By Gayle and Steve Rajtar
August 2010

Hollywood was a magnet for Soo Yong, a Chinese actress who made Winter Park her part-time home
In some parts of the country you may see movie and television stars on city streets or in local stores – places such as Los Angeles and New York City. Winter Park can be included on that list, thanks to actresses like Soo Yong, whose face in 20th century America was more recognizable than her name.

By Gayle and Steve Rajtar
June 2010

The Innovative Program Brought Culture, News Of The Day To Life
Hamilton Holt, one of the most beloved presidents in the history of Rollins College, also was one of the most innovative during his 24-year tenure. He established many programs that lasted for decades, including one that began as a marketing tool. A discussion with a new member of his staff led to the development of the Animated Magazine, an annual event that attracted thousands to the campus.

By Gayle and Steve Rajtar
June 2010

For the author who was nicknamed by her father, writing and religion were intertwined…
Inspired by the natural beauty of the area, artists and writers have long been drawn to Winter Park, and some became residents and developed international reputations. One of them was Isabella Macdonald Alden, an author known to most of her readers as Pansy.

By Gayle and Steve Rajtar
May 2010

When Mae Rose Owens heard a ‘ploop’ back in May 1981, she didn’t realize just how big a hole she was in
Winter Park’s street signs, named for men of vision who founded and developed the town, read like a who’s who of the city’s history. However, the legacy of one man and his family can’t be found on any signs, but rather in the shade trees that line the city’s roads.

By Gayle and Steve Rajtar
April 2010

Despite early setbacks, the family played a prominent role in the young city’s growth
Winter Park’s street signs, named for men of vision who founded and developed the town, read like a who’s who of the city’s history. However, the legacy of one man and his family can’t be found on any signs, but rather in the shade trees that line the city’s roads.

By Gayle and Steve Rajtar
March 2010

The little commuter train was a boon to Rollins students and other residents
Imagine being a Rollins College student in the 1890s and strolling through campus. You would expect to run into other students or come across a team on the practice field, but a train belching clouds of black smoke? Strangely, that was something long-ago students might also have seen. The narrow-gauge tracks that ran through a section of campus carried a couple of bright orange engines belonging to the Orlando & Winter Park Railway.

By Gayle and Steve Rajtar
February 2010

Major-League pitcher Rube Waddell and his catcher Ossee Schreckengost made sure the Winter Park team dominated the 1903 season
By 1903 baseball rivalry had grown fierce between Rollins College and Stetson University in DeLand. Each school set out that year to do whatever it took to claim bragging rights over the other. For Stetson, that meant recruiting top players from another school. Rollins, though, used more imagination: To guarantee victory, it enrolled a couple of Major League players – eccentric pitching sensation Rube Waddell and his catcher, Ossee Schreckengost.

By Gayle and Steve Rajtar
January 2010

Picturesque Genius Drive, famed for its beautiful plantings and strutting peacocks, was an oasis of calm in a busy town
Early settlers arriving in what would become Winter Park in the 1880s were enchanted by its natural beauty. As the town grew, they preserved as much of the beautiful wilderness as possible by incorporating parks into their plans. Nearly 50 years later one man envisioned a peaceful refuge not far from the heart of the city – his dream became Genius Drive.

By Gayle and Steve Rajtar
December 2009

Author Rex Beach’s life was the stuff that inspires novels
An hour to the northeast on Interstate 4 lies what is promoted as The World’s Most Famous Beach, a broad stretch of oceanside sand at Daytona Beach. So Winter Park’s Most Famous Beach also must be a place to swim and sun, right? Not even close. Winter Park’s beach was Rex Beach, a Rollins College alumnus and, for most of his life, a prolific and well-known author.

By Gayle and Steve Rajtar
November 2009

Here’s the juicy story behind Florida’s sweet Temple orange
Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary defines luck as the “force that brings good fortune or adversity; the events or circumstances that operate for or against an individual.” Without a little luck and some
bad weather, we might not be enjoying the sweet and juicy Temple orange today.