Central Florida History

[spenser1058]

Relocating posts regarding the region’s history to the Coffee House since it’s probably more appropriate here.

[spenser1058]

Today we have @HankStrong ‘ s favorite building of all time!

https://www.yourcommunitypaper.com/articles/the-way-we-were-orlandos-round-building-an-architectural-circle-of-life/

From Your Community Paper

“The lower levels were often considered one of the best examples of mid-century design in Central Florida.”

(the five-story later addition was an abomination)

”Kaiser has envisioned a seating pavilion incorporating 12 of the panels, currently under consideration for placement along the Orlando Urban Trail. ” Are you ready, @Jolly Roger's Crackers?

 

Edited August 26, 2022 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

Let’s check out “the best in basement radio AND the voice of Rollins”:

https://www.thehistorycenter.org/wprk/

From the History Center 

[spenser1058]

Callahan Neighborhood Center marks 100th anniversary with Jones High, Callahan Elementary alumni
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/orange-county/os-ne-jones-high-callahan-elementary-alumni-100-year-anniversary-reunion-20220827-hy4larra3rhavnfrqeffs2c7tq-story.html

From The Sentinel 

It’s worth noting today’s building isn’t 100 years old. What they did an interesting job of was retaining the facade. If only they’d done something like that at Church St. and S. Orange Ave.
 

[spenser1058]

Let’s hop in the way back machine to 2002 when Buddy Dyer ran against Charlie Crist to be Florida’s next attorney general:

https://www.tampabay.com/archive/2002/11/03/dyer-isn-t-going-down-as-easily-as-expected/?outputType=amp

From The Tampa Bay Times 

Charlie won 53-47%.

 

[spenser1058]

This week, Joy Wallace Dickinson at The Sentinel looks at Henry Flagler, Postum and the dream of an heiress, Mar-a-Lago, before it became a classified document dump for Cheetohead:

Fortune, fantasy shaped Mar-a-Lago in 1920s
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/os-fe-joy-wallace-dickinson-0904-20220904-gzheagwvkfco7gz6xfmq2fd6ne-story.html

‘Robert Barnwell Roosevelt observed as early as 1884, “Florida is a land of dreams, a strange country full of surprises, an intangible sort of place, where at first nothing is believed to be real and where finally everything is considered possible.”’

[spenser1058]

A new historical marker commemorates Winter Park’s Casa Feliz and one of Orlando’s greatest architects (who seems not to have had a single visor on his designs…)

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/os-fe-joy-wallace-dickinson-0911-20220911-jukm4cdr75hdji6ldcrk6i7pna-story.html

From Joy Wallace Dickinson at The Sentinel 

[spenser1058]

An amazing selection of craft beers and some incredibly inventive eats at the last place you’d expect - Sanford’s Upsala Grocery, one of the most ramshackle convenience stores you’ll ever find:

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/food-restaurants/os-et-food-restaurant-orlando-amy-drew-thompson-review-upsala-grocery-sanford-20220915-ppr7qcp5vzdz5m5rerwtxzsvpi-story.html

From The Sentinel

That got me digging for more info about Upsala and boy! what a find. It turns out Gen. Sanford recruited a whole community of Swedes to cross the ocean and get his groves up and running.

Sadly, not unlike the British “second sons” who found their way to Orlando to dabble in citrus, the Swedes were all but wiped out by the Great Freezes of 1894-95.

Fortunately, there are historic markers and a well-restored church from that era is still there. I’m looking forward to visiting Florida’s Natural Choice this weekend to check it all out!

http://swedishcluboforlando.blogspot.com/2009/11/uppsal-cemetary-sanford-florida-near.html

Edited September 15, 2022 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

Did you know there was once a Gatorland in St Augustine? It was unaffiliated with ours but it did have a YUGE concrete gator standing at its entrance on his hind legs with a walking cane in one paw and a cigar in the other:

https://www.loc.gov/resource/mrg.11730/

From The Library of Congress 

When the attraction closed in 1982, the Gator was saved and now stands near the stadium in Jacksonville once called the, ahem, Gator Bowl!

He seems to have lost his cigar, though…
 

[spenser1058]

“Florida’s REAL Tourist Attraction Is Rocket Launches”:

https://www.tampabay.com/narratives/2022/09/21/floridas-real-tourist-attraction-is-rocket-launches/

From The Tampa Bay Times 
 

[spenser1058]

 

At 90, Rollins College’s Annie Russell Theatre shines bright 
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/os-fe-joy-wallace-dickinson-0925-20220925-jy3joriwxbfwhdlkq76c5cbsky-story.html

From Joy Wallace Dickinson at The Sentinel 

Ms Dickinson tells the great story of how famous actress Annie Russell came to Rollins and helped to create Florida’s oldest continuously operating theater.

 

 

Edited September 25, 2022 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

This is a photo of my favorite sculpture ever and how it went viral after Hurricane Irma came close to sinking The Bold New City of the South in 2017:

https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/the-story-behind-hurricane-irmas-most-famous-photo/

From The Jaxson 

 

Edited September 28, 2022 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

This week, Joy Wallace Dickinson at The Sentinel takes us on a tour of historic Downtown Sanford. Something I didn’t know - the PICO Building (built by Sanford’s “other” Henry, this one named Plant, once had an onion dome, not unlike his hotel in Tampa (now the University of Tampa). 

Sadly, the dome on the Sanford version was destroyed in the ‘50’s.

Ms Dickinson also tells us a little about the local history of our Jewish community and Yom Kippur, which starts Wednesday:

History is right at home in Sanford
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/os-fe-joy-wallace-dickinson-1002-20221002-yzrxzg3o7vhotihnswxet5cl5e-story.html
 

[spenser1058]

Hurricane Donna in 1960 looms large among Orlando storm memories
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/os-fe-joy-wallace-dickinson-1009-20221010-icmgsii7nnbcvjdgfyxcxbt6bu-story.html

From Joy Wallace Dickinson at The Sentinel 
 

[spenser1058]

Tonight, UCF plays its 100th game at the Bounce House. Marc Daniels looks at how a committed group of folks who fought the odds to make it happen (if you think it was easy, see USF, who has been trying to build a campus on stadium since 1957 and hasn’t done it yet).

He also notes the indifference of Orlando leaders, who were less than helpful about the idea of the Citrus Bowl upgrades the school requested (“where else are they going to play?”). 

It’s a success story and tonight’s a great night to celebrate as the team dons this year’s Space uniforms, acknowledging the school’s ties with NASA and call themselves by the historic name of The Citronauts.

It’s also a great time to think about what this community can accomplish when it sets its mind to it, instead of making endless excuses to accept the status quo.

Orlando, Charge On!

https://969thegame.iheart.com/featured/beat-of-sports/content/2022-10-13-marc-daniels-the-built-it-they-came-and-its-paying-off/

Edited October 13, 2022 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

New Smyrna’s beach was once Coronado 
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/os-fe-joy-wallace-dickinson-1016-20221016-adilu3pyyjf3fahimjvy2w74ym-story.html

From Joy Wallace Dickinson at The Sentinel 
 

[spenser1058]

Did you know Walt’s parents, who were married in Lake County, once managed a Daytona Beach hotel before they moved to Chicago (where Walt was born - that house has been restored, btw)?

Also, some pics of the Cherry Plaza (now Post Parkside), the Robert Meyer (now the Metropolitan) and the Hilton Inn South, which was once run by Disney:

https://allears.net/2013/12/16/forgotten-disney-resort-history/

From All Ears
 

[spenser1058]

What’s in a name? The love/hate relationship for the folks of Tampa Bay:

http://www.tampabay.com/life-culture/history/2022/11/16/tampa-bay-is-not-name-city-locals-say-history-proves-it-was/

From the Tampa Bay fka St. Petersburg Times

”People live in Tampa- fish live in Tampa Bay.”

At least they don’t call it South Florida- oh, wait…
 

 

[spenser1058]

The Sentinel’s Joy Wallace Dickinson looks at the history of art deco, the major outpost of it in SoBe and some of the examples here in O-town, including downtown’s Kress.

Sadly, one of the best example of the related streamline moderne in town, the McCrory’s across the street from Kress, fell to the bulldozers of Buddy and Cameron Kuhn.

Art deco style gleams in rare Orlando gems 
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/os-fe-joy-wallace-dickinson-1113-20221113-gmgu62ohwrg5lkaoo5nr42qv6u-story.html
 

[spenser1058]

The story of Dickson Azalea Park and the Washington Street Bridge:

https://www.yourcommunitypaper.com/articles/the-way-we-were-the-beautification-of-orlandos-oldest-park/

From The Community Paper
 

[spenser1058]

In famous — and only — photo of Jose Marti in Tampa, man finds 4 ancestors
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/florida/os-ne-jose-marti-photo-20221125-kbvcam4sufaa7almyysjn4jlsy-story.html

From The Sentinel 

Cuba Libre!
 

[spenser1058]

Let’s take a look back when the French and Spanish were fighting for control of Florida:

https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/fort-caroline-the-french-settlement-on-the-st-johns/

From The Jaxson 

This was all going on before the Pilgrims ever made it to Mass and started hogging all the press as Yankees are wont to do…

 

[spenser1058]

Joy Wallace Dickinson at The Sentinel reminds us of when a visit to our legacy department stores was so much more than just buying stuff:

Holiday season sparks Orlando retail memories 
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/os-fe-joy-wallace-dickinson-1127-20221127-ksq2kbxsf5favdnzu2c3ogvara-story.html

[JFW657]

A view of the original county courthouse building I hadn't seen before:

Rendering of the old Greyhound Bus station at Hughey and Amelia, dated 1961:

 

[angela1117]

7 hours ago, JFW657 said:

A view of the original county courthouse building I hadn't seen before:

Is that the same statue that was moved from Lake Eola to Greenwood cemetery?