Winter Park, Florida
Encyclopedia
Winter Park is a suburban city in Orange County
, Florida
, United States
. The population was 24,090 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2006 estimates, the city had a population of 28,083. It is part of the Orlando
–Kissimmee
Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is home to Rollins College
, Full Sail University and the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art
, which houses the largest collection of Tiffany
glass. Winter Park features open park space, residential areas, and a street-side shopping district along Park Avenue.
Winter Park was founded as a resort community mainly by northern business magnates in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is recognized as the first centrally planned community in Florida; its main street includes civic buildings, retail, art galleries, a private liberal arts college, museums, a park, a train station, a golf course country club, a historic cemetery, and a beach and boat launch. Many structures are more than 100 years old. The scenic Olde Winter Park area is punctuated by small, winding brick streets, and a canopy of old Southern Live Oak
and Camphor trees, draped with Spanish Moss
. The city draws thousands of visitors to annual festivals including the Bach
Festival, the nationally ranked Sidewalk Art Festival, and the Winter Park Concours d'Elegance.
s in 1858, when David Mizell Jr. bought an 8 acres (32,374.9 m²) homestead between Lakes Virginia, Mizell and Berry. A settlement, called Lake View by the inhabitants, grew up around Mizell's plot. It got a post office and a new name—Osceola—in 1870.
The area did not develop rapidly until 1880, when a South Florida Railroad
track connecting Orlando
and Sanford
was laid a few miles west of Osceola. Shortly afterwards, Loring Chase came to Orange County from Chicago to recuperate from a lung disease. In his travels, he discovered the pretty group of lakes just east of the railbed. He enlisted a wealthy New Englander, Oliver E. Chapman, and they assembled a very large tract of land, upon which they planned the town of Winter Park. Over the next four years they plotted the town, opened streets, built a town hall and a store, planted orange
trees, and required all buildings to meet stylistic and architectural standards. They promoted it heavily. During this time, the railroad constructed a depot (1882), connected to Osceola by a dirt road.
In 1885, a group of businessmen started the Winter Park Company
and incorporated it with the Florida Legislature
, Chase and Chapman sold the town to the new company. In a land bubble characteristic of Florida history, land prices soared from less than $2 per acre to over $200, with at least one sale recorded at $300 per acre.
In 1885, the Congregational Assembly
of Florida started Rollins College
, the state's first four-year college. The following year saw the opening of The Seminole Hotel on Lake Osceola, a grand resort complete with the luxuries of the day: gas lights, steam heating
, a string orchestra
, a formal dining room, a bowling alley, and long covered porches.
, who reported that Winter Park was "the prettiest place I have seen in Florida".
President Grover Cleveland
visited the area and was given a huge reception at the Seminole Hotel on February 23 of 1888.
He enjoyed the Bounding Horse Cart ride and stated that it was the most pleasant diversion of his Florida Trip.
The New York Times reported on his visit and stated that, " The Philadelphian and Bostonian founders had done a
good job with the town". The following four years both hotel and the town became a
fashionable winter resort for Northern visitors.
The next President to visit the area was Franklin D. Roosevelt in March 1936.
He was conferred an honorary degree in literature at Rollins College
.
aquifer
, a massive sinkhole
opened up near the corner of Denning Drive and Fairbanks Avenue. In a single day the hole widened to 320 feet (97.5 m) and to a depth of 90 feet (27.4 m), destroying an import car dealership, a public pool, and large portions of Denning Drive. In addition, the sinkhole "ate" an entire two-story home. The deepest part of the limestone cavern must have been directly under the house as not even the peak of its roof could be seen after the sinkhole stabilized. Fortunately, no one was in the house at the time the cavern roof collapsed. City engineers managed to stabilize the sinkhole, which drew national attention and became a popular tourist attraction during the summer of 1981. A carnival-like atmosphere arose around the area, with vendors selling food, balloons, and t-shirts to visitors. Eventually the novelty wore off as the city repaired the damage and turned the sinkhole into man-made Lake Rose, seen in this aerial view.
Famous guests included Dean Martin
, Frank Sinatra
, Ray Charles
, Larry King
, Hugh Hefner
, John Denver
, Langford winter resident Lady Bird Johnson
, and President Ronald Reagan
and his wife, First Lady Nancy Reagan
who celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary there.
The Langford was celebrated in a party late 1999, closed, and was demolished. A portion of the former Langford Property (as of mid 2009) has been developed into luxury mid-rise condominiums. The remaining parcel is now vacant and is the future site of a hotel to be owned and operated by Rollins College.
was grown on the old Wyeth grove on Palmer Avenue (later Temple Grove) owned at the time by Louis A. Hakes, whose son was the first to notify Temple of the different quality of the new orange. The orange was introduced and cataloged by Buckeye Nursery in 1917, the year W. C. Temple died. Myron E. Gillett and his son D. Collins Gillett later went on to plant the largest orange grove in the world in the 1920s (5000 acres (2,023.4 ha)) in Temple Terrace, Florida.
. Elevation ranges between 66 and 97 feet (29.6 m) above sea level.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 8.6 square miles (22.3 km²). 7.3 square miles (18.9 km²) of it is land and 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²) of it (15.14%) is water. It is nestled among the Winter Park Chain of Lakes, a series of aquifer
fed lakes interconnected by a series of navigable canal
s, which were originally created for flood control
and to run logs to a sawmill
on present day Lake Virginia. The lakes are popular for boating
, watersports, fishing
and swimming.
The city is traversed by the old Orlando-Oviedo ("Dinky Line") railroad bed, which until the 1960s had a stop at Lake Virginia/Rollins College at the city park now known as Dinky Dock. Much of this right of way has been converted to a rail-to-trail pedestrian/biking path - in the form of the Cady Way Trail, which leads from Cady Way Park toward the Baldwin Park neighborhood and downtown Orlando, and in the opposite direction to Oviedo and beyond (via the Florida trail), thanks to a new pedestrian bridge spanning Semoran Boulevard (SR 436) in Orange County.
Currently, CSX operates a rail line through Winter Park on the former Atlantic Coast Line
, with an Amtrak
Station in downtown's historic Central Park.
Due to its close proximity of Orlando, Winter Park is a city which many commuters traverse to access downtown Orlando. These commuters come from outlying suburban areas such as, Oviedo, Winter Springs, Maitland, Altamonte Springs and Casselberry. Winter Park's municipal government has combated speeding and aggressive driving in its downtown core and residential areas by lowering speed limits to 20 MPH in some areas, adding textured traffic-calming brick roads, and aggressively enforcing the law within the city limits. These measures have contributed to some traffic congestion, but preserve the quality of life for residents and encourage pass-thru commuters to seek alternate, more appropriate high-speed routes to downtown (such as SR436/Semoran Blvd, Lake Howell Road, US17-92/Orlando Ave, Interstate 4, and the 408/East West Expressway and 417/Greeneway toll roads).
of 2000, there were 24,090 people, 10,722 households, and 5,864 families residing in the city. The population density
was 3,281.6 inhabitants per square mile (1,267.2/km²). There were 11,431 housing units at an average density of 1,557.1 per square mile (601.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 85.90% White, 10.52% African American, 0.16% Native American, 1.32% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.94% from other races
, and 1.14% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.31% of the population.
There were 10,722 households out of which 21.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.2% were married couples
living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.3% were non-families. 38.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.10 and the average family size was 2.80.
In the city the population was spread out with 18.5% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 22.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 83.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $48,884, and the median income for a family was $73,697. Males had a median income of $50,975 versus $32,066 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $38,791. About 5.0% of families and 7.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.0% of those under age 18 and 6.1% of those age 65 or over.
and Bonnier
are based in Winter Park.
Orange County, Florida
Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida and is part of the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 1,145,956....
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 24,090 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2006 estimates, the city had a population of 28,083. It is part of the Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
–Kissimmee
Kissimmee, Florida
Kissimmee is a city in Osceola County, Florida, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 59,682. It is the county seat of Osceola County...
Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is home to Rollins College
Rollins College
Rollins College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in Winter Park, Florida , along the shores of Lake Virginia....
, Full Sail University and the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art
Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art
The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art houses the most comprehensive collection of the works of Louis Comfort Tiffany found anywhere, a major collection of American art pottery, and fine collections of late-19th- and early-20th-century American paintings, graphics and the decorative arts...
, which houses the largest collection of Tiffany
Louis Comfort Tiffany
Louis Comfort Tiffany was an American artist and designer who worked in the decorative arts and is best known for his work in stained glass. He is the American artist most associated with the Art Nouveau and Aesthetic movements...
glass. Winter Park features open park space, residential areas, and a street-side shopping district along Park Avenue.
Winter Park was founded as a resort community mainly by northern business magnates in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is recognized as the first centrally planned community in Florida; its main street includes civic buildings, retail, art galleries, a private liberal arts college, museums, a park, a train station, a golf course country club, a historic cemetery, and a beach and boat launch. Many structures are more than 100 years old. The scenic Olde Winter Park area is punctuated by small, winding brick streets, and a canopy of old Southern Live Oak
Live oak
Live oak , also known as the southern live oak, is a normally evergreen oak tree native to the southeastern United States...
and Camphor trees, draped with Spanish Moss
Spanish Moss
Spanish moss is a flowering plant that grows upon larger trees, commonly the Southern Live Oak or Bald Cypress in the southeastern United States....
. The city draws thousands of visitors to annual festivals including the Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
Festival, the nationally ranked Sidewalk Art Festival, and the Winter Park Concours d'Elegance.
History
The site was first inhabited by EuropeanEuropean ethnic groups
The ethnic groups in Europe are the various ethnic groups that reside in the nations of Europe. European ethnology is the field of anthropology focusing on Europe....
s in 1858, when David Mizell Jr. bought an 8 acres (32,374.9 m²) homestead between Lakes Virginia, Mizell and Berry. A settlement, called Lake View by the inhabitants, grew up around Mizell's plot. It got a post office and a new name—Osceola—in 1870.
The area did not develop rapidly until 1880, when a South Florida Railroad
South Florida Railroad
The South Florida Railroad was a railroad from Orlando to Tampa, Florida, becoming part of the Plant System in 1893 and the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad in 1902.-History:...
track connecting Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
and Sanford
Sanford, Florida
Sanford is a city in, and the county seat of, Seminole County, Florida, United States. The population was 38,291 at the 2000 census. As of 2009, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 50,998...
was laid a few miles west of Osceola. Shortly afterwards, Loring Chase came to Orange County from Chicago to recuperate from a lung disease. In his travels, he discovered the pretty group of lakes just east of the railbed. He enlisted a wealthy New Englander, Oliver E. Chapman, and they assembled a very large tract of land, upon which they planned the town of Winter Park. Over the next four years they plotted the town, opened streets, built a town hall and a store, planted orange
Orange (fruit)
An orange—specifically, the sweet orange—is the citrus Citrus × sinensis and its fruit. It is the most commonly grown tree fruit in the world....
trees, and required all buildings to meet stylistic and architectural standards. They promoted it heavily. During this time, the railroad constructed a depot (1882), connected to Osceola by a dirt road.
In 1885, a group of businessmen started the Winter Park Company
Winter Park Company
Florida state law chapter 3669, approved February 6, 1885, incorporated the Winter Park Company, owned by Loring A. Chase, Olive E. Chapman and J. F. Welborne of Winter Park, Florida, and Orrison S. Marden and Frank G. Webster of Boston, Massachusetts...
and incorporated it with the Florida Legislature
Florida Legislature
The Florida State Legislature is the term often used to refer to the two houses that act as the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida. The Florida Constitution states that "The legislative power of the state shall be vested in a legislature of the State of Florida," composed of a Senate...
, Chase and Chapman sold the town to the new company. In a land bubble characteristic of Florida history, land prices soared from less than $2 per acre to over $200, with at least one sale recorded at $300 per acre.
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
of Florida started Rollins College
Rollins College
Rollins College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in Winter Park, Florida , along the shores of Lake Virginia....
, the state's first four-year college. The following year saw the opening of The Seminole Hotel on Lake Osceola, a grand resort complete with the luxuries of the day: gas lights, steam heating
Steam heating
For articles on Steam heating see:* District heating* Geothermal heating* Heating system* Seattle Steam Company* Steam generator...
, a string orchestra
String orchestra
A string orchestra is an orchestra composed solely or primarily of instruments from the string family. These instruments are the violin, the viola, the cello, the double bass , the piano, the harp, and sometimes percussion...
, a formal dining room, a bowling alley, and long covered porches.
Presidential visits
The first president to visit was Chester A. ArthurChester A. Arthur
Chester Alan Arthur was the 21st President of the United States . Becoming President after the assassination of President James A. Garfield, Arthur struggled to overcome suspicions of his beginnings as a politician from the New York City Republican machine, succeeding at that task by embracing...
, who reported that Winter Park was "the prettiest place I have seen in Florida".
President Grover Cleveland
Grover Cleveland
Stephen Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Cleveland is the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms and therefore is the only individual to be counted twice in the numbering of the presidents...
visited the area and was given a huge reception at the Seminole Hotel on February 23 of 1888.
He enjoyed the Bounding Horse Cart ride and stated that it was the most pleasant diversion of his Florida Trip.
The New York Times reported on his visit and stated that, " The Philadelphian and Bostonian founders had done a
good job with the town". The following four years both hotel and the town became a
fashionable winter resort for Northern visitors.
The next President to visit the area was Franklin D. Roosevelt in March 1936.
He was conferred an honorary degree in literature at Rollins College
Rollins College
Rollins College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in Winter Park, Florida , along the shores of Lake Virginia....
.
The Winter Park Sinkhole
In May 1981, during a period of record-low water levels in Florida's limestoneLimestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
aquifer
Aquifer
An aquifer is a wet underground layer of water-bearing permeable rock or unconsolidated materials from which groundwater can be usefully extracted using a water well. The study of water flow in aquifers and the characterization of aquifers is called hydrogeology...
, a massive sinkhole
Sinkhole
A sinkhole, also known as a sink, shake hole, swallow hole, swallet, doline or cenote, is a natural depression or hole in the Earth's surface caused by karst processes — the chemical dissolution of carbonate rocks or suffosion processes for example in sandstone...
opened up near the corner of Denning Drive and Fairbanks Avenue. In a single day the hole widened to 320 feet (97.5 m) and to a depth of 90 feet (27.4 m), destroying an import car dealership, a public pool, and large portions of Denning Drive. In addition, the sinkhole "ate" an entire two-story home. The deepest part of the limestone cavern must have been directly under the house as not even the peak of its roof could be seen after the sinkhole stabilized. Fortunately, no one was in the house at the time the cavern roof collapsed. City engineers managed to stabilize the sinkhole, which drew national attention and became a popular tourist attraction during the summer of 1981. A carnival-like atmosphere arose around the area, with vendors selling food, balloons, and t-shirts to visitors. Eventually the novelty wore off as the city repaired the damage and turned the sinkhole into man-made Lake Rose, seen in this aerial view.
The Langford Resort Hotel
The Langford Hotel served as a gateway to 'Old Florida' attractions in Central Florida and a community social hub for decades.Famous guests included Dean Martin
Dean Martin
Dean Martin was an American singer, film actor, television star and comedian. Martin's hit singles included "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Sway", "Volare" and "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"...
, Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
, Ray Charles
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
, Larry King
Larry King
Lawrence Harvey "Larry" King is an American television and radio host whose work has been recognized with awards including two Peabodys and ten Cable ACE Awards....
, Hugh Hefner
Hugh Hefner
Hugh Marston "Hef" Hefner is an American magazine publisher, founder and Chief Creative Officer of Playboy Enterprises.-Early life:...
, John Denver
John Denver
Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr. , known professionally as John Denver, was an American singer/songwriter, activist, and humanitarian. After growing up in numerous locations with his military family, Denver began his music career in folk music groups in the late 1960s. His greatest commercial success...
, Langford winter resident Lady Bird Johnson
Lady Bird Johnson
Claudia Alta "Lady Bird" Taylor Johnson was First Lady of the United States from 1963 to 1969 during the presidency of her husband Lyndon B. Johnson. Throughout her life, she was an advocate for beautification of the nation's cities and highways and conservation of natural resources and made that...
, and President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
and his wife, First Lady Nancy Reagan
Nancy Reagan
Nancy Davis Reagan is the widow of former United States President Ronald Reagan and was First Lady of the United States from 1981 to 1989....
who celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary there.
The Langford was celebrated in a party late 1999, closed, and was demolished. A portion of the former Langford Property (as of mid 2009) has been developed into luxury mid-rise condominiums. The remaining parcel is now vacant and is the future site of a hotel to be owned and operated by Rollins College.
The Temple Grove
An orange grove, known as The Temple Grove, stood on the south side of Palmer Avenue just east of Temple Drive. The temple orangeTangor
The tangor is a citrus fruit hybrid of the mandarin orange and the sweet orange...
was grown on the old Wyeth grove on Palmer Avenue (later Temple Grove) owned at the time by Louis A. Hakes, whose son was the first to notify Temple of the different quality of the new orange. The orange was introduced and cataloged by Buckeye Nursery in 1917, the year W. C. Temple died. Myron E. Gillett and his son D. Collins Gillett later went on to plant the largest orange grove in the world in the 1920s (5000 acres (2,023.4 ha)) in Temple Terrace, Florida.
The Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival
The Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival is one of the nation’s oldest, largest and most prestigious juried outdoor art festivals, consistently rated among the top shows by Sunshine Artist and American Style magazines. Each year more than 350,000 visitors enjoy the show. This year about 1,200 artists from around the world applied for entry and an independent panel of judges selected 225 national and international artists to attend the show. The National Endowment for the Arts, The White House, Congress and many others have lauded the Festival for promoting art and art education in Central Florida. An all volunteer board of directors runs the annual Festival, now celebrating its 50th year.Geography
The city is northeast of and adjacent to OrlandoOrlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
. Elevation ranges between 66 and 97 feet (29.6 m) above sea level.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 8.6 square miles (22.3 km²). 7.3 square miles (18.9 km²) of it is land and 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²) of it (15.14%) is water. It is nestled among the Winter Park Chain of Lakes, a series of aquifer
Aquifer
An aquifer is a wet underground layer of water-bearing permeable rock or unconsolidated materials from which groundwater can be usefully extracted using a water well. The study of water flow in aquifers and the characterization of aquifers is called hydrogeology...
fed lakes interconnected by a series of navigable canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
s, which were originally created for flood control
Flood control
In communications, flood control is a feature of many communication protocols designed to prevent overwhelming of a destination receiver. Such controls can be implemented either in software or in hardware, and will often request that the message be resent after the receiver has finished...
and to run logs to a sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
on present day Lake Virginia. The lakes are popular for boating
Boating
Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether powerboats, sailboats, or man-powered vessels , focused on the travel itself, as well as sports activities, such as fishing or water skiing...
, watersports, fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
and swimming.
The city is traversed by the old Orlando-Oviedo ("Dinky Line") railroad bed, which until the 1960s had a stop at Lake Virginia/Rollins College at the city park now known as Dinky Dock. Much of this right of way has been converted to a rail-to-trail pedestrian/biking path - in the form of the Cady Way Trail, which leads from Cady Way Park toward the Baldwin Park neighborhood and downtown Orlando, and in the opposite direction to Oviedo and beyond (via the Florida trail), thanks to a new pedestrian bridge spanning Semoran Boulevard (SR 436) in Orange County.
Currently, CSX operates a rail line through Winter Park on the former Atlantic Coast Line
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad
The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad was an American railroad that existed between 1900 and 1967, when it merged with the Seaboard Air Line Railroad, its long-time rival, to form the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad...
, with an Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
Station in downtown's historic Central Park.
Due to its close proximity of Orlando, Winter Park is a city which many commuters traverse to access downtown Orlando. These commuters come from outlying suburban areas such as, Oviedo, Winter Springs, Maitland, Altamonte Springs and Casselberry. Winter Park's municipal government has combated speeding and aggressive driving in its downtown core and residential areas by lowering speed limits to 20 MPH in some areas, adding textured traffic-calming brick roads, and aggressively enforcing the law within the city limits. These measures have contributed to some traffic congestion, but preserve the quality of life for residents and encourage pass-thru commuters to seek alternate, more appropriate high-speed routes to downtown (such as SR436/Semoran Blvd, Lake Howell Road, US17-92/Orlando Ave, Interstate 4, and the 408/East West Expressway and 417/Greeneway toll roads).
Climate
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 24,090 people, 10,722 households, and 5,864 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 3,281.6 inhabitants per square mile (1,267.2/km²). There were 11,431 housing units at an average density of 1,557.1 per square mile (601.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 85.90% White, 10.52% African American, 0.16% Native American, 1.32% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.94% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.14% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.31% of the population.
There were 10,722 households out of which 21.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.2% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.3% were non-families. 38.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.10 and the average family size was 2.80.
In the city the population was spread out with 18.5% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 22.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 83.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $48,884, and the median income for a family was $73,697. Males had a median income of $50,975 versus $32,066 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $38,791. About 5.0% of families and 7.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.0% of those under age 18 and 6.1% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Adventist Health SystemAdventist Health System
The Adventist Health System is a non-profit health care organisation which operates facilities within the Southern and Midwestern regions of the United States...
and Bonnier
Bonnier Corporation
Bonnier Corporation is an American magazine publisher owned by the Swedish Bonnier Group. It was formed in March 2007 by the merger of World Publications, Time4 Media, and The Parenting Group, and publishes more than 40 special-interest magazines. It is based in Winter Park, Florida.With over 1,100...
are based in Winter Park.
Top employers
According to the City's 2009 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Winter Park Memorial Hospital Adventist Health System The Adventist Health System is a non-profit health care organisation which operates facilities within the Southern and Midwestern regions of the United States... |
1,400 |
| 2 | Rollins College Rollins College Rollins College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in Winter Park, Florida , along the shores of Lake Virginia.... |
665 |
| 3 | Orange County Public Schools Orange County Public Schools Orange County Public Schools is the public school district for Orange County, Florida. It is based out of the Educational Leadership Center, a seven-story building adjacent to the Amway Arena in Downtown Orlando. As of October 2009, OCPS has an enrollment of over 175,000 students, making it the... |
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| 4 | City of Winter Park | 538 |
| 5 | Publix Publix Publix Super Markets, Inc. is an American supermarket chain based in Lakeland, Florida.Founded in 1930 by George W. Jenkins, it is an employee-owned, privately held corporation. Publix is currently ranked No. 86 on Fortune magazine's list of 100 Best Companies to Work For 2010 and was ranked No... |
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| 6 | Bonnier Bonnier Corporation Bonnier Corporation is an American magazine publisher owned by the Swedish Bonnier Group. It was formed in March 2007 by the merger of World Publications, Time4 Media, and The Parenting Group, and publishes more than 40 special-interest magazines. It is based in Winter Park, Florida.With over 1,100... |
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Notable people
- Casey AffleckCasey AffleckCaleb Casey McGuire Affleck-Boldt , better known as Casey Affleck, is an American actor and film director. Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, he played supporting roles in mainstream hits like Good Will Hunting and Ocean's Eleven as well as in critically acclaimed independent films such as...
, actor - Michael BarimoMichael Barimo-Biographical and career information:Raised in Winter Park, Florida, Michael began his career as a singer and whistler as a child, performing with a boys' choir and touring as Amahl in Gian Carlo Menotti's one act opera Amahl and the Night Visitors....
, singer - Amanda BearseAmanda BearseAmanda Bearse is an American actress, director and comedienne best known for her role as wacky neighbor Marcy D'Arcy on Married.....
, actress - Kevin BearyKevin BearyKevin Beary was Sheriff 1993-2009 of Orange County, Florida, United States, heading the Orange County Sheriff's Office, one of the largest law enforcement bodies in the Southeastern United States.-Biography:He was first elected in 1992 as a Republican...
, sheriff - James BonamyJames BonamyJames Michael Bonamy is an American country music artist. He released two studio albums James Michael Bonamy (born April 29, 1972) is an American country music artist. He released two studio albums James Michael Bonamy (born April 29, 1972) is an American country music artist. He released two...
, country musician - Delbert BlackDelbert BlackDelbert D. Black was the first Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy, from 13 January 1967 to 1 April 1971.-Biography:Black was born in Orr, Oklahoma, graduating from high school in 1940...
, First Master Chief Petty Officer of the NavyMaster Chief Petty Officer of the NavyThe Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy is a unique non-commissioned rank in the United States Navy, which has a paygrade of E-9. The holder of this rank and post is the most senior enlisted member of the U.S... - George Brett, general
- JC Crissey, film producer
- Meg CroftonMeg CroftonMeg Gilbert Crofton is an American businesswoman, currently serving as president of the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida...
, business executive - Nick FaldoNick FaldoSir Nicholas Alexander "Nick" Faldo, MBE is an English professional golfer on the European Tour who now mainly works as an on air golf analyst. Over his career, he has won six majors: three Open Championships and three Masters. He was ranked the World No...
, golfer & broadcaster - Louis Frey, Jr.Louis Frey, Jr.Louis Frey, Jr. is an American+ politician and a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1969 until 1979...
, congressman - Paula HawkinsPaula HawkinsPaula Hawkins was an U.S. politician from Florida. She is to date the only woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Florida. She was the first woman ever elected to a full term in the Senate without a family connection....
, politician - Gina HechtGina Hecht-Television:* 1979–1981: Mork & Mindy .... Jean DaVinci* 1979: Hizzonner .... Melanie* 1987: Everything's Relative .... Emily Cabot* 1988: HeartBeat .... Patty* 1989: Baywatch: "Panic at Malibu Pier" .... Gina Pomeroy...
, actress - Orel HershiserOrel HershiserOrel Leonard Hershiser IV is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. He is currently an analyst for Baseball Tonight and Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN and a professional poker player for...
, professional baseball player - Davey JohnsonDavey JohnsonDavid Allen "Davey" Johnson is an American Major League Baseball player and current manager of the Washington Nationals. He was the starting second baseman for the Baltimore Orioles when they won four American League pennants and two World Series championships between 1965 and 1972...
, professional baseball player - Arielle KebbelArielle KebbelArielle Caroline Kebbel is an American model and actress. Arielle is perhaps best known for her roles in films such as American Pie Presents: Band Camp, John Tucker Must Die, Vampires Suck, and Aquamarine, as well as TV series including The Vampire Diaries, Gilmore Girls, and Life Unexpected, on...
, actress - Matt KucharMatt KucharMatthew Gregory Kuchar is an American professional golfer who has played on both the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour. He has ranked as high as number six in the Official World Golf Rankings.-Early career:...
, golfer - Rashard LewisRashard LewisRashard Quovon Lewis is an American professional basketball player, currently with the NBA's Washington Wizards as a small forward and a power forward.-Seattle SuperSonics:...
, professional basketball player (Washington WizardsWashington WizardsThe Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
) - Spencer LockeSpencer LockeSpencer Locke is an American actress who has had various appearances as "Kylie" on ABC's Cougar Town.-Life and career:...
, actress - Patty MaloneyPatty MaloneyPatricia Anne "Patty" Maloney is an American actress with dwarfism.-Biography:She was born in Perkinsville, New York. She stands 3 feet 11 inches and weighs 60 pounds...
, actress - Michael James NelsonMichael James NelsonMichael James Nelson is an American comedy writer and performer who has appeared on Music Television and the television show "Pretty Wicked" on the The Oxygen Network.- Early Life and Career :...
, writer/actor - Summer PhoenixSummer PhoenixSummer Joy Phoenix is an American actress and model. She is the youngest sibling of the late River Phoenix, Rain Phoenix, Joaquin Phoenix, and Liberty Phoenix, and is married to actor Casey Affleck.-Early life:...
, actress - Albin PolasekAlbin PolasekAlbin Polasek was a Czech-American sculptor and educator. He created more than four hundred works during his career, two hundred of which are now displayed in the Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens in Winter Park, Florida.-Career:Born as Albín Polášek in Frenštát, Moravia , Polasek...
, sculptor/educator - Doc RiversDoc RiversGlenn Anton "Doc" Rivers is a former professional basketball player and the current head coach of the NBA's Boston Celtics. Rivers was known for his defense while playing in the NBA...
, basketball coach - Gamble Rogers, folk musician
- Annie RussellAnnie RussellAnnie Ellen Russell was an English born American stage actress.-Early life:Russell was born on in Liverpool, England, of Irish parents, Joseph Russell and Jane Mount. She moved to Canada when she was a child. She made her first appearance on the stage at eight years old at the Montreal Academy of...
, theatrical actress - Allen TrovillionAllen TrovillionAllen Trovillion in Winter Park, Florida.Trovillion previously served as a Representative in the House of Representatives of the U.S. state of Florida. He currently lives in Winter Park, Florida with his family.-Education:...
, politician - Fred TylerFred TylerFrederick Daniel Tyler is an American swimmer and aquatics coach, winner of several high school and college championships and a gold medal in the 4x200 meter freestyle relay at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany.-High school and Indiana University:Fred Tyler began his high school swimming...
, swimmer/coach - Darius Washington, Jr., professional basketball player
- Daniel WebsterDaniel Webster (Florida politician)Daniel A. "Dan" Webster is the Republican U.S. Representative for central , serving since January 3, 2011. He defeated the incumbent Democrat, Alan Grayson, by an 18 percent margin in the November 2010 election. Previously, Webster served 28 years in the Florida state legislature...
, congressman - George WeigelGeorge WeigelGeorge Weigel is an American author, and political and social activist. He currently serves as a Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center. Weigel was the Founding President of the James Madison Foundation...
, artist
Educational institutions
- St. Margaret Mary Catholic School
- Aloma Elementary School
- Brookshire Elementary School
- The Geneva SchoolThe Geneva SchoolThe Geneva School is a private school in Winter Park, Florida that was founded in 1993. The Geneva School is a Pre-K through 12, coeducational, private, day school situated on a campus on Semoran Boulevard...
- Glenridge Middle SchoolGlenridge Middle SchoolGlenridge Middle School is a middle school located in the Baldwin Park area in Orlando, Florida and serves students from both Orlando and Winter Park. It is one of the four middle schools in Florida with an International Baccalaureate IB Middle Years Programme, or MYP...
- Lakemont Elementary School
- The Parke House Academy
- High Schools
- Lake Howell High SchoolLake Howell High SchoolLake Howell High School is a comprehensive four-year high school located in Central Florida, USA. Home of the Silver Hawks, it has been designated a "B" High School by the Florida Department of Education in 2009. It was previously an "A+" high school in 2008...
- Trinity Preparatory SchoolTrinity Preparatory SchoolTrinity Preparatory School of Florida is an independent college preparatory day-school for students in grades 6 to 12, located east of Winter Park, Florida, a suburb of Orlando. It is affiliated with the Episcopal Church.-History:...
- Winter Park High SchoolWinter Park High SchoolWinter Park High School located in Winter Park, Florida is one of seventeen public high schools in Orange County. Winter Park High School is a magnet school for the International Baccalaureate program.-History:...
- Lake Howell High School
- Colleges
- Full Sail University
- Rollins CollegeRollins CollegeRollins College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in Winter Park, Florida , along the shores of Lake Virginia....
- Valencia Community CollegeValencia Community CollegeValencia College, formerly known as Valencia Community College, is a public state college in Orlando, Florida, United States. Valencia is the third-largest member institution of the Florida College System....
, Winter Park Campus - Fortis CollegeFortis CollegeFortis College is a private post-secondary, for-profit institution that was established in 1969 and is operated by Education Affiliates. It was formerly Bohecker College, a sister school to the Centerville, Ohio Rets Technical Institute...
, Winter Park Campus - Winter Park Tech
- Other
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- Crealde School of Art
Sites of interest
- All Saints Episcopal ChurchAll Saints Episcopal Church (Winter Park, Florida)All Saints Episcopal Church is a historic church in Winter Park, Florida, United States. It is located at 338 East Lyman Avenue. On January 7, 2000, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places....
- Edward Hill Brewer HouseEdward Hill Brewer HouseThe Edward Hill Brewer House is a historic home in Winter Park, Florida. It is located at 240 Trismen Terrace. On April 22, 1982, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.-References and external links:...
- Casa Feliz Historic House MuseumRobert Bruce Barbour HouseRobert Bruce Barbour House is a restored Spanish farmhouse designed by architect James Gamble Rogers II, overlooking the golf course in the heart of Winter Park, Florida. This is one of Rogers' masterpiece residences. In order to save it from destruction, the city of Winter Park moved it to its...
- Comstock-Harris HouseComstock-Harris HouseThe Comstock-Harris House is a historic home in Winter Park, Florida. It is located at 724 Bonita Drive. On January 13, 1983, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.-History:...
- Cornell Fine Arts MuseumCornell Fine Arts MuseumThe Cornell Fine Arts Museum is located at 1000 Holt Avenue, Winter Park, Florida on the Winter Park campus of Rollins College. It houses works of art from antiquity to modern times...
- Fleet Peeples Park
- Hannibal Square
- Kraft Azalea ParkKraft Azalea ParkKraft Azalea Park is a scenic public park located in the city of Winter Park, Florida just north of Orlando, Florida. The park is bordered by Lake Maitland on the North and West.-Amenities:...
- Mead Garden
- Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American ArtCharles Hosmer Morse Museum of American ArtThe Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art houses the most comprehensive collection of the works of Louis Comfort Tiffany found anywhere, a major collection of American art pottery, and fine collections of late-19th- and early-20th-century American paintings, graphics and the decorative arts...
- Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens
- Winter Park Historical Museum
- Winter Park Public Library
- Woman's Club of Winter ParkWoman's Club of Winter ParkThe Woman's Club of Winter Park is a historic woman's club in Winter Park, Florida. It is located at 419 Interlachen Avenue. On May 4, 1995, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.Origins...
- Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival