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The Absolutely Essential Guide to Winter Park: The Village in the Heart of Central Florida
Tucked near the bustling theme parks of Orlando, Florida, is a little village full of history with a lovely Winter Park, Florida. From its museums to its old-fashioned Central Park--complete with train station--to its chic Park Avenue filled with shops and restaurants, Winter Park is a delightful day trip away from the artificial and into the genuine of Florida's past and present. The Absolutely Essential Guide to Winter Park is a 129-page guide to the little town's history, world-class museums, and delightful destinations, including the Scenic Boat Tour--one of the few genuine eco-tours available in any Florida town. This book is a must read for anyone coming to Central Florida, or any family considering Rollins College for their student. Featuring vintage postcards of Winter Park, the guide is as lovely as the town and is something you'll want to read, enjoy, and share with friends and family.
102 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
2 people want to read
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October 11, 2021
This is a fantastic guide to Winter Park's history and composition from its founding through 2001. At the time of publication it would have also been a fantastic travel guide, as all of the essentials are included as promised. 20 years later, most mentioned restaurants, hotels, and excursions likely need to be verified by an online source to make sure they still exist.
Winter Park was founded as a haven for early snowbirds in 1881 on land rumored to have first been occupied by Osceola, a Seminole Chief. Early Winter Park included hotels, homes, and even an orange grove, though eventually growers were discouraged by the periodic hard freezes that the area experiences. Over the years many buildings were replaced, or destroyed by fire, but a few still remain. Today's Winter Park still welcomes tourists and visitors, but has a much steadier rate of permanent occupation. The city center boasts stores, restaurants, and entertainment, and the lake banks offer spectacular views.
This delightful look at a piece of Florida history is well-organized with chapters on history, the college, things to do, neighborhoods, and even self-guided walking and driving tours around the town. A host of beautiful images illustrate each category, including over 100 postcard images, recipe cards, photographs, and paintings. Callouts on many of the pages also add visual interest and call attention to pertinent facts, tips for touring, and historical information on specific locations. All images are captioned, with names of individuals where available, and credited. The historical narrative often leans to the nostalgic; the author is from the area (at least as a transplant) and her love of the town shines through. Readers of this guide will certainly find their interest peaked, and perhaps find themselves persuaded to visit this charming city.
Winter Park was founded as a haven for early snowbirds in 1881 on land rumored to have first been occupied by Osceola, a Seminole Chief. Early Winter Park included hotels, homes, and even an orange grove, though eventually growers were discouraged by the periodic hard freezes that the area experiences. Over the years many buildings were replaced, or destroyed by fire, but a few still remain. Today's Winter Park still welcomes tourists and visitors, but has a much steadier rate of permanent occupation. The city center boasts stores, restaurants, and entertainment, and the lake banks offer spectacular views.
This delightful look at a piece of Florida history is well-organized with chapters on history, the college, things to do, neighborhoods, and even self-guided walking and driving tours around the town. A host of beautiful images illustrate each category, including over 100 postcard images, recipe cards, photographs, and paintings. Callouts on many of the pages also add visual interest and call attention to pertinent facts, tips for touring, and historical information on specific locations. All images are captioned, with names of individuals where available, and credited. The historical narrative often leans to the nostalgic; the author is from the area (at least as a transplant) and her love of the town shines through. Readers of this guide will certainly find their interest peaked, and perhaps find themselves persuaded to visit this charming city.
Displaying 1 of 1 review