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

OLD TIMES / THE WAYS WE WERE

Excerpts from the newspaper archives:

80 years ago

J.K. Keller left Saturday to spend a few days with relatives in Brevard, North Carolina, and during his absence, Tena Britt was scheduled to work with Emily Keller selling drivers licenses at the T and G office.

70 years ago

The Lions Club planned a fish fry at the picnic grounds on Lake Apopka’s shorefront near the city auditorium in Winter Garden Shores.

Mr. R.E. Rogers returned from a two-week trip to Washington State and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He went to Yakima, Washington, with a party to attend the Apple Convention.

Mr. and Mrs. B.R. Briley and daughter Jane returned from a month’s vacation at Waynesville, North Carolina.

Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy Pitchford and daughter Jill returned from a visit in Kentucky with his mother.

55 years ago

The kindergarten of the First Baptist Church School was expanded to three 5-year-old classes and one 4-year-old class.

50 years ago

What started out as a relaxed Sunday afternoon of tennis turned into some moments of terror for a group of Bay Hill residents. Tennis pro Todd Harris was at the courts with some players when black clouds came rolling in and swirling menacingly. Racing to safety from the tornado were Bill and Greta Shores and son Paul; Dick Kelley and his children, Donna, Richard and Exie; Paul Wiltsie; Jerry Buys; and Gary Gilpin. They huddled against the wall of the small tennis shelter. The roof was ripped off, but no one was injured.

Breaking all previous figures, Valencia Community College registration for the fall semester passed the 6,000-student mark. This was a 10% increase over the fall semester a year prior.

Hilton Teal, Ag Tec national sales manager, presented the Top Dealer of the Year award to Mr. and Mrs. Russell S. Pounds, who represented Pounds Motor Company, Winter Garden.

40 years ago

Representing the Windy Acres 4-H Club of Clarcona, 13-year-old Scott West, son of Milton and Sheila West, won first place in the State 4-H Horse Show and the trophy for State Grand Champ 4-H Gelding. In the state competition, West, riding Bay Wine, was first in Halter, first in Handy Hunter, third in Showmanship and sixth in Riding (Pleasure Class).

20 years ago

Frances, the third hurricane to hit Central Florida, took her time leaving the area, dumping a ton of rain across Central Florida. The Butler Chain of Lakes reached a 100-year high of 102.3 feet above sea level.

THROWBACK THURSDAY

SEPT. 12, 1974

The first OrlandoCon was held in 1974 at the Howard Johnson’s hotel at Interstate 4 and U.S. 50 in downtown Orlando. An ad in The Winter Garden Times announced co-sponsors were Charlie Roberts, Rich Kravitz, Neil Austin, Rob Word and Jim Ivey. For $2 ($2.50 at the door), guests could meet with comic and cartoon artists such as Roy Crane, C.C. Beck, Ralph Dunagin, Hal Foster and Bill Perry.

Rare comic art was on display from the Cartoon Museum, and door prizes include original comic art and autographed cartoon books. Golden-age TV shows were shown throughout the day.

FROM THE WINTER GARDEN HERITAGE FOUNDATION ARCHIVES

Here’s a photo from the Winter Garden Heritage Foundation Archive showing “the boys of summer,” specifically the Winter Garden Little League Lions. The WGHF is depending on history sleuths to date this setting and to supply or correct the names of the young men. Back row, Bill Cappleman?, left, Gene Heidt? Denny Reid, David Ashley and Ed Duppenthaler? Front row, Chris Brown, left, Gary Lee or Craig Lee, and Doyle Lowery? To provide a name or correction, contact the WGHF at (407) 656-3244.