Postcards - Mary Moody Collection

The Mary Moody Postcard Collection, part of our Winter Park History and Archives Digitized Collections, illustrates scenes of early Winter Park as a developing community. This collection, which Mrs. Moody donated in 1997, contains twelve postcards spanning the years 1885 - 1948.


	Congregational Church, 1885. Located on New England Avenue, the Congregational Church was the first church building in Winter Park. Built in 1884 less than three years after the founding of Winter Park, the church was composed of Congregational, Episcopal, Methodist, and Unitarian members.
	Ergood House, 656 N. Interlachen Avenue, date unknown. John Ergood sits on the steps of his home. The house's "irregularity of plan and massing, its extensive porch and tower element, are characteristics which today would classify it as having been in the 'Queen Anne' style - then at the height of its popularity in the Northeast." (Quote from Winter Park Portrait: The Story of Winter Park and Rollins College, by Richard N. Campen.) Ergood operated his first business on Park Avenue, and was the original Postmaster.
	First Seminole Hotel, 1886 - 1902. This two-hundred room luxury hotel located at the intersection of New England, Chase, and Osceola Avenues was called the largest hotel south of Jacksonville when it opened New Year's Day, 1886. The hotel hosted numerous prestigious guests including President Grover Cleveland. The original hotel burned down in 1902.
	Home of an unknown early settler near Winter Park. Date unknown. The first settlers came to this area in 1858. In 1881, Loring Chase and Oliver Chapman founded the town of Winter Park. Their plan included "a grid network of streets, a ten-acre park next to the railroad tracks, a lakeside resort hotel site, and a black residential district for domestic servants and grove workers." (Quote from The Chronological History of Winter Park by Claire Leavitt MacDowell.)
	Morse Boulevard, 1948, looking west toward Park Avenue. Charles Hosmer Morse first came to Winter Park in 1881, and spent many winters here with his family. In 1904 at age 71, he took over the land holdings of the Francis Knowles Estate as well as operation of the Winter Park Company. An owner of numerous citrus groves, a member of the Congregational Church, and a generous supporter of the Winter Park community, Morse donated much land to the city. The Morse Gallery of Art also bears his name.
	New England Avenue, 1888. Intersection of New England and Park Avenues looking east to the Seminole Hotel. On left: Henkel Building. On right: Winter Park Company.
	Park Avenue, 1888, looking south at the corner of Park Avenue and Morse Boulevard. From left to right are Ergood's (leased in 1882, the first commercial building in Winter Park), the Ladd Building, the Earl Building, the Pioneer Building, and Henkel Block. A wooden structure at the corner of Park and New England, the Henkel Building contained five ground-floor units. It was replaced by Barnett Bank in 1952.
	Park Avenue, 1925, looking south. Taylor's Pharmacy can be seen on the left. It was the first dwelling and the first store built on Park Avenue in 1882. Originally, the building was the first school, church, town hall, and post office. A drug store was established in the building sometime after 1896.
	Park Avenue, 1940. The corner of Park and New England Avenues looking north on Park.
	Rollins College, 1890. Left to right: Knowles Hall, Pinehurst, Dining Hall. Rollins College opened its doors on November 4, 1885 in temporary facilities. The "Florida Times Union" reported of that day, "There were present two freshmen, eight college preparatory students, three in the normal department, and more than 30 in the training school. The total will be doubled in a few days. The faculty and citizens are enthusiastic."
	The Canal, 1890. This idyllic scene shows the canal between Lakes Osceola and Maitland. "The Savannah Daily Times" (date unknown) at that time raved, "Winter Park is a lovely and charming place. No pen can do justice to the magnificent lakes, which are the attraction of the place.
	Winter Park Public Library, shown here in 1902, formerly located at the corner of Interlachen and Fairbanks Avenues. The Library was founded in 1885 when a local reading circle became the Circulating Library Association of Winter Park. The original collection of books was housed on the front porch and hall of Evaline Lamson's home.