Primary Source: In depth look into the landscape of Winter Park

My first primary source is an article called: "The Persistence of the Planned Landscape: the Case of Winter Park, Florida" and it is by Hugh Bartling. This article is significant to my research because it discusses all the aspects of the history of Winter Park and how it connected with the time period as a whole.

Around the 1890s through the 1910s- the Gilded Age- the push of society to a more modern America gave way to modern lifestyles and, therefore, modern thinking so to speak. This industrial era brought about the increase of population in cities, which prompted "anti-urban" thinking. Many people objected to the urban lifestyle because increased population brought crime and filth to the cities. Rarely could a person be able to enjoy the natural scenery in a city as they could in suburbs or rural areas. So, drawing on these ideas and the wants of the people, the creators of Winter Park designed the city as a getaway, "a sunny paradise," a means for the wealthy or middle class to escape the city or winter in the north. It was one of, if not the first, city developed for the sole purpose of consumption. These developers wanted "to literally cultivate this Eden-like space and build a Utopian reality."

Plans of how to construct the area formulated in their minds, turning the wooded area to a beautiful park-like area, so as to seem peaceful and Eden-like. This endless supply of facts is significant in that it discusses the early days of Winter Park, which is essential to characterizing the landscape now and then. I want to really dive deep into the history surrounding the landscape of Winter Park, because it was responsible for so many things. The landscape then, contributed to the landscape now; it's the reason behind tourist attraction, residential influx, and business booming. Due to the foresight of Winter Park's creators, named brand companies are attracted to area because it is a very opportunistic and profitable area.

I could also bring up the fact that this landscape was only developed with middle class and wealthy citizens in mind. Those who could take the time and luxury to travel from the North to the South had money to do so. I discuss how popular beliefs and norms brought about these ideas and lavish spendings.

With the numerous amount of information I obtained, I could use this source as my #1 primary source and the other primary sources would serve to go into greater detail on a certain topic or emphasize it. This article goes even more in depth in its discussion of the Winter Park landscape and it is important that I utilize the bountiful facts this article incorporates into my research paper.