This week in West Orange County history: April 4, 2024

OLD TIMES

80 years ago

The barber situation in Winter Garden was becoming critical. The year prior, one shop closed for lack of barbers and consolidated with the only one left and operated by Reeves. And then, three of the barbers in this shop were called into service and were to leave soon after: Doc Reeves, Edra Reeves and Allen Bland. This left only two barbers for the whole town.

Holders of “C” gasoline ration books were required to have their tires inspected every three months.

70 years ago

Pounds Motor Company won eighth place in the entire United States in volume of sales for the J.I. Case Company. Mr. and Mrs. Hoyle Pounds won an all-expenses paid trip to Burlington, Iowa, and a visit to the six Case plants.

Mrs. George Akin entertained a group of boys at a stag dinner in her home honoring her son, Steve, on his ninth birthday.

Weekend specials at the Piggly Wiggly grocery in Winter Garden featured 10 pounds of potatoes for 25 cents, 10 cans of orange juice for 99 cents, pork roast at 49 cents per pound, stewing hens at 49 cents per pound and four ears of corn for 29 cents.

The 2,000th telephone in the Winter Garden Exchange was installed in the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Lester Austin Jr., on North Dillard Street. This installation was consistent with the 185% increase in telephones of the Florida Telephone Corporation in the last eight years.

50 years ago

Food World advertised its weekly specials: bananas for 9 cents per pound, a 32-ounce bottle of Stokely’s Gatorade for 34 cents, Grey Poupon mustard for 41 cents, Folgers Instant Coffee for $1.55, whole fryers from Georgia for 45 cents per pound, a dozen medium eggs for 63 cents, a six-pack of Old Milwaukee beer for $1.09 and an 8-ounce package of Kraft’s Tasty Buttermints for 39 cents.

40 years ago

Science Fair winners at Lakeview Jr. High School were Talley Wells, second place, Physical; Jocelynn Watson, third place, Physical; Scott Ritchey, third place, Biological; Raymond Higgs, fourth place, Biological; Kari Turk, first place, Biological; Adele Judy, second place, Biological; Meridith Hobbins, fifth place, Physical; Shara Garwood, first place, Physical; Lee Jackson, fifth place, Biological; and Mike Casterline, fourth place, Physical. Turk received an honorable mention for the county.

Scott Morris, a junior at West Orange High School, became a double winner when he landed first place in the annual Society of the Sons of the American Revolution Oratory Contest and was selected for the Student Intern Program sponsored by Congressman Bill Nelson.

THROWBACK THURSDAY

APRIL 7, 1966

“As Seen on TV” advertisements were around at least as far back as 1966, when Bray Hardware Co. in downtown Winter Garden offered solutions for storing stacks of pots and pans, dishes, utensils, food, cooking ingredients and all other kitchen items.

The Winter Garden Times published an ad for Rubbermaid kitchen organizers, including carousels, turntables, slide-out drawers and racks, available in Bray’s houseware department.

FROM THE WINTER GARDEN HERITAGE FOUNDATION ARCHIVES

This photograph ran in The West Orange Times April 4, 1985 — 39 years ago. It featured Mrs. Dotson Ellis, left; Lady Warriors Head Coach Denny Bodenmiller; and Ellis’ daughter, Maxine Risper. The women were guests of honor at the first Pops Ellis Tourney, hosted by the West Orange Girls Club softball league at clubhouse a week earlier. The club, begun in 1978, is the “only all-girl recreation league in Central Florida.”