HISTORY: West Orange County of yesteryear for week of Dec. 12, 2024

OLD TIMES / THE WAYS WE WERE

From the newspaper archives:

80 years ago

The interior of the Winter Garden Café was beautifully redecorated in pastel colors. This is where the Rotary Club held its regular Tuesday luncheon meetings.

Charles H. Jackson of Monroe, Georgia, was appointed as a full-fledged police officer on the local force. Chief Pearl M. Johns said he came highly recommended and was a fearless officer.

The Ocoee High School boys organized an “O” Club in the school under the sponsorship and guidance of Coach Wendell Griffith with the following officers: Don Vandergrift, president; Frankie Watson, vice president; and Keith Stone, secretary and treasurer.

The marriage of Miss Grace Mary Kannon, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Burke Kannon, to Sgt. Boyce Cooper, son of Mr. and Mrs. W.T. Cooper of Gainesville, Georgia, took place at the Baptist church.

70 years ago

Turner’s Oyster Bar on new Highway 50 just east of Ninth Street advertised half large fresh Florida lobster, salad, French fries and hot rolls for $1.10.

R.A. Kerr, phone 314, electric and plumbing, announced the opening of his new location on Highway 50 next to Bob Kerr’s Boats and Motors.

Plant Street was jammed with spectators when Winter Garden’s annual Christmas parade made its appearance at 4 p.m. sharp.

Pvt. Billy Spears left for Europe on a military assignment.

60 years ago

Jimmy Spears, a senior at Lakeview High School was featured in the eighth annual edition of Who’s Who Among American High School Students, 1973-74. Jimmy was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Raymond G. Spears of Winter Garden.

50 years ago

The Winter Garden Dairy Queen on Highway 50 near the KOA Campgrounds was open for business under new management. Jim Fesperman, the new manager, announced many changes: the use of all-beef hamburger, more employees to provide better service and an even cleaner atmosphere than before.

40 years ago

Steve Stanford was chosen to take charge of the First Federal of Osceola Savings and Loan Association office on South Dillard Street in Winter Garden.

35 years ago

The Dr. Phillips YMCA broke ground on its new building, which was expected to be ready in time for the busy summer season. The expansion included an 8,000-square-foot gymnasium, a 1,200-square-foot Nautilus room, a new entrance on the west side, new lobby area and offices. It also called for additional storage and 60 more parking spaces. The gym plans included basketball and volleyball leagues, indoor soccer, teen dances, exercise classes and other activities.

THROWBACK THURSDAY

DECEMBER 4, 1969

The Winter Garden Times was full of advertisements with Christmas gift suggestions that ran the gamut, from jewelry and furniture to meals and services.

Winter’s Radio & TV was selling a Zenith Chromacolor TV with a 23-inch giant screen color TV console in walnut and pecan veneers for $649.95.

Winter Garden Camera Exchange advertised Super 8 Kodak movie cameras from $24.95 to $55.95.

The Winter Garden Times offered a Christmas present that would last all year — a full-year subscription for $3 ($3.50 for out-of-county deliveries).

FROM THE WINTER GARDEN HERITAGE FOUNDATION ARCHIVES

Shared by the Ogletree family, the photograph shows a group selling Christmas seals outside Davis Pharmacy on Plant Street in Winter Garden. The setting appears to have been photographed by professional photographer B.P. Hannon around 1960. The people have not been identified, and so we ask our readers to supply any names.  We presume some of the folks shown are members of the Ogletree family.

The Winter Garden Heritage Foundation preserves a large collection of Hannon’s photographs, an indelible testament to small-town life from the late 1950s through the 1970s.