Winter Garden Downtown Historic DistrictPosted by: 
Markerman62
N 28° 33.958 W 081° 35.092
17R E 442797 N 3160038
Located on Plant St (FL 438) at Woodland Street in front of Winter Garden History Research and Education Center.
Waymark Code: WMQ5EJ
Location: Florida, United States
Date Posted: 12/23/2015
Views: 10
On this corner, farmers built a small wooden train station soon after the Orange Belt Railroad reached the area in 1886. By 1899, the Taveres & Gulf Railroad constructed a second rail line and depot nearby. Wooden stores rose alongside the parallel tracks and Winter Garden was incorporated in 1908. Prosperity fueled Winter Garden's growth from 1910 to 1960. The town became a major citrus shipping point, and downtown served as the region's shopping center. Nearby, Lake Apopka gained recognition as "the large-mouth bass capital of the world." During the second half of the 20th century, the city center declined. Automobiles replaced train travel, strip malls outpaced downtown Plant Street stores, and Lake Apopka became severely polluted. After multiple freezes during the 1980s decimated the citrus industry, the buildings in the dilapidated downtown district stood mostly abandoned. Orange County replaced the Plant Street railroad tracks with the West Orange Trail in 1994, which sparked a turnaround. In 1996, a district featuring 24 commercial structures was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Through the strong efforts of residents, merchants, and city officials, the city center has undergone a rebirth.
Marker Number: F-861
Date: 2015
County: Orange
Marker Type: City
Sponsored or placed by: The Winter Garden Heritage Foundation, and the Florida Department of State
Website: [Web Link]
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Visit Instructions:
In your log, please say if you learned something new, and if you took any extra time to explore the area once you stopped at the historic marker waymark.
Please post a photo at the marker location.