HISTORY: West Orange County of yesteryear for week of March 13, 2025

OLD TIMES / THE WAYS WE WERE

Excerpts from the newspaper archives:

80 years ago

Members of the Oakland Scout Troop 47, with H.K. Winter as scoutmaster, enjoyed an overnight hike to Lake Saddle Pocket. The boys held court, and two were found guilty of scout law violations. Present were Sherrell Winter, Dave Stanford, Joe Waldrop, Hugh Connell, Robert Hussey, Lowell Teal, Billy Hawthorne, Robert Hull, Bruce Briley, Byron Crowley, Edwin Brock, Ronald Clonts, Bobby Walker and Herman Bekemeyer.

Louis A. and Mildred B. Hornstein of Winter Garden purchased the residence of Mabel Pauline McKinnon in Tildenville, according to papers filed in the office of Clarence Gay, clerk of circuit court.

55 years ago

Bill People and his son, Stewart, headed for Clermont on what was supposed to be a day of fishing. Instead, Bill killed 24 rattlesnakes, which abruptly ended the day of fishing. One of the rattlers was 14 feet, 10 inches long.

50 years ago

From Editor’s Notebook: One of our readers sent us a clipping that said: “Most anyone can be an editor. All an editor has to do is sit at a desk six days a week, four weeks a month, 12 months a year and edit such stuff as ‘Mrs. Jones of Winter Garden let a can opener slip last week and cut herself in the pantry.’’

A unique shopping village with an old-world flavor was set to open at Lake Buena Vista, with boutiques, craft shops and intimate restaurants along a charming marina waterfront. The Village was to provide a European-style shopping experience rather than a modernistic mall concept.

45 years ago

“Oliver,” directed by Kathy Shields, was a smash hit at Lakeview Junior High School. Among the students in the cast were Philip Kufeldt in the title role, Michael Lynch as the Artful Dodger, Kelly Smith as Fagin, David Fleming as Bill Sykes, Kimmie Bohart, Judy Deeb, Kathryn Garrison, Kristin Garrison, Robert Matheison, Melissa Messeguer, Jerry Price and James Savoie.

40 years ago

First-place winners in Ocoee Junior High School’s annual Science Fair were Philip Campbell, Tim Eastham, Claire Conry, Bobby Foley, Matthew Vail, Brian Hey, Laura Harper, Anne-Marie Conry, Donald Crawford, Roy Pettis, Bobby Barton, Lisa Swinson and Jennifer Auer.

Lakeview Middle School’s Quiz Bowl team held its third match and brought home its third victory by defeating Lockhart 200-70. Players for Lakeview in the match were captain Bobby Vecchi, co-captain Ben Lagow, Mark Floer, Tim Schuwerk, Dale McDowell and alternates Jocelynn Watson and Alex Korovin.

THROWBACK THURSDAY

MARCH 12, 1970

The advertisements in the 1970s had a certain flair about them, with their swirls and flowers and funky fonts. Graphics weren’t readily available as they are today either, so some product ads tended to use the same images.

Florida Power was a regular advertiser in The Times, including one in the March 12, 1970, edition that urged homeowners to switch to electric comfort conditioning.

“You’ll find there’s nothing quite like the satisfying, overall warmth of electric heat or the refreshing coolness of electric air-conditioning,” the ad read.

“And what could be more convenient. There’s no worry or bother. No pilot lights to be cleaned. No burners to be adjusted. There are no fuel tanks. No sooty dirt.”

FROM THE WINTER GARDEN HERITAGE FOUNDATION ARCHIVES

For Oakland residents, here’s something very special from the vast archive. This postcard, dated March 13, 1900, was mailed 125 years ago to Mr. Tom Beaty of Seffner, Florida. Part of the message is missing due to the torn corner, but we can read “Hello Tom. How are you getting along. Here is the picture of some of the stores of Oakland. But it’s not all…Write to me soon, Box 27.”

The Great Freeze of 1894-95 wiped out citrus farming in the region, and the industry took about a decade to recover. Although many growers left West orange County, a few remained and made their fortune planting and shipping vegetables.

The image captures a slumbering Oakland, drowsing through the very end of the 19th century. These wooden shops stood along the south side of Oakland’s “square,” formed by Tubb and Daniels streets, Petris Avenue, and the railroad tracks. They apparently burned in a 1912 fire, soon to be replaced by a two-story building attached to a hardware store.

Newer Oakland residents are encouraged to explore the history of their adopted town by visiting the Winter Garden Heritage Foundation archive at 21 E. Plant St., available from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays.