Orange
County Regional History Center
65 E Central Blvd
Orlando, FL 32801
Orlando, FL 32801
AT A GLANCE: Orlando County Regional History Center
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Date of Visit:
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Saturday, March 4,
2017
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Parking
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On street or in the
parking structure behind the museum’s building.
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Amount of time needed
to peruse exhibits:
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60 – 90 minutes
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Amount of time needed
for gift shop
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30 minutes. If a booklover, 60 minutes.
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The “must have”
souvenir
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A colorful crate
label. There are dozens to choose
from.
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Online shopping
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A page on the museum’s
website states that they have shopping, yet online shopping is not available.
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Kid friendly shopping
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Definitely
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Kid friendly
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Yes
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Dress code
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Casual
shorts, t-shirts and sandals are perfectly acceptable.
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Be sure to…..
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See
Ted Bundy’s signature carved into a table in the courthouse exhibit.
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Nearby/other
establishments to visit
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The drive to the Orlando
Science Center is 18 minutes / 3 miles to the north. I don’t recommend combining the Science
Center with another stop, as it can be an exhausting visit.
Visiting the Orange
County History Center and the Mennello Museum of Folk Art makes for an
easy and enjoyable day with more than enough time for lunch. The Mennello Museum shares a parking lot
with the Orlando Science Center.
If still hungry for
shopping, visit the gift shop at the Orlando Museum of the Arts. There is no admission to visit the gift
shop, which is an easy walk across a side street from the Science Center and
Mennello Museum.
The Leu Gardens
are 12 minutes / 3.5 miles northeast.
I recommend devoting an entire day to visiting the Leu Gardens. The Florida sun can be exhausting, making
it tough to do anything else.
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Walkability, general
downtown area / amount of traffic
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Several restaurants
for lunch are located a block away. Wear
comfortable shoes.
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Safety, in terms of
type and number of crimes committed in general area
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Stow your valuables
out of sight and lock your car. Keep
an awareness of your surroundings.
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The mission statement of the Orlando County Regional
History Center is taken from their website and is as follows:
“…
to honor the past, explore the present,
and shape the future through permanent and traveling exhibits, wide-ranging
programs, and limited-run exhibitions from other prestigious institutions…”
Note: the restrooms are straight ahead, past the
gift shop and past the staircase, next to the two taxidermied polar bears.
I love how the Orange County Regional History Center
(further referenced as the Museum) is open and airy, not at all one of those
dusty and dark museums. The Museum isn’t
hiding or ignoring its heritage, but chooses to display it in an interesting
and interactive way. The gift shop is
called the Emporium and it, too, is open and airy being situated in a large
space behind the ticket counter.
I have found that many museums rely too much on exceedingly
worded placards posted near a display to give its history and meaning. I get tired of having to read so much text to
understand what I’m viewing. The Museum
does a magnificent job of eliminating these annoying placards for its
displays. Information needed to
understand and enjoy the exhibits is posted at the entrance to that
exhibit. The displays inside carry a
short explanation of one- or two-worded sentences, with many interactive
displays that are great for children.
They push a button to light the appropriate sections. I have a confession. I always push each button, one at a time, to
make sure the display is working properly.
Why? Because I can.
Don’t be intimidated by the Museum’s four levels of
exhibits. Each level houses just two
exhibits that are spacious and interesting.
The first thing I learned is that the native Indians called the Seminoles
were not really one of the first tribes.
A Seminole refers to members of the Creek tribes from either Georgia or
Mississippi that migrated to Florida.
There’s more. These migrants “mingled”
with runaway slaves in Florida, and the resulting offspring were dubbed “Seminole,”
in reference for the Spanish word for run-away.
I tried to verify this, but my search led me to the word the Spanish word
“huir” alluding to “run away.” I’m sure
that the Spanish language changed over the past 150 years, and “Seminole” probably
changed throughout these years.
In learning about the Seminoles, it’s necessary to
understand why runaway slaves exited in the U.S. Wander over to the exhibit dealing with
slavery to find the answer. The Museum
showcases some of the many accomplishments that arose from former / runaway
slaves, highlighting the lives of Booker T. Washington, an educator and George Washington
Carver who was botanist, chemist and inventor.
Fairly recent African American history is reflected
by the display of art painted by the Highwaymen. Remember them? Here’s a link to my review of the A.E. Backus
Museum, where we first learned about this group of mid-20th
artists: http://www.meetmeinthegiftshop.com/p/ae-backus-museum-and-gallery.html
We have art and Seminoles, but there are still a few
more things that define Florida’s unique brand (personality). The cattle and citrus industry, for example,
are one of those things. I enjoyed this
exhibit showcasing the numerous crate labels of the orange growers that used to
be in Florida. This is an example of
early branding, because the orange processors relied on these vibrant labels to
identify the orchard supplying the fruit, and not by a name scratched on the
crate. They are an amazing and vivid
collection of color and symbols. Some
are handsome enough to warrant a spot at home or office, or to give as a distinctive
gift. When shopping in the Emporium, please
take the opportunity to practice the “Meet Me in the Gift Shop” rule of gift
giving: for every purchase meant as a
gift, a likewise numbers of items must be purchased for personal use. This selfless act helps to balance the
universe.
The rise of tourism began after a killing freeze in
1895 destroyed most of the orange orchards.
Hotels were built near the train station for the wealthy folks who began
to take the train to Florida to escape the cold and ice of a northern
winter. Two things happened in the next
20 years to blow the door of off Florida tourism. First, the Dixie Highway was completed in
1915. As part of the National Auto Trail
System, it was a direct route from Midwestern and northern states to the sunny
south. Hand-in-hand with the Dixie
Highway was the creation of the new middle class citizen, containing many of
the auto workers whose pay scale made it possible to have the time and the
money to buy a Model T car and roam further than they could before. The wanted to drive their automobiles to
previously unimaginable places, such as sunny Florida, and the Dixie Highway
would take them there. These early
tourists discovered that beside a vehicle and a highway, they would need
overnight lodging. The existing hotels,
near the train stations, had been built for the wealthy or privileged visitors,
and were out of reach of the newly created middle class auto worker. Solution?
Sleep in the vehicle, which couldn’t have been comfortable. Today’s travel trailers owe their existence
to the need of the early 20th century tourist.
With the number of tourists increasing yearly, it was a natural transition to building places for them to go. No conversation of Florida is complete with
acknowledging the major theme parks or “the attractions” as the locals call
them. Early photos of Walt Disney and
Disney World are displayed to offer an insider’s view of the evolution of the
massive theme park.
The Museum used to be the site of the old Orange
County regional courthouse, and was built in the late 1920s. It’s one of those beautiful and sturdy
buildings, which is apparent from the outside.
The gorgeous hand railings inside are evidence of the dedicated care it’s
received over the many years. Remember
how I mentioned earlier that the Museum has nothing to hide? Amble over to the courthouse exhibit. This was another exhibit which warrants a
visit. I learned that the original
floors in this courtroom were constructed from cork, so squeaky shoes of pacing
lawyers wouldn’t disrupt the trials.
Jury boxes used to be positioned directly across from the witness stand,
because the jury wanted a face-to-face interaction. Look at the scratches on the front bench to
see scuff marks made from prisoners with their hands handcuffed behind their
back. The most fascinating item to me
was the name carved on the table used by defense lawyers: Ted Bundy.
Bundy was a serial killer in the 1970s that was tried in this courthouse
before it became a museum. It was effortless
to imagine myself in the midst of an old-fashioned who-dun-it.
After visiting all of the exhibits, I’m ready to
shop. I caught a glance at the gift shop
while buying an admission ticket. It
looked good, and it didn’t disappoint. Enter
the gift shop to the left of the ticket counter. To the left is a cozy area where visitors can
sit and relax or read newly purchased books.
In keeping in character, a mural of early day workers from an orange
processing plant graces the back wall.
But, does it have refrigerator magnets, shot glasses,
and branded wearables. Yes and no. The Emporium has several design options for
refrigerator magnets, some feature the Museum and others highlight the State of
Florida. I didn’t see shot glasses, but
I did find wonderfully branded coffee cups and travel mugs. These can be a stand-in if no shot glasses
are for sale. Sadly, there were no
branded wearables. However, the Emporium
is superb in selling items that pertain to its exhibits. For instance, I saw a display associated with
souvenirs of what tourists in the early 1900s would collect: decorated plates, spoon rests and mermaid
figurines corresponding nicely with the early tourism exhibit.
Children are able to shop for themselves here; with
grab bag items included branded pencils, rocks (“Break your own Geode”), sea
shells, small resin animal toys and Dino Poop.
I’m not making that last part up.
The jewelry selection, limited as it is, was just
ok. Head to the glass counter where the
good stuff is displayed and browse a smattering of necklaces, earrings, and
bracelets. The jewelry here is nicer
than the pedestrian jewelry found near the children’s section, but not quite as
nice as to be statement pieces.
My favorite things to shop for at gift shops are
books, jewelry and scarves. I loved this
gift shop because of the number of book titles, and each title dealt with some
aspect of Florida’s heritage. It took me
at least 45 minutes to browse the variety of books. Take time in this gift shop, and look at
everything once or twice. The “must have”
souvenir is a reproduction of the bright orange crate labels. Acceptable substitute are the smaller
coasters displayed directly beneath the crate labels.
I believe it’s time for lunch. Exit the front door of the Museum and go to
the right. An outdoor exhibit of a tiny
house, sponsored by the plastic industry, is available for inspection. The docents tried to coax me inside, but I
held my ground. I saw absolutely no
point in getting excited over a living area with only a small bit of closet
space. The lack of space for my books
and jewelry was also disappointing. Leave
the tiny house and keep to the right and cross Heritage Square, the public area
in front of the Museum. There’s a unique
photo opportunity with the alligator sculpture that is certain to bring back
fond memories of this day in Orlando.
After making friends and posing with the alligator, turn right at the
first side street.
All of the places here
are suitable for lunch, and we selected Wall Street Cantina. Sit outside to eat, weather permitting. The artsy, creative vibe from the Museum permeates
the air here, and the restaurants combine art trends in this delightful one
block area located so close to the Museum.
It’s fun to reflect on Florida’s heritage / history while becoming part
of the current artsy culture. My
recommendation is to order an adult beverage while looking at the menu and
deciding what to order. There’s no one
rushing lunch customers out the door, so relish the down time. The Tex Mex is delightful. I found the Wall Street Cantina perfect for
people watching. There are both locals
and tourists milling about, and sometimes it’s easy to tell them apart. On a cool day with highs in the mid to upper 70s
the tourists will be wearing shorts, sandals and t-shirts. Locals, on the other hand, will be wearing
long pants, sweaters, jackets, and socks and shoes because it feels cold to
them.
Now, you’ll have to excuse me, because I want to
flip through my book from the Museum. I’m
especially interested in the cook book from Florida’s pioneer settlers, and am
curious as to how much it has in common with the Tex Mex food that I’m
eating. First, I need to button up my sweater. It’s 76 degrees and I’m cold.
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A Primer on Florida Oranges
People know their apples in the Midwest and northern
states of the U.S. It’s not possible to
send someone to the store “for apples” without answering basic questions: are they for baking or eating, tart or sweet,
green red or yellow skin? This depth of
fruit knowledge can be applied to Floridians and their oranges. Being from the Midwest, I thought that an
orange was just an orange. Not
quite. There are temple, honey bell,
navels, valencias oranges, and tangelos.
Much depends on the month or time of year. Navel oranges are usually the first to bear
fruit, beginning around late October.
They are wonderful thick skinned oranges that my family used to purchase
at Christmastime. The next oranges to
ripen are tangelos in November, then sweet honey bells in early January, temples
in late January, with thin-peeled valencias closing the orange season in the
summer. Grapefruit are continuously from
October through June.
In addition to the species, oranges are sorted by
standardized industry sizes which are measured by average orange diameter
size. Sizing is based on haw many of
that specific orange can fit into a 38 – 40 pound crate. For example, a size 40 orange fits 40 oranges
in a crate. Tangelos tend to have the
widest gap in sizes because they range from a size 36 to a size 210. Again, this is based strictly on size.
There’s one more category, after type and size are
selected: grade. A grade of “fancy” or “Choice” refers to the
outward appearance of the orange. If the
same species, the oranges will taste the same, but a “Fancy” orange refers to a
better looking one.
If a hankering for oranges sets in, visit this link
to find one that will ship. http://abfla.com/1tocf/agriculture/orangegrowers.html
Personally, I recommend either Harvey’s http://www.harveysgroves.com/ located here in Melbourne, or Hale’s http://www.halegroves.com/located 30 minutes south of Melbourne.
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