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
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.