This week in West Orange County history

OLD TIMES

80 years ago

Mrs. Robert Davis and Mrs. R.G. Dickson entertained with a luncheon at Lake Butler honoring Mrs. C.M. Biggers on her birthday.

War with Axis calls all American men between the ages of 20 and 44 inclusive to register for military service.

Mayor Frank Roper announced Winter Garden was to have its test blackout Jan. 12.

The Lakeview High senior class raised $517.92 toward a new gymnasium. But under the existing war clouds, the time for building a gymnasium seemed further removed, and the money was used to buy dense bonds.

75 years ago

Dr. Gibbs Ashley was scheduled to be in Apopka at the city jail to inoculate dogs.

70 years ago

Mrs. Hearn Ficquette opened her home Monday night for a benefit Plastic Party for the Episcopal Church.

55 years ago

The Lakeview High School varsity basketball team had a tough schedule facing it. Team members were Pat Lyons, Lex Veech, Johnny Rees, Bill Cappleman, Cal Sadler, Doug Gamble, Chuck Sargent, Larry Graham and Denny Reid. The coach was Dean Craig.

50 years ago

The West Orange YMCA began its first bridge class with Lois Dennis as the Tuesday-morning instructor.

New officers at the West Orange Junior Service League were installed at a luncheon meeting at the Hilton Inn South. They are: Del Heidt, corresponding secretary; Dottie Walker, president; Kathryn Street, second vice president; Carolyn Greer, treasurer; Eva Meridith, board member at large; and Kelly Hicks, corresponding secretary.

“Doc” Howard Tibbals announced he had sold all remaining interest in Tibbals Rexall Drugs in Winter Garden to his junior partner, Jimmy Hendrix. He operated the pharmacy for more than 24 years.

35 years ago

What Father Jim Radebaugh thought was going to be a routine church service turned out to be an overflow crowd at the Church of the Messiah. The parish of the church, together with longtime friends and associates of “Fr. Jim,” observed the 25th anniversary of his ordination.

30 years ago

Winter Garden Postmaster Jim Crowe retired after 30 years of working at the Winter Garden Post Office.

More than 200 citizens went to the Tanner Auditorium in Winter Garden last week to show a strong grassroots support for the kickoff of Friends of Lake Apopka. The new citizens advocacy group was formed to work as a well-informed and well-organized group to review and encourage restoration plans for the sick lake. President Jim Thomas addressed the standing-room-only crowd.

THROWBACK THURSDAY

JAN. 10, 1974

It’s the new year and the perfect time to give your home a furniture makeover. The Badcock Home Furnishings Center, at 1542 Highway 50, Winter Garden, had all the latest styles in its showroom and advertised in “The Winter Garden Times,” giving readers a glimpse at the furniture store’s offerings.

A china credenza with sliding glass doors and adjustable shelves was available in a walnut finish for $39.88. Old-fashioned platform rockers came in assorted colors and with a choice of 100% nylon face pile or plastic cover for $47.88.

If you were shopping for a new bedroom suite, the Spanish-style, four-piece group was available in a pecan finish “to transform your bedroom to a place of enchantment and warmth.” For $188, you could get a six-drawer double dresser, framed crystal mirror, four-drawer chest and panel bed with footboard. Need a nightstand? It was only $36.95.

A three-piece Dresden living room set featured leather-looking expanded black vinyl “that’s both luxurious and comfortable.” A sofa, love seat and matching chair was less than $400.

FROM THE WINTER GARDEN HERITAGE FOUNDATION ARCHIVES

Exactly 105 years ago this week, workers posed for a photograph in a Winter Garden-area field cultivated by the Tilden family of West Orange County. Names were penciled in on the back of the photo and are almost illegible in many cases.

Front row, left to right: Jim Prevott, Claude Plumer Healan, Elmor Crawford, Mr. Wilpherson, Shorty, Jim Gaddy, Daniel Eubanks, Mr. R. Hearns, Elec Prevatt, Mr. Johns; back row, Jack Bofoa, Brantly Strickland, Mr. Steeples, Charlie, Erst or Carl Healan, George Morse, Sam Hodge, Will Morris, John Bofoa, Ralph Howard, Mr. McLane, Jet, Mr. Smith and foreman Mr. Crofford.

The Winter Garden Heritage Foundation will present a new exhibit in March titled “Tilden: The Story of a Family.” If anyone knows of any proper identification or spellings for this image, they are asked to contact the Winter Garden Heritage Foundation at (407) 656-3244.