Pine Castle Historical Markers - part 7

PINE CASTLE

Will Wallace Harney came to Florida in 1869 seeking a better climate for his wife’s health. He purchased a 160-acre homestead on the western side of Lake Conway and called the grand home he built Pine Castle. The village that developed near his property adopted the name and, on December 8, 1879, the post office was officially established. Harney subdivided his property, and from 1880-1895, Pine Castle appeared on the Orange County planning map as a new development.

More than 300 people lived in Pine Castle in the early 1920s, and some residents wanted it incorporated during this boom period. During the planning stages, it became evident that different groups of residents had different visions for the town. As a result, three separate towns were organized: Belle Isle, Edgewood, and Pine Castle. But when the real estate market crashed later in the decade, they had difficulty sustaining their tax bases. Incorporated in February 1925, Pine Castle’s government ended in 1929. With its charter dissolved, it became an unincorporated part of Orange County.

Pine Castle Historical Markers - part 4

CONWAY CHAIN OF LAKES

Native Americans called the region surrounding the Conway chain of lakes as “Okehitanatchee,” translated as “land of fair waters.” In 1843, Benjamin Whitner of nearby Mellonville was awarded a contract to survey lands in this vicinity, and named Lake Conway for his superior Valentine Yelverton Conway, Surveyor General of Florida. Until development and drainage changes in the 1900s, seasonal rains transformed the Conway chain into one big lake. Now Hoffner Avenue divides North and Middle Lake Conway, and Nela Avenue divides Middle and Little Lake Conway.

Early settlers used the lake for drinking water, bathing, food, and entertainment. Prominent Orlando citizens such as the Dickson family of Dickson and Ives Department Store had summer homes on the lake where they came to fish and swim.

Crittenden Dock was located where Randolph Avenue, a road Will Wallace Harney named for his wife’s family, dead ends at Lake Conway. It has long been a favorite recreation spot, and as early as 1882 guests at the adjacent Macy Hotel used it to launch pleasure cruises and fishing expeditions. The Crittenden family acquired the site and built a dock that was popular with swimmers and boaters. In 2000, Charles and Pearl Crittenden deeded the property to Orange County for use as a public boat ramp.

Pine Castle Historical Markers - part 3

MACY HOTEL

William H. Macy (1819-1903) came to this area as a government surveyor in the years immediately following the Civil War, and was elected to the Orlando city council in 1878. An engineer by training, he followed the rail lines south to the Pine Castle area and opened a blacksmith shop west of the tracks. This shop served as the town’s first Sunday School meeting place until it burned in 1884.

His wife Martha J. Macy (1835-1906) acquired 10 acres of Will Wallace Harney’s original homestead lands, which later encompassed the site of the modern First Baptist Church of Pine Castle. Here, Mrs. Macy operated the town’s first hotel, with many of her guests brought from Orlando by “Macy Wagons” built by her stepson George Macy. After the railroad arrived in 1881, visitors also arrived by train at the nearby South Florida Railroad depot.

In 1894, Mrs. Macy deeded a half-acre of the hotel land at what is now the northeast corner of Randolph Avenue and Hoffner Road to the local Baptist congregation. Though now paved over, it is believed that she and other family members were buried there.

Pine Castle Historical Markers - part 2

PLEASURE BEACH

Wallace Road was named by Pine Castle founder Will Wallace Harney for his mother’s family. The point where the road dead-ends at Lake Conway became known as “Pleasure Beach,” and was a popular gathering place for area residents, especially in the 1920s. Church, school, and family picnics were held on the shore, and the Union Church used the lake water for baptisms. There was a long dock containing park-like benches and at the end, low and high diving boards and a water slide. Canoes were available for rides around the lake.

The nearby pavilion contained a bath house on the first floor and a place for dancing and skating upstairs. Slot machines were installed, drawing people from as far away as Windermere and Apopka to gamble. The pavilion burned in the late 1920s, but the dock and beach continued to be used by the public. In the 1940s, a family built a home on the property and closed the beach to the public.

Pine Castle Historical Markers - part 1

Yesterday, a group of us met to plan a series of historical markers to be placed in the Pine Castle area. I thought I'd share the rough drafts with ye socks and welcome your edits/input. Currently, we have come up with five signs with verbage on front and back of each. So, a total of ten blurbs. Here's the first:

THE PINE CASTLE HOMESTEAD

Will Wallace Harney built a large English-style home he called “Pine Castle” on his homestead along the western shore of Lake Conway in 1873. The house was constructed from the pine trees which grew on his land. Two turrets flanked the front entrance of the house, and the boards that formed the exterior walls were attached vertically instead of the more common horizontal method.

Harney planted a variety of crops on his homestead lands, but made his living primarily as a writer. He became an unofficial ambassador for Florida during the 1870s, through articles about the wonders of the state he submitted to newspapers such as the Cincinnati Commercial. With his words, he transported readers to the exotic land of orange groves, pine forests, and alligators when Florida tourism was in its infancy.

In 1884, Harney left his Pine Castle to move to Kissimmee and establish a weekly newspaper dubbed “The Bittersweet.” His once grand old home was left vacant and fell into disrepair before being destroyed by fire in 1894. Mr. Harney then retired to Jacksonville, where his only son had settled.

One place, many definitions

Many years ago, Ruth Linton told me it was impossible to define Pine Castle in geographic terms. "It's more of a state of mind," she said.

To be sure, folks struggled to define the region surrounding the Conway chain of lakes south of Orlando as far back as recorded history survives around this little corner of heaven.

Government surveyor Benjamin Whitner flattered the man who signed his federal contract in the 1830s by naming the chain "Conway" after him.

But, according to one of the letters in my current anthology project, Will Wallace Harney claims the Seminoles called the area "Okehitanatchee." According to him, this translated as "land of fair waters." (Can anyone confirm or refute this?)

Harney originally dubbed his vast estate on the shores of Lake Conway, "Okatoulypes." As noted in a previous post, I have no idea what that word might mean. Sounds Greek, no?

Anyway, Harney eventually settled on the more rustic term, "Pine Castle." His neighbors liked it so well, they began applying it to the entire area.

At different times since then, Pine Castle has extended as far north as Michigan Street in Orlando and as far south as the Osceola County line.

For a brief time, from the Florida Land Boom of the 1920s until the Great Depression, Pine Castle was an incorporated town.

The name "Pine Castle" still survives today, and is celebrated with an annual festival. (See http://pinecastlepioneerdays.org)

But, you never hear anyone using the name "Okatoulypes" or "Okehitnatchee" anymore . . .

If this doesn't make you go Vegan . . .

. . . at least it will make you question what went into bringing home the bacon.



The following gem of a quote comes from the Will Wallace Harney anthology project. He included it in an 1871 letter:



"Everything that buzzes or flies, everything that bites or stings is familiar in Florida. The red bug, of the loathsome chinch genus I think, buries itself under the cuticle and makes a purulent sore. Mosquitos [sic] and sand flies, of course. In Northern Florida is a curious variety of the first, called the blind mosquito. It flies in clouds, darkening the air and fouling the dishes. So abundant are they said to be--I give the story for what it is worth--that hogs are fattened on their carcasses. How would you like such indirect cannibalism as eating mosquito-fed pork?"

It's all Greek to me!

One of the most frustrating things I've encountered in the current anthology project is the affinity Will Wallace Harney had for ancient languages.

Even more frustrating has been the process of trying to translate the Latin and Greek quotes that pepper his writings.

Fortunately, a lot of them come from classic texts. So, I eventually find something after a few Google searches.

But, I'm stumped when it comes to these two words:

OIKAMOULYSSES - He used this as his signature on one 1871 letter.

OKATOULYPES - He included this in the byline of an 1872 letter, indicating that he used it as the name of his estate before he settled on the more familiar "Pine Castle."

Any help deciphering these words would be greatly appreciated.

Warning, there may be some orthographic problems. Harney's original letters were handwritten, in cursive script. Then a typesetter up in Cincinnati put them into print. Then a professor made photocopies back in the 1970s. And, now my weary eyes are involved.

Harney quote of the day

In the ongoing anthology project, yours truly came across this rather timely quote from Will Wallace Harney.

Well, perhaps "timely" isn't the best adjective, given that it dates from 1872. But, he did write it in AUGUST of that year . . .

Anyway, I hope you enjoy his modest wit as much as I do:

I consider myself a remarkable man. I am that identical “prominent citizen” whose “views on the great political issues of the day” the Commercial doesn’t care for. All others are worried to “tell all they know in five words.” My opinions, like home brewed ale or blackberry wine, are set aside to cool or gather bouquet and are never destined to be sold over the public counter at twenty-five cents a drink.

A little on the dark side, no?

Just so ye socks will have some idea of the sort of material I'm sorting thru during the preparation of the Harney anthology, at least when it comes to his poetry, I thought I'd share this little bit composed back in 1858. Many of his contemporaries considered it his best work:

THE STAB

On the road, the lonely road,
Under the cold white moon,
Under the ragged trees he strode;
He whistled and shifted his weary load--
Whistled a foolish tune.

There was a step timed with his own,
A figured that stooped and bowed--
A cold, white blade that gleamed and shone,
Like a splinter of daylight downward thrown--
And the moon went behind a cloud.

But the moon came out so broad and good,
The barn-fowl woke and crowed;
The roughed his feathers in drowsy mood,
And the brown owl called to his mate in the wood,
That a dead man lay on the road.

These things just escape me . . .

Still working on ye olde anthology project, and am experiencing some mild frustration. Maybe, ye socks can help?

In the effort to collect the known writings of local author Will Wallace Harney, I have been unable to locate any copies of the newspaper he wrote in the 1880s: "The Kissimmee Bitter Sweet."

I have also been unable to find four items he published in The Southern Bivouac:

• “City Building in the South,” particularly intriguing to local historians as it was published in the wake of Harney’s subdivision of his homestead land and the arrival of the South Florida Railroad in Pine Castle.
• “Nirvana,” evidently a poem.
• “Orange Culture,” possibly a condensed version of the material on this subject that appeared in his earlier letters.
• “Wild Life in the Seventies,” also probably drawn from his earlier letters.

Any help/suggestions greaty appreciated!

Bad roommate?

Ever had to live with someone you just didn't like?

Well . . .

Yours truly kinda finds himself in that position as he pores over the Harney letters mentioned in the previous post.

See, when you write about another human being, its a lot like he (or she) moves-in with you for the duration of the project. At least, that's been my experience this time around. You go to bed thinking about the subject, and you wake up thinking about him or her. They're always around.

It helps if you like theperson.

But, the more I read of Harney's writings, the more I find he's not exactly pedestal material.

Guess that just makes him human?

The History Center

Thanks go out to Jim Robison today for pointing yours truly in the driection of The History Center in downtown Orlando.

In the ongoing effort to collect the writings of local author Will Wallace Harney, I made contact with research librarian Tana Porter about a cache of his letters that are in their collection.

Imagine my surprise when I got down there this morning to discover that I recognized Tana as one of the volunteers who helped show ye olde abode during the College Park Historic Homes Tour a couple of years ago! Small world!

Anyway, she kindly provided me access to said letters and I spent some time making an index to aid in the compilation of an anthology I hope will be completed in time for Pioneer Days' November 4th launch party . . . didn't realize how extensive the collection was going to be . . . when it rains it pours!

Even if ye socks aren't a research geek like yours truly, The History Center is a must-see if your weekend itinerary carries you downtown. They are located at 65 East Central Boulevard. For more info, see their website at: http://www.thehistorycenter.org

Oh, how times have changed

Yours truly thought ye socks would enjoy the following excerpt from one of the old Harney letters I mentioned a couple of days ago. He is responding to an unflattering editorial about Florida that appeared in a New Orleans newspaper in late 1875:

It is not pleasant to observe that an editor of ability and character goes out of his way in a little jealousy of the prosperity of a sister State to associate the origin of Florida’s present popularity with persons of pronounced unpopularity in the South,* as if that could affect her deserving. The real cause of Florida’s occupying so much attention in current literature is that her scenery is yet wild, novel and fresh. The stated sameness of civilization has not shaped it into rectangular monotony; and the romance of Spanish possessions and Indian warfare still lingers, leaving footsteps on her mounds.

I wonder what he'd say about the present "rectangular monotony?!!?" I guess we caught up with our Louisiana cousins . . .

*He refers to Harriet Beecher Stow and her family, who had recently relocated to Florida.

A eureka moment!

This fine Saturday morning found yours truly in downtown Orlando, visiting with the archivist at The History Center.

As some of ye socks may be aware, I have been working for quite some time on a book about Will Wallace Harney (the fellow who built the original Pine Castle south of town).

Anyway, I have been trying to track down a collection of letters he wrote back in the 1870s.

Well, I found them!

Having fun reading them and hoping the curator will allow me to borrow/copy them!!

Keep your fingers crossed for me!

"The Stab," by Will Wallace Harney

On the road, the lonely road,

Under the cold white moon,

Under the ragged trees he strode;

He whistled and shifted his weary load--

Whistled a foolish tune.

There was a step timed with his own,

A figure that stooped and bowed--

A cold, white blade that gleamed and shone,

Like a splinter of daylight downward thrown--

And the moon went behind a cloud.

But the moon came out so broad and good,

The barn-fowl woke and crowed;

He roughed his feathers in drowsy mood,

And the brown owl called to his mate in the wood,

That a dead man lay on the road.

(This poem, published in the Louisville Courier in 1858, is the earliest example of Harney's writing that yours truly has been able to find in preparation for Pine Castle Pioneer Days. Can any of ye socks find one earlier?!)