Interview with Doris Bloodsworth, Author of Images of America: Groveland (Must read if you are from Lake County Florida!)

In a previous blog entry I posted about Groveland Florida's August 2009 Market Report, I received an email from a lady shortly after the post went live. I was surprised to find out that the email was from non other that Doris Bloodsworth, the Pulitzer-nominated writer and author of Arcadia Publishing's recently released book, Images of America:Groveland. Images of America: Groveland is a 128 page pictorial book of the history of Groveland, Florida. I was priviledged enough to be able to ask Doris a few questions about herself and her new book.

1.) Doris, you came to South Lake in 1959 and are a graduate of Groveland High School. I also saw that you are the co-founder of the Groveland Historical Society and Musuem. What is it about Groveland that made you decide to write a 128 page pictorial book?

As a history buff, I had always enjoyed reading the Arcadia Images of America series. I thought it would make a great way to share some of the photos we had collected at the Groveland Historical Museum and also raise money for the nonprofit museum.

2.) Besides state, county and local archives, you obtained pictures and stories from private collections. Was there one particular story that you heard that really touched your heart?

That's like picking your favorite child! But the first one that comes to mind is the photo at the beginning of the chapter titled War Years and the Space Race. It's a photo of a billboard that was at the city's western border during World War II. It lists the Groveland men who were serving, including the eight Cochman brothers - more children than any other Florida family had serving in the war.

Photo Courtesy of Images of America: Groveland

3.) Without telling too much about the contents of the book, can you tell me 4 things I may not know about Groveland, Florida that may surprise me?

1. Groveland used to have the largest sawmill factory in the Southeast United States, making it the largest employer in Lake County at one time. 2. Groveland is the hometown to a pro basketball player, pro football player as well as the head of the FBI's counterterrorism during Sept. 11 and a scientist who helped invent the atomic bomb. 3. Under Groveland High's Hall of Fame Coach Shaw Buck, Groveland High had the winningest football record of any school its size in the state. 4. Florida Telephone Co. had its start in Groveland. The company went on to become Sprint and Embarq.

The red brick Edge's Department store, still standing at the corner of Highway 50 and Main Ave., was one of the largest department stores in the state when it was built in 1923.

4.) Your book, Images of America: Groveland, is available for sale at the Groveland Historical Museum and its Web site www.grovelandhistory.org. Tell me a little about the Society/Museum and what is it's purpose to the community?

The Groveland Historical Society, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, was started in January 2007 to preserve the city's significant history. The historical society partners with the City of Groveland to run the museum, open Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 243 S. Lake Ave. and other times by special arrangements. I started the museum, along with several other people, to fulfill the dying wish of one of my schoolmates, Marilyn Gammon Smith. The museum includes a vintage jukebox from the 1960s' Teenway Club, Groveland High class photos from the 1920s through 1970s, lumber from the famous Arnold Sawmill (including charred wood from the night it burned to the ground), and the original door and window from Edgewood Elementary School among many other artifacts.

5.) Does the Groveland book include information about any other South Lake communities?

Yes! I thought it was important to show how all of the South Lake cities are tied to each other while having their own identities, so there's a chapter titled "Neighbors" that has historic photos and stories about Clermont, Mascotte, Minneola, Montverde and Stuckey.

6.) Finally, you are the president and founder of Crosswords Communications. Tell me a little bit about your company.

I'm a former reporter for The Wall Street Journal and Orlando Sentinel. I founded Crosswords Communications in 2006 and partnered with Robert Thompson to start a South Lake branch in Clermont, which evolved into Thompson Wesley Wolfe (www.twsquared.com) Crosswords Communications and TW2 are one-stop shops for creating messages that connect. Our services include writing, editing, public relations, media relations, marketing, graphic design and Web design. Additionally, I cover the Florida federal courts for Bloomberg News.

You can learn more about Crosswords Communications by visiting their website at www.crosswordscommunications.com. Also, you can learn more about the Groveland Historical Society and Museum by visiting their website at www.grovelandhistory.org.