The Winter Park History Museum seeks to research and preserve the abundant, history of Winter Park and its surrounding area, and tell our town's story through free educational exhibits, lecture series and outreach programs.
Seminole Hotel Dig Update!
We returned to the original Seminole Hotel site for a second artifacts dig and uncovered some more incredible finds: a tobacco tin, beautifully decorated pottery fragments, and what looks like a door hinge! Special thanks to Kim, archivist at @womansclubwp, for joining us in the search.
Next, we’ll be working with the Florida Public Archaeology Network to learn the best ways to preserve these fragile pieces of Winter Park’s past.
Want to see the discoveries up close? Mark your calendars for October 16! We’ll share the history of the Seminole Hotel and do a special show-and-tell with the finds during @meadgarden’s Life Explorers program. More details coming soon!
Some artists spend a lifetime searching for inspiration. For Don Sondag, inspiration was always close to home. A native of Winter Park, Don carried his hometown spirit with him when he earned a BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design and studied painting and portraiture at the National Academy of Design and the Art Students League in New York City. But instead of building his career elsewhere, he brought his talent back—choosing to enrich the very community that shaped him.
Over the years, Don has become one of Winter Park’s most beloved artists. His portraits reveal the soul of his subjects, and his landscapes capture the quiet beauty of Florida’s skies and waterways. His brush has preserved not just scenes, but stories.
Don has quietly woven himself into the cultural fabric of Winter Park. He is widely known for his commissioned portraits, which have captured the likenesses of local community leaders, families, and even cultural icons like Fred Rogers. In 1990, he joined the faculty at Crealdé School of Art, where he has mentored generations of students—teaching them not only the techniques of portraiture and painting, but also how to see the world differently.
Winter Park’s reputation as a cultural hub owes much to artists like Don, who dedicate themselves to both creation and community. His work reminds us that art is not just something to be admired—it is something to be lived, shared, and passed on. Be sure to stop by the Winter Park History Museum to see two of Don Sondag’s pieces on loan from the 2025 Winter Park Paint Out!
“Who is most likely to…?” Dena & Christy Edition
Workaholic energy, coffee before personality … and maybe a little fashionably late? We have the answers! Which one surprised you the most?
Meet Bob Klettner, our dedicated treasurer and board member for the past 5 years! Bob believes a board member should be like a ROCK:
Reliable
Objective
Conservation-oriented
Knowledgeable
His guiding philosophy? “The past is a guide to our future.” We’re grateful for Bob’s steady leadership and commitment to preserving Winter Park’s history!
Every March, the Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival transforms Park Avenue into one of the country’s most prestigious, celebrated outdoor galleries. Artists compete for 64 awards, with the Best of Show award at the heart of it all.
This tradition began in 1960, when attendees voted for their favorite piece. DeLand artist Arnold Loren Hicks won with his oil painting of a foreboding forest and generously donated his $40 prize back to keep the festival alive. By 1969, the festival began purchasing the winning works for the City of Winter Park, creating a collection that today lives at the Winter Park Library and Events Center, City Hall and the Welcome Center.
Over the decades, the Best of Show pieces have become a significant part of the city’s Public Art Collection. They have also provided some unforgettable stories. Who could forget 1975’s infamous Wizard of Oz, a photo-realistic ballpoint pen drawing of a startled, nude, middle-aged woman that shocked City Hall and later mysteriously vanished from the library?
In 1981, the award went to something far more serene: Winter Walk by pastel artist Tom Parker, which is currently on display at the Winter Park History Museum—on temporary loan from the Winter Park Public Art Advisory Board. Also on temporary loan from the board is Harbor Dawn, a 1964 oil painting by Jeannette Genius McKean. Visit us today and experience two pieces of Winter Park’s colorful Best of Show legacy.
Shaping a Cultural Legacy: Charles Morse & the McKeans in Winter Park
Join us Wednesday, September 17, 6–7 pm at the Winter Park Farmers Market Building for an inspiring evening on the visionaries who shaped Winter Park’s artistic heart: Charles Hosmer Morse and Hugh & Jeannette McKean.
Hear from Winter Park Historian Rick Baldwin and the Executive Director of The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art Jennifer Thalheimer as they explore the founding of The Morse Museum of American Art and the enduring impact of its founders on the community’s artistic heritage.
Stay for a reception sponsored by Commerce Bank & Trust!
For more details and to RSVP, please visit https://tinyurl.com/bdd37frt
This is a free event and a collaboration of @casafelizmuseum, @morsemuseum and the Winter Park History Museum.
Did you know our current exhibit doesn’t just celebrate the history of arts and culture—we’re also shining a light on the next generation?
We’ve partnered with @orangecountypublicschools and the @winterparksidewalkartfestival Children’s Showcase to feature incredible student artwork on our walls. From colorful paintings to imaginative drawings, these pieces come from talented high school students in Orange County.
Stop by the Winter Park History Museum to see history and the future of art, side by side.
#WinterParkHistoryMuseum #winterpark
Last week, we welcomed @benmackjackson, founder of the @ww2vhp, to the Winter Park History Museum. His nonprofit works to preserve the memories of the last surviving WWII veterans—giving the past a future, one story at a time.
His visit was a powerful reminder of the importance of preserving history. From uniforms and letters to photographs and personal documents, our archives offer researchers a treasure trove of primary sources that keep the past alive for future generations. As a hub for historical exploration, the museum is proud to provide access to these invaluable resources for those dedicated to telling the stories that shaped our world.
Winter Park’s First Lady of Flowers
Born into a legacy of gardens and grandeur in Cincinnati, Wilhelmina “Billie” Greene became one of Winter Park’s most vibrant cultural figures. A Rollins graduate, gifted botanical artist and devoted educator, Billie helped shape Winter Park’s artistic and botanical identity.
Her family relocated to Winter Park in 1919, and she attended Rollins Academy, where she met her future husband, Raymond Greene. While earning her history degree at Rollins, her lifelong love of nature—first inspired by her family’s expansive Ohio garden—was already in bloom.
Billie’s journey as a botanical artist began by sketching wildflowers for her children when coloring books were scarce. That simple act blossomed into a remarkable career. She studied in the U.S., Europe and Asia, refining her watercolor and pen-and-ink techniques to capture the delicate beauty of flora—both native and exotic.
By 1936, her work was exhibited locally at the Art Exhibition of Resident & Visiting Artists of Winter Park. A decade later, she was featured in House & Garden, earning national recognition. Her landmark 1953 book Flowers of the South: Native and Exotic—co-authored with Duke University botanist Dr. Hugo Blomquist—included 800 of her drawings and paintings. The New York Herald Tribune called it “probably the best arranged and illustrated volume on the subject that has yet appeared.”
But Billie’s impact reached far beyond art. She founded a Junior Garden Club in Winter Park, taught nature and art in public schools, and served on the Winter Park School Board in the 1940s. Her global travels deepened her expertise in flower arranging, drawing and landscape architecture. She even discovered a new flower in Trinidad—gloriosa greeneii. She often donated proceeds from her art to the Winter Park Garden Club and gave over $30,000 to Rollins, earning its Alumni Service Award in 1975.
Until her passing in 1991, Wilhelmina “Billie” Greene dedicated more than 75 years to the Winter Park community—through art, education and an enduring love of nature. Visit the Winter Park History Museum to explore the remarkable artists who’ve shaped our city’s cultural history.
When Bill and Janie Bishop discovered a large metal wheel during construction at their home—located on the original site of the iconic Seminole Hotel (which tragically burned down in 1902)—they gave us a call. We immediately grabbed our sifters and got to work!
The Seminole Hotel, built in 1886, was part of the Henry B. Plant hotel system—alongside grand destinations like the Tampa Bay Hotel. It helped put Winter Park on the map as a premier Florida resort town for early travelers. Last week, Christy and Dena spent a (very hot) day digging through layers of history and uncovered nails, bricks showing fire damage, glass, ceramic shards and more—most likely remnants of the legendary hotel.
This is the first substantial physical discovery from the Seminole Hotel site. Until now, only three brass room numbers had ever been recovered. We’re now beginning the next phase: researching each artifact, working with local archaeologists to confirm their origins, and determining how best to preserve them for future generations.
Huge thanks to Bill and Janie for welcoming us into their yard and helping us preserve Winter Park’s incredible story. We can’t wait to clean, catalog and (hopefully!) display these finds soon at the Winter Park History Museum!
The Royal Way of Dance in Winter Park
Winter Park’s dance legacy was set in motion in 1947 by Edith “Edie” Royal and her husband Bill. What began as a small parish-hall class blossomed into the Royal School of Dance—one of Central Florida’s most beloved cultural institutions.
Born in Philadelphia in 1918 during the flu pandemic, Edie was enrolled in dance classes to improve her health. A student of Florence Cowanova (who taught Grace Kelly and Imogene Coca), she opened her first studio in 1939 in the basement of her family’s home. After marrying Bill at the age of 21, the couple relocated to Orlando and began offering dance classes in Winter Park—laying the foundation for decades of artistic influence.
Starting with just a few students at All Saints Episcopal Church, the Royals taught generations of dancers over four decades. They operated studios in Winter Park and Orlando, and in 1963 started the beloved annual holiday tradition of presenting The Nutcracker with a full orchestra.
Alumni of their program include Elizabeth Parsons, founder of the Dr. Phillips High School Visual and Performing Arts Dance Program, as well as Barbara and Kip Watson and Patti Stevens—who helped establish the Orlando Ballet. According to artistic director Robert Hill, “the foundation for Orlando’s appreciation and love for ballet and dance is attributed to the Royals and their commitment to the art—that is their legacy.”
Known to her students as “Mrs. Royal,” Edie taught more than dance. She instilled discipline, joy and a deep love for the arts. Her studio was a home for creativity and community. Her vision set the barre—and it still inspires.
Visit us at the Winter Park History Museum, where photos, artifacts and oral histories bring Winter Park’s arts and cultural history to life.
Now accepting applications! We are honored our very own Christy Knobloch is on the selection committee for the Rhea Marsh and Dorothy Lockhart Smith Winter Park History Research Grant—sponsored by @winterparklibrary & @olinlibrary .
The purpose of the grant is to encourage scholarly research on some aspect of Winter Park. Topics that may be considered for grant funding may be either historical or current in nature, such as a biographical study of early Winter Park settlers or the history of a Winter Park business. See the Application Guidelines for more specific information.
Amount: $3,000
Submission Deadline: September 15
Application: Link in Bio
With just 150 words, a woman who would one day call Winter Park home taught generations of children how to read.
Eulalie Osgood Grover moved to Winter Park in 1926 after already enchanting millions of young readers with her charming characters, The Sunbonnet Babies. First published in 1902 and illustrated by Bertha L. Corbett, these primers followed the adventures of Molly and May—two little girls whose oversized bonnets hid their faces but never their curiosity.
Using just 150 words, Grover`s books helped generations of early readers take their first steps into literacy. The stories were so widely popular that they became staples in public schools across the country. She later expanded the series with The Overall Boys, as well as globetrotting adventures like Sunbonnet Babies in Holland, Italy and Switzerland—blending storytelling with geography lessons.
Over her prolific career, Grover wrote 27 books, selling more than four million copies. Today, her legacy can be seen at the Morse Museum, the Winter Park Public Library and the Winter Park History Museum, where original editions and archival treasures are still preserved.
Grover`s gentle tales are a proud part of Winter Park’s history. At our current exhibit, Echoes of Expression, we explore the history of arts and culture in Winter Park. We hope you’ll stop by to learn more!
Board Member of the Month
Meet Eric Werrenrath, our Recording Secretary, who joined the Winter Park History Museum Board of Directors in 2023. Eric believes that "our community’s history is filled with remarkable stories, and the Winter Park History Museum plays a vital role in preserving and sharing those stories to keep our local history alive."
Eric brings thoughtful insight and a meticulous eye to his role. His commitment helps us stay organized, informed and focused on our mission to celebrate Winter Park’s rich cultural legacy. Thank you, Eric, for helping us keep the story of Winter Park alive and well for generations to come!
Celebrating 90 Years of Music, Legacy and Community
Founded in 1935 at Rollins College to honor the 250th anniversary of Johann Sebastian Bach’s birth, the Society began as a tribute and has grown into a cultural cornerstone. What started under the visionary leadership of artist and educator Isabelle Sprague-Smith has become Central Florida’s longest-running performing arts organization — and the third-oldest continuously operating Bach Festival in the nation.
Thanks to the dedication of leaders like John M. Tiedtke and current Artistic Director and Conductor John V. Sinclair, the Society now includes an acclaimed choir of 180 volunteer singers, a professional orchestra of nearly 50 members and more than 20 annual ticketed performances. Wall Street Journal critic Terry Teachout lauded the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park as “one of the finest organizations of its kind in America.” Community concerts in Central Park and cherished traditions like Christmas in the Park and the Winter Park 4th of July Celebration draw thousands of families across Central Florida every year.
As we mark this 90th anniversary, we honor not just the enduring genius of Johann Sebastian Bach, but the generations of musicians, students and audiences who’ve kept the music playing in Winter Park. Congratulations, @bachfestivalwp, to 90 years!
