Swampy's Florida

Here’s Knowles Memorial Chapel, a part of Rollins College in Winter Park. This is the cover of the 1959 Tomokan Yearbook cover. Going through the book, I can’t find any credit as to who did the painting for the cover.

There are also about a dozen paintings of scenes across the Rollins campus throughout the book. Maybe i’ll post those down the road.

The painting is of the chapel area that was built as the Great Depression (We might be visiting our own soon) was starting and opened in 1932. It’s become the keystone of architectural wonderment not just at Rollins or Witner Park but nationally.

Francis Bangs Knowles was part of a consortium in the area who helped bring focus of goals around the community to be known as Winter Park. The City was then firmly established in 1881. Furthering the aforementioned goals, Rollins College was established in 1885.

It was Knowles daughter who funded the effort of the grand church to be memorialized in her father’s name. A tremendous tribute.

If you have not visited the Chapel, the insides are are awe inspiring.

(The yearbook is part of the Swampy’s Florida collection. It is a family member’s yearbook.)