This week in West Orange County History

OLD TIMES

50 years ago

Mrs. George Bailey (Anne) drove to Atlanta to fetch sons Andrew, 11, and John, 9, who were visiting cousins.

The Calvary Baptist Church Christian Day School was officially launched. It expected to open Sept 8 with grades one through six. The planned enrollment was 84 students.

40 years ago

The Florida Auto Auction of Orlando, which has been located on Mission Road in Pine Hills for the last 10 years, moved to its new $3 million facility just west of the Orange County Services Building in Ocoee.

Minnie Kline, 93, of Windermere was laid to rest. She moved to the town in 1911 with her late husband, Ralph, and they were the owners of the first store and inn in Windermere known as “The Little Inn.” She was the first postmaster of Windermere and was a retired citrus grower and the last surviving charter member of Windermere Union Church.

30 years ago

More than $1 million worth of damage was done by an early morning fire at Giant Recreation World. The four-alarm blaze destroyed the dealership’s showroom and offices, as well as seven campers and a mobile home.

Palm Lake Elementary School was preparing for school to start for its red track. The school’s other track colors were blue, green, orange and yellow.

In the real estate section, a home in Winter Garden’s Valencia Shores was advertised for $128,900. The three bedroom, two-and-one-half bath home on a quiet cul-de-sac included a fireplace, central vacuum and large pool. A 4/2 home in Lake Butler Estates, on a one-acre corner lot between Lake Crescent and the Butler Chain of Lakes, had an asking price of $209,900.

THROWBACK THURSDAY

July 31, 1980 and

Aug. 14, 1980

Win Pendleton was well known in Windermere for his passion for the Rotary Club and his weekly quips in The Times. His jokes ran on the front page for about 30 years as “A Bit of Sunshine,” and he was known as the Sage of Windermere. Anytime you saw Win and Gladys Pendleton out in public, they were wearing matching outfits.

FROM THE WINTER GARDEN HERITAGE FOUNDATION ARCHIVES

It’s National Root Beer Float Day, and nothing sounds more appealing than diving into a cool beverage during these dog days of August. These Lakeview High School students are gathered at Davis Pharmacy, Winter Garden’s “go-to” after-school hangout, in this 1958 photograph. From left, David "Buddy" Berry, Judy Roberson, Faye Moran, Judy Winkler, Mary Frances Irrgang, Ellen Dobson, Rosemary Laney, Charlotte Dickerson, Connie Britt, "Scotty" Vandergrift, David Wilson, Buddy Schmidt, Sarah Nell Rogers and Ann Banks. Davis Pharmacy opened in 1934 and served the community until closing in 1992.