Pat O’Hare: Shaping Cocoa Beach Surf History
By Jeremy Hileman, Assistant Curator Positioned at the midpoint of Florida’s Atlantic Coast, Cocoa Beach has long been synonymous with surfing. The city’s reputation has attracted seasoned professionals and novices alike, with the beach’s warm water and mild waves making it an excellent spot to learn the sport. By the
Commodore Rose and the River of Freedom
By Rick Kilby from the Spring 2024 Edition of Reflections Magazine Who Was Commodore Rose in Pioneer Florida?” reads a February 1975 headline for Marian Godown’s “Here’s Florida” feature in the Fort Myers News-Press. Godown invited readers to take a quickie quiz: was the Commodore the owner of a steamboat
Library’s study group can help you learn about your Native American roots
It’s interesting to consider AI’s role in genealogy research and the Orange County Library System is doing just that during the month of May. This and many other classes are offered by OCLS through their Genealogy Center located at the West Oaks Branch in Ocoee. Learn more about the many
What Remains: A Land Called Wewahotee
By Kelly D’Ambrosio Land changes hands and names as the years pass, extending its story with each transaction. In the case of a lost Central Florida community named Wewahotee – now often spelled Wewahootee – an expansive story has become muddled by time and land ownership. Even its exact location
Find out more about your German ancestors at the library in April
Our friends at the Orange County Library System have a wonderful resource in their Genealogy Center located in the West Oaks Branch in Ocoee. This month you can learn about your ancestors from Tennessee to Europe. Learn more about the many resources of the library at OCLS.info. Utilizing the General
Celebrating a Century: An Angebilt Vignette Featuring Sam Stoltz
By Travis Puterbaugh from the Fall 2023 edition of Reflections Magazine In late June 1921, developer J.F. Ange announced plans for a million-dollar, 240-room hotel at the northeast corner of Orange Avenue and Oak Street (now Wall Street). Orlando’s own Murry S. King, Florida’s first registered architect, designed the elegant
Read all about it! Learn your family history using newspapers
Orange County Library System Genealogy Events – March 2024 Through their West Oaks Branch and Genealogy Center, the Orange County Library System offers a wide array of genealogy events that we know fans of the History Center would be interested in, so we’re happy to support our valued community partner
The Citrus Tower in Clermont
An Orange-Colored History of One of Florida’s Oldest and Tallest Attractions By Clay Waters from the Fall 2023 edition of Reflections Magazine For more than 60 years, the Citrus Tower in Clermont has stood sentinel over a deep slice of Central Florida. Featuring a 360-degree observation deck that provides a view of
Family History Fair and more genealogy events at your local library
Orange County Library System Genealogy Events – February 2024 Through their West Oaks Branch and Genealogy Center, the Orange County Library System offers a wide array of genealogy events that we know fans of the History Center would be interested in, so we’re happy to support our valued community partner
Cyg Cob Says: The Secret Legacy of Howard Phillips
By Joy Wallace Dickinson from the Fall 2023 edition of Reflections Magazine In 1954, the influential Orlandoan poured his love of words, his sharp wit, and his strong opinions into a newspaper column with a mysterious byline inspired by the city’s beloved swans. Howard Phillips’s college career was not what