There was a time when Winter Garden’s railroad was the lifeblood of the town – back when the citrus industry was king.  In the 20’s pullman cars ran through downtown bringing prospectors from far and wide to see the growing little city in Florida.  During World War II, the citrus industry boomed as the federal government, eager to provide soldiers with vitamins necessary to fight disease, purchased large quantities of canned orange juice to send to troops around the world.

The railroad is still in use today, but citrus  is no longer Winter Garden’s primary industry and the railroad isn’t what it was.  What it means to the town has changed.  But it’s still there, a reminder of days gone by.