Image Source

This is picture of the "Osceola Lodge." Built for Charles Hosmer Morse in 1904, it is an early example of Victorian architecture in Winter Park.

This is the front cover of a brochure about the Seminole Hotel and Winter Park written by Oliver E. Chapman and Loring A. Chase.

This is George Morgan Ward pictured with Thomas Edison & Charles Campbell

This is a picture of George Morgan Ward with his wife, riding in a carriage.

Winter Park Scenery

One of My Primary Photo Sources

Primary Source for Research Paper

Primary Source Image Used in Research Paper: Boating on Lake Osceola, 1890s

Boating on Lake Osceola, 1890s

(near Old Seminole Hotel)

Oliver E. Chapman: primary source

Homes and Winter Park Economy

In Winter Park in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, homes were a social status symbol for the elite class of the Gilded Age. As Florida was being showcased to the emerging modern society of America, wealthy citizens looked at the it as an opportunity to further display their riches. Florida not only offered a dream vacation spot for people from the cold north, but also had no real existing lower class. Sure there were railroad workers and farmers, but the majority of the population was made up of elitists spending the winter months in growing towns such as Winter Park and St. Augustine. This was an appealing concept to rich Americans that had grown tired of dealing with the constant complaining and revolting of the poor. During this period of leisure in Florida, they felt the need to represent their lifestyle back home by constructing lavish homes with the latest technological inventions. Each home had a name, and many represented new architectural trends. Some popular design trends of the time were Victorian and the emerging Spanish-Mediterranean style.

The building of these homes laid an economic foundation for Winter Park. Businesses and transportation systems were instituted to accommodate the needs of the wealthy residents. Architectural firms were created, and colleges (such as Rollins) were started in response to significant local donors. Over time, houses were renovated, and larger ones were constructed to house more northerners, whom were typically from cities like Chicago.

The more houses in Winter Park, the stronger the economy. This is because more wealthy residents meant more production and importing of necessary goods. The consumers were demanding large amounts of material. With a lack of an enforcing lower class, the rich entertained the idea of an overall richer society. Consumption and the economy the both thrived from the widespread need for goods. In conclusion, more wealthy residents building luxurious vacation homes meant a larger economy to satisfy the wealthy consumers.

Winter Park Homes

During the Gilded Age the United States was making an extreme shift from an agricultural society to an urban one. During this shift new markets came into play that gave the upper class a place to shop during their leisure time. With new stores and businesses popping up, Winter Park became a consumerist society that relied on these shops to better the community. Winter Park was growing along with the rest of the nation, leaving behind the old agrarian ways and putting forth new modes of transportation, living, and business.

The homes in Winter Park today and in the gilded age represent how consumerism struck the nation so profoundly. Your home became your showcase. The home was now a place to show who were the haves and the have nots. If the woman of the house could stay home and cook and clean all day, that meant that the husband was making enough so that she didn't have to work. This showed that the family was stable in the sense that they didn't feel both parents needed to work to survive. Within the homes, furniture and decorative accessories showcased your status. If a family had multiple bedrooms, a living size kitchen, furniture, a nice clock, pictures in frames and other appliances in their home it showed where they stood on the social ladder. Later on when radios changed to televisions this was another showcase of what you had just by walking into someone’s house. Because Winter Park became a place for the vacationer as well as the businessman, it needed to be a "pretty" place that people wanted to visit. The way to do this was to separate the ugly houses from the rich houses, creating a divide between the Whites and minorities.

Because people were moving from the farm to the city, consumer goods became necessary to live. In the city appliances were needed to cook and maintain the quality of food. There was no more room to grow your own and so markets and grocery stores became a necessity for the new city of Winter Park. This also became the woman’s new domain. They were the ones that went out and bought what the family needed to survive, using the money their husbands had made by working. Once this consumer society started, there was no stopping it. As long as people are willing and able to buy, Winter Park will continue to flourish.

Consumption in the Home, Winter Park

The home was a crucial consumptive structure in Winter Park, as it was everywhere else in the US during the Guilded Age. COnsumption, as a new form of the urban system, transformed the home, as much as the home fueled and transformed the role of consumption in urban life.

With the general move to industrialization in cities, the population became more consumption driven. Consumption became a new part of the economic system as well. As more people immigrated to the US and moved to cities, and as more goods were being mass produced, goods became cheaper and more accessible to more people. The middle class and upper class families bought more goods, creating the foundation for a consumer society.

The home became the source of the "need" for consumer goods. As the middle and upper classes moved out of the city's heart and into the suburbs, they were still influenced by the advertisements for new products being produced. The home became the open playing field for inventors and businessmen. In the 1890's many consumer products for the home were introduced that are still used today, like Aunt Jemima's maple syrup. The city and the home became the places that could be improved on by simple, affordable consumer goods. If life could be made easier why would anyone go about it any other way? At least that's what people were sold.

Also, with women's roles changing in the home, they were the chief consumers. Women were targeted for goods that would improve their households and their workloads in Winter Park, and everywhere during the Guilded Age. In the Guilded Age, women's domestic duties developed to include shopping for the household.

Overall the US's industrial and population expansion led to a greater dependence on consumer goods by the people. The home was the base for a consumptive structure in the US and more specifically in WInter Park. The home became the major fuel for the economy. WIth the people feeling compelled to buy cheap luxury items for their homes, factory jobs opened up and kept the manufacturing of products stable, changing the population's perspective on their "needs". Winter Park's economy was driven by the "snowbirds" annual stay, and their extreme wealth drove them to want to consume. In order to accommodate the visitors and residents, Winter Park grew to adopt consumerism as part of its new structure in order to progress with the rest of the US.

All in all, the home was the cause of consumption becoming the massive industry that it is today, in Winter Park and all over the US, starting in the Guilded Age.

Houses- Consumptive structure in Winter Park

During the 1890s, it was the period that economy grew, and total wealth in the society expanded. Many famous corporations built in that era. Although the entire society became more and more wealthy, it was obvious that not everybody could benefit from that. In fact, most of people could not enjoy the better lives by the industrial revolution.

1890s was the industrial period. Millions of people moved from rural areas to the urban cities. It was true that people could contact many advanced technologies than where they lived before, but what they were looking for was not in the urban cities. They wished to get better lives after they came to cities, since the ample opportunities in urban areas. It was true that some people found their American dream in the cities, and got anything they wanted. Meanwhile, most of people just walked into factories, and became part of machines. People lived in tenement, and always worked more than 12 hours per day. This kind of lifestyle was not what most people wished to have, but they had no choice now. They could not go back to their hometown any more, because they could not leave electricity, sewer system, and those urban systems. They were also unable to build that in the rural areas by themselves.

However, some people could do that. When most of people worked hard in factories, a small group of people enjoyed their contribution to the society. They were the bosses of the large firms, factories, and corporations. When major population moved to cities, they started to live in rural areas, and found the peace of the life.

Winter Park was the town building for that reason. When rich people earned enough money from the cities, they cared more about their healthy than the amount of wealth. They found a peaceful area and built their houses here. Unlike urban areas, they had lots of land and sources to build their houses. Rich did care about whether the sources and land used reasonable or not, the only thing they cared was the quality of the houses. As a result, they made a huge consumptive part in Winter Park. They would care more about the architectonic beauty and their flowers in the gardens. From the perspective of developing a town, it was not a good way to build the town. An efficient town should create more chances for people to live instead of providing few people comfortable big houses. In that point, houses are a consumptive structure in Winter Park. 

BUY BUY BUY

In Winter Park the home is one of the main consumptive structures. The home is been marked as a consumptive structure for many years now. The first time the home was marked as a consumptive structure across many social classes was during the Gilded Age. The home has almost always been a consumptive structure for the upper class, but the Gilded Age allowed for many social classes to become consumers. Many social classes were able to become consumers during the Gilded Age because of the rise of leisure time and the establishment of a materialistic driven culture. Also during the Gilded Age there was an increased production of goods, which were materialistic items and nothing more. These goods also became more readily available to a wider variety of people, from different socioeconomic standings. A wide variety of people ranging in socioeconomic status during the Gilded Age also had the ability to spend money on materialistic things. People’s spending during the Gilded Age was not just dependent on what they needed, which was one of the reasons for the creation of consumer culture.

A consumptive culture is clearly rooted in Winter Park’s history. When people initially moved to Winter Park it was only for the summer. The people who came to Winter Park were the wealthy and well off. The initial residents of Winter Park had the ability to spend money in excess. The amount of money the initial residents of Winter Park had the ability to spend there money on materialistic items, which was the main supporter of Winter Parks economy. Winter Park’s economy was dependent on northerners going to Winter Park for the summer and spending their money. The consumptive economic structure was built on allowed for the further development of Winter Park. With the people the northerners that came to Winter Park, also came people who needed employment in working class jobs, mainly to serve the northerners. The working class became dependent on the upper class being materialistically driven and buying things that they did not need. The base of Winter Park’s economy was established by consumer culture that was rising during the Gilded Age.

The consumer culture of Winter Park continues to be a main part of Winter Park’s economy today. Winter Park is clearly still has a well established consumptive structure, which there is evidence for when one walks down Park Ave. All of the stores down Park Ave. would only stay open if there were people who were willing to buy the goods they sell. Winter Park’s economic well being is dependent on people not only buying what they need, but buying things that they just desire to have. It is important to identify the people that create the consumptive structure within Winter Park are the people living in the community. The home acts as strong proponent to the establishment and perpetuation of the consumptive structure within Winter Park. Winter Park needs people to be materialistic in order to have a successful economic system. The consumptive structure that was established in the Gilded Age in Winter Park by it’s residents is still what holds the key to Winter Park’s economic prosperity.

consumptive properties

In the 1980’s the use for a house was a lot different then it is now. Today we have private houses that only our family members live in. Houses are very personal and private. In the 1890’s the lower class people had houses that they shared with many other strangers. They had no privacy and they did not get many options of the location of their house. The upper class people were more similar to today’s style of houses. They were private and only their family lived in the house. The majority of the houses in Winter Park are like the wealthy peoples houses in the 1890’s.

The houses in Winter Park are considered consumptive properties because it takes a lot of money to build them. They are all in the same area, which makes the properties more valuable when everyone’s houses are nice looking. The houses are big and well taken care of. The gardens are full of flowers and the lawns are nicely cut. Each house is off of brick roads and has many stores that are easily accessible. The interior of each house is very clean and has valuable accessories in them. These consumptive homes are definitely have more than the average person and or homeowner. The lower class people in winter park are a different story. They do not have consumptive properties because they have things that they need not things that they want. The majority of the people in Winter Park have consumptive properties and have more than they need.

The Essentialness of the home

The home is vital to the consumptive structure in Winter Park because the businesses couldn't possibly survive on just on the revenue inflow from visitors. In order to thrive as a city and for entrepreneurs to have more than respectable profits, Winter Park had to become an appealing area for those seeking a residential life.

Winter Park was created with consumption in mind. The creators pictured it as a business endeavor in and of itself. By buying this huge land and turning it into a sort of utopia or at least a peaceful getaway, they themselves would be turning a profit. The park-like scenery, fashionable, high-end stores, and the railroad were all characteristics that appealed to families and therefore made Winter Park not only a suitable place to live but also a desirable one. Those that were attracted to the possibility of living in Winter Park purchased their home; so just the home itself is a consumptive structure. The sale of a home gives benefits to every entrepreneur in Winter Park. The realty agency that sells the house gets money and to the businesses located in the area, the people living in that new home become possible customers.

Usually after the home is purchased the homeowners buy new or add furniture to the existing ones, which, in essence, spells large profits for any furniture or house supply stores in the area.  But not only that, a home means the difference between frequent customers and here-for-only-a-few-days customers.  A home means that the person (or persons) will be a constant source of revenue for the shops available, if not for nonessential items, then for everyday necessities- food, toiletry items, clothes, etc.

The home is a consumptive structure in Winter Park because it contains all the things that are needed to have a thriving consumptive community: essentials and non-essentials that are there for the comfort of the home's inhabitants. The presence of homes means there are residents to buy from the local businesses, which in turn provides jobs for local or nearby residents, keeping the circulation of money flowing.  Not to mention that the beautiful homes increases the worth of the area and the city shops, forcing business owner's to sell pricey items. Also, the beautiful homes attract more people to come spend in the city or even live there.

The Home as a Consumptive Structure

The home is a very important place for families and those who live in them. It houses material objects, provides a safe place to spend time and is a place for people to spend time together. While in the 1890s the home had different uses; for the lower class, homes weren't easy to come by and most stayed with lots of random people. However, the upper class families had homes of their own which housed much of the same sorts of things and same purposes as homes in present day Winter Park.

One aspect of the home for the middle to upper class families in the 1890s was the home as a consumptive structure. This can be mirrored to present day Winter Park homes. Winter Park homes now a days are very consumptive structures because of how grand and high class they are. Taking a drive through the cobblestone streets of Winter Park, one will notice all the houses are different styles, but exceedingly expensive and fancy with giant fences surrounding the perimeter of each gigantic house. The Winter Park homes from the outside present the first view of how they are consumptive structures because the outsides of each house is flourishing with flowers, gardens, well kept up green lawns and lawn furniture. This illustrates that the families and people living in most parts of Winter Park are wealthier people who can afford to have lavish lawns and furniture outside of their homes. Even the multitude of expensive cars in driveways shows consumption. On the inside most Winter Park homes are filled with expensive furniture and material objects from art to clothes to china. This also illustrates the consumptive structure of the home because the people in these homes have more than just the basic needs. They have material wants and decorations that don’t serve much purpose than to be used or shown for fun. For the lower class families in Winter Park, there is a huge difference in the amount of stuff that these houses home. The lawns and cars are much less kept up and expensive and the furniture inside as well as other objects are less expensive and are less in quantity. While these homes are less expensive and house more basic needs than wants, they like the expensive homes of Winter Park exhibit the home as a consumptive structure.

The Home as a Consumptive Structure in Winter Park

The Gilded Age saw the United States shift from an agricultural to an urban, industrial society, as people flocked to big cities during the 1890s. Many young people left the countryside for the cities. These cities were at the height of modernization at the time, with skyscrapers, electric trolleys, department stores, bridges, bicycles, indoor plumbing, telephones, and electric lamps. Thus, Industrialization and the rush to the cities led to the development of consumerism and a middle class.

During the Gilded Age, consumerism was improving and increasing all over America. Consumerism, an idea that involves the desire to purchase goods and services in ever-greater amounts, was especially important in the connection with the woman and the home. Women's home making became one of the most important yardsticks for measuring levels of consumer prosperity. The home was the showplace of the individual family's membership in good standing in the consumer society, as manifested by home improvements and conveniences, home furnishing, and home decoration. The supposed goal of instituting efficiency science in the home was to help women cut down on the amount of time spent in housework. Laborsaving household devices and appliances, such as vacuum cleaners, were extraordinarily popular. Radios, too, were part of the consumerism-and-the-home worldview; they were purchased for their ability to help women pass the time doing housework with less sense of monotony.

So, in relation to Winter Park, the home as a consumptive structure was very important. Winter Park is a very wealthy community so it is clear to see how consumption shapes the perception of the home. Many people in this area purchase extravagant items and tend to live in neighborhoods where people own things just like them. When tourists pass by and see all the Hummers and Cadillacs, the humongous and gorgeous houses, and the name brand clothing worn by natives, the tourists get a sense of inferiority.

In conclusion, the Gilded Age saw the United States shift from an agricultural society, to an urban, industrial one. Industrialization and the rush to the cities led to the development of consumerism and a middle class, which in turn, had a strong connection with the woman and the home. With this consumerism epidemic occurring all over America, it is easy to guess that the same thing was happening in Winter Park. Winter Park is a very wealthy community and many pricey items are present. It creates a different atmosphere and reflects how consumerism was during the Gilded Age.

The Home as a Consumptive Structure in Winter Park

The home has been a driving force in consumption throughout the ages. This fact is attributed to Winter Park, as well.
During the Gilded Age, the very essence of Winter Park was "the home" as northerners flocked down to Florida in order to establish their homes there. In a way, the home itself was the reason that industry was even brought to Winter Park. Through this, businesses were established. Shops began to line the Eastern side of Winter Park's train tracks, along with its white, upper-class residents. On the Western side were working residents, predominantly black workers who had jobs within the businesses themselves.
The home itself was what bought the goods produced in industry, as well. Families sought products -- both in terms of wants and needs. As Winter Park was akin to a "resort town" during the winter months, residents during the 1890s usually had more than enough leisure time to spend shopping for commodities and desired goods. The home, therefore, played an important role in fueling industry. The residents were the buyers as well as the producers. After all, the big names in industry consisted of upper-class industrialists, and these people were the ones who could afford the move to Winter Park during the later months of the year. Many families played a key role in citrus production, as they avidly planted trees and orchards, taking advantage of the fertility of Winter Park's soil.
Nowadays, the home still plays a key role in the consumptive structure of Winter Park. Stores and businesses established still receive ample business from residents. Homes in most areas, particularly around the Eastern end, where the rich industrialists were the first residents of, are decorated extensively and are well-groomed. Winter Park's consumptive nature is a factor of it which has lasted throughout the Gilded Age right to the present day.

The Home and Winter Park

Consumption plays a major role in peoples’ lives today, ever since it first emerged during the Gilded Age. Consumption comes in many forms and people partake in various different ways. When I think of consumption what first comes to mind is people spending their money or money that they don’t have in order to make purchases that show off who they are as a person or who they want to appear as to the general public. One of the major ways in which people consume is when they buy houses for their families or themselves.

Specifically looking at the town of winter park, consumption in the form of housing is very prevalent. When I first came here I got the impression that the town as a whole was very well off based on the houses that are built in this town and all the houses that are under construction. Many of the houses are very big and to me the first thing that comes to mind is that the family must come from money or has made a very good living for themselves and their family. When I look at the housing structures in the town, the way that the houses are presented suggests the way that people live and how they want people to perceive them. For one, the neighborhoods are very well put together and are very clean and well kept which suggests that the people care about their surrounding. Like we learned about the Gilded Age, growing up in an area that is dirty and not managed leads to people growing to be like their environment, for example leading a life of crime and corruption. By keeping the surroundings clean and “healthy” the people in Winter Park will most likely lead different lives, and the children in the area will grow up to be educated and civilized. Housing gives a lot away about a person and the town that they live in and looking at winter park, the housing suggested a civilized community that has a positive looking future.

The home as a consumptive structure

In the late 1890’s the percentage of families moving to Florida for permanent was extremely low. In Winter Park itself there were only a couple of families who had moved to the area and built residencies. The home in the south quickly became an extremely important structure due to the extreme climate. Florida is very swampy and muggy; it gets up to 100 degrees during the summer. Hurricanes were also a big concern, if the structure couldn’t hold up to high force winds then what was the point of building it at all?

The main purpose of Winter Park was to create a luxury living community for wealthy northerners to live in during the summer. This meant that one of the main selling points was where the people would live and what they would live in. If a wealth banker from New York showed up in Winter Park expecting a beautiful house looking over the side of Lake Virginia, but instead found a shack with a leaky roof and no foundation then his perception of living in Florida would be completely negative and would prevent future wealthy snowbirds from moving to town and stimulating the economy.

The home is possibly the most important consumptive structure in Winter Park during the late 1890’s. How well they were constructed and the beauty and safety of the area, which it is in, was the major concern. People of that time were becoming more and more consumer conscious; by which they began to spend more and not necessarily the money they had. The artificiality of where someone lives became a factor for when people bought homes. As a result, the more wealthy homeowners in Winter Park and the nicer the homes, the higher the property taxes. This money goes straight into the local economy and will ensure that there will be better schools, roads, and other public building because there is more discretionary spending because of the large amount of money at the town’s disposal.

The home in Winter Park represents what level of consumption the community is at: wealthy. It is the product that ensures that the town has the income to upkeep what is considered a “luxury living” community and provide a home for those who can afford it.