Charles Edgerton
Charles Edgerton (died 1936) was an engineer, inventor, and early settler of Mount Dora, Florida. In 1924, he and a group of investors purchased the historic Lakeside Inn (Mount Dora, Florida), which he and his son would manage for several decades.[1]
Edgerton was born in Somerton, Ohio and was employed as an engineer, working on steam engines, boilers, and electrical equipment.[2] Described as a self-made man, Edgerton built the first electric light plant in Philadelphia at Greens Hotel and had over 120 patents in his name.[2] He was president of the Coatesville Boiler Works in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, and president of the Kutztown Foundry and Machine Company in Kutztown, Pennsylvania.[2] [3]
Edgerton first began visiting Mount Dora seasonally in 1882 due to poor health before later retiring there in 1932.[4] In 1924, Edgerton purchased the Lakeside Inn with partners Fred Wesley Wentworth and Archie Hulburt, planning for a roughly $250,000 expansion.[5] It was during this time that the Lakeside Inn and the Edgertons hosted visitors such as Calvin Coolidge, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Henry Ford, and Thomas Edison. [6] Edgerton named his son Richard manager of the Lakeside Inn in 1935, which he would run for 45 years. [7][8]
Edgerton invested a great deal more in the community, purchasing The Grandview Hotel, serving as chairman of the Parks commission (and advocating for more park and recreation service), and also purchasing and setting aside a larger building for the growing library.[9] He also established the community Yacht club, community auditorium, and the first local citrus company in town.[8] His contributions to the community of Mount Dora are cited to have significantly impacted its modern development.[4]
References
- ↑ Bloodsworth, Doris (2013). Legendary Locals of Lake County. Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia. ISBN 978-1-4671-0025-0.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Powers, Ormund (June 26, 1996). "Lakeside Inn Catered to Winter Visitors and Grew Along with County". Orlando Sentinel.
- ↑ "Columbia University Libraries: Philadelphia and notable Philadelphians". www.columbia.edu. Retrieved 2022-12-08.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 McKechnie, Gary (2016). A Brief History of Mount Dora Florida. The History Press. ISBN 978-1-46711-842-2.
- ↑ United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service. "National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Mount Dora Historic District." 1 October, 2009. https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/1ab7e457-7afa-45eb-af14-f643147553bb
- ↑ Turkel, Stanley. "Hotel History: Lakeside Inn, Mount Dora, Florida". The Most Famous Hotels in the World: The Library of Hospitality.
- ↑ "Mount Dora". FORUM. 22 (1). Winter 1999 – via USF Digital Collections.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Trussell, Tait (1998-03-29). "Edgerton Serves the City He Loves". The Orlando Sentinel.
- ↑ Laux, James (2001). Mount Dora Florida: A Short History. First Publish. ISBN 9781929925766.
External links
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