This week in history

THROWBACK THURSDAY

The Winter Garden Times

Jan. 10, 1974

It’s a new year, so how about some up-to-date sounds in your car? The West Orange Music Center, in the West Orange Shopping Center in Winter Garden, was selling the best in musical equipment in a Jan. 10, 1974, advertisement in The Winter Garden Times.

For $39.95, drivers could have an Electrophonic 8-track car stereo and tape player with convenient slide controls for volume, balance and tone; a slide speaker switch for two- and four-speaker operation; an illuminated program indicator; and an automatic and manual program selection.

It’s possible there was no better way to cruise downtown Winter Garden on a Saturday night than with this modern technology.

OLD TIMES

70 years ago

Maybe you folks with an automobile with a 1949 license tag on it had better hustle down to the tax collector’s office at the courthouse and get a ’50 tag by the 15th of the month.

50 years ago

The first of the Walt Disney World buildings — this one a preview center — was opening for tourists. The center will show a panorama of Walt Disney World and will give visitors an insight into the magnitude of the attraction. The building will be part of a $10 million complex of hotels, restaurants, service stations and recreational facilities.

If Orange County School Board Member Lowell Clements has his way, all senior high school students in West Orange County will go to Drew High School next year. He suggested that Drew be designated as the single high school for this area and Lakeview and Ocoee be junior high schools.

45 years ago

Lakeview High School was the site of a promotional effort by Arnold Palmer Enterprises. A number of Lakeview students and a couple of teachers found themselves participating in the making of a film to be shown on commercial television in Japan promoting Arnold Palmer Sportswear. Palmer appeared greeting an old schoolmate who is now a teacher, played by William Fenner, Lakeview science instructor. Ernie Hawk, German instructor, appeared as Palmer’s old high school teacher. Students were seen throughout modeling the sportswear.

25 years ago

The 1994 Debutantes sponsored by the West Orange County Junior Service League were presented at the Orlando Marriott Downtown: Jennifer Austin, Leslie Ann Boers, Jessica French, Jennifer Gurney, Lindsey Harrison, Hilarie Jowers, Dania Manor, Jennifer McGill, Angela McKee, Candon Sadler, Marcia Whittington and Beth Wincey.

FROM THE WINTER GARDEN HISTORY FOUNDATION ARCHIVES

Dated Jan. 12, 1963, this photograph was in an envelope inscribed “Versie Birdsong.” Can anyone supply more information?

The photograph is one of hundreds from the Winter Garden Heritage Foundation’s B.P. Hannon Collection. Hannon (1909-1977), a Winter Garden photographer and camera store owner, documented West Orange County life for decades. A photograph of you or someone you know could be found in the archive. Call (407) 656-3244 to make a research appointment.