Also Note:1100 Overbrook Drive1118 Overbrook Drive1132 Overbrook Drive1115 Overbrook Drive811 Ellwood Avenue1029 Alba Drive831 Westmoreland Drive

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COLLEGE PARK HISTORICHOMES TOUR • Nov. 22, I998WEST LAKE ADAIRISf)UTH COLLEGE PARK

8TH mSTORIC HOMES TOUR - PROJECT OF COLLEGE PARKNEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATiON mSTORICL~L (~OMMITTEE

THIS IS YOUR TICKET!! - SHOW IT AT EACH HOME

1000 Lake Adair Boulevard (Exterior only)STARTING POINT ANDHEADQUARTERS (HQ)

1. 1010 Lake Adair Boulevard - cg '-6 ct -;) ~ L 2-

2. 11270verbrookDrive - if')..?- - 1d,S 7

3. 1101 Seville Place - Nit

4. 1019 Seville Place - S '-1/ - 3 <i'i :3 ) G)5. 818 Ellwood Avenue (__D_o_wnstalrs__ · _onl_v_) lj~2-')1-4~ ~ ~Pl~1R~f!,P5t-~e'''1s-2.dJ''cel1t " ~'-

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r I,In the 1910's and 20's the area north ofColouial now called College J~arkwas mostly groveland, ripe for development. In 1922 grove owner Theron J. Walker created the Edgewatersubdivision from land he had held since 19Otti.He sold the subdivided land in 1923 to thecitrus rIrDl of Gentile Brothers, who replatted it in 1924 as Edgewater Heights and sold itto midwesterners. They operated through developer John P. Holbrook and his associateLucie Prewitt. The success of this subdivision led in November 1925 to Holbrook's Edge­water Heights Section 2, on land an investor group bought from the Gentiles. In the 1880'sthis land was owned by John W Childress, who reportedly named Lake Adair for his wife.

Just to the south, building was already underway in Orange Park, subdivided in 1914 byGeorge L. Atkins, Elwood W. Watson and N.B. Miller. Their properly extended fromWestmoreland (then called Reel) to what is now Orange Blossom Trail, and from Colonialto just beyond Atkins Place.' Other street names were Ellwood and Watson (now Alba).Early lot sales here were slow compared to the frantic sales activity of the 1920's.~

The late 1920's bust and subsequent Depression meant that many lots remained vacant foryears. The tour houses span more than a decade and show a variety of architectural styles.

As you tour, note the ANTIQUE AUTOS on disqlay courtesy of The Model A Club of Orlando.

Tour headquarters is in front of 1000 Lake Ad.air Boulevard. THE HOUSE IS NOT OPEN FOROUR TOUR; WE ASK YOU TO LOOK AT IT FROM THE HEADQUARTERS SITE AND FROMTHE STREET ONLY. It is an excellent formal example of the Mediterranean Revival style. Twistedcast stone columns are located between the windows of the two side wings and support the centralentrance. The wrought iron work of the grilles is among the most detailed in the city.

The house was built in 1936 at an approximate cos!:,of $18,000 by Frank Hiegel for Joseph Gentile, of·ficer of a firm that had been in the citrus business Jxally since about 1900. In the 1920's they ownedthe surrounding land. For nearly 40 years before ~9:spurchase by entrepreneur Marcell Madero, Gen­tile family members lived in the house. The present owner bought and rehabbed it in the mid 1980's.

# 1 1010 Lake Adair Boulevard was designed in 1935 by Winter Park architect Harold J.("Rabbit") Hair for William L. and Mary Jones. THe house is based on Colonial, French and Spanishprecedents, with symmetrical facades, side gabled roof, one-story side wing and double front porches.

Jones was an executive with Florida Tire Company_ His family lived here until about 1942, when fueloil dealer Fred Tegder and his wife Lucille bought'tl1e house. She remained here as a widow until atleast 1971. After a brief tenure by the Duval family, the Freeland family became the owners, until1995, when Bill and Janie Bishop bought it. Rep,i)rtedly the house has never been formally on themarket, but snapped up as soon as rumor said it might be available.The Bishops have carried out extensive rehabilitatWn, aiming for a 'Hew Orleans French Quarter' look.Hair had specified "old farm brick" to be painted ~~ite, and so it was for many years. While trying toexpose a bit of the red brick, the owners found they loved a total red brick effect.

Wood in the house is cypress, reportedly milled on :~e property. Most doors, hardware and bathroomfixtures are original, as are pantry cabinets, register grates, upstairs hall light fixture and tile in theupstairs bath. The ~ floors are clear ntd ~Jt. pegged" exee,t for t.be p~r.efleer in the ~ite-hen,discovered under layers of linoleum. The owner was delighted to find that the paint color shepreferred for the walls was in fact the original color, ,

The mud room and pantry kitchen area was once au open breezeway. The tin roof on the overhang inthe courtyard is original •. Note the outside stairs that lead to the basement.

Passing headquarters and and turning up OverbroMt Drive, known as Spring Lake Drive until 1939,note #1100 on the left. This modified Meditel:'ranean Revival home was built about 1939 for N.Addison Baker and his wife Isabelle Ball. He was president of The Florida Bank.

,#2 1127 Overbrook Drive is a relatively late example of the Mediterranean style. Unusual detailsinclude the shaped arch at the front door, scallOped concrete balustrade at the balcony, stuccoshutters, twisted column at the entry by the garage, and iron grille at the window near the front door.

The house was built in 1936 at a cost of $15,000 by Eugene Tavel for Mary and Hewen A. Lasseter,vice president of R.E. Crummer Be Company, Investments. By 1945, Alva H. and Coral Malcom,president and vice-president of Atlantic Food Supply Company, were the owners. By 1962, it wasowned by citrus grower C.E. Bradshaw, Jr. and his wife Molly. She lived here until about 1984.Interim owners carried out some rehabilitation before the 1987 purchase by the current owners.

They have retained the character of the house while enhancing its liveabiljty. They added the twisted·column porch in the pool area and the adjacent sunroom, which connects the once separate utilityroom and mother-in-law suite to the main house. The latter they converted into a master suite,replaoing terrazzo floors with hardwood. They also combined the pantry, breakfast room andmudroom with the kitchen, and replaced the broken-tile floor of the study with oak to match theoriginal floors elsewhere. These are laid in a pattern characteristic of better homes of the period.The fireplace, original, has tile hearth, egg and dart and dentil moldings on the mantel, and acanthus­like pilaster trim. The columns leading to the music room and the Moorish arches are also original.

J127's 2nd floor~reachable by a partial back stair~features original tile floors and walls in the bath­- rooms, and a closet connecting two of the bedrooms. There are original register covers throughout.

Built by W.A.McCreefor the Jack Branham family, 1132 was the first house on Overbrook Drive Pro­jected cost of this ColonialRevivalwas $8~OOO.MIS.Branham chose the street name after convincingthe Citythat Spring Lake Dr. was a confusing title; the brook connected Spring Lake and Lake Adair.

Another 1936 house is the rare Regency type ColpnialRevivalat 1135 Overbrook Drive. It was builtfor the sum of $7,500 for Shelby and Shirley Gaskin,who lived here until 1943.

Also on Overbrook at 1118 is a 1937 ColonialRevivalbuilt by H.G.A.Bates for Albert and Nora Leich­ner at a projected cost of $11,000. Later residents included citrus grower Hudson J. McReynolds.

#3 1101 Seville Place, in Dutch Colonial Reviv~1style, has cut-out shutters and a porch with Doriccolumns supporting a curved ceiling. The elliptical'anlight over the door is as fine as any in the city.The house is pictured in a January 1927 ad for Edgewater Heights as the residence of A.M.(MiltonA.)Candler. He bought the property in 1926 from Charles Benedict, an Edgewater Heights Section 2 partner, and engaged D.C.Richards to build the house at a cost of $8~500. Candler, an engineer, and wifesoon moved to North Carolina, and for about a decade they and Rosa Johnston, who bought the housein 1930, rented it to various tenants, including Dr. Carter Buchanan and Lawrence Lawton. Laterowners were Albert Johnson of Johnson Electric, Maryan and Ferg Alleman Who updated themechanical systems~ Billand HelenHeadley~and Joe and Doris Culp~who lived here for over 20 years.The current owner, who bought the home in 1993, spent 1&1/2 years renovating it. The front livingareas look much as they did originally,and all retain the 6 over 1 windows. Downstairs there are oakfloors, wide baseboard~ arched doorways and a fine living room fireplace surround. Upstairs floorsare yellowpine~patched with pine from the porch, and the wainscoting is a mixof original and replica.

;-)n the back,-uleownefiias IncorPQra-&cr\¥6at-wereoncejilousleaponilie51iitOtlle miin house, re­placing the jalousies with windows to match originals elsewhere. Thus both living room and kitchenare larger and more open. The yellow pine porch flooring (covered with cork in the 50's) has beenreplaced with old oak that blends seamlessly wfth the existing. The kitchen, though completelyredone, has a feel of the 1920's. In various areas,llncluding the master bedroom, doorways have beenrevised to make the house more liveable without losing the 20's look. The attic has the original redpine floor. Once only a storage area, the attic spa~:i:has been converted to a spacious exercise room.

#4 1019 Seville Place is a good example of th'a Monterrey style. Constructed of concrete block,with heavy beams supporting a cantilevered balcon~,it was built in 1936 for insurance agent Henry C.Armstrong and his wife Derrelle by Holland Construction Co. The estimated cost was $9000. Laterowners were Thomas and Estelle Jewell, businessman Robert Riddle and his wife Mamie, and for 17years, salesman LewisPottinger and his wife Alyce. The present owners purchased in 1968.Originalfeatures include the shingle roof on the main house, the balcony and rail, and most windows,includingshutters and screens. The back yard contains camellia varieties developed by Mr. Pottinger.Downstairs, most.floors are covered with the origirial Mexican tile, laid in an unusually intricate pat­tern. The tile was reportedly left over from an order for the Angebilt Hotel. The current owners choseto echo the pattern for their back terrace. They also combined the pantry and kitchen and, in 1973,added the family room and downstairs bedroom and bath. Their mantel and fireplace surroundresemble those at 1127 Overbrook, with egg & dart and dentil moldings~a center cartouche, herefeaturing a flower, and pilasters withfloral capitals. The office was probably originallya sunporch.

A small basement runs the length of the hall.' At the top of the stairs is a mural by artist Betty Bouck.The upstairs has original oak floors and original tile in the bathrooms. One bath has original fixtures.

r-Turning on EllwoodAvenue, we pass 830, the much-altered oldest building on the street if the tax

record date of 1915 is correct. The Martin family continued to live here for many years.

#5 818 Ellwood Avenue is a typical 'Old Florida' Frame Vernacular with full width front porch an·upstairs sleeping room. Its mix of stylistic elements include Craftsman style windows and classicalDoric columns. Original interior features include the fireplace, moldings, and wood and tile floors.

Although there may have been a structure on the site earlier, the first building permit we found isdated February, 1926. It calls for a one story frame house and garage, costing $3500 and $250, tobe built by F.A. Cornright for real estate man Willium J. Richards. He lived here until the early 1930's.In 1933, this was the home of George and Esther' Kittredge and children, including future real estateinvestor Conway Kittredge. He recalls that in the, 1930's the area was still semi-rural; resi-dents hadgardens and livestock, including pigs that supplied the dining room of the Country Club.

By 1944, salesman William W. Whanon owned thie property. His widow, Mary, remained here until atleast 1976. It was the next owner who reportedly "modernized" several interior features. The presentowners, one of whom has a downtown art gallery, airretrying to reverse these changes where possible.

We pass 811 Ellwood, a Colonial Revival with a salt-box look. Machinist William Reimer bought theproperty in 1920 and applied for a building permtt in Dee., 1922 for a one-story frame house to cost$1500. He and his family, including wife Ida and fJharlotte, a dressmaker, lived here for a decade.

Continuing south on EllWood Avenue, we pass tht'. side of 1029 Alba Drive and turn left to see thefront of this American Foursquare. According to building permit records, a garage was built here in1926 and a $4000 house was added in 1927 for Isaiah J. Davis, a contractor, on land bought from

Edgar Cumming, who, in 1923, had built a one-s'~ry house and garage to the east (perhaps 1017).Davis' widow Ada lived at 1029 until the mid 1960~.

If street reconstr~ction" p«:r~!~, the_~o~ dire.ct ,~~y~a~k ~o,h~eadquarters is to continue on_Alba to~WestmOtelaiid and go fftlcugm: Gown Wesunorelanti to LaKe Aaa.r.

Just north of the AlbajWes'bnoreland corner, on the west side, the Rosemere Apartment HouseCompany in December 1923, pulled permits forfiv.,i separate, rather large units, each with garage. Itappears that the two-story Mission Revival at !l08/810 Westmoreland may be a survivor. Thecompany was an enterprise of Walter W. Rose, a major developer who gave College Park streets theircollege and university names and gave his own name to many Orlando subdivisions.

831 Westmoreland is an unusual Tudor Revival, relatively unadorned except for brick sills and half­timbering in the eaves. Also unusual is the side p9rch, later enclosed with brick. The house was builtin 1926 for Louis L. Barr by the firm of Barr & Niel. The building permit lists the house cost as$8000 and the garage, $400. In the early 1940's, Conway Kittredge and parents lived here.

The bungalow at 834 belonged until the 1930's to Augustus and Minnie Hubert, who bought in 1915.

Sources: Lake Adair Historic Resources Survey, City Directories, building pennit records, subdivision andother real estate records, newspapers, homeowners and other residents, "Orlando - A Centennial History", W.A.McCree, Jr.'s "rne Hammer & the Pencil". History compiled and written by CPNAHC Co-ehair GraceHagedorn.. Architectural descriptions and map by Orlando Historic Preservation Officer Jodi Rubin. Printingcourtesy of the Orlando Neighborhood Services Office.

THE COLLEGEPARK NEIGHBORHOODASSOCIATION, P.O. BOX 540859 ORLANDO, FL 32854-0859

To join CPNA, send a check for $10 per household annual dues ($5 per senior household) to the above address.You11 receive a monthly newsletter, free tour admission, and the opportunity to participate in many interestingconunittees,including the Historical Committee. For more information, call Susan Tayloe at 422-1402.