This week in West Orange County history

OLD TIMES

80 years ago

Lakeview High School has organized a student band but has no musical instruments or the wherewithal to purchase some. Donations so far include a trumpet from Mark Britt; clarinets from W.C. Carraway, Roy Fulmer and Henry Britt; and five drums on loan by the American Legion.

Ocoee voters, 283 strong, went to the polls and elected a new mayor, R.M. Johnston.

50 years ago

The William G. Cook Laundromat in Winter Garden will donate all receipts from its dryers for one day to the fund for uniforms and instruments for the Lakeview High School Band.

45 years ago

From Editor’s Notebook: Here come the bands! The largest sales force in West Orange County will be selling subscriptions to the Winter Garden Times in upcoming weeks. Both the Lakeview and Ocoee high bands, are participating. The Times is raising its price to 15 cents, so the $5 annual subscription price is a real bargain.

30 years ago

The miracle of television made it possible for all of us to share in the momentous events taking place in Berlin, but Ward and Judy Britt can tell you there’s no substitute for “being there.” The Winter Garden couple have called West Berlin “home” since 1986 when Ward was based there as a pilot for Pan Am. Judy was pictured in The West Orange Times posing with an East German guard — unheard of before the opening of the Berlin wall.

10 years ago

Dennis Foltz, a Clermont resident with Oakland ties, has stepped forward and agreed to serve as interim manager for the town of Oakland until a permanent manager can be located.

THROWBACK THURSDAY

The Times

Nov. 6, 1980

Remember picking out just the right stone color and images for your class ring? And the excitement of slipping on that ring to signify you were seniors? Pittman Jeweler once was located in downtown Winter Garden, and the jewelry store was one of many that sold these special rings to high schoolers.

Owner Leroy Pittman advertised an assortment of rings in a variety of metals and styles in the Nov. 6, 1980, issue of The Times. Diamonds could be incorporated into the design for an additional cost.

FROM THE WGHF ARCHIVES

Members of the Central Florida Railroad Museum recently shared this postcard showing the east side of the Atlantic Coast Line railroad depot. It was constructed in 1906 to replace an original depot located further east. A wooden structure, unidentified, stands at right. In the distance, on West Plant Street, the water tank that provided water to steam locomotives stands at the railroad tracks in the vicinity of Boyd Street. The wooden depot was replaced by a brick structure in 1923, which serves today as the Winter Garden Heritage Museum.

Pay a visit the Winter Garden Heritage Museum and the Central Florida Railroad Museum — open daily from 1 to 5 p.m. — to view images and artifacts related to West Orange County history.