HISTORY: West Orange County of yesteryear for the week of Dec. 5, 2024

OLD TIMES / THE WAYS WE WERE

From the newspaper archives:

80 years ago

Paul Taylor of Gibsonville, North Carolina, bought the business of W.S. Pounds on Lake Apopka in Winter Garden, well known as Pounds’ Fishing Docks.

The patriotic window display at the Florida Power Corporation’s office in the Edgewood Hotel building was attracting much attention, especially the latest addition pasted on the large 6-foot by 10-foot plate glass —the dove of peace with the olive branch.

The first-floor room to the left-hand entrance of the Edgewater Hotel was leased to Dr. DeLage of the Davis Pharmacy, who had plans to open a gift shop.

Mayor Frank Roper’s timely suggestion at the commission meeting that Winter Garden should have a hospital was met with a hearty response by all the members present and was enthusiastically discussed.

70 years ago

Mr. and Mrs. Jim Bock motored to Fort Myers for the weekend with friends.

Avalon Turkey Farm, 484 White, advertised fresh dressed turkeys at the farm for pickup the week of Christmas.

Mr. and Mrs. Comer Nelson entertained Thanksgiving evening after the football game with a dinner.

45 years ago

Debutantes Janet Hickman and Melodye Hendrix were honored at a party at Rosie O’Grady’s Goodtime Emporium.

Dillard Street Elementary School librarian Frances McKey marked American Education Week and Children’s Book Week by relaxing in the bathtub with a good book. The decoupaged clawfoot tub was a favorite reading spot in the new DSES library.

40 years ago

The following West Orange Debutantes were presented at Bay Hill Country Club: Gretchen Gatewood Britt, Kelly Allayne Broughton, Connie Lynn Cobia, Smilie Lyn Faust, Susan Lee Galbraith, Kristin Ann Garrison, Susan Lynn Grant, Leigh Anne Hargrove, Rena Lynn Heckman, Laura McFarland Marshall, Amanda Gay Maxey, Jennifer Sue Maynes, Mary Beth McCabe, Wendy Ann Myers, Sarah Elizabeth Osburn, Amy Lynn Quesinberry, Alpha Etta Sanders, Lynn Dee Smith, Stephanie Kay Walls and Jamie Kay Weir.

35 years ago

Publix Super Markets delivered an Apple computer to Ocoee Elementary School, a state-of-the-art classroom learning aid that was earned by parents saving gold cash register tapes at Publix. This was the first of many Apple computers to be delivered to area schools. OES planned to earn at least two more.

30 years ago

Wayne Icenhour retired from the U.S. Postal Service after an 18-year career. He was a substitute carrier in Winter Garden for seven years before going to the Windermere Post Office in 1983. His final delivery area was Rural Route 5 near Windermere Elementary School.

THROWBACK THURSDAY

The James Willis home was located on Oakland Avenue in what was always referred to as Tildenville. He and his family arrived with the Luther Fuller Tilden family in 1874 and constructed homes on Tildenville School Road south of Oakland Avenue (the Tilden homes still stand). This second Willis home stood on the south side of today’s State Road 438, a short walk west from Tildenville School Road. The stately Victorian was heavily damaged by a fallen oak tree and demolished; a new home rose on the site in 1954, and it recently has been replaced by a new development.

FROM THE WINTER GARDEN HERITAGE FOUNDATION ARCHIVES

The James Willis home was located on Oakland Avenue in what was always referred to as Tildenville. He and his family arrived with the Luther Fuller Tilden family in 1874 and constructed homes on Tildenville School Road south of Oakland Avenue (the Tilden homes still stand). This second Willis home stood on the south side of today’s State Road 438, a short walk west from Tildenville School Road. The stately Victorian was heavily damaged by a fallen oak tree and demolished; a new home rose on the site in 1954, and it recently has been replaced by a new development.