Woodland Park

Woodland Park. . (side 1) , By 1909 Victor Schmalz's shell mound, located west of the entrance to the Central Florida Zoological Park, had been excavated, the road material hauled by wagon to a railroad siding at Monroe, and loaded on railroad cars. , From the big empty shell pit he developed Woodland Park. He constructed an 80 x 30 foot cement swimming pool. Open Sundays and Thursdays - “no rowdyism allowed.” It had springboards, toboggan slide, diving stage, shower baths, and 46 dressing rooms. Swimsuits, made by Schmalz's daughter were for rent. The six foot deep pool was drained and sanitized each day and refilled overnight from an 80-foot deep artesian well. In 1915 the pool was made larger and a boiler installed to warm the water., The park was operated by Victor Schmelz’s and Son from 1910 to 1920’s. Admission to the park was a , (Continued on other side). (side 2) (Continued from other side). nickel; to use the pool an extra dime. The only park of its kind with giant live oaks and cool shade, visitors enjoyed the woods and water, the gazebo, a covered picnic area, seesaws, swings, and toilets, large cement floor dance hall with a self-playing orchestration was for lease., The main entrance was three miles northwest of Sanford. The easiest access to the park was by water. A favorite family picnic was to rent a launch on the lakefront, paddle to the park for “swim in the pool and real recreation.” Captain Paganhait’s launch made the fastest travel to the park for twelve cents. Mr. Schmelz’s ran a jitney bus to and from Sanford and some took the long trip by horse and buggy. Schmelz died in 1930 at the age of 69., Today the swimming pool has been filled-in: the spring capped, and woodlands have reclaimed the area.