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Wednesday, November 30, 2005
A Walk through Winter Park - A Hint of New
England in Florida
Just a few minutes north of downtown Orlando awaits Winter Park,
a charming picturesque suburb steeped in history. After my excursion
on the Scenic Boat Tour,
my local expert Wanda Salerno took me on a little walk through town
past beautiful historic neighbourhoods.
Mansion in Winter Park
With is origins as a citrus growing region, Winter Park became
a major destination for wealthy northerners during the early 1900s,
who came into town by train to reach their elegant winter retreats,
seeking shelter from the cold winters of the north. Elegant mansions
and and stately old oak trees draped with Spanish moss bear witness
to this historic era.
Shops along downtown Park Avenue
Wanda then took me through some of Winter Park's hidden courtyards,
which are
filled with specialty retail stores and galleries. Winter Park features
a large variety of galleries and I had a chance to sample three
of them, all of which carried vastly different artwork:
- Scott
Laurent Collections
- Native Visions
Gallery
- Timothy's
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| Secret courtyards in
Winter Park |
Our walk took us out on to Winter Park's main street, Park Avenue,
which houses 10 blocks of specialty retailers, galleries and ecclectic
restaurants. Park Avenue is flanked on its west side by Central
Park which offers a welcome sanctuary of relaxation with its graceful
fountain, walking paths and shaded benches.
We then went on to explore Casa
Feliz ("Happy House" in Spanish), the signature residential
work of renowned architect James Gamble Rogers II.
Casa Feliz
In 1932 Robert Bruce Barbour, a chemical engineer from Massachusetts,
commissioned Rogers to design a home on Lake Osceola, which turned
out to be the Andalusian-style masonry farmhouse that we see today.
This home was not only cherished by Barbour, but by the community
as well. Throughout its history, it has hosted garden club tours,
symphony orchestra concerts, poetry social meetings and a dinner
for author Sinclair Lewis.
Archway at Casa Feliz
In 2001, in order to prevent the house from demolition, Casa Feliz
was moved across Interlachen Avenue to its present location on Park
Avenue. This move was one of the most dramatic events in Winter
Park's history. Casa Feliz was transported on 20 pneumatically levelled
dollies, and an elaborate pulley system moved the house about 75
feet per hour. After the house was in position at its new location,
skilled craftsmen worked on restoring it to its original 1933 condition.
A special landscape design was commissioned to reflect the style
of the era.
Today, Casa Feliz is available to rent for weddings, parties, business
meetings and events. Its unique features provide the perfect backdrop
for a truly memorable event.
Interior view of Casa Feliz
As a centre of local culture, Winter Park also features three well-known
museums:
- the Charles
Hosmer Morse Museum of American art, which holds the world's
most comprehensive collection of works by Louis Comfort Tiffany,
including Tiffany’s 1893 Chapel. The museum also features
paintings, furniture and other works primarily from the late 19th
and 20th centuries.
- the Albin Polasek
Museum and Sculpture Garden: 3 acres of gardens, featuring sculptures
and painters by Albin Polasek. The museum is listed on the National
Register of Historic Places.
- the Cornell
Fine Arts Museum, which focuses on western world art of the
20th century and includes paintings, drawings, sculptures and other
art from America and Europe. This museum is located at Rollins College,
one of the top rated liberal arts colleges in the country.
Flowers adorning Park Avenue
The Winter
Park Historical Museum examines various historic time periods,
interchanging exhibits and rotating displays highlight some of the
changes that have occurred in central Florida.
While I explored the town my husband actually played a round of
golf at the 9-hole Winter
Park Country Club, which is nestled beautifully inside Winter
Park's historic neighbourhood. The WPCC is the second oldest golf
club in the Central Florida area and makes its way through the downtown
Winter Park area and provides a challenge to even the most experienced
golfer. He enjoyed his outing, and a cost of $12, it was an extremely
affordable outing on a well-maintained golf course.
Fountain in Central Park
We capped off our excursion with an enjoyable dinner at a restaurant
called 310 Park Avenue, right on Winter Park's main strip. While
a good portion of the Orlando area is very new, Winter Park is a
welcome oasis of history and ambience that is perfect for a day
of exploring.
For more information on Winter Park contact the Winter Park Chamber
of Commerce, www.winterpark.org.
Orlando and Central Florida travel stories:
Orlando Off the Beaten
Path
A visit to the Orange
County Regional History Center
Exploring Orlando's African
American Heritage at the Well's Built Museum
A lovely evening walk around downtown
Orlando's Lake Eola
Visual delights served
up on the Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour
A walking tour through quaint
historic Winter Park
Our high-speed adrenaline adventure
at Boggy Creek Airboat Tours
Our picnic lunch by the Kissimmee
waterfront
Exploring picturesque Mount Dora
on the "Herbie Express"
Orlando's Loch Haven Park:
Center of culture and arts
Exploring downtown Orlando's
historic neighbourhoods and parks
Learning about citrus at
Florida's Natural Visitor Center
Architectural and natural
beauty at the Bok Historic Sanctuary
Central Florida: a haven
for naturalists and plant lovers
Central Florida's wildlife:
surprising ecological diversity..
Driving home through St. Augustine:
the oldest city in the US
Articles on Golf in Central Florida:
A first-hand
look at ChampionsGate
A first-hand look at the
Royal St. Cloud Links
A first-hand look at Timacuan
Golf and Country Club
Attending the Father
Son Challenge at ChampionsGate
An overview of golf in the Orlando area:
Orlando- Golf's Ultimate Theme Park
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