Winter Garden Sites

Colonial-style Winter Garden City Hall on Plant Street, with palm trees and a flagpole in the foreground. This building was built by the WPA in 1937, and was torn down in 1979. It was located at 251 West Plant Street in Winter Garden.

The accompanying photo was used on p. 50 of "All Aboard! A Journey Through Historic Winter Garden 1880-1950," written by The Winter Garden Heritage Foundation. The photograph portrays the Winter Garden City Pool at 1, Surprise Drive, Winter Garden. This popular facility was one of the WPA projects made possible through the efforts of Mayor George Walker. The pool was originally filled by a natural artesian well. The pool is still in use and is now called Farnsworth Pool.

The accompanying photograph portrays the Winter Garden Fire Station at 127 Boyd Street, constructed by the WPA in 1938. Shown in the photograph is Hoyle Pounds. He was Fire Chief for over 40 years. The firetruck seen in the first bay now belongs to the Winter Garden Heritage Foundation. As of 2013, the building is in the process of being repurposed as the new home of the Winter Garden Art Association under a three-year lease. Hoyle Pounds was born in Ocoee, FL, in 1893 to John Richard "Bud" and Martha "Mattie" Carrol Pounds, who came from Doraville, GA. Hoyle went to local...

In the 1930's, Winter Garden was struggling economically along with the rest of the nation. The Great Depression left growers without markets, consumers without spending money, and many without work. It was Winter Garden's fortune to have George Walker as its mayor during this difficult period. Mr. Walker, a native of Savannah, Georgia, came to Winter Garden in 1919, and in the following year, opened Walker Electric Company and Appliance Store. An avid sportsman, Walker was the director of the Lake-Orange County semi-pro baseball league and served as the manager of the Winter Garden League in 1924. He was also active in...

The accompanying photograph is of a view of the town in the 1930s. Tanner Hall is seen on the center-left side of the picture. The WPA building was initially used as a gymnasium and was later extensively remodeled. It is now a Community Center. Other buildings that are seen in the photograph are Farnsworth Pool, Little Hall, yacht basins with covered boathouses, the city dock, sea walls and Trailer City, among the public building and lakefront beautification projects funded by the Works Progress Administration and directed by Mayor George Walker in the 1930s. In his seven-year tenure as mayor, Walker secured more...

The accompanying colored post card shows early trailers, brick road, palm trees and Trailer City office building. Trailer City, a mobile home park, was built in the 1930s with WPA (Works Progress Administration) funds. It was a $200,000 project, the idea of Mayor George Walker. The city of Winter Garden owns the property. Trailer City was highly praised in country-wide publications. Postmark on the back of the card is 1946.

"Mayor George Walker: In the 1930's, Winter Garden, Florida, was struggling economically along with the rest of the nation. The Great Depression left growers without markets, consumers without spending money, and many without work. It was Winter Garden's fortune to have George Walker as its mayor during this difficult period. Mr. Walker, a native of Savannah, Georgia, came to Winter Garden in 1919, and in the following year opened Walker Electric Company and Appliance Store. An avid sportsman, Walker was the director of the Lake-Orange County semi-pro baseball league and served as the manager of the Winter Garden League in...