Casa Feliz Historic Home Museum, 656 Park Avenue N, Winter Park, FL (2026)

06/02/2026

What makes a city feel authentic? Which buildings deserve to be saved — and who decides?

Join us for the next Casa Feliz Parlor Series as Jennifer Fritz-Hunter, Historic Preservation Officer for the City of Orlando, explores 50 years of historic preservation in Orlando. Through stories of landmark rescues, cherished places lost, and the ongoing challenge of protecting history in a rapidly growing city, you'll gain a fascinating look at how preservation helps communities hold on to their character while planning for the future.

📅 Wednesday, June 24, 2026

⏰ Program: 6:00 PM | Reception: 7:00 PM

📍 Casa Feliz Historic Home Museum

🎟️ RSVP: [email protected]

Admission is free, but reservations are required.

Landmarks & Lessons: 50 Years of Historic Preservation in Orlando is part of the Casa Feliz Parlor Series, generously sponsored by Commerce Bank & Trust.

05/27/2026

Wonderful Wednesday: 540 N. Interlachen Avenue

This Wonderful Wednesday, the last of 2026 Historic Preservation Month, we’re highlighting 540 N. Interlachen Avenue, a handsome 1933 residence designed by Winter Park architect James Gamble Rogers II.

Built for Dr. William Scott, the home occupies a prominent place along North Interlachen Avenue, one of Winter Park’s most historically significant residential streets. Its balanced composition, generous openings, and strong connection to the surrounding landscape reflect the qualities that became hallmarks of Rogers’ residential work in our community.

In 2017, the house underwent a comprehensive renovation that took the structure down to the studs while preserving the integrity of Rogers’ original design. Led by architect Michael Wenrich and constructed by Charles Clayton Construction, the project carefully brought the home up to contemporary standards while honoring its historic framework.

Today, 540 N. Interlachen continues to contribute beautifully to the character of Interlachen Avenue and to the enduring legacy of James Gamble Rogers II in Winter Park.

05/26/2026

What a wonderful way to close out this season of Music at the Casa!

Last week, we welcomed Solomon Jaye for an evening of soulful vocals, rhythm, and storytelling alongside pianist John Olearchick. From jazz and R&B to high-energy performances that charmed the audience, it was the perfect finale to an amazing season of concerts at Casa Feliz.

Thank you to everyone who joined us throughout the year for Music at the Casa. Your support helps make these special evenings possible, and we’re so grateful to share live music in this beautiful historic space with our community. We look forward to welcoming you back in the fall!

05/22/2026

History inspires art in Winter Park.

This morning, artists Don Sondag, Mauricio Maso and Robert Ross set up their easels in the park across from Gamble Rogers’ Greeneda Court, capturing the light, color, and character of our historic downtown.

This is what makes Winter Park so special. Our historic assets are not just beautiful backdrops. They are living sources of inspiration, shaping the way we experience our city and the way artists interpret it.

When we preserve places like Greeneda Court, we preserve more than architecture. We preserve the atmosphere, stories, and sense of place that continue to inspire creativity generation after generation.

History inspires art. And in Winter Park, the two are beautifully intertwined.

05/20/2026

Wonderful Wednesday: The Lubbe House Named to Florida’s 11 to Save

Wonderful news for preservation in Central Florida: the historic Lubbe House, overlooking Lake Eola in downtown Orlando, has been named to the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation, Inc. 2026 “11 to Save” list.

Built in the late 1920s, the Lubbe House is one of the last reminders of a time when Lake Eola was not only Orlando’s civic gathering place, but also a residential neighborhood lined with private homes. With its Mediterranean and Moorish Revival details, original materials, and prominent lakefront setting, the house tells an increasingly rare story about Orlando’s architectural and residential past.

The Florida Trust’s “11 to Save” program brings statewide attention to historic places facing uncertain futures and reminds us that preservation often begins with public awareness. This recognition is an important step in elevating the Lubbe House as a place worthy of protection, creative reuse, and long-term stewardship.

At Casa Feliz, we know firsthand that historic buildings can be saved, restored, and returned to public life in powerful ways. The Lubbe House offers Orlando a similar opportunity: to honor the past while shaping a future that keeps irreplaceable places at the heart of community life.

Congratulations to the advocates at working to bring attention to this important landmark. Preservation victories begin when people speak up, and when communities recognize that once a place like this is gone, it cannot be replaced.

05/18/2026

Marvelous Monday: Old England Avenue charmer

This week’s Marvelous Monday takes us to Old England Avenue in the Golfview Terrace neighborhood—one of Winter Park’s most established and walkable residential districts.

Developed in the early twentieth century as Winter Park expanded beyond its original resort-era core, Golfview Terrace tells the story of a city growing into a year-round community of permanent homes. With its tree-lined streets, proximity to Park Avenue and the Winter Park Golf Course, and collection of well-preserved residences, the neighborhood remains one of the city’s most distinctive historic settings.

This home reflects the charm and order of traditional cottage architecture. A side-gabled roof, projecting front gable, horizontal siding, multi-pane windows with shutters, and a central entrance framed by an arched surround create a balanced and welcoming façade. A dormer and chimney add character to the roofline and reinforce the home’s classic appeal.

Carefully maintained and updated over time, the residence continues to serve as a comfortable modern home while preserving the architectural character that makes the neighborhood so special.

Houses like this remind us that Winter Park’s historic neighborhoods are not frozen in time—they are living places, shaped by care, stewardship, and a shared appreciation for the beauty of the past.

05/14/2026

A community outcry is growing over the fate of three significant Winter Park homes designed by James Gamble Rogers II that are under active or implied threat of demolition.

Last evening, residents lined up at City Hall to express their concern — not only for these individual homes, but for what their potential loss would mean for the character, history, and future of Winter Park.

Thank you to WESH 2 News for covering this important story and the growing call for stronger, more practical tools to protect Winter Park’s architectural heritage.

At its May 27 meeting, the Winter Park City Commission will discuss whether to charge the Historic Preservation Board with developing a plan to further incentivize historic designation in the city.

This is an important and constructive step. Historic designation should be something homeowners are encouraged, supported, and proud to pursue — not something that feels burdensome or out of reach.

Casa Feliz itself was saved because a community decided that Winter Park’s history was worth fighting for. Today, we face another defining moment. How can we better protect the historic homes and neighborhoods that give Winter Park its soul?

We encourage residents who care about preservation to follow this discussion, attend the May 26 meeting, and let city leaders know that protecting Winter Park’s historic resources matters.

Somehow, we must find a way to save these homes before there is only one left standing.

Watch the WESH story here: https://www.wesh.com/article/winter-park-residents-historic-home-protections/71299936

05/14/2026

Close out the season with the Solomon Jaye Duo at Music at the Casa!

Casa Feliz Historic Home Museum
Thursday, May 21
6:30–8:30 p.m.

Singer, songwriter, and tap dancer Solomon Jaye brings soulful vocals, rhythm, and high-energy style to the Casa stage alongside pianist John Olearchick. Blending pop, jazz, and R&B, this concert promises a vibrant live music experience.

Enjoy wine and beer by The Good Pour and light snacks for purchase.

🎟 Tickets: https://buy.stripe.com/8x23cwb4Reyn5qG9Bi4c80n

05/13/2026

✨ Wonderful Wednesday ✨

This week we’re featuring the Leonard House at 457 E. New England Avenue — one of Winter Park’s earliest surviving homes and an important piece of the city’s cultural history. Built around 1900, the house is listed on the Winter Park Register of Historic Places. 🏡

Dating to a period when Winter Park was evolving from a seasonal resort into a permanent community, the Leonard House later became the residence of musician Mary Leonard, whose musical gatherings here helped nurture what would eventually become the Florida Symphony Orchestra.

Leonard was also a trailblazer in civic life — active in the suffrage movement and among the first two women in Winter Park to register to vote.

Architecturally, the home reflects the vernacular residential style common in early Winter Park, with its wood-frame construction, broad front porch, dormered roofline, and shaded outdoor spaces designed for Florida living.

More than a century later, the Leonard House remains a vivid reminder that preservation is not only about saving buildings — it is about protecting the stories, culture, and community spirit that shaped Winter Park’s history. ❤️

05/11/2026

“The City of Homes” is losing its homes.

Three significant residences designed by noted architect James Gamble Rogers II are currently at risk in Winter Park — including Merrywood on Lake Osceola, the beloved Ervin Theodore Brown House on Virginia Drive, and the extraordinary Noyes House on Interlachen Avenue.

These are not just old houses. They are part of the architectural DNA of Winter Park — the very buildings that give this community its beauty, character, and sense of place.

As we mark Historic Preservation Month, now is the time to ask an important question: Do we have the political will to meaningfully protect the historic homes and neighborhoods that define Winter Park?

We encourage residents who care about preservation, heritage, and the future character of our city to attend the Winter Park City Commission meeting this Wednesday and make your voice heard during public comment.

📍 Winter Park City Hall
🏛️ Commission Chambers
📅 Wednesday, May 13
⏰ Public Comment at 5:00 p.m.

We are urging the City Commission to charge the Historic Preservation Board with studying best practices from around the country and developing meaningful recommendations to incentivize historic homeownership and preservation before more of Winter Park’s architectural legacy is lost.

Historic preservation is not anti-growth. It is what makes Winter Park worth preserving in the first place.

Casa Feliz Historic Home Museum

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