Orlando In Vintage Postcards

"Beautiful weather here. When are you coming?" Those words have been written millions of times on postcards mailed from Orlando. Known today as home to America's most famous theme parks, Orlando has always been a destination for visitors from all over the world. During its early period as "The Phenomenal City," through the years as "The City Beautiful," to the era of "The Action Center of Florida," Orlando has a story to tell.

The perfume of the orange blossoms . . . the beauty of every scene, combine to make me wonder whether I am not in Paradise, wrote one visitor to Winter Park, Florida, in 1918. Just five miles north of Orlando, Winter Parks oak-lined brick streets and its quiet lakes have been attracting visitors since the late 19th century, when U.S. president Chester A. Arthur declared, This is the prettiest spot I have seen in Florida. The New Englandlike city in the heart of the subtropics was once home to the Seminole Hotel, the largest resort south of Jacksonville. In 1885, prestigious Rollins College was founded here, the first institution of higher learning in Florida.

Orlando as it was in the early 1900s is brought to life through 150 vintage postcards reflecting the many-faceted personality of the city.

The largest inland city in Florida, Orlando, also known as "the City Beautiful," stands proudly among the great lakes of central Florida. This is a colorful reminder of Orlando's past, from 1902 to 1950, with 351 color postcards that show Orlando prior to Walt Disney World, from orange groves and cattle farms to popular tourist destination. The neighboring city of Winter Park is explored in over 60 historic postcards, and Sanford, Kissimee, Altamonte Springs and others are also portrayed. Historians and tourists alike will treasure this wonderful souvenir, and postcard collectors will find it a great resource.

"The perfume of the orange blossoms . . . the beauty of every scene, combine to make me wonder whether I am not in Paradise," wrote one visitor to Winter Park, Florida, in 1918. Just five miles north of Orlando, Winter Park's oak-lined brick streets and its quiet lakes have been attracting visitors since the late 19th century, when U.S. president Chester A. Arthur declared, "This is the prettiest spot I have seen in Florida." The New Englandlike city in the heart of the subtropics was once home to the Seminole Hotel, the largest resort south of Jacksonville. In 1885, prestigious Rollins College was founded here, the first institution of higher learning in Florida.

"This color book contains images of original postcards from the author's personal collection. In addition, historical accounts and research is provided (if found) pertaining to the subject of the postcard. Also if the details within the postcard image can be discerned (from high-resolution images) addition research is provided-including cropped images (to highlight these details). Orange County deed records were searched to find names and dates to add additional historical information. A detailed index is provided, including indexing of names, places and key search criteria.) -- From cover.

Situated on the fickle Marshyhope Creek, Federalsburg, has long reached out to Maryland and the rest of the country with trade on its waterways and rails. In 1791, Isaac Nichols called a tract of land in the middle of the eastern shore of Maryland "Rawley." The name became "Federalsburg" in the late 18th century when the small village, consisting of only two streets, was dominated by Federalist influence. Before the Civil War, Federalsburg was involved in the shipbuilding industry; later its energies were invested in mills, farming, and canneries. When the railroad arrived in 1867-1868, trade in Federalsburg proliferated even more as refrigerated cars allowed produce to be shipped to major cities in the North. Federalsburg's agricultural heritage has since continued to endure.

Use postcards to present a pictorial history of Chicago's skyscrapers, from the Home Insurance Building completed in 1885 to the tallest skyscraper in North America at 110 stories.