College Park, Orlando
Encyclopedia
College Park is a distinct neighborhood within the city of Orlando, Florida
, deriving its name from the many streets within its bounds that were named for institutions of higher learning like Princeton
, Harvard
, and Yale
. Its close proximity to downtown has made it a popular residential area for over a century, particularly among young professionals and same-sex couples. According to the 2000 census, most residents are of working age (between 18 and 49) and are homeowners. 65.5% of households include no children.
in 1880, including: Adam Given, Marshall Porter, James Wilcox, Algernon Hayden, John W. Childress, and George Russell.
The Great Freeze
during the winter of 1894-5 halted growth in the neighborhood for over a decade.
New residents began arriving in large numbers during the real estate boom of the 1920s, when the City of Orlando expanded its northern boundary north to Par Street to include College Park. It was during this decade that many of the neighborhood's best-known subdivisions were platted, including:
The boom turned into a bust during the Great Depression
of the 1930s, but savvy businessman Welborn C. Phillips began buying up many of the remaining vacant lots in College Park—particularly those west of Edgewater Drive—and was well-positioned for the post-World War II
boom.
During the post-war years, the neighborhood was home both to astronaut John Young
, who grew up in his parents' home at 815 West Princeton Street and beat generation
writer Jack Kerouac
who lived at 1418 Clouser Avenue when his masterpiece 'On the Road
' was published as well as when he wrote the follow-up 'The Dharma Bums
'). The house now operates as a non-profit entitle Kerouac Project
; A haven for up-and-coming writers. Not only is it a unique tribute to Kerouac, it established Orlando on the international literary map.http://kerouacproject.org
In the 1950s a developer by the name of Demetree began developing Ardsley Manor along the western shore of Lake Silver. The neighborhood was designed with larger lots and homes than the traditional parts of College Park. Ardsley Manor is the area bound by Bryn Mawr, Maury Road, Rio Grande, and Lake Silver. Lake Silver is a 60 acres (242,811.6 m²) lake with a private park/lake access for Ardsley Manor residents only, found along the southern shore off of Bryn Mawr.
In 2002, Edgewater Drive, the main artery of the neighborhood's business district, was re-striped from a 4-lane byway to a more pedestrian-friendly 3-lanes (1 in each direction with a central turn lane).
In 2005, College Park resident and developer Jim Kersey broke ground on a new 7-story mixed-used development along Edgewater Drive called "The Wellesley." It included 140 residential units over the "SunTrust Collonade," a commercial strip featuring 12500 square feet (1,161.3 m²) of retail space adjoining a 7500 square feet (696.8 m²) bank. The development was built just before an economic recession, resulting in many unsold units and dropping resale values on the units.
, and former state senator George Stuart, Jr.
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...
, deriving its name from the many streets within its bounds that were named for institutions of higher learning like Princeton
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
, Harvard
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, and Yale
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
. Its close proximity to downtown has made it a popular residential area for over a century, particularly among young professionals and same-sex couples. According to the 2000 census, most residents are of working age (between 18 and 49) and are homeowners. 65.5% of households include no children.
History
Citrus grower John Ericsson built the first known home in College Park at 19 West Princeton, in the middle of what was then an 80 acres (323,748.8 m²) grove. Other settlers soon followed, especially after the arrival of the South Florida RailroadSouth 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:...
in 1880, including: Adam Given, Marshall Porter, James Wilcox, Algernon Hayden, John W. Childress, and George Russell.
The Great Freeze
Great Freeze
The Great Freeze refers to the winter of 1894-1895, especially in Florida where the brutally cold weather destroyed much of the nation's citrus crop. It was also known for wiping out the Royal Palm tree from central Florida.-Weather Records:...
during the winter of 1894-5 halted growth in the neighborhood for over a decade.
New residents began arriving in large numbers during the real estate boom of the 1920s, when the City of Orlando expanded its northern boundary north to Par Street to include College Park. It was during this decade that many of the neighborhood's best-known subdivisions were platted, including:
- Walter Rose's Rosemere in 1921.
- H. Carl Dann's Dubsdread in 1923.
- J.P. Holbrook's Edgewater Heights in 1924.
- Frank L. Anderson's Anderson Park also in 1924.
The boom turned into a bust during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
of the 1930s, but savvy businessman Welborn C. Phillips began buying up many of the remaining vacant lots in College Park—particularly those west of Edgewater Drive—and was well-positioned for the post-World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
boom.
During the post-war years, the neighborhood was home both to astronaut John Young
John Young
-Sports:* John Young , American baseball first baseman* John Young , English cricketer* John Young , English cricketer* John Young , soccer player...
, who grew up in his parents' home at 815 West Princeton Street and beat generation
Beat generation
The Beat Generation refers to a group of American post-WWII writers who came to prominence in the 1950s, as well as the cultural phenomena that they both documented and inspired...
writer Jack Kerouac
Jack Kerouac
Jean-Louis "Jack" Lebris de Kerouac was an American novelist and poet. He is considered a literary iconoclast and, alongside William S. Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg, a pioneer of the Beat Generation. Kerouac is recognized for his spontaneous method of writing, covering topics such as Catholic...
who lived at 1418 Clouser Avenue when his masterpiece 'On the Road
On the Road
On the Road is a novel by American writer Jack Kerouac, written in April 1951, and published by Viking Press in 1957. It is a largely autobiographical work that was based on the spontaneous road trips of Kerouac and his friends across mid-century America. It is often considered a defining work of...
' was published as well as when he wrote the follow-up 'The Dharma Bums
The Dharma Bums
The Dharma Bums is a 1958 novel by Beat Generation author Jack Kerouac. The semi-fictional accounts in the novel are based upon events that occurred years after the events of On the Road...
'). The house now operates as a non-profit entitle Kerouac Project
The Jack Kerouac Writers in Residence Project of Orlando, Inc.
The Jack Kerouac Writers in Residence or Kerouac Project is a registered 501 non profit group in Orlando, Florida. The project provides aspiring writers to live in the house that Jack Kerouac lived in while writing his 1958 novel The Dharma Bums, rent free for 3 months.Kerouac lived in this home...
; A haven for up-and-coming writers. Not only is it a unique tribute to Kerouac, it established Orlando on the international literary map.http://kerouacproject.org
In the 1950s a developer by the name of Demetree began developing Ardsley Manor along the western shore of Lake Silver. The neighborhood was designed with larger lots and homes than the traditional parts of College Park. Ardsley Manor is the area bound by Bryn Mawr, Maury Road, Rio Grande, and Lake Silver. Lake Silver is a 60 acres (242,811.6 m²) lake with a private park/lake access for Ardsley Manor residents only, found along the southern shore off of Bryn Mawr.
In 2002, Edgewater Drive, the main artery of the neighborhood's business district, was re-striped from a 4-lane byway to a more pedestrian-friendly 3-lanes (1 in each direction with a central turn lane).
In 2005, College Park resident and developer Jim Kersey broke ground on a new 7-story mixed-used development along Edgewater Drive called "The Wellesley." It included 140 residential units over the "SunTrust Collonade," a commercial strip featuring 12500 square feet (1,161.3 m²) of retail space adjoining a 7500 square feet (696.8 m²) bank. The development was built just before an economic recession, resulting in many unsold units and dropping resale values on the units.
Government and politics
College Park is encompassed by Orlando's city commission district 3, currently represented by Robert Franklin Stuart, Sr., scion of a local political dynasty that includes Orlando Chamber of Commerce president Jacob Stuart, congressional candidate Charlie StuartCharlie Stuart
The Florida 8th congressional district election, 2006 was an election for the United States House of Representatives. Republican Congressman Ric Keller defeated Democratic businessman Charlie Stuart to win a fourth term.-Candidates:...
, and former state senator George Stuart, Jr.
Churches
- Cathedral of the Incarnation (Anglican), 1515 Edgewater Drive.
- Central Christian Church, 250 Southwest Ivanhoe Boulevard.
- Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 45 East Par Street
- College Park Baptist Church, 1914 Edgewater Drive, established in 1928 under the pastorate of Rev. Milton Bales.
- College Park United Methodist Church, 644 West Princeton Street.
- St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, 4005 Edgewater Drive, established in 1954.
- St. Michael's Episcopal Church, 2499 North Westmoreland Avenue, established in 1948.
- St. Paul's Presbyterian Church, 4917 Eli Street.
Civic
- College Park Neighborhood Association (http://collegeparkorlando.org) and its predecessor organizations have had the goal of preserving, protecting and improving College Park since 1987. CPNA's major annual events include Sunday in the Park (spring), Historic Homes Tour (fall) and when relevant, candidate forums. Meetings are held monthly, unless otherwise posted, on the first Monday of every month at 7:00 p.m. at the College Park Community Center.
- College Park Rotary Club (http://www.collegeparkrotary.org), established in 1986 sponsors the annual Taste of College Park Food and Wine Festival to benefit the Ronald McDonald Houses of Orlando among other charities. They also contribute significant scholarship funds to neighborhood schools.
Education
- Bishop Moore Catholic High SchoolBishop Moore High SchoolBishop Moore Catholic High School is a private Roman Catholic high school in the College Park neighborhood of Orlando, Florida. It remains the only Catholic high school in Greater Orlando. It is located within the Diocese of Orlando. The school was built in 1954 and was named after Bishop John...
. - Edgewater High SchoolEdgewater High SchoolEdgewater High School is a public secondary school located in the College Park section of Orlando, Florida. It is operated by the Orange County Public Schools system. The athletic teams are known as the 'Fighting Eagles' with colors red and white....
. - Lake Silver Elementary. (http://www.lakesilver.ocps.net)
- Princeton Elementary School (1926). (http://www.princeton.ocps.net)
- Robert E. Lee Middle School.
- St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School (Pre-K thru 8th Grade).
- St. Vincent's Academy (Anglican).
Parks and recreation
- Dartmouth Park established in 1948, bounded by Dartmouth, New Hampshire, Westmoreland, and Edgewater Drive.
- Dubsdread Golf Course established in 1924 at 549 West Par Street was closed for renovations March 12, 2007, but reopened in the summer of 2008. Once home to the Orlando Open, it has played host to such legendary golfers as Tiger WoodsTiger WoodsEldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No...
, Sam SneadSam SneadSamuel Jackson Snead was an American professional golfer who was one of the top players in the world for most of four decades. Snead won a record 82 PGA Tour events including seven majors. He failed to win a U.S...
, Ben HoganBen HoganWilliam Ben Hogan was an American golfer, generally considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game...
, and Claude HarmonClaude HarmonEugene Claude Harmon, Sr. was an American golfer.Harmon was born in Savannah, Georgia, and spent much of his boyhood in the Orlando area. A youthful prodigy, Harmon qualified for the U.S. Amateur at age 15 in 1931...
.
Commercial
- Gabriel's Sub Shop on Edgewater Drive, established in 1958.
- Publix Supermarket on Edgewater Drive, established in 1950.
- Stuart Jewelry, established in 1946.
External links
- http://www.orlandosentinel.com/community/news/collegepark
- http://collegeparkorlando.org
- http://www.golfdubsdread.com
- http://mycollegepark.com
- http://kerouacproject.org