Old Orlando

[depechecureguyorl]

I started this topic simply as a way for all of us Orlando natives (and natives at heart) to post our historical pictures of Orlando or to just reminice about the "old days"...before Disney, to most of us. These two pics I found off of the Central Florida History webpage. The first one is a National Geographic photo of 1973 downtown Orl w/the newly completed Interstate 4 and East-West Expwy in the foreground. The second photo is from a 1980 postcard showing the newly completed Eola Amphitheater in the foreground. If anyone has any other old photos or stories to post regarding Orlando's history, please do so!

[shardoon]

is that part of the M i see in the first pic?

[pip]

Here's some pics i stumbled across online...

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A view of sandy Orange Avenue in the late 1880s. C.A. Boone's Hardware is the foremost building. Cassius Boone's emporium on the northeast corner of Orange and Church Street.

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This undated photo shows the 1892 red brick courthouse in downtown Orlando at the intersection of Central Boulevard and Magnolia (the site is now Heritage Square). The date is likely somewhere in the early 1900s -- the Confederate monument at left (now in Lake Eola Park) was moved in 1917.

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1900 photo of the One North Orange Building, former location of Florida National Bank, corner of Orange Avenue and Central. The old Orange County Courthouse (1892-1958) towers in the backround.

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Downtown Orlando in 1926, on Orange Avenue looking north from Central. Note the number of signs, some very likely electric or neon. The first neon sign in the U.S. was imported from France in 1922.

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This photo of Orlando Fire Department trucks and members was taken about 1928 on Central Boulevard just west of Orange Avenue looking east. The upper left windows are the back of the San Juan Hotel. Chief Dean is in the front truck. The department's 1885 horse-drawn wagon is to the right of the San Juan Cafe entrance.

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Orange Avenue in downtown Orlando in 1940.

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Construction of Interstate 4 through Orlando in 1964.

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June 30, 1969, shows John Young riding in a parade at Colonial Plaza Mall on "John Young Day," after his Apollo 10 flight. Young graduated from Orlando High School in 1948. On May 26, 2005, he returned to Orlando to accept the first John Young History Maker Award from the Historical Society of Central Florida in a fund-raising event at the Orange County Regional History Center.

*ALL PICS COURTESY OF THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA

[pip]

And...just for kicks..

Downtown Orlando - Orange Ave. looking south from Church St. - circa 2004

[bulldogger]

I still think that Orlando should incorporate the CNL I Building into the New Year's celebration every year. Forget about that little 'cheezy' Citrus drop on top of Mako's or whatever bar down on Church Street.

They could start by lighting the ground floor 13 seconds from the start and then light up each floor every second until they hit the purple top and light off some fireworks from the roof and have the whole building blink all the floors for like a minute. Can someone call Seneff or Bourne over there and get this done for '07??

[ryanthegreat]

I still think that Orlando should incorporate the CNL I Building into the New Year's celebration every year. Forget about that little 'cheezy' Citrus drop on top of Mako's or whatever bar down on Church Street.

They could start by lighting the ground floor 13 seconds from the start and then light up each floor every second until they hit the purple top and light off some fireworks from the roof and have the whole building blink all the floors for like a minute. Can someone call Seneff or Bourne over there and get this done for '07??

ingenius!

[snoop]

ingenius!

Interesting to see Turner worked on the San Juan back in 1922... I found this online

North-west Corner of Central and Orange

Constructed: 1885-1886, demolished 1981

Built by Captain C. E. Pierce at a cost of $150,000

Original Owner: Henry S. Kedney (moved from Minnesota to Maitland in 1870 and to Orlando in 1885)

Style: A three-story wood-framed building topped with a dome

Modifications: In 1887, Harry L. Beeman moved to Orlando and bought the San Juan. He added two stories and a new addition for $500,000 c. 1900. In 1903, Beeman added a veranda on the north side. In 1914, Henry Green took charge of $20,000 in alterations including the addition of a laundry room, twelve private baths and the conversion of the barbershop into a caf

[FrigginGr8est]

Hey PIP, is that Sunshine when he was younger in the background of your first pic?

[pip]

Hey PIP, is that Sunshine when he was younger in the background of your first pic?