Custodians of Orlando, Florida History - Part 2

 Custodians of Central Florida Hisotry

Part Two: This Dog has History

“This dog has a history,” a catchy 9 November 1956 headline for an Orlando Sentinel article in which a piece of tree bark, in the shape of a dog, was described as one of the items on display at the Orange County Museum. The museum was located then “in the old red brick courthouse.”

Described as a piece from the historic Council Oak tree near Pineloch Lake, a photo of the tree bark artifact (shown with this post) had also been an exhibit in ‘Orlando in the Long, Long Ago’ (1938), by author Kena Fries. Miss Fries, daughter of Orange County surveyor John O. Fries, wrote of visiting the old Council Oak in September of 1904, and of her picking up the tree bark, “a chip with the most peculiar markings and shape, resembling a watch dog.” Kena Fries also wrote that she had been visiting the residence of J. M. Alden on the day she collected the tree bark, a casual mention that is itself a statement chock full of intriguing Orange County history.

Known as the ‘Yankee Artist of the Pacific Coast,’ James M. Alden retired in 1891 after 57 years in the Navy. He had been a participant in the Navy’s West Coast Expedition and his paintings of that journey are today valuable collector items. In his later years with the Navy, Alden served in Washington, DC as Secretary to Rear-Admiral David Dixon Porter. Upon retiring he and wife Frances (Hewlett) Porter purchased an existing home on the west shore of Lake Pineloch, a home that had originally been the residence of Francis W. Eppes, the grandson of President Thomas Jefferson. Francis Eppes began building his home in 1871, and although remodeled a time or two over the past 150 years, his historic residence continues to stand guard over Lake Pineloch.

We do not know if Kena Fries was aware of the history of the Alden residence, or of the artistic talent of James M. Alden, who would later paint the dead and decaying Council Oak. In 1915, Clarence E. Howard, in his book ‘Early Settlers of Orange County,’ included a black and white photo of Alden’s ‘Council Oak’ painting. Along with the painting was a brief history of Orange County authored by Annie (Caldwell) Whitner in which she wrote: “At Fort Gatlin, stands the bleached trunk and bare widespread branches of an immense dead Live-Oak. The red men and white men met here to hold a council.”

 

Melrose Room, Second Floor downtown, Orlando Library

10:15 AM October 18, 2023

If Central Florida history is of interest to you, I invite you to attend our Orlando Remembered meeting on 18 October 2023. Free and open to the public, our meeting is held in the Melrose Room on the 2nd floor of the downtown library, where at 10:15 AM on that date, my special presentation, “Remembering Orlandoans,” will feature a visual history of the remarkable men and women who participated in the founding and development of Orlando. Worth repeating is this, our 10:15 AM event is free and open to the public.

Now, as for the historic Council Oak and the Custodians of Orlando History, this series will continue. Stay tuned!