History’s
Mysteries
Winter Garden
Elementary School
Built in 1916, the Winter Garden
Elementary School was once located
at 208 South Main Street on the
southwest corner of Smith and Main.
The original building was just the
center two-story structure. In 1922,
the one-story wings were added
to the building on both sides to
accommodate 8 more classrooms; an
upstairs lunchroom was added in the
1960’s.
Originally, the school educated
students in first through fourth grades,
and then those students continued
their education at the Oakland-Winter
Garden School, which was located in
Tildenville. Later, the school hosted
children from kindergarten through
sixth grade until 1951, when Dillard
Street Elementary was built, and then
housed kindergarten through third
grades.
Winter Garden Elementary School
closed in 1979 and remained vacant
for over a decade.
In the 1990’s, the building was
purchased for $115,000 and
subsequently, and unfortunately
demolished.
Jessie Brock was the principal of the
school for 44 years, from 1926-1970.
painting: JSHANE ‘82
OCTOBER 2017
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WINTER GARDEN MAGAZINE
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