Winter Park, Florida
Winter Park, Florida | ||
---|---|---|
City | ||
City of Winter Park | ||
FIPS code 12-78300[2] | | |
GNIS feature ID | 0293428[3] | |
Website | cityofwinterpark |
Winter Park is a city in Orange County, Florida, United States. The population was 29,795 according to the 2020 census. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Winter Park was founded as a resort community by northern business magnates in the late 19th and early 20th centuries^ . Its main street, called Park Avenue, is located in the middle of town. It includes civic buildings, retail, art galleries, a private liberal arts college (Rollins College), museums, a park, a train station, a golf course country club, a historic cemetery, and a beach and boat launch.
History
The Winter Park area's first human residents were migrant
The area did not develop rapidly until 1880, when a
In 1885, a group of businessmen started the
In 1885, the
Presidential visits
The first president to visit was
The following four years both hotel and the town became a fashionable
President Barack Obama visited Rollins College on August 2, 2012, to give a speech that was part of his re-election campaign. An interesting note on recent Presidential elections is that Orange County, the county Winter Park is in, was one of the bluest counties in Florida. Although Winter Park is a large mix of both conservative and liberal constituents. However, this mix is evident in US Congressional District 7's last two representatives. Former Republican Congressman John Mica lost reelection in 2016 to newcomer and Democrat Stephanie Murphy. Both have had a lot of support from both sides of the aisle and Murphy is credited with being one of the most centrist representatives in Congress today.
Winter Park Public Library
The
Peacocks
In 1904, Charles Hosmer Morse became the biggest landowner in Winter Park. His patronage continued in the 1920s, when he purchased a 200-acre parcel between lakes Virginia, Berry, and Mizell. In 1945, Morse's granddaughter Jeannette and her husband Hugh McKean moved to the land, and soon after they added peacocks. Now, the land is a nature preserve that houses an orange grove and over 30 peacocks. Winter Park locals consider the peacock to be a pet to the entire community. The peacock is on the official Winter Park seal, is featured in a number of official city documents, and is protected by the community. Peacocks often roam around in neighborhoods, especially throughout the community of Windsong, where residents are often seen taking care of them.[8][9]
The Winter Park Sinkhole
It has been suggested that this section be Winter Park sinkhole. (Discuss ) (December 2021) |
In 1972, Henry Swanson, an agricultural agent and "resident layman expert on Central Florida water," wrote a letter to the editor warning Orange County mayors of the sinkhole danger that could be posed by overdevelopment and excessive groundwater use. Swanson predicted that the west Winter Park area would be especially at risk.[10] In May 1981, during a period of record-low water levels in Florida's limestone aquifer, a massive sinkhole opened near the corner of Denning Drive and Fairbanks Avenue.
The sinkhole first appeared on the evening of May 8, 1981, near the house of Winter Park resident Mae Rose Williams.[11][12] Within a few hours, a 40-year-old sycamore tree near her house had fallen into the sinkhole.[11][13] The next morning, the hole expanded to nearly 40 feet (12 m) wide.[13] In a story in the Orlando Sentinel, she said that as the sun rose, she heard a noise "like giant beavers chewing" as the hole began to devour more of her land. The hole was collapsing rapidly.[13] By noon, as she realized that her home was slipping into the expanding hole, she and the family evacuated and removed their belongings. That afternoon her house fell into the sinkhole, and within a few hours the house was irrevocably on its way into the sinkhole's center, headed to unknown depths.
The hole eventually widened to 320 feet (98 m) and to a depth of 90 feet (27 m). The following fell into the sinkhole: five Porsches at a repair shop, a pickup truck with camper top, the Winter Park municipal pool, and large portions of Denning Drive.[14] By May 9, nearly 250,000 cubic yards (190,000 m3) of earth had fallen into the sinkhole. Damage was estimated at $2 million to $4 million.[10] On May 9, 1981, the sinkhole grew to a record size, gulping down 250,000 cubic yards of soil and taking with it the deep end of an Olympic-size swimming pool, chunks of two streets and Williams' three-bedroom home and yard. Florida engineers have described the event as "the largest sinkhole event witnessed by man as a result of natural geological reasons or conditions."[13] They based their statements on his study of 2,000 sinkholes over more than 40 years. That opinion was echoed by Ardaman & Associates, a local engineering consulting firm.
The sinkhole drew national attention and became a popular tourist attraction during the summer of 1981. A carnival-like atmosphere arose around the area, with vendors selling food, balloons, and T-shirts to visitors. The city of Winter Park sold sinkhole photographs for promotional and educational purposes.[10] On July 9, 1981, Winter Park began selling sinkhole photographs to educate the community about sinkholes and to promote tourism. The sinkhole began to fill with water that summer, but on July 19, the water level suddenly dropped by a reported 15 to 20 feet (4.6 to 6.1 m).[10]
As the novelty wore off, the city worked to repair the damage. Workers were able to recover four of the six vehicles that fell into the sinkhole, including the travel trailer, whose owner drove it away, and three of the five Porsches. The other two remain at the bottom of the lake with Mae Rose Owens' home. Engineers filled in the bottom with dirt and concrete.[11] Diver reports from 2009 suggest that the lake has since been used to dispose of unwanted vehicles.[13] Besides a 1987 incident in which the bottom of the lake suddenly dropped 20 feet (6.1 m), causing erosion on the southern rim, the stabilized sinkhole has been generally quiet.[10]
The Langford Resort Hotel
The Langford Hotel served as a gateway to "Old Florida" attractions in Central Florida and a community social hub for decades.
Famous guests included Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, Larry King, Hugh Hefner, John Denver, Langford winter resident Lady Bird Johnson, and President Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy Reagan, who celebrated their 24th wedding anniversary there.[15] Reagan gave a campaign speech at Rollins College and stayed at the Langford in 1976.
The Langford was celebrated in a party in late 1999, closed, and was demolished.[16] A portion of the former Langford property (as of mid-2009) has been developed into luxury mid-rise condominiums. The remaining parcel was redeveloped and in 2014, a boutique hotel named the Alfond Inn, owned and operated by Rollins College[17] opened at the site of the original Langford Hotel. The Alfond Inn was built with a $12.5 million grant from the Harold Alfond Foundation. Net operating income from the Inn is directed to The Alfond Scholars program fund, the College's premier scholarship fund.[18]
The Temple Grove
An orange grove, known as the Temple Grove, stood on the south side of Palmer Avenue just east of Temple Drive. The
The Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival
The Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival is one of the nation's oldest, largest juried outdoor art festivals, rated among the top shows by Sunshine Artist and American Style magazines.[19] In 2012, about 1,200 artists from around the world applied for entry, and an independent panel of judges selected 225 national and international artists to attend the show. The National Endowment for the Arts, the White House, Congress, and many others have lauded the Festival for promoting art and art education in Central Florida. An all-volunteer board of directors runs the annual festival.[20]
Geography
The city is northeast of and adjacent to Orlando. Elevation ranges between 66 and 97 feet (20 and 30 m) above sea level.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10.2 square miles (26.3 km2), of which 8.7 square miles (22.5 km2) is land and 1.5 square miles (3.9 km2) (14.62%) is water.[21] It is nestled among the Winter Park Chain of Lakes, a series of lakes interconnected by a series of navigable canals, which were originally created for flood control and to run logs to a sawmill on present-day Lake Virginia. The lakes are popular for boating, watersports, fishing and swimming.
The city is traversed by the old East Florida and Atlantic Railroad ("Dinky Line") railroad bed, which until the 1960s had a stop at Lake Virginia/Rollins College at the city park now known as Dinky Dock. Much of this right of way has been converted to a rail-trail pedestrian/biking path in the form of the Cady Way Trail, which leads from Cady Way Park toward the Baldwin Park neighborhood and downtown Orlando, and in the opposite direction to Oviedo and beyond (via the Florida Trail), due to a new pedestrian bridge spanning Semoran Boulevard (SR 436) in Orange County.
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1890 | 270 | — | |
1900 | 366 | 35.6% | |
1910 | 570 | 55.7% | |
1920 | 1,078 | 89.1% | |
1930 | 3,686 | 241.9% | |
1940 | 4,715 | 27.9% | |
1950 | 8,250 | 75.0% | |
1960 | 17,162 | 108.0% | |
1970 | 21,895 | 27.6% | |
1980 | 22,339 | 2.0% | |
1990 | 22,242 | −0.4% | |
2000 | 24,090 | 8.3% | |
2010 | 27,852 | 15.6% | |
2020 | 29,795 | 7.0% | |
U.S. Decennial Census[22] Florida Department of Agriculture[23] |
Race | Pop 2010[24] | Pop 2020[25] | % 2010 | % 2020 |
---|---|---|---|---|
White (NH)
|
22,755 | 21,852 | 81.70% | 73.34% |
Black or African American (NH)
|
2,034 | 2,055 | 7.30% | 6.90% |
Alaska Native (NH)
|
35 | 40 | 0.13% | 0.13% |
Asian (NH) | 632 | 1,061 | 2.27% | 3.56% |
Native Hawaiian (NH)
|
5 | 8 | 0.02% | 0.03% |
Some other race (NH)
|
52 | 143 | 0.19% | 0.48% |
Two or more races/Multiracial (NH) | 396 | 1,119 | 1.42% | 3.76% |
Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1,943 | 3,517 | 6.98% | 11.80% |
Total | 27,852 | 29,795 |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 29,795 people, 13,072 households, and 7,055 families residing in the city.[26]
As of the census of 2020, the population density was 3,401.6 inhabitants per square mile (1,283.97/km2). There were 14,073 housing units at an average density of 1,606.5 per square mile (620.3/km2).
In 2020, there were 13,072 households, out of which 22.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.0% were married couples living together, 33.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 7.3% were non-families. 33.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.96.
In 2020, in the city the population was spread out, with 3.5% under the age of 5, 17.3% under the age of 18, 82.7% aged 18 years and over, and 22.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.3 years.
As of the 2010 United States census, there were 27,852 people, 11,995 households, and 6,419 families residing in the city.[27]
Economy
Personal income
As of 2020, the median income for a household in the city was $80,500, and the median income for a family was $130,120. Males had a median income of $83,738 versus $58,277 for females. The
However, also in 2020,[28] these incomes are very divided based on where you live within Winter Park. The area to the northeast of Park Ave is the most affluent part with an average household income of $44,000. There are still houses with significant higher incomes within these parts. The “Via” streets are one of the most affluent neighborhoods. This area includes the Isle of Sicily, a private drive that juts out into Lake Maitland with extremely expensive houses and residents such as Doc Rivers and Carrot Top. To the east of Park Ave, the area is slightly less affluent with an average household income of $32,000. Many of these are still very expensive lakefront properties. The lowest income area is to the west of Park Ave with an average household income of $23,000. Many of these houses include those built by the non-profit organization Habitat for Humanity. There is no local middle or elementary school for this area.
Tourism
Scenic Olde Winter Park area is punctuated by small, winding brick streets, and a canopy of old southern
Within the city is the Mead
Industry
Bonnier Corporation is based in Winter Park. D100 Radio was founded here and is still present in Winter Park.
According to the City's 2021 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[32] the top employers in the city are:
# | Employer | # of Employees |
---|---|---|
1 | AdventHealth Winter Park | 1,600 |
2 | Gecos Inc | 1,400 |
3 | Orange County Public Schools | 650 |
4 | Rollins College | 645 |
5 | City of Winter Park | 535 |
6 | Publix Super Markets | 300 |
Education
Winter Park is served by Orange County Public Schools.
Elementary schools
- Aloma Elementary School[33]
- Brookshire Elementary School
- Lakemont Elementary School
Middle school
- Glenridge Middle School
High schools
Private schools
- Chesterton Academy of Orlando
- St. Margaret Mary Catholic School (K-8)
- The Geneva School (K-12)
- The Parke House Academy
- Trinity Preparatory School
Higher learning
- Crealde School of Art[34]
- Fortis College, Winter Park Campus
- Full Sail University
- Rollins College
- Valencia College, Winter Park Campus
- Winter Park Tech
Transportation
Public Transit
- Lynx
- Winter Park station (SunRail/Amtrak)
Major Roads
- I-4 (Interstate 4)
- US 17 / US 92 (Orlando Avenue)
- SR 423 (Lee Road)
- SR 426 (Fairbanks Avenue / Aloma Avenue)
- SR 527 (Orange Avenue)
Sites of interest
- Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens
- All Saints Episcopal Church
- Annie Russell Theatre
- Casa Feliz Historic House Museum
- Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art
- Comstock-Harris House
- D100 Studio One (closed to the public)
- Downtown Winter Park Historic District
- Edward Hill Brewer House
- Hannibal Square
- Hannibal Square Heritage Center
- Knowles Memorial Chapel
- Kraft Azalea Park
- Lake Baldwin Park
- Mead Botanical Garden
- Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church
- Rollins Museum of Art
- Scenic Boat Tours off East Morse Boulevard
- Winter Park Historical Museum[35]
- Winter Park Farmers' Market
- Winter Park Public Library[36]
- Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival
- Woman's Club of Winter Park
Notable people
- Dorothy Deming, nurse and author.
- George Eddy, US-French basketball player and basketball commentator.
- Theodore Miller Edison, youngest son of inventor Thomas Edison.[37]
- Samuel Gibbs French, Confederate Major General.
- Logan Gilbert, Baseball Player.
- US Army major general.[38]
- Chris McKay, American film director.[39]
- Helen Monsch, Cornell University professor, died in Winter Park
- Stephanie Murphy, Congressperson.
- Hasidic Billboard chartingmusic artist and 30 Under 30 Tech entrepreneur
- Fred Rogers, television host and children's entertainer. Rogers graduated from Winter Park's Rollins College, where he also met his future wife, Joanne. In later years, they spent most winters in the town.[40]
- Austin Russell, billionaire tech CEO.[41]
- Willie Snead, National Football League wide receiver.
- Forrest Wall, professional baseball player
See also
References
- ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ [1], Rollins College. Accessed August 28, 2023.
- ^ [2], Rollins College: Tuition & Fees. Accessed August 28, 2023.
- ^ "2023 Most Expensive Florida Colleges", College Tuition Prepare. Accessed August 28, 2023.
- ^ [3], Crummer Graduate School of Business. Accessed August 28, 2023.
- ^ Mooney, Anne (July 14, 2022). "Beware the Cock of the Walk". Winter Park Voice: A Policy & Issues News Magazine. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
- ^ "Peacock preserve". West Orange Times & Observer. August 12, 2010. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e Robinson, Jim (December 27, 1987). "A Sinkhole Chronology". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved March 5, 2013.
In letters to all of the mayors in Orange County, Henry Swanson, agricultural agent and resident layman expert on Central Florida water, warns that if local governments continue to allow too much water to be drawn from the ground and allow developers to cover the land with buildings and parking lots, they can expect sinkholes, especially in the west Winter Park area.
- ^ a b c Grove, Jim (November 15, 1996). "In 1981, World Was Riveted by the Saga of the Sinkhole". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved March 5, 2013.
On Friday evening, May 8, 1981, Mae Rose Owens - now Mae Rose Williams - was playing with her dog, Muffin, in the front yard of her home on West Comstock Avenue on the west side of Winter Park when she heard a 'queer, swishing' noise.
- ^ "Pictures: Winter Park sinkhole". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 5, 2013.
In 1981, Mae Rose Williams with her dog Muffin, the pooch who stood outside barking fiercely when the Winter Park sinkhole started to open.
- ^ a b c d e Rajtar, Gayle and Steve (May 2010). "That Sinking Feeling: When Mae Rose Owens heard a 'ploop' back in May 1981, she didn't realize just how big a hole she was in". Winter Park Magazine. Retrieved March 5, 2013.
When she looked outside, she saw a sycamore tree disappear as if it were being pulled downward by the roots, making a sound that she described as a 'ploop.'
- ^ "Winter Park sinkhole photo gallery". Chicago Tribune.
- ^ Facts taken from original Langford Hotel property promotional material.
- ^ "Langford Hotel History". Wppl.org. Retrieved January 5, 2012.
- ^ "Rollins seeks developer, architect for proposed inn". Orlando Business Journal. February 8, 2010.
- ^ "THE BOUTIQUE HOTELS FLORIDA EXPERIENCE". The Alfond Inn. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
- ^ "Show Review Archives". Sunshine Magazine.
- ^ "51st Annual Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival". WFTV.
- ^ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Winter Park city, Florida". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2012.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
- ^ Florida Department of Agriculture (1906). Census of the State of Florida. Urbana, I.L.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Winter Park city, Florida". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Winter Park city, Florida". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "S1101 HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES - 2020: Winter Park city, Florida". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "S1101 HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES - 2010: Winter Park city, Florida". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "The Opportunity Atlas". opportunityatlas.org.
- ^ Connolly, Patrick (March 17, 2022). "Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival returns with 215 artists on Park Avenue". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
- ^ "Mead Botanical Garden". City of Winter Park. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
- ^ "History of Mead Botanical Garden". Mead Botanical Garden. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
- ^ "City of Winter Park 2021 ACFR" (PDF). Retrieved October 5, 2022.
- ^ "Aloma Elementary School". Eal.ocps.net. Retrieved January 5, 2012.
- ^ "Crealde School of Art". Crealde.org. Retrieved January 5, 2012.
- ^ "Winter Park Historical Association & Museum". Winterparkhistorical.com. Retrieved January 5, 2012.
- ^ "Winter Park Public Library". Wppl.org. December 6, 2011. Retrieved January 5, 2012.
- ^ McLeod, Emily (March 30, 2023). "Look inside historic Winter Park home of Tom Edison's son, now up for sale". WKMG. Retrieved May 13, 2023.
- Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Chris McKay". IMDb. Retrieved May 13, 2023.
- ^ Owen, Rob (March 18, 2022). "Spend a beautiful day in Mister Rogers' Florida neighborhood". TribLIVE.com. Retrieved May 13, 2023.
- ^ McClain, James (December 9, 2021). "Turns Out a 26-Year-Old Billionaire Bought That $83 Million Palisades House". DIRT. Retrieved May 13, 2023.