An Archive of Winter Park, Florida, circa the 1900s
Nature and Leisure among the Winter Park Chain of Lakes, one of Florida’s earliest Winter Resorts
Ah, Florida in the winter! Fishing. Resting in a hammock on the porch. Boating. Taking a drive in a carriage around the lake. It’s all here.
A newly discovered group of 15 photographs of Winter Park, Florida appears to document one family’s winter holiday there around 1900. The sepia-toned photographs show the Smith Family relaxing at their “Winter Residence.” There are also views of scenic lakes, natural canals, and groves of trees covered in Spanish moss.
What we are talking about — Archive of 15 Photographs of Winter Park, Florida, c. 1900. [Winter Park, Florida, c. 1900]. 15 Mounted Photographs. Each 5 x 7 inches overall, images 4¾ x 6¾ inches. Three binding holes punched in left margins.
The landscape-format photographs were likely taken by one photographer. All the photographs are captioned with the same left-slanting handwriting. Each is mounted on the same heavy card stock with gilt edges. The left margin of each photo has three holes, suggesting how they were to be kept together.
Situated in Orange County, Winter Park was firmly established as a winter resort in the 1880s. The railroad came, the town was laid out, and the Seminole Hotel was opened on Lake Osceola.
One of the main features of Winter Park is its Chain of Lakes that are interconnected with narrow canals. Photographs here show “Lake Osceola,” “Evening on Lake Osceola,” “Lake Georgia” and the “Marriage of ‘Muzzell’ [sic] with ‘Virginia.’” The latter reference is to the intersection of Lake Mizell, named for an early settler, and Lake Virginia.
Other photographs in this group show “Smith’s Landing,” Smith’s Fishing Log,” and “Maitland Bridge.” The latter photo shows a man standing on the bridge with a horse and carriage and is further captioned “Geo. Washington rehearsing the ‘Hatchet Story.’” (Perhaps play-acting was a popular winter pastime?)
Scenes of fishing and boating bear such captions as “Do you know what will cure fish-bites?,” “Recreation,” and “Life’s Springtime.” The latter photo shows two boys, one of whom is African-American, in a boat along a canal.
Florida’s tropical flora and geography may have fascinated its winter visitors. One photo shows a lone live oak covered by Spanish moss and another shows a hammock. Not the kind one sleeps in, but hammock as in a stand of trees slightly elevated above the surrounding wetlands.
This cache of 15 photographs captures Winter Park as a wild, jungle-like place transitioning into a winter resort. The photos here don’t show the town, but there are signs of civilization. Bridges, gates, fences, barbed wire, a boathouse, and the Smith’s two-story house.
The Smiths’ photographs offer a genuine taste of paradise; imbued with the comforts of home. Later generations would transform even more the definition of winter resort. With their old collection of photographs in hand, would the Smiths know the Winter Park of today?
