West Orange County history

FROM THE WGHF ARCHIVES

A poster produced by E.M. Tanner advertising turkeys for sale during the holidays. The family property on Avalon Road shared the neighborhood with lush orange groves, vegetable fields and cottages built during the 1920s land boom. Written on the reverse of this poster: "Mr. Tanner raised turkeys in the 1950s out at Avalon southwest of Winter Garden. He gave away as many as he sold probably!"

THESE OLD TIMES

70 years ago

Raymond G. Dickson, General Electric dealer, has leased the west storeroom in the new Chicone block on Plant Street in Winter Garden. Dickson said, “G.E. days are here again and in my new quarters we will display all of the General Electric development.”

50 years ago

Windermere Mayor-Town Manager Dean Kinzey appointed a committee of three, including himself, to lay the foundation for employing a full-time town manager. Charles Green and Carolyn Greer completed the committee.

Winter Garden Mayor-elect Ray Spears was sworn in last Thursday evening by out-going mayor C.H. Johnson. After swearing in Spears as new mayor, Johnson said: “I’d like to thank those people who voted for me. … I know I am leaving the office in good hands.”

45 years ago

The 1970 West Orange Debutantes are Nancy Bock, Ann Duppenthaler, Carol Farnsworth, Janet McMillan, Jill Pitchford, Leslie Stanford, Linda Wiltse and Sallie Youngblood.

35 years ago

Vera Carter was sworn in as Orange County Commissioner for District 1. Administering the oath of office was fellow Windermere resident Judge Winifred Sharp of the 5th District Court of Appeal.

25 years ago

Dr. James L. Schott, superintendent of Orange County Public Schools, cut the ribbon to dedicate Bay Meadows Elementary. Melanie Craig is the principal, and the mascot is the Koala.

10 years ago

Diane Black and Katie Ozdemir created their second Wings of Hope calendar, which focuses on the beauty of children with cancer. One of the children featured was 10-year-old Kyle Piveral, a survivor from Ocoee.

THROWBACK THURSDAY

Did you drive “America’s favorite V-8” in the 1950s? An advertisement in the Nov. 23, 1951, issue of Winter Garden Times touted the “Fordomatic Drive” in new Ford automobiles, and you could buy one at Winter Garden Ford Inc., at 236 E. Plant St. According to Winter Garden Heritage Foundation archives, that area has also been home to Oscar Bryan Ford, Winter Garden Motor Company, Coffey-Girvin Ford and Rogers-Brownlee Ford. That strip of land is now residential.