company stock. Sanford was named President and Chairman of the Board. In 1880, the company owned 26,000 acres scattered across Florida, including in the cities of Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Sanford, as well as in Alachua and Marion counties. Almost from the outset, there was serious friction between the British board members and Henry Sanford. Disagreements erupted over business strategy, as Sanford frequently proposed initiatives deemed too bold for the cautious British investors. As a result of consistently meager profits from its inception, following Henry Sanford's death in 1891 many of the investors lost the motivation to continue. On September 15, 1892, the various directors acted to dissolve the company. Its assets, including roughly 65,000 acres of Florida land, were divided among shareholders.
Original letter from William Beardall to Henry Shelton Sanford, February 15, 1884: box 54, folder 18, subfolder 54.18.16, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Letter from William Beardall to Henry Shelton Sanford (August 4, 1883)
Sanford, Henry S. (Henry Shelton), 1823-1891
A letter from William Beardall to Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891), dated August 4, 1883. In the letter, Beardall responded to inquiries from Sanford as well as provided updates on relevant matters. Beardall indicated to Sanford the cost of expanding the lodge located at Belair Grove in the City of Sanford, Florida (present-day Lake Mary). He also discussed matters concerning the construction of a railroad depot in Sanford, the cost of which would be potentially shared with the South Florida Railroad Company or "persons living in the neighbourhood." Beardall also provided updates on the status of the Swedish immigrants employed by Sanford, noting that "all the Swedes who are left here are employed at the Saw mill." Finally, Beardall also offered an update on the quality of Belair Grove, writing that "it is looking better than ever I saw it by far, both in quality of new growth, crop, and color." Beardall was an Englishman who worked for the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC) at its local office in Sanford, Florida. He served as an assistant to the company agent, E. R. Trafford. Beardall had worked previously for the Scottish industrialist Sir William MacKinnon before joining the FLCC. The FLCC was a joint-stock venture that invested in Florida land development and sales in the 1880s and early 1890s. The company was formed by Henry Shelton Sanford with help from a group of British investors. Located at 13 Austin Friars in London, the company was officially registered in London on June 10, 1880. With the formation of the FLCC, all of Henry Sanford's Florida properties were transferred to the company in exchange for a ₤10,000 cash payment and another ₤50,000 in company stock. Sanford was named President and Chairman of the Board. In 1880, the company owned 26,000 acres scattered across Florida, including in the cities of Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Sanford, as well as in Alachua and Marion counties. Almost from the outset, there was serious friction between the British board members and Henry Sanford. Disagreements erupted over business strategy, as Sanford frequently proposed initiatives deemed too bold for the cautious British investors. As a result of consistently meager profits from its inception, following Henry Sanford's death in 1891 many of the investors lost the motivation to continue. On September 15, 1892, the various directors acted to dissolve the company. Its assets, including roughly 65,000 acres of Florida land, were divided among shareholders.
Original letter from William Beardall to Henry Shelton Sanford, August 4, 1883: box 54, folder 18, subfolder 54.18.7, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Letter from William Beardall to Henry Shelton Sanford (November 26, 1886)
A letter from William Beardall to Henry Shelton Sanford, dated November 26, 1886. Contents of the letter included the purchasing of 320 acres near Winter Haven for the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC). He noted that the land was valued at $30 an acre and estimated that the presence of an unspecified Presbyterian College in the area would enhance the land value. Beardall also provided an update on affairs in Sanford, Florida. In particular, he wrote that he was "working now to secure the erection" of a "Palmetto Fibre Manufactory" in Sanford, an enterprise that he figured would produce five tons of fiber per day and employ upwards of 200 workers. The factory in question was proposed by the Diamond Match Company. However, he explained that there was competition with Alexander St. Clair Abrams who was trying to persuade the company to locate the Fiber Plant in Tavares. St. Clair Abrams was a lawyer who had previously worked with the FLCC to negotiate a bid for a million-acre plot of land from the Internal Improvement Fund Board. When the FLCC failed to finalize the bid, however, St. Clair Abrams sued the company and later Henry Sanford for compensation for his services rendered during the period. At the time of Beardall's 1886 letter, St. Clair Abrams' affiliation with the company had long since ended and he was in the process of a protracted lawsuit against Sanford, a suit that remained unsettled at the time of Sanford's death in 1891. Beardall warned that the FLCC would probably need "to give them land for the factory and a wharf lot near the Saw Mill in order to secure them at Sanford." This deal, he added, might also lead to an eventual paper mill as well, built by the same company. He ended his letter with some discussion of building a potential railroad depot in Sanford. William Beardall was an Englishman who worked for the 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, a joint-stock venture that invested in Florida land development and sales in the 1880s and early 1890s. The company was formed by Henry Shelton Sanford with help from a group of British investors. Located at 13 Austin Friars in London, the company was officially registered in London on June 10, 1880. With the formation of the FLCC, all of Henry Sanford's Florida properties were transferred to the company in exchange for a ₤10,000 cash payment and another ₤50,000 in company stock. Sanford was named President and Chairman of the Board. In 1880, the company owned 26,000 acres scattered across Florida, including in the cities of Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Sanford, as well as in Alachua and Marion counties. Almost from the outset, there was serious friction between the British board members and Henry Sanford. Disagreements erupted over business strategy, as Sanford frequently proposed initiatives deemed too bold for the cautious British investors. As a result of consistently meager profits from its inception, following Henry Sanford's death in 1891 many of the investors lost the motivation to continue. On September 15, 1892, the various directors acted to dissolve the company. Its assets, including roughly 65,000 acres of Florida land, were divided among shareholders.
Original letter from William Beardall to Henry Shelton Sanford, November 26, 1884: box 54, folder 18, subfolder 54.18.39, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers, General Henry S. Sanford Memorial Library, Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.
Florida Land and Colonization Company Office, 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.
Dykes to Watch Out For: Let Them Eat Cake
Dykes to Watch Out For comic from the inaugural issue of The Watermark, published on September 14, 1994. The comic strip was created by Alison Bechdel, an openly gay cartoonist, and centered around the lives of a diverse group of characters, most of whom were lesbians. The comic was first published in 1983 and ran until 2008, when it went on hiatus. Since 1994, The Watermark has been the cornerstone source of LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer/Questioning, and others) centered news for the Central Florida region. Founded by Tom Dyer in Orlando, the publication began generating bi-weekly issues beginning September 14, 1994. Since then, The Watermark has consistently published newspaper-style issues every other Thursday. Gaining traction, the publication expanded in 1995 to include Tampa and, in 1997, The Watermark became a permanent piece of LGBTQ+ culture when the publication initiated the first large-scale Gay Days Weekend event, the Beach Ball at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon. Before 1999, the publication printed 20,000 copies every week, distributing them to over 500 locations between its two major cities. Following 1999, the publication launched watermarkonline.com shifting to an online publication style. In 2016, Rick Claggett purchased The Watermark.
Original newspaper comic strip: Bechdel, Alison. Dykes to Watch Out ForThe Watermark, Vol. 1, No. 2, September 14, 1994, page 14: Publications Collection, GLBT History Museum of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.
Advertisement for A. E. Philips' drug store, which was established at the corner of East First Street and North Park Avenue in Sanford, Florida, in 1884. By 1892, Philips was the only druggist in Sanford, but in 1894, he handed over ownership of the drugstore to his brother, Lucien R. Philips. The pharmacy did not strictly sell drugs, but instead sold many types of items, including books and paper, toiletries, and cigars and tobacco. A. E. Philips established a new store in Clear Water Harbor, which was described as being on the Orange Belt Railroad. Philips had left during a difficult year, as the entire orange crop was wiped out by one of the worst freezes to hit much of Florida. Besides being a store owner and druggist, A. E. Philips was also a published writer on pharmaceuticals and well-respected within the community. Philips joined the Florida State Pharmaceutical Association in 1887. In 1891, he was in attendance during the fifth annual Florida State Pharmaceutical Association meeting in Jacksonville, where he submitted a paper that won a gold medal from the association. He also addressed the issue of large department stores undercutting the prices of local pharmacies. He proposed resolutions that the association denounce the practice of cutting prices and that the druggists should do whatever they could to keep drugs from being sold in department stores. Philips was also elected to the office of president, presumably of the association.
Digital reproduction of original 60 x 47 centimeter lithograph by Adam Beck and Clemens J. Pauli, 1884: John J. Stoner, Madison, Wisconsin: tag number DP0010700, Central Florida Memory, Orlando, Florida.
A. E. Philips Drug Store, Downtown Sanford, Florida
An elevated view of Orlando, Florida, in 1884. The lithograph focused on Sinclair's Real Estate Agency, located on the corner of Pine Street and South Orange Avenue. Other sites highlighted in the lithograph include the home of J. G. Sinclair, the home of N. L. Mills, the new Orange County Jail, and Orange County Courthouse, the opera house, the Orlando Masonic Hall, the South Florida Seminary, the Charleston House, and the Summerlin House. The lithograph also marks various manufactories, mills, churches, and the South Florida Railroad Depot. The Orlando area was originally occupied by the Creek and Seminole tribes. In 1838, Fort Gatlin was erected on the shores of Lake Gatlin, just a few miles south of present-day Downtown Orlando. Centered around Church Street, Orlando became a city in 1884, the year that this lithograph was created Originally a cattle town, Orlando grew into a major citrus growing center by the 1920s. The city continued to grow during the Great Depression with aid from the Work Progress Administration (WPA). During World War II, Orlando became a major military center as well, with the development of the McCoy Air Force Base and Pinecastle Air Force Base, and with the addition of the Naval Training Center (NTC) Orlando in 1968. Downtown Orlando declined in the 1960s and 1970s. Redevelopment began in the 1970s and continued into the 1980s, with projects such as the Church Street Station entertainment complex. In 1998, a building boom began and continued through the 2000s.
Original black and white lithograph by Adam Beck and Clemens J. Pauli, 1884: Private Collection of Texann Ivy Buck.
Sinclair's Real Estate Agency, Orlando, Florida
A postcard depicting the Peace Memorial Presbyterian Church (PMPC), located at 110 South Fort Harrison Avenue, in Clearwater, Florida. PMPC was chartered in 1891 under the name Clearwater Presbyterian Church. The church was later renamed the First Presbyterian Church of Clearwater and nicknamed the Little White Church. The church's current building was designed in the Mediterranean Revival style of architecture using pink stucco and is nicknamed the Big, Pink Church in Downtown Clearwater.
Original 9 x 14 centimeter color photographic postcard by Ward Beckett: Private Collection of Bob Van Horn.
Peace Memorial Church, Clearwater, Florida
Florida State Population Census for Dade County, 1945
The Population of the United States Census of Florida records for Dade County, Miami, Florida, for 1945. The census divides the population by name, address, sex, race, age, degree of education, birthplace, and occupation or business. A notable resident listed in this record is Eugene Fricks. Fricks was born on March 26, 1893 to American parents. His father, William Barto Fricks, was from Georgia and his mother, Mattie Jacquess, was from Kentucky. From the 1920s to the 1930s, Eugene was married to his first wife, Ethel, with whom he had three children named Harley, Imogene, and Mattie. Fricks married his second wife, Grace, and had two children named Janette and Joseph. After his service in World War I, he had a career in aviation. Fricks retired from Pan-American Airways in 1961. He lived his remaining years in North Fort Myers and died on May 23, 1976. Fricks is buried in the Florida National Cemetery. In 2017, the University of Central Florida was one of three universities selected to launch the National Cemetery Administration’s Veterans Legacy Program. The program engaged a team of scholars to make the life stories of veterans buried in the Florida National Cemetery available to the public. The project engages UCF students in research and writing and fosters collaboration between students, faculty and local Central Florida schools to produce interactive curriculum for k-12 students. The corresponding website exhibit uses RICHES Mosaic Interface to create a digital archive of related data. The public can use the project-developed augmented-reality app at more than 100 gravesites at the Florida National Cemetery, where they can access the UCF student-authored biographies of veterans.
United States Census Bureau
Digital reproduction of original census record by Herbert Beers, April 28, 1945.
Letter from J. D. Beggs (March 13, 1941)
A letter of correspondence concerning the formal dedication of the new Downtown Orlando Post Office building, located at 51 East Jefferson Street in Downtown Orlando, Florida. The ceremony was sponsored by the Greater Orlando Chamber of Commerce. The letter is from J. D. Beggs, acting postmaster, to another postmaster concerning his attendance. The ceremony took place on April 15, 1941. Beggs sought to make the ceremony grand, and many prominent guests were there including then U.S. Senator Charles O. Andrews (1877-1946).
Original typewritten letter from J. D. Beggs, March 13, 1941: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida.
Downtown Orlando Post Office, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Letter from James D. Beggs, Jr. to Charles O. Andrews (April 7, 1941)
A letter from Orlando Postmaster James D. Beggs, Jr. to Senator Charles O. Andrews (1877-1946). The letter was written in response to Sen. Andrews' request to be informed about the history of the Downtown Orlando Post Office. Beggs states he will enclose the requested history, as well as the history of the Orlando division of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The original post office was housed in the Federal Building, located 44 East Central Boulevard in Downtown Orlando, Florida, from 1917 to 1941. In 1935, when James D. Beggs, Jr. became the postmaster, he began petitioning to move the post office from its Central Boulevard and Court Avenue location to a more spacious building. In 1939, St. James Catholic Church sold a plot of land of Jefferson Street for the new building. The building was designed by Louis A. Simon in the Northern Italian Palazzo Revival-style, and was constructed by J. P. Cullen & Son. The new building opened in 1941 and housed the post office, the courthouse, and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) offices. The building was named an Orlando Historic Landmark in 1989. However, it was eventually sold back to the St. James Church. In 2003, the building was renovated and came under joint ownership by both the church and the federal government. Today, the building retains its post office services but also includes offices for the Catholic Diocese.
Original letter from J. D. Beggs to Charles O. Andrews, April 7, 1941: Private Collection of Texann Ivy Buck.
Letter from James D. Beggs, Jr. to Charles O. Andrews (April 9, 1941)
A letter from Orlando Postmaster James D. Beggs, Jr. to Senator Charles O. Andrews (1877-1946), regarding the Senator’s request to be informed about the history of the Downtown Orlando Post Office. Beggs states he has enclosed the requested history, which was prepared by the Greater Orlando Chamber of Commerce. The original post office was housed in the Federal Building, located 44 East Central Boulevard in Downtown Orlando, Florida, from 1917 to 1941. In 1935, when James D. Beggs, Jr. became the postmaster, he began petitioning to move the post office from its Central Boulevard and Court Avenue location to a more spacious building. In 1939, St. James Catholic Church sold a plot of land of Jefferson Street for the new building. The building was designed by Louis A. Simon in the Northern Italian Palazzo Revival-style, and was constructed by J. P. Cullen & Son. The new building opened in 1941 and housed the post office, the courthouse, and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) offices. The building was named an Orlando Historic Landmark in 1989. However, it was eventually sold back to the St. James Church. In 2003, the building was renovated and came under joint ownership by both the church and the federal government. Today, the building retains its post office services but also includes offices for the Catholic Diocese.
Original letter from J. D. Beggs to Charles O. Andrews, April 9, 1941: Private Collection of Texann Ivy Buck.
Letter from James D. Beggs, Jr. to Walter D. Myers (April 9. 1941)
A telegram from Senator Charles O. Andrews (1877-1946) to the Orlando Postmaster, James D. Beggs, Jr. Sen. Andrews informed Beggs that Walter D. Myers, the Fourth Assistant Postmaster General, will be participating in the dedication ceremony of the Downtown Orlando Post Office of April 15, 1941. The original post office was housed in the Federal Building, located 44 East Central Boulevard in Downtown Orlando, Florida, from 1917 to 1941. In 1935, when James D. Beggs, Jr. became the postmaster, he began petitioning to move the post office from its Central Boulevard and Court Avenue location to a more spacious building. In 1939, St. James Catholic Church sold a plot of land of Jefferson Street for the new building. The building was designed by Louis A. Simon in the Northern Italian Palazzo Revival-style, and was constructed by J. P. Cullen & Son. The new building opened in 1941 and housed the post office, the courthouse, and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) offices. The building was named an Orlando Historic Landmark in 1989. However, it was eventually sold back to the St. James Church. In 2003, the building was renovated and came under joint ownership by both the church and the federal government. Today, the building retains its post office services but also includes offices for the Catholic Diocese.
Original letter from J. D. Beggs to Walter D. Myers, April 9, 1941: Private Collection of Texann Ivy Buck.
Letter from James D. Beggs to Charles O. Andrews (April 8, 1941)
A letter from Orlando Postmaster James D. Beggs, Jr. to Senator Charles O. Andrews (1877-1946). In the letter, Beggs informs Sen. Andrews that he has received a telegram from Smith W. Purdum, the Second Assistant Postmaster General. Beggs also inquires as to whether Sen. Andrews can determine if Kildroy P. Aldrich, Chief Post Office Inspector, will be present for the dedication of the new Downtown Orlando Post Office of April 15, 1941. The original post office was housed in the Federal Building, located 44 East Central Boulevard in Downtown Orlando, Florida, from 1917 to 1941. In 1935, when James D. Beggs, Jr. became the postmaster, he began petitioning to move the post office from its Central Boulevard and Court Avenue location to a more spacious building. In 1939, St. James Catholic Church sold a plot of land of Jefferson Street for the new building. The building was designed by Louis A. Simon in the Northern Italian Palazzo Revival-style, and was constructed by J. P. Cullen & Son. The new building opened in 1941 and housed the post office, the courthouse, and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) offices. The building was named an Orlando Historic Landmark in 1989. However, it was eventually sold back to the St. James Church. In 2003, the building was renovated and came under joint ownership by both the church and the federal government. Today, the building retains its post office services but also includes offices for the Catholic Diocese.
Original letter from James D. Beggs, Jr. to Charles O. Andrews, April 8, 1941: Private Collection of Texann Ivy Buck.
Letter from James D. Beggs, Jr. to Charles O. Andrews (April 8, 1941)
A letter from Orlando Postmaster James D. Beggs, Jr. to Senator Charles O. Andrews (1877-1946). In reference to two prior letters, Beggs had prepared statistics for Sen. Andrews’ speech to be delivered at the dedication ceremony for the new Downtown Orlando Post Office . The original post office was housed in the Federal Building, located 44 East Central Boulevard in Downtown Orlando, Florida, from 1917 to 1941. In 1935, when James D. Beggs, Jr. became the postmaster, he began petitioning to move the post office from its Central Boulevard and Court Avenue location to a more spacious building. In 1939, St. James Catholic Church sold a plot of land of Jefferson Street for the new building. The building was designed by Louis A. Simon in the Northern Italian Palazzo Revival-style, and was constructed by J. P. Cullen & Son. The new building opened in 1941 and housed the post office, the courthouse, and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) offices. The building was named an Orlando Historic Landmark in 1989. However, it was eventually sold back to the St. James Church. In 2003, the building was renovated and came under joint ownership by both the church and the federal government. Today, the building retains its post office services but also includes offices for the Catholic Diocese.
This exhibit, produced by Orlando Remembered shows objects from the Downtown Orlando Post Office, located at 51 E Jefferson Street. The post office was constructed in 1941 on land purchased from the adjacent St James Catholic Church. It still functions as a post office today; however, the building also houses the offices for the Diocese of Orlando. 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
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.
St. James Catholic Church, Downtown Orlando, Florida
St. James Catholic Cathedral, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Ella Milner in front of the Citizen's Bank of Oviedo, which originally opened on East Broadway Street on July 2, 1946. The land on which the bank sits was originally the Bill Browning celery farm. The Citizens Bank of Oviedo took in over half a million dollars in deposits on its first day, with B. F. Wheeler as president, C. R. Clonts as vice president, and Charles Shaffer as the cashier. In 1949, the bank moved to the Memorial Building, which is located at 38 South Central Avenue. On March 25, 1974, the Citizens' Bank of Oviedo reopened at 156 Geneva Drive. The bank is now the Citizens' Bank of Florida with locations throughout Seminole County.
Original 4 x 6 inch color photographs by Dan Beistel, 1980: Private Collection of Dan Beistel.
Citizen's Bank of Oviedo, Downtown Oviedo, Florida
Letter from Frederick C. Belen to Jimmy Bryant (November 15, 1966)
A letter from Deputy Postmaster General Frederick C. Belen (ca. 1904-1999) to Orlando Postmaster Lucius A. Bryant. In the letter, Belen thanks Bryant for a weekend fishing trip in Orlando. Originally an attorney, Belen also served as counsel, chief counsel and staff director of the House Post Office and Civil Service Committee from 1946 to 1961. In 1961, he was appointed Assistant Postmaster General for Operations. From 1964 to 1969, Belen served as Deputy Postmaster General and is credited with the automation of mail processing and delivery. After serving in the U.S. Army during World War II, Bryant settled in Orlando's College Park neighborhood. At the time of his death in 2012, Bryant was the longest-serving postmaster for Orlando, a position that he held from 1951 to 1983. In 1952, William Beardall (1890-1984) appointed Bryant to the local aviation advisory board, which he served on for 22 years.
Original letter from Frederick C. Belen to Jimmy Bryant, November 15, 1966: Private Collection of Texann Ivy Buck.
Sanford High School Geography Assignment, 1909
A geography assignment completed by Sanford High School student Mary Belle in 1909. Only part of the assignment remains, approximately questions 6-10. Sanford High School was originally established at 301 West Seventh Street in Sanford, Florida, in 1902. The building was designed by W. G. Talley in the Romanesque revival style. Due to an increasing student population, a new school building was constructed on Sanford Avenue in 1911. The original building on Seventh Street served as Westside Grammar Elementary School, which was later renamed Sanford Grammar School. In 1984, the building was placed on the National Registry of Historic Places and converted into the Student Museum. The building reopened as the University of Central Florida's Public History Center in 2012. In 1927, a high school campus was designed by Elton J. Moughton in the Mediterranean revival style and constructed at 1700 French Avenue. The school reopened on January 10 and was renamed Seminole High School. In 1960, the high school moved to a new campus at 2701 Ridgewood Avenue and the former building on French Avenue was converted to Sanford Junior High School, which was later renamed Sanford Middle School. The old building was demolished in the summer of 1991 and replaced by a $5.77 million school complex. As of 2013, Seminole High School offers various Advanced Placement courses, the Academy for Health Careers, and the International Baccalaureate Programme for students.
Original school assignment completed by Mary Belle, 1909: Sanford High School Collection, box 3A, folder Student Work 1909, item SCPS00521, UCF Public History Center, Sanford, Florida.
Canaveral Leaves Mind Sharp Bits Amid Clutter
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (U.S.)
A newspaper article from The Baltimore Sun published on May 20, 1963. Written by Stephen A. Bennett, the article provides details Mercury-Atlas 9 (MA-9), the final manned space mission for Project Mercury. MA-9 launched from Launch Complex 14 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Cape Canaveral, on May 15, 1963. Gordon Cooper (1927-2004) traveled in Faith 7, successfully orbiting the Earth 22 and a half times before returned to Earth the following day.
Original newspaper article: Bennett, Stephen A. "Canaveral Leaves Mind Sharp Bits Amid Clutter." The Baltimore Sun, May 20, 1963: Private Collection of Dr. Calvin D. Fowler.
The Baltimore Sun
Chronopoints
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 14, Cape Canaveral, Florida
Fifteenth Census Population for New Port Richey, Pasco County, Florida, 1930
The Fifteenth United States Census records for New Port Richey, Pasco County, Florida, for 1930. The census divides the population into categories of name, age, sex, race, marital status, occupants and relation to head of house, whether the home is owned or rented, value of home or rent, whether home is a farm residence, whether the home has a radio. It also records college attendance, literacy, birthplace and birthplace of parents, citizenship status, language spoken before coming to United States, year of immigration, occupation or business, class of worker, whether they worked the previous day, military status, and the war or expedition participated in. A notable resident listed in this record is Leland Clyde Poole (1922-1995). Born in Tarpon Springs, Florida, on November 29, 1922, Poole enlisted in the United States Navy on December 02, 1940, at the age of 19. He reached the rank of Quartermaster Chief Petty Officer in 1948. After retiring from the military, Poole worked with the Florida Marine Patrol. Leland Clyde Poole passed away on January 4, 1995, in his Florida home. The United States Navy interred Poole on March 11, 1996, at Florida National Cemetery, in Bushnell, Florida. In 2017, the University of Central Florida was one of three universities selected to launch the National Cemetery Administration’s Veterans Legacy Program Project. The program engaged a team of scholars to make the life stories of veterans buried in the Florida National Cemetery available to the public. The project engages UCF students in research and writing and fosters collaboration between students, faculty and local Central Florida schools to produce interactive curriculum for k-12 students. The corresponding website exhibit uses RICHES Mosaic Interface to create a digital archive of related data. The public can use the project-developed augmented-reality app at more than 100 gravesites at the Florida National Cemetery, where they can access the UCF student-authored biographies of veterans.
Digital reproduction of original census record by D. Ruth Bentley, April 4, 1930.
A Side Walk with the Art Festival, 1960-1979
A Side Walk with the Art Festival by Elizabeth Bradley Bentley. The book celebrates two decades of the Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival in Winter Park, Florida. Bentley documents the festival's history using newspaper articles, oral history interviews, personal experiences, scrapbooks, programs and minutes. Each chapter in Section One represents one year of the festival. Several photographs of prize winning displays are included. Section Two is an appendix of winners, judges, officers, committees, commission and associates. Debuting in 1960, the Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival is one of the nation's oldest, largest, and most prestigious outdoor art festivals. By 2018, after 60 years, the festival attracted more than 350,000 visitors a year. 225 artists are selected from over 1,000 applicants by a panel of three independent judges. Arts and crafts categories include clay, digital art, drawings and pastels, fiber, glass, graphics and printmaking, jewelry, leather, metal, mixed media 2D, mixed media 3D, painting, photography, sculpture, watercolor and wood. The festival incorporates hands-on activities for young children and students to encourage participation in and appreciation of the arts.
Original 160-page book: Bentley, Elizabeth Bradley. A Side Walk with the Art Festival. Winter Park, Florida: Cody Publications, 1979.
Music--New York (State)--New York--20th century
A playbill for the Playfare production of the musical "Godspell". The playbill lists the cast, producers, musicians, writers, director and crew. The musical numbers are also listed in order, along with the corresponding performers. According the playbill, the first performance was May 17, 1971, at The Cherry Lane Theatre in New York, New York. Jesse Cutler is listed as the electric guitar and bass guitar player in the band. Jesse Cutler has spent an illustrious career, beginning at age 12, as a musician, composer, actor, producer, and entrepreneur. Starting in New York City in the 1960s and then in Los Angeles from the early ‘70s through the late ‘90s, Jesse performed with his bands and in the original cast of Godspell on Broadway, made records that saw Billboard’s Top 100, formed his own companies and appeared on TV and radio and in national print.
RICHES
The Cherry Lane Theatre, New York City, New York
A History of Central Florida, Episode 32: Tapestries
Episode 32 of A History of Central Florida Podcast: Tapestries. A History of Central Florida Podcast series explores Central Florida's history through the artifacts found in local area museums and historical societies. These podcasts can involve the participation or cooperation of local area partners. Episode 32 features a discussion of New Deal-era tapestries displayed at the New Smyrna Museum of History in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. This podcast also includes interviews with Dr. Susan Ware, author Nick Taylor, and Dr. Nick Wynne of the Florida Historical Society.
Original 13-minute and 9-second podcast by Bethany Dickens, 2014: "A History of Central Florida, Episode 32: Tapestries." A History of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.
New Smyrna Museum of History
Library of Congress
Florida Memory Project
New Smyrna Museum of History, New Smyrna Beach, Florida
Southeast Volusia Chamber of Commerce, New Smyrna Beach, Florida
A History of Central Florida, Episode 37: Uniforms
Episode 37 of A History of Central Florida Podcast: Uniforms. RICHES Podcast Documentaries are short form narrative documentaries that explore Central Florida history and are locally produced. These podcasts can involve the participation or cooperation of local area partners. Episode 37 features a discussion of the Women's Army Corps (WAC) uniform displayed at the Halifax Historical Museum in Daytona Beach, Florida. This podcast also includes interviews with Dr. Tracy J. Revels of Wofford College and Dr. Leonard Lemple of Daytona State College.
Original 12-minute and 10-second podcast by Bethany Dickens, 2013: RICHES Podcast Documentaries, Orlando, Florida. http://youtu.be/RjOg09aeokc.
Halifax Historical Museum
National Archives and Records Administration
Halifax Historical Museum, Daytona Beach, Florida
Football -- Florida -- Daytona Beach -- Photographs
Two colorized photographs of Bethune-Cookman's first football team in 1923. A notable member is Sumner "Skinner" Hutcheson, Jr. The team consisted of 15 students and was coached by Leon C. James.
2 colorized photographs, 1923: Personal Collection of Sumner Hutcheson III.
State Champions Bethune-Cookman Football Team
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.
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 children of Patricia Ann Black (1956-): Charmion Le'Antwinetta Holt (1974-), William Arthur Bigham III (1982-), Brandon Oliver Black (1990-), and Tempestt Teonte Black (1992-). Charmion, who is also the daughter of Clint Holt (1955-), is employed at the Millers Orlando Ale House, located at 50 Towne Center Circle in Sanford, Florida, as of 2013. She also founded a catering business called Charm's Catering. The latter three children are from Patricia's marriage to William Bigham, Jr. (1952-). William III was born in Rochester, New York, and raised in Wayne County. He began teaching microbiology and anatomy at State University of New York in Brockport in 2013. Both Brandon and Tempestt graduated from North Rose Wolcott High School in Wolcott, New York. At age 19, Brandon attended Shear Ego, a barber school in Rochester. He also founded a barber shop called B. Black's Barber Shop, located on Route 414 in North Rose. As of 2013, Tempestt was attending Elmira College in Elmira, where she was studying nursing. She also joined the U.S. Army and is currently serving, as of 2013.
Original color photograph by Carolyn Bigham, November 2011: Private Collection of Patricia Ann Black.
Migrant Experience Paper by William Arthur Bigham III
An academic paper written by William Arthur Bigham III (1982-) for a course at the State University of New York at Brockport on food and culture on December 19, 2011. Topics discussed in the paper include Bigham's interview with his mother, Patricia Ann Black (1956- ), about her experiences as the child of migrant workers; how migrant workers lived; the difference between education and race relations in the North and in the South; the logistics of working in the fields; and how the Federal government changed migrant work. William Bigham III was born in Rochester and raised in Wayne County, New York. He began teaching microbiology and anatomy at the SUNY Brockport in 2013. He is the son of Patricia Black, the grandson of Pilgrim Black (1905-2002) and Lula Mae Haynes Black (1917-2007), and the great grandson of Harry Black (d. 1911) and Maggie Benjamin Black (ca. 1870-ca. 1934), who migrated to Sanford, Florida, from South Carolina in the 1800s. Bigham's grandparents, Pilgrim and Lula, were migrant crew leaders, and thus migrated to Upstate New York in the summers and back to their home in Sanford for the rest of the year.
Tempestt Teonte Black (1992-) at her graduation from U.S. Army training at Fort Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina, on August 15, 2013. The first photograph shows Black with her brother, Brandon Oliver Black (1990-), and the second photograph shows her with her mother, Patricia Ann Black (1956-). Both siblings graduated from North Rose Wolcott High School in Wolcott, New York. Black is in her junior year of college at Elmira College in Elmira, New York, where she is studying nursing. She also joined the United States Army and is presently serving as of 2013.
Original color digital images By William Bigham, Jr., August 15, 2013: Private Collection of Patricia Ann Black.
Memorial Marker for First Lieutenant Frank Black Morgan at Parker Presbyterian Cemetery
A memorial marker for First Lieutenant Frank Black Morgan (1920-1944) at Parker Presbyterian Cemetery in Parker, Pennsylvania. 1st Lt. Morgan was born in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, on January 28, 1920, to Samuel Morgan and Edna Grace Morgan. Samuel Morgan was a first generation American of Northern Irish descent, working in the publishing industry as an editor and linotype operation. Edna Morgan (née Black) was a native of Pennsylvania. 1st Lt. Morgan had two older brothers: Samuel Cree Morgan (1909-1990) and James Alexander Morgan (1912-1982). The Morgans owned a home on 17 Clopper Street in Greensburg, where 1st Lt. Morgan resided until he entered active service on April 27, 1942, out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at the age of 22. 1st Lt. Morgan trained at MacDuill Field, a U.S. Army Air Corps which would become MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, and then served with the 555th Bomber Squadron, a unit within the 386th Bomber Group. 1st Lt. Morgan served his country with distinction, earning an Air Medal with Eight Oak Leaf Clusters. He died on December 20, 1944, four days into the Ardennes Counteroffensive, also known as the Battle of the Bulge. His death is listed as non-battle related, suggesting that he may have been one of the many Martin B-26 Marauder crashes at takeoff or upon landing. 1st Lt. Morgan died just before the of the end of World War II at the age of 24. 1st Lt. Morgan is buried in Plot B, Row 39, Grave 46 at Epinal American Cemetery and Memorial in Dinozé, France.
Original <a href="http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&amp
GRid=32415773" target="_blank">color digital image by Marsha Black.
Parker Presbyterian Cemetery, Parker, Pennsylvania
Lula Mae Haynes Black (1917-2007) and Pilgrim Black (1905-2002), the parents of Patricia Ann Black (1956- ). This photograph was taken when Patricia drove down from New York to Sanford, Florida, to visit her parents around 1997, when her father was 89. Pilgrim and Lula were married for 67 years at the time the photograph was taken. Pilgrim Black was born in 1905, although some records list 1907 as his birth year. Pilgrim and Lula Mae Haynes Black were migrant crew leaders, and thus migrated to Wayne County in Upstate New York in the summers and back to their home in Sanford for the rest of the year. Pilgrim was the son of Harry Black (d. 1911) and Maggie Benjamin Black (ca.1870-ca.1934), who migrated to Sanford from South Carolina in the 1800s. Harry and Maggie had several children: Leckward Black, Mustar Black, Malachi Black, Leatha Black Walker (1889-1976), Pilgrim Black, Margaret Black Jones (1889-1976), and Harriett Black Lawson. In 1911, Harry owned a grocery store at 206 South Sanford Avenue. One day, he came home from work with pneumonia and passed away shortly thereafter. Pilgrim was nine years old when his father passed away. Maggie was the daughter of former slaves, Isaac and Roseanna Benjamin, and the sister of Nathan Benjamin, Pledge Benjamin, Sam Benjamin, Loui Benjamin, Chainey Benjamin, Lara Benjamin, Melvina Benjamin, and Katie Benjamin. Pilgrim had to quit school at age eleven in order to provide for his mother, originally working in a mill house until he was 18n years old. After declining a management position, he traveled to Wayne County to pick cherries, apples, pears, and other crops. He broke a bone after falling from an apple tree his first year and decided to try farm labor on a potato farm in Red Creek, New York, instead. Don Holdridge, the farmer who owned the land, noted Pilgrim's high rate of productivity and offered him a management position supervising up to thirty workers at once, which he accepted. While in Sanford, Pilgrim also worked as a foreman in Sanford for Chase & Company for over 30 years. He married Lula in 1937 and they had several children together, including Vivian Louise Black (1940- ); Lula Yvonne Black (1942- ); Charles Samuel Black (1945- ); Pilgrim Black, Jr. (ca.1947- ), and Patricia Ann Black (1956- ).
Original 8 x 10 inch color photograph: Private Collection of Patricia Black.
Former Location of Harry Black's Grocery Store, 2012
The former lot of a grocery store, located at 206 South Sanford Avenue owned by Harry Black (d. 1911), the grandfather of Patricia Ann Black, in 2012. Harry and Maggie Benjamin Black (ca. 1870-ca. 1934) were the parents of Leckward Black, Mustar Black, Malachi Black, Leatha Black Walker (1889-1976), Pilgrim Black (1905-2002), Margaret Black Jones (1889-1976), and Harriett Black Lawson. They were also the grandparents of David Harry Black (1929-2012), Vivian Louise Black (1940-); Lula Yvonne Black (1942-); Charles Samuel Black (1945- ); Pilgrim Black, Jr. (ca. 1947-); and Patricia Ann Black (1956-). The Black family migrated from South Carolina during the 19th century. In 1911, Harry owned a grocery store at 206 South Sanford Avenue. One day, he came home from work with pneumonia and passed away shortly thereafter.
Original color photograph by Patricia Ann Black, 2012: Private Collection of Patricia Ann Black.
Harry Black's Grocery Store, Sanford, Florida
Migrant Worker "Big House" in Wayne County, New York
The "big house" of the migrant worker camp, located in Wayne County, New York, that Pilgrim Black (1905-2002) and his wife, Lula Mae Haynes Black (1917-2007), lived in. The house originally had a front porch and was painted a different color. Lula operated her restaurant out of the kitchen in the big house, despite the lack of running water. Pilgrim was born in 1905, although some records list 1907 as his birth year. Pilgrim and Lula Mae Haynes (1917-2007) Black were migrant crew leaders, and thus migrated to Wayne County in Upstate New York in the summers and back to their home in Sanford for the rest of the year. Pilgrim was the son of Harry Black (d. 1911) and Maggie Benjamin Black (ca.1870-ca.1934), who migrated to Sanford from South Carolina in the 1800s. Harry and Maggie had several children: Leckward Black, Mustar Black, Malachi Black, Leatha Black Walker (1889-1976), Pilgrim Black, Margaret Black Jones (1889-1976), and Harriett Black Lawson. In 1911, Harry owned a grocery store at 206 South Sanford Avenue. One day, he came home from work with pneumonia and passed away shortly thereafter. Pilgrim was nine years old when his father passed away. Maggie was the daughter of former slaves, Isaac and Roseanna Benjamin, and the sister of Nathan Benjamin, Pledge Benjamin, Sam Benjamin, Loui Benjamin, Chainey Benjamin, Lara Benjamin, Melvina Benjamin, and Katie Benjamin. Pilgrim had to quit school at age 11 in order to provide for his mother, originally working in a mill house until he was 18 years old. After declining a management position, he traveled to Wayne County to pick cherries, apples, pears, and other crops. He broke a bone after falling from an apple tree his first year and decided to try farm labor on a potato farm in Red Creek, New York, instead. Don Holdridge, the farmer who owned the land, noted Pilgrim's high rate of productivity and offered him a management position supervising up to thirty workers at once, which he accepted. While in Sanford, Pilgrim also worked as a foreman in Sanford for Chase & Company for over 30 years. He married Lula in 1937 and they had several children together, including Vivian Louise Black (1940-); Lula Yvonne Black (1942-); Charles Samuel Black (1945-); Pilgrim Black, Jr. (ca. 1947-), and Patricia Ann Black (1956-).
Original color photograph by Patricia Ann Black: Private Collection of Patricia Ann Black.
Memoirs of Life in a Wayne County Migrant Farm Camp
A newspaper article by Patricia Ann Black and published in The Times of Wayne County on February 1, 2015. The article is about Black's life growing up on a migrant farm camp in Wayne County, New York. Black was the daughter of Pilgrim Black (1905-2002) and Lula Mae Haynes Black (1917-2007), who got married in 1937. Patricia was born August 31, 1956, and grew up at the end of East Tenth Street in Sanford, Florida. She attended Hopper Elementary through sixth grade, Lakeview Middle School for seventh grade, Sanford Junior High School for eighth grade, Crooms High School for ninth grade, and Seminole High School through twelfth grade. She also attended school in the North Rose-Wolcott district each year while in Upstate New York. During fourth grade, integration began and parents were given the choice to have their children to attend other schools, but Patricia chose to continue attending an all-black school until she entered seventh grade in 1968 and began attending integrated schools. In June 1973, Patricia married her first husband, Clint Holt (1955-); however, the couple quickly separated due to domestic violence and divorced around 1977. Patricia gave birth to her first child, Charmion Le'Antwinetta Holt (1974-). She also had three other children with William Bigham Jr. (1952-), who she was married to for 33 years: William Arthur Bigham III (1982-), Brandon Oliver Black (1990-), and Tempestt Teonte' Black (1992-). Patricia currently lives in the family home built by her grandmother, Maggie Benjamin Black (ca.1870-ca.1934) on East Tenth Street in Sanford. Patricia endured weekly molestation for 11 years from age six to age seventeen and was raped at age seventeen while pregnant with Charmion. At age 29, Patricia became severely addicted to smoking cocaine. After seven years, Patricia was able to overcome her addiction and has maintained her sobriety for 21 years. She has suffered severe mental and physical damage and is still recovering today. Despite her traumatic experiences and sibling rejections, Patricia has developed a devout relationship with God. While in recovery, Patricia refocused her attention on spreading her ministry of love by becoming a foster parent, serving as the Parent Representative of the Committee for Special Education (CSE), and serving on her local school board in the North Rose-Wolcott school district. Patricia also has owned her own business making incense and importing shea butter from Africa. She also became a licensed nail technician specializing in stress-relieving pedicures. As of 2009, Patricia is retired but still maintains some involvement in her business/ministry named GIFTED.
Original newspaper article by Patricia Ann Black: The Times of Wayne County, February 1, 2015, page F5.
The Times of Wayne County
History of Orange County, Florida: Narrative and Biographical
Selected pages from History of Orange County Florida: Narrative and Biographical by William Fremont Blackman, Ph.D., L.L.D. Blackman was formally a professor at Yale University and President of Rollins College. The book was published by the E. O. Painter Printing Company of DeLand, Florida in 1927. The book gives a basic history of Orange County as well as biographical sketches of many of the counties early settlers and important citizens. It has 42 photographic portraits of some of the citizens.
Blackman, William Fremont. History of Orange County, Florida: Narrative and Biographical. Chuluota, Fla: Mickler House, 1973.
An oral history interview of Bernard O. Blackwood, conducted by Alexandra Dobson on March 19, 2015. Blackwood was born on April 9, 1933, and attended the University of Florida (UF) in Gainesville, Florida. After graduating from college, Blackwood migrated to St. Petersburg with his wife, Suzanne A. Blackwood, to work as a city planner. In the 1970s, the couple moved to Oviedo with their children. There, Blackwood helped plan several residential subdivisions alongside Ben Ward, Jr. Interview topics include land development, the effects of Florida Technological University (present-day University of Central Florida), Blackwood's wife and children, Ben Ward's contributions to the community, desegregation and the Civil Rights Movement in St. Petersburg, and his career as a city planner.
Blackwood, Bernie Interviewed by Alexandra Dobson, March 19, 2015. Audio record available. Oviedo History Harvest, Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, Florida.
The Watermark, Vol. 9, No. 18, August 29-September 11, 2002
The eighteenth issue of the ninth volume of The Watermark was published on August 29, 2002, and was the newspaper's annual arts coverage edition. The cover story features two lesbian filmmakers, who would debut their collaboration film, Butch Spa Day, at the annual Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. Also featured were spotlights on local Central Florida artists, whose disciplines include painting, dance and theatre. The issue also includes several stories relevant to the LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer/Questioning, and others) community, such as a Pennsylvania court ruling in favor of adoption in same-sex partnerships, the murders of trans individuals in Jacksonville, Florida, and Washington, D.C., and statistics on the increase of non-discriminatory practices in organizations. Since 1994, The Watermark has been the cornerstone source of LGBTQ+ centered news for the Central Florida region. Founded by Tom Dyer in Orlando, the publication began generating bi-weekly issues beginning August 31, 1994. Since then, The Watermark has consistently published newspaper-style issues every other Thursday. Gaining traction, the publication expanded in 1995 to include Tampa and, in 1997, The Watermark became a permanent piece of LGBTQ+ culture when the publication initiated the first large-scale Gay Days Weekend event, the Beach Ball at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon. Before 1999, the publication printed 20,000 copies every week, distributing them to over 500 locations between its two major cities. Following 1999, the publication launched watermarkonline.com shifting to an online publication style. In 2016, Rick Claggett purchased The Watermark.
Original 76-page newspaper: The Watermark, Vol. 9, No. 18, August 29-September 11, 2002: Publications Collection, GLBT History Museum of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.
The Watermark, Vol. 9, No. 22, October 24-November 6, 2002
The twenty-second issue of the ninth volume of The Watermark was published on October 24, 2002, and was the culminating issue of the 2002 midterm elections, providing readers with brief vignettes on where each candidate stood in relation to issues affecting the LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer/Questioning, and others) community. It also spotlights the demonstration that took place on the steps of Orlando City Hall to encourage Mayor Glenda Hood to make a decision regarding adding "sexual orientation" to the list of non-discrimination policies. This issue also has a pullout section for the second annual WAVE (Watermark Awards for Variety and Excellence) Awards, chosen online by the readers. This section includes articles covering some of the top winners, such as the Lava Lounge and the Urban Body Clothing stores in both Tampa and Orlando. Since 1994, The Watermark has been the cornerstone source of LGBTQ+ centered news for the Central Florida region. Founded by Tom Dyer in Orlando, the publication began generating bi-weekly issues beginning August 31, 1994. Since then, The Watermark has consistently published newspaper-style issues every other Thursday. Gaining traction, the publication expanded in 1995 to include Tampa and, in 1997, The Watermark became a permanent piece of LGBTQ+ culture when the publication initiated the first large-scale Gay Days Weekend event, the Beach Ball at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon. Before 1999, the publication printed 20,000 copies every week, distributing them to over 500 locations between its two major cities. Following 1999, the publication launched watermarkonline.com shifting to an online publication style. In 2016, Rick Claggett purchased The Watermark.
Original 72-page newspaper The Watermark, Vol. 9, No. 22, October 24-November 6, 2002: Publications Collection, GLBT History Museum of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.
Ritz Theatre in 1996, before its restoration. 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.
Newspaper reproduction of original color photograph by Doris Bloodwort, 1994: The Sanford Herald, June 11, 1996.
The Sanford Herald
An audio recording of "Don't Worry 'Bout Me," composed by Rube Bloom (1902-1976) with lyrics by Ted Koehler (1894-1983), and performed by Terry Myers live on-air on WUCF-FM on August 14, 2006. Myers is a reed player from Iowa who developed a successful career in Nashville, Tennessee, and New York before moving to Central Florida, where he became a band leader at Walt Disney World's Epcot theme park and the band leader at Rosie O'Grady's Good Time Jazz Emporium at Church Street Station in Orlando. Myers has played at jazz festivals across the United States, Europe, and Asia, and is currently the director of the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. "Don't Worry 'Bout Me" was composed by Bloom and Koehler in 1938 and has been recorded by numerous artists, including Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996), Billie Holiday (1915-1959), and Frank Sinatra (1915-1998).
Original 5-minute and 40-second audio recording: Bloom, Rube abd Ted Koehler. "Don't Worry 'Bout Me," by Terry Myers: WUCF-FM, Orlando, Florida, August 14, 2006.
WUCF-FM
WUCF-FM, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida
Sheet music for the song, "States and Their Capitals," with words and music by Mary M. Blunt. The cover features a photograph of Blunt. The song was copyrighted in 1944. According to the cover, Blunt lived at 112 North Terry Street in Orlando, Florida. At the time that the song was composed, the United States only had 48 states and had five territories. The territories were Alaska, Guam, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. American Samoa was also a territory, but lacked an established civilian government. Alaska and Hawaii earned statehood in 1959.
Original 4-page sheet music, 1944: African American Legacy: The Carol Mundy Collection, 1794-2010, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida.
Letter from Percy D. Blunt to the Editor of The Winter Garden Times (April 1, 1966)
A letter to the editor of The Winter Garden Times from Percy D. Blunt, who served as the Mayor of Winter Garden, Florida, from 1963 to 1965. In the letter, Blunt comments on a previous editorial which called for rejuvenation of tourism and water sports on Lake Apopka. Blunt believes that for this to be possible, citizen advocacy groups must form to combat the special interests groups who benefit from the pollution of the lake. Blunt mentions several state legislators that he appealed to for help in restoring the lake, without success. He also mentions the polluted state of Lulu Creek, which flows through Winter Garden and carried citrus processing discharge into Lake Apopka.
Photocopy of original newspaper article: Blunt, Percy D. "Letter to the Editor." The Winter Garden Times, April 1966: binder 1966, Friends of Lake Apopka Archives, Ginn Museum, Oakland Nature Preserve, Oakland, Florida.
An oral history interview of Frank V. Boffi (b. 1922), who served in the U.S. Navy from 1942 to 1945 and again from 1948 to 1952. Boffi was born in Cranston, Rhode Island, on May 18, 1922. He served during both World War II and the Korean War, and was stationed on USS Bernadou, USS Hugh W. Hadley, USS Brownsonn, and USS Fiske. Boffi also took part in the Allied Invasion of Sicily, the Battle of Anzio, and the Battle of Okinawa. He received a Purple Heart, among other awards, and achieved the rank of 1st Class Machinist. This interview was conducted by Luis Santana Garcia at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida. Topics discussed in the oral history include Boffi's background, his enlistment, fighting in Italy, the construction of the USS Hugh W. Hadley and its subsequent destruction, serving in the Pacific Theater, leaving the Navy, his medals and citations, and the Lone Sailor Memorial Project.
Boffi, Frank V. Interviewed by Luis Santana Garcia. Audio/video record available. Item DP0014888, UCF Community Veterans History Project, Orlando, Florida.
Vatican Necropolis, Vatican, Vatican City
RICHES Podcast Documentaries, Episode 3: Serving the Community: The New Deal Post Office of Cocoa Florida
Episode 3 of RICHES Podcast Documentaries: Serving the Community: The New Deal Post Office of Cocoa Florida. RICHES Podcast Documentaries are short form narrative documentaries that explore Central Florida history and are locally produced. These podcasts can involve the participation or cooperation of local area partners. In Episode 3, Heather Bollinger interviews Dr. Connie L. Lester of the University of Central Florida, Dr. Alan Bliss of Valdosta State University, and Dr. Nick Wynne of the Florida Historical Society about the history of the former Federal Post Office building constructed on Brevard Avenue in Cocoa, Florida. As of 2013, the building operates as the Florida Historical Society's headquarters.
Original 25-minute and 50-second podcast by Heather Bollinger, March 1, 2011: "RICHES Podcast Documentaries, Episode 3: Serving the Community: The New Deal Post Office of Cocoa Florida." RICHES Podcast Documentaries, Orlando, Florida.
Florida Historical Society, Cocoa, Florida
RICHES Podcast Documentaries, Episode 20: Women of Many Hats: The Rossetter Sisters of Eau Gallie, Florida
Episode 20 of RICHES Podcast Documentaries: Women of Many Hats: The Rossetter Sisters of Eau Gallie, Florida. RICHES Podcast Documentaries are short form narrative documentaries that explore Central Florida history and are locally produced. These podcasts can involve the participation or cooperation of local area partners. Episode 20 explores the lives of the Rossetter sisters, who were businessowners in Eau Gallie, Melbourne, Florida. The Rossetter family migrated to Eau Gallie in 1902 and had their home built at 1320 Highland Avenue in 1904, which now serves as a historic house operated by the Florida Historical Society. After the death of her father in 1921, Carrie P. Rossetter took responsibility for supporting the family by taking over her father's Standard Oil distribution business. Her sister, Ella F. Rossetter, was also a successful businessowner. After they retired in the 1980s, the Rossetter sisters focused their energy on the preservation of their family home.
Original 21-minute and 44-second podcast by Heather Bollinger, December 15, 2011: "RICHES Podcast Documentaries, Episode 20: Women of Many Hats: The Rossetter Sisters of Eau Gallie, Florida." RICHES Podcast Documentaries, Orlando, Florida.
Historic Rossetter House Museum and Gardens, Eau Gallie, Melbourne, Florida
James Wadsworth Rossetter House, Eau Gallie, Melbourne, Florida
RICHES Podcast Documentaries, Episode 37: An Interview with Nick Wynne
Episode 37 of RICHES Podcast Documentaries: An Interview with Nick Wynne. RICHES Podcast Documentaries are short form narrative documentaries that explore Central Florida history and are locally produced. These podcasts can involve the participation or cooperation of local area partners. Episode 37 features an interview with Nick Wynne, director-emeritus of the Florida Historical Society, about how and why the society moved from the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida, to a former New Deal Federal Post Office building in Cocoa. Wynne discusses the impact that the move has had on the society's operations, as well as for the city of Cocoa itself.
Original 12-minute and 26-second podcast by Heather Bollinger, August 27, 2012: "RICHES Podcast Documentaries, Episode 37: An Interview with Nick Wynne." RICHES Podcast Documentaries, Orlando, Florida.
An audio recording of "Manhã de Carnaval" ("Morning of the Carnival"), composed by Luiz Bonfá (1922-12001) and lyricist Antônio Maria (1921-1964), and performed by Larry Coryell (b. 1943) live on-air on WUCF-FM on June 8, 1999. Coryell is an American jazz fusion guitarist, composer, and one of the pioneers of jazz-rock, a fusion genre that combines elements of blues, rock, country, and bop. Considered by many to be one of the greatest guitarists of all time, Coryell has shared the stage with Miles Davis (1926-1991) and Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970). He has remained active since the 1960s, recording over 100 albums.One of the first bossa nova compositions to gain popularity outside Brazil, "Manhã de Carnaval" has become a jazz standard. The song appeared as the theme to the 1958 film, Orfeu Negro (Black Orpheus).
Original 4-minute and 26-second audio recording: Bonfá, Luiz, and Antônio Maria. "Manhã de Carnaval," by Larry Coryell: WUCF-FM, Orlando, Florida, June 8, 1999.
"The Gentle Rain" by the John Whitney Trio
An audio recording of "The Gentle Rain," composed by Luiz Bonfá (1922-2001) and performed by the John Whitney Trio live on-air on WUCF-FM on January 4, 2000. John Whitney served as director of both orchestral studies and the University of Central Florida Jazz Lab band during his 20 years with the university. Whitney also led the UCF Jazz Lab band in invited performances at Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland and North Sea Jazz Festival in Holland. He established himself as a conductor, performer, composer, arranger, and teacher in both classical and jazz arenas, founding and directing the Southern Tier Symphony in Allegany, New York, in 2003, until his death in 2014.
Original 6-minute and 27-second audio recording: Bonfá, Luiz. "The Gentle Rain," by the John Whitney Trio: WUCF-FM, Orlando, Florida, January 4, 2000.
Southern Tier Symphony, Allegany, New York
An audio recording of "Samba de Orpheus," composed by Luiz Bonfá (1922-2001) and performed by Ira Sullivan (b. 1931) live on-air on WUCF-FM on December 8, 2006. A multi-instrumentalist, Sullivan was a crucial part of the Chicago jazz scene of the 1950s, performing with numerous artists, including a stint with Art Blakey (1919-1990) and the Jazz Messengers in 1956. He left the spotlight and moved to Florida to raise his family in the early 1960s, eventually starting a quintet with Red Rodney (1927-1994). Sullivan taught summers at the University of Miami's Young Musician's Camp, in which professional musicians and faculty from the UM School of Music instructed students between 7 and 18 years old in classical music, jazz, rock, songwriting, composition, and musical theater. One of the first bossa nova compositions to gain popularity outside Brazil, "Samba de Orpheus" has become a jazz standard. The song originally appeared in the 1959 film, Orfeu Negro ("Black Orpheus").
Original 6-minute and 24-second audio recording: Bonfá, Luiz. "Samba de Orpheus," by Ira Sullivan: WUCF-FM, Orlando, Florida, December 8, 2006.
Young Musicians Camp, University of Miami, Miami, Florida
Guilin (Guangxi Zhuangzu Zizhiqu, China)
Erected in Downtown Orlando’s Lake Eola Park in 1988, the red Chinese pagoda-like structure is called a "ting" due to its single story. It was constructed out of wood, ceramic, brick, and mortar. Dr. Nelson Ying bestowed the ting to the City of Orlando and Mayor Bill Frederick in 1987. Ying, director of The China Group Incorporated, chose to dedicate the pavilion to beautify Downtown Orlando and offer a place for international exchange for the mayor and dignitaries. Two years before the ting was gifted in 1985, Ying worked closely with Mayor Bill Frederick to secure a sister-city relationship with the City of Guilin by accompanying Frederick on a three-week goodwill trip to China. Guilin’s downtown landscape consists of four lakes, and downtown is easily recognizable by several pagodas that adorn these lakes. Ying intended to honor the young sister-city relationship with Guilin by placing his donation on the edge of Lake Eola in an effort to mirror the sister-city’s landscape. The ting was built in China by the Shanghai Construction Arts and Crafts Corporation, disassembled for shipping to the United States, and then rebuilt in Orlando. The ting is located in the northeast corner of Orlando’s Lake Eola.
Original digital color image by Gianna Borawski, October 8, 2013.
Red Chinese Ting, Lake Eola Park, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Veterans Compensation Application for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Application Form for Veterans Compensation, which authorized the state to compensate veterans native to Pennsylvania at the time of their enlistment. The application includes name, current address, branch and location of service, place of birth, dependents (wife, children, parents), stations assignments, promotions, wounds, service overseas, and honorable discharge date. A notable resident listed in this record is John Borris, who received payments of $10 per month for 20 months as compensation for his service. Born on February 3, 1891 in Johnson City, Pennsylvania, Borris served as part of Company C 1st Ammunition Train of the First Division during the First World War in 1917 and 1918. After his initial discharge in 1919, he returned to the United States Army in 1921 as part of the 7th Coast Artillery before his second and final discharge in 1924. After his service, he married Irene Nehf, with whom he had two sons, Roger and David. The family lived in Chicago, Illinois, and Phoenix, Arizona. Borris and his wife moved to Lakeland, Florida in 1988. Borris died on June 11, 1994 and 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. 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.
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Digital reproduction of the original veterans compensation application.
The transcription of a eulogy given by Harry H. Boston, Jr. after the death of his father, Harry "Big Newt" Homer, Sr. Boston, who was an integral part of Oviedo's African-American community. Originally from Valdosta, Georgia, he graduate from Valdosta State College (now Valdosta State University). After college, he joined the U.S. Army, where he served as a medic during World War II. After migrating to Oviedo, Florida, Boston built a baseball diamond where local black youths played. The teams were known as the Oviedo Black Hawks for boys and Oviedo Lady Black Hawks for girls. On his bus, affectionately nicknamed the "Big Newt Bus," Boston would take the teams to games across Florida and other states as far north as Tennessee. The City of Oviedo honored him by naming Boston Hill Park, located at 777 South Central Avenue, in his honor. On May 21, 1994, the city also proclaimed that date Harry "Big Newt" Boston Day. Boston passed away on October 3 of that same year at the Winter Park Memorial Hospital in Winter Park.
Original 1-page typed transcription by Harry H. Boston, Jr., 1994: Private Collection of Jacqueline Morgan.
An oral history with Sally Mackay, former mayor of New Smyrna Beach, Florida, and founder of the Hub on Canal, located at 132 Canal Street. Mackay migrated to Central Florida from Great Britain in 1973. In November of 2007, she was elected Mayor of New Smyrna Beach. She also served on the Volusia Council of Governments Executive Board, the Volusia League of Cities, and Florida League of Cities.
Original 49-minute and 18-second oral history: Mackay, Sally. Interview by Karen Botta, Ian Jones, Shannon Haley, Zachary McCormick, Brenna Broadway, and John Robert Grooms, Jr. Daytona State College, New Smyrna Beach-Edgewater Campus. November 12, 2013. Audio/video record available.
Daytona State College
Croydon High School, London, England, United Kingdom
The Hub on Canal, New Smyrna Beach, Florida
Confederate Soldiers, Sailors, and Statesmen Memorial at Lake Eola
The Confederate Soldiers, Sailors, and Statesmen Memorial was erected in 1911 by the Annie Coleman Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC). The construction of the monument was spearheaded by Mrs. Abernethy, the President of the Annie Coleman Chapter. The monument was erected at the intersection of East Central Avenue and Main Street in Downtown Orlando, Florida In 1917, the Confederate Memorial was deemed a traffic hazard and was moved to its permanent location on the east side of Lake Eola.
Original digital color images by Katherine Bowers, August 8, 2013.
Confederate Soldiers, Sailors, and Statesmen Memorial, Lake Eola Park, Downtown Orlando, Florida
This one-story Frame Vernacular-style building was constructed at 314 South Boyd Street in Winter Garden, Florida, in 1928. Located in Smith's #3 subdivision, platted by G. T. Smith in 1925, it initially served as the clubhouse for the Winter Garden Woman's Club, which was organized in 1926. Later, the building housed the Winter Garden Library. The library association lost the building in 1936 because of delinquent taxes. Judson Moore, Mayor of Winter Garden from 1945-47 and 1961-63, and manager of the Pounds Goodyear store on Plant Street, also lived in this house.
Original color digital image by Katherine Bowers, July 2014: Winter Garden Heritage Foundation.
Winter Garden Woman's Club, Winter Garden, Florida
Winter Garden Library, Winter Garden, Florida
Home of Mayor Judson Moore Winter Garden, Florida
The structure at 12 West Plant Street in Winter Garden, Florida, was the first brick commercial building built in 1912, after a 1909 fire destroyed all the downtown wood buildings. It was built by James Lafayette Dillard (1858-1943) and Benjamin T. Boyd, both of whom served on Winter Garden's first City Commission. Originally, it housed a bakery operated by Albert E. Jones and a real estate company operated by Dillard. Lewis L. Kenneday opened the first Winter Garden theater in the second floor of the building about 1913. It operated until 1917, when it was replaced by the Lyric Theatre. In the 1920s, A. D. Mims, later a county commissioner, operated a barbershop along the Main Street storefront. A barber by the name of Allen Bland occupied the space later. Eighteen boarding rooms were available on the second floor after the theater closed. Various businesses, such as the Leader Department Store, the Winter Garden Pharmacy, Tibbals-Rexall Drugs, J. S. Reddick's meat market and a beer parlor, occupied the building at other times. At the time that this photograph was taken in 2014, the building was being occupied by Savoree.
Original color digital image by Katherine Bowers, July 2014: Winter Garden Heritage Foundation, Winter Garden, Florida.
The building at 49 South Main Street in Winter Garden, Florida. Evidence suggests that this commercial building was constructed around 1912 and was originally two stories high. In the 1920s, the second story was removed as a result of fire damage. It was once the Piggly Wiggly grocery store and later McCord's Feed Store. Research indicates that Luther Willis Tilden may have developed the building and that W. B. Burch and William Story published the town's newspaper, The Town Crier, from this building for a time.
McCord's Feed Store, Winter Garden, Florida
Greener Gardens Feed & Garden, Winter Garden, Florida
The one-and-one-half-story bungalow is located at 205 North Lakeview Avenue in Winter Garden, Florida. Built in 1919, this structure historically associated with Henry "Harry" Edward Bumby (1870-1941), the developer of the subdivision in which it is located. In 1873, Bumby's father, Joseph, moved to Orlando, where he established a hardware store that became one of the largest of its kind in Central Florida. In addition to two stores in Orlando, Joseph opened a store in Winter Park and Winter Garden in 1917. The latter store was managed by his son, Harry. The house was sold after Harry Bumby's death to William Story in 1941. Later the house was owned by Tom and Mozelle Cox, owner of Tom Cox Men's Wear and Mozelle's Fashion Fair in Winter Garden.
Home of Harry Bumby, Winter Garden, Florida
Home of William Story, Winter Garden, Florida
Home of Tom and Mozelle Cox, Winter Garden, Florida
Winter Garden's original fire station, located at 127 South Boyd Street, was built during the Great Depression with funds secured by Mayor George Walker from the Works Progress Administration (WPA). In order to apply to the WPA for funding, the mayor and Fire Chief Hoyle Pounds needed to submit plans and a rendering of the proposed building. Franklin Cappleman, a young college student at the time, had just completed an architectural drafting class at Georgia Institute of Technology and was recruited to draw up the plans. The building was constructed in 1938 according to his very amateur drawings, and it still stands today.
Winter Garden Fire Station, Winter Garden, Florida
The Black Building, located at 101-121 West Plant Street in Winter Garden, Florida. This two-story brick Masonry Vernacular commercial building was constructed in 1921 by a businessman and citrus grower from Clermont named Robert E. Black. It initially contained apartments on the second story and a series of stores on the first. Several physicians maintained offices on the second floor. As a result, it was often referred to as the Clinic Building. During the 1930s, the building accommodated the office of the Florida Public Service Company and the post office. Arnold's and later McCord's Feed Store occupied space on the first floor. Raymond Dickson operated a plumbing and electric business in this building for more than 25 years. The neon sign advertising his business is still present. Today, the building houses several local businesses.
Florida Public Service Company, Winter Garden, Florida
Winter Garden Post Office, Winter Garden, Florida
The residence located at 235 North Lakeview Avenue in the Bumby subdivision of Winter Garden Florida. Constructed around 1938, platted by Henry "Harry" Edward Bumby (1870-1941) in 1923, this building a classic example of the Tudor Revival-style of architecture. The home is usually associated with Harold E. Hall and Gladys Hall. Hall was in the citrus business and established the Hall Fertilizer Company, which later became Diamond R. The Orlando contractor, W. P. Murdock, who built this house, also built additional homes in Winter Garden prior to World War II. Jim Cloughy, who worked as an accountant for R. D. Keene, lived with his wife and family in this home later. This is one of the few homes in the area with a basement.
Home of Harold E. and Gladys Hall, Winter Garden, Florida
Elizabeth Boyd's Experiences as Itinerant Librarian at Sanford Grammar School
Elizabeth Boyd's experiences as the school librarian at Sanford Grammar School from 1961 to 1965. Boyd was hired by the Seminole County School Board in 1961 when the Florida Legislature passed legislation requiring that every public school have a library and a librarian. As an itinerant librarian, Boyd spent half of her work week at Sanford Grammar School and the other half at Southside Elementary School. In 1965, she resigned and accepted a new position as head librarian at Seminole High School. Originally established as Sanford High School, the main building was constructed at 301 West Seventh Street in Sanford, Florida, in 1902. The building was designed by W. G. Talley in the Romanesque revival style. Due to an increasing student population, a new school building was constructed on the corner of East Ninth Street and South Palmetto Avenue in 1911. The original building on Seventh Street served as Westside Grammar Elementary School, which was later renamed Sanford Grammar School. After a desperate need for an addition to the school developed, the city granted the school $75,000. The school's lunchroom was opened on October 10, 1921, after months of fundraising efforts hosted by the Woman's Club. In November 23, 1984, the main school building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places and converted into the Student Museum. However, despite objections from the community, the lunchroom was demolished on September 25, 2008. The main school building reopened as the University of Central Florida's Public History Center in 2012.
Original 1-page manuscript by Elizabeth Boyd: Sanford Grammar Collection, Archives Box 4B, UCF Public History Center, Sanford, Florida.
Delaware River Bridge Connecting Philadelphia, PA. and Camden, N.J. Postcard
A postcard depicting an aerial view of the Delaware River Bridge that connects Camden, New Jersey, to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The bridge opened in 1926 and is now known as the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. The bridge is one of the largest suspension bridges in the world. A plant for the RCA Victor Company, which produced electronics, can be seen in the bottom right corner. This postcard is part of a collection of postcards kept by Lucile Campbell, a schoolteacher in Sanford, Florida, for 30 years. In 1931, she took advantage of a special rate for teachers and sailed to Europe, where she traveled for several months and is thought to have acquired many of these postcards. During the 1940-1941 school year, Campbell taught at Sanford Grammar School. Before her retirement in 1970, she taught at many other area schools, including the Oviedo School, Westside Grammar School, and Pinecrest Elementary School. Campbell used these postcards as aids in her classrooms to teach advanced subjects, such as Shakespearean drama. The collection, along with her other teaching aids, papers, and photographs, was later found at Sanford Grammar School after it became the University of Central Florida's Public History Center. Campbell's postcard collection and photographs provide insight into the life of a respected Florida educator.
Original 3 x 5 inch color postcard by Boyder: ACC# SM-00-243, file folder 1 (U.S. blanks), box 10A, Lucile (Mary Lucile) Campbell Collection, UCF Public History Center, Sanford, Florida.
Benjamin Franklin Bridge, Delaware River
Airplane View of Business Section Looking West on Market Street Postcard
A postcard depicting an airplane view of Market Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Also serving as part of Pennsylvania Route 3 (PA 3), Market Street is a major business district in Philadelphia, with many historic sites along its eastern section, including the home of Benjamin Franklin (ca. 1705-1790) and the site where Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) drafted of the Declaration of Independence. For this reason, it is considered one of the most historic highways in America. 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.
Market Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The Old Orlando Railroad Depot, located at 127 West Church Street in Orlando, Florida, in 2007. The station was first constructed in 1880 connecting Orlando to Sanford. After the railroad was bought up by the Plant System in 1883 from the South Florida Railroad, it was extended to Tampa. This brought a large boom to Orlando's economy shipping cattle and lumber, but chiefly citrus. By 1926, the depot was becoming too small for the volume of trade going through, so the depot was moved south to what is today the Amtrak Station. The depot became run down until the mid-1970s when Church Street Station opened up around the depot and stayed open until the early 2000s. Now the station is used as a stop along the SunRail Tram system.
Original color photograph by John Bradley, April 21, 2007: Wikimedia Commons.
Wikimedia Commons
Church Street Station, Downtown Orlando, Florida
Culinary Confessions of the PTA Divas: Stylish Recipes and Saucy Secrets for the Everyday Gourmet
A cookbook created by Anne-Marie Hodges and Pam Brandon, who were members of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) at Hillcrest Elementary School. Hodges and Brandon began cooking and hosting dinners for teachers and the families of students. With encouragement and requests for their culinary creations, the cookbook was born. Hillcrest Elementary School is one of Orlando’s oldest schools, opening in 1923. Since the 1980s, it has had a vibrant foreign language component and today it continues that tradition through the Orange County Public Schools Foreign Language Academy.
Original color cookbook: Private Collection of Pam Brandon
Menasha Ridge Press
Hillcrest Elementary School, Orlando Florida
Pam Brandon and Anne-Marie Hodge dressed in 1950s and 1960s costumes. The photograph was taken in the kitchen at a Parent Teacher Association (PTA)-sponsored event for Hillcrest Elementary School. Hillcrest Elementary School is one of Orlando’s oldest schools, opening in 1923. Since the 1980s, it has had a vibrant foreign language component and today it continues that tradition through the Orange County Public Schools Foreign Language Academy.
Original color photograph: Private Collection of Pam Brandon
Members of the Hillcrest Elementary School Parent Teacher Association (PTA) dressed in 1950s and 1960s costumes and holding culinary goods. The "PTA Divas" would dress up in costumes and serve dinner to faculty, staff, students, and their families to raise money for the PTA. Hillcrest Elementary School is one of Orlando’s oldest schools, opening in 1923. Since the 1980s, it has had a vibrant foreign language component and today it continues that tradition through the Orange County Public Schools Foreign Language Academy.
Members of the Hillcrest Elementary School Parent Teacher Association (PTA) wearing cooking aprons. The "PTA Divas" would dress up in costumes and serve dinner to faculty, staff, students, and their families to raise money for the PTA. Hillcrest Elementary School is one of Orlando’s oldest schools, opening in 1923. Since the 1980s, it has had a vibrant foreign language component and today it continues that tradition through the Orange County Public Schools Foreign Language Academy.
Grandparents Day at Hillcrest Elementary School
A student from Hillcrest Elementary School sitting with two women and a man in front of a homemade banner. The Parent Teacher Association (PTA) hosted an event for National Grandparents Day, where students' families visited the school. Hillcrest Elementary School is one of Orlando’s oldest schools, opening in 1923. Since the 1980s, it has had a vibrant foreign language component and today it continues that tradition through the Orange County Public Schools Foreign Language Academy.
A local crew t-shirt for the Who’s 2006-2007 tour. The Who is an English rock band that are considered to be one of the greatest musical influences in rock music of the 20th century. Formed in 1964, they have gone on to sell over 100 million albums and continue to be one of the highest grossing touring bands of all time. The band’s 2006-2007 tour was in support of their album, Endless Wire, and was their first worldwide concert tour since 1997. The lineup for the tour included Roger Daltrey on vocals, Pete Townshend on guitar and vocals, Brian Kehew on keyboard, Pino Palladino on bass, Zak Starkey on drums, and Simon Townshend on guitar and vocals. The shirt was donated by Mick Dolan, who was a local crew member for the band’s show at the Ford Amphitheatre, located at 4802 North US Highway 301 in Tampa, Florida, on March 25, 2007. The show initially occurred on March 13, but abruptly ended when Daltrey was unable to sing due to a respiratory infection. Townshend stopped the band and apologized to the crowd, and the band’s manager, Bill Curbishley, rescheduled the show. There were 9,500 in attendance, and the supporting act was Rose Hill Drive.
Original color digital images: Private Collection of Mick Dolan.
Letter from William A. Breeze to Gary I. Sharp (February 11, 1975)
A letter from William A. Breeze, president of the West Orange Chamber of Commerce, to Gary I. Sharp, dated February 11, 1975. In this letter, Breeze discusses the potential use of the Gourd Neck Springs area for a recreational park. Breeze states that the chamber, along with the Orlando Area Chamber of Commerce, co-sponsored a meeting of interested persons and state officials to discuss environmental restoration in the Ocklawaha Basin, including Lake Apopka. In this meeting, Breeze states it was agreed that the Gourd Neck Springs area should be restored for use as a park. The letter also states that due the area's current state of segmented private ownership, the land needs to be purchased by either the State of Florida or the federal government before use as a park. Gourd Neck Springs is a small spring located in the southwest portion of Lake Apopka, in a small cove called “Gourd Neck” due to its distinctive shape. This area of the lake was considered in the 1960s as a potential nursery for fish. The Lake Apopka Technical Committee explored damming the Gourd Neck, separating it from the lake and preventing polluted lake water from entering, but these plans did not materialize. Efforts were also made in the 1960s to have the Gourd Neck area purchased by the State of Florida for use as a public park. The Gourd Neck Springs Park Association was formed in 1961 to study the site’s potential for a park and lobby for support from legislators. The land bordering the area was privately-owned by various individuals. One of these, Gary I. Sharp, continued seeking support for a park into the 1970s. While the project received support from Florida legislators and environmentalists, the land was never purchased by the state.
Photocopy of original 1-page typewritten letter from William A. Breeze to Gary I. Sharp, February 11, 1975: binder 1975, Friends of Lake Apopka Archives, Ginn Museum, Oakland Nature Preserve, Oakland, Florida.
Gourd Neck Springs, Lake Apopka, Florida
West Orange Chamber of Commerce, Winter Garden, Florida
Orlando Area Chamber of Commerce, Orlando, Florida
Central Florida Personalities: Walton MacJordan
Walton MacJordan (b. 1905) was born in 1905 in Kentucky and attended college at the University of Alabama. He moved to Georgia and started his career in retail by becoming the youngest manager of a department store in the South. In 1932, he moved to Jacksonville, Florida, and started working for Sears, Roebuck & Company as a merchandise manager. A year later, he relocated to Orlando where he became the manager of the Sears store located at 111-113 North Orange Avenue. MacJordan left Orlando in 1937 for Chicago, Illinois, to work at the headquarters of Sears as a General Merchandise Manager of all stores. In 1942, during World War II, MacJordan served in the United States Air Force. During his service as a lieutenant, he used his experience he had in retail to manage the supplies and maintenance for several bases. He soon became a public relations officer for the southeastern portion of the country and was promoted to captain. In 1945, he returned to Orlando to manage Sears again. MacJordan also served his community as chairman of the American Red Cross in Orlando in 1950 and a member of the board of directors of the Central Florida Exposition.
Photocopy of original black and white newspaper cartoon: Orlando Remembered Exhibit, Regions Bank, Orlando, Florida.
Sears, Roebuck & Company, Jacksonville, Florida
Sears, Roebuck & Company, Chicago, Illinois
An oral history of Elizabeth Bridges. Bridges discusses what life was like in Singapore as a child in the 1960s. She also talks about how she met her first husband, Victor Green. Green worked on an oil rig in the Pacific Ocean for HuffCo. Bridges tells what it was like for her husband to work for that company. She had to learn how to cook Southern food and adapt to life in America. Her first husband died of lung cancer in 1991. She then met her second husband, Jack Bridges, and married him in 1998. After her husband overcame his alcohol addiction, he ran for city commissioner in 2005. He brought many positive changes to the city and was a well-known and successful attorney.
Bridges, Elizabeth. Interviewed by Trish Thompson. 2010. Audio record available. Creative Sanford, Inc., Sanford Florida.
Sixteenth Census Population Schedule for Hopewell
The U.S. Census population schedule for Election Precinct 51 in Hopewell, Florida, in 1940. Individuals are identified by name, titles and terms, gender, age, marital status, race, relationship to head of household, birthplace, birth year, the last place of residence, and occupation. A notable resident listed in this record was Private First Class (PFC) Clifford A. Judah (d. 1945). Judah was born to Elijah D. Judah (b. 1890) and Margie Judah (b. 1897) in Louisiana in 1925. The Judahs migrated from Louisiana to Hillsborough Count around 1935. PFC Judah enlisted in the U.S. Army on November 2, 1943 at Camp Blanding in Starke. The terms of his enlistment were through the duration of the World War II or other emergency military actions, as well as six months subject to the discretion of the president or other laws. PFC Judah served in the 315th Infantry Regiment of the 79th Infantry Division. The Army declared PFC Judah missing in action on January 15, 1945. PFC Judah died during the Battle of Hatten-Rittershoffen in Alsace, France, which was part of the Battle of the Bulge. The Army awarded PFC Judah the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster. The American Battle Monuments Commission memorialized PCF Judah under tablets of the missing in Epinal American Cemetery and Memorial in Dinozé, France.
Digital reproduction of original census record by Henry Irwin Bringle, April 4, 1940: Image Number 00103, Digital Folder Number 005449582, Affiliate Film Number 591, Affiliate Publication Number T627, National Archives &amp
Weeki Wachee Springs Memo (February 21, 1963)
A memo from Weeki Wachee Springs State Park manager T.P. Brinzo, circulated to all departments, dated February 21, 1963. The memo informed the entirety of the Springs that new equipment had been acquired for the underwater mermaid shows to help prevent drownings. Per the memo, all departments were to set up regular drills to prepare for a drowning scenario. 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 1-page typed memo, February 23, 1963: Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, Weeki Wachee, Florida.
Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, Weeki Wachee, Florida
Letter from Brockelman Brothers, Inc. to Joshua Coffin Chase (January 24, 1928)
An original letter of correspondence between Joshua Coffin Chase and Brockelman Brothers, Inc. Topics discussed in the letter include the publication of the story of Chase & Company's orange groves at Isleworth Grove, aerial photographs of the Chase property, and the meaning of the term "pine-apple orange." According to the letter, the pineapple orange produces excellent quality juice, but is extremely susceptible to freezes, citrus blight, and preharvest fruit drop. Chase & Company was established by brothers Sydney Octavius Chase and Joshua Coffin Chase in 1884. The company sold insurance and later invested in storage facilities and fertilizer sales. Chase & Company was known mainly for its agricultural interests and maintained a series of citrus groves throughout Central Florida. The company was based out of Sanford and became one of the city's largest employers into the early twentieth century. By 1886, the Chase brothers purchased several citrus groves to expand their business, including Isleworth Grove in Windermere, Florida. Isleworth Grove covered a total of 1,300 acres along the Butler Chain of Lakes. Between 1894 and 1895, Central Florida was hit by several freezes and most of the citrus crop was destroyed. Chase & Company did not grow citrus crops again until 1904 when Joshua came back from an extended stay in California. Between 1894 and 1900, different types of pesticide equipment was created, including equipment driven by steam, machines, and horses.Randall Chase joined in the family business soon after his brother, Sydney Chase, Jr., did in 1922. Randall became the president of Chase & Company from 1948-1965. The Isleworth property stayed in the Chase family until 1984 when Franklin Chase, the son of Sydney Chase, sold the property to famed golfer Arnold Palmer.
Original letter from Brockelman Brothers, Inc. to Joshua Coffin Chase, January 24, 1928: box 49, folder 20.84, Chase Collection (MS 14), Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
Chase & Company Office, Orlando, Florida