| After I had received a general overview of the | | | | poor conditions that existed in the African |
| history of the Orlando area in the Orange County | | | | American community without fear of losing their |
| Regional History Center, I wanted to delve a little | | | | livelihood. Although African Americans were |
| deeper into the social history of the Orlando area, | | | | taxpayers like other residents of Orlando, they did |
| and the Wells Built Museum of African American | | | | not have access to recreational facilities, good |
| History and Culture was going to give me a more | | | | schools, police protection, health care and other |
| in-depth look into Orlando's African American | | | | services that were provided to white citizens. This |
| history. To this day this area west of I-4 is | | | | led him to build the South Street Casino and the |
| primarily inhabited by African Americans and the | | | | hotel next door. Dr. Wells booked bands and other |
| difference in housing and facilities between this | | | | big name entertainers to perform at the South |
| area and the downtown area is quite notable. As | | | | Street Casino. Many famous performers that we |
| a matter of fact, the very name "Division Street" | | | | know today played at South Street Casino within |
| points to a distinct historical line of demarcation | | | | the Chitlin Circuit. A few examples of these |
| between black and white residential areas. The | | | | performers are: - Ray Charles - B.B. King - Louis |
| origins of the Wells Built Museum date back to a | | | | Armstrong - Guitar Slim - Bo Diddley African |
| prominent local African physician by the name of | | | | Americans came from all over the surrounding |
| Dr. William Monroe Wells who started building the | | | | areas to Orlando to shop and take in |
| Well's Built Hotel in 1926 to provide lodging to | | | | performances of popular musicians at the South |
| African Americans during an era of segregation | | | | Street Casino. After the performances at the |
| when accommodations were not available to | | | | casino, the artists checked in at the historic Wells' |
| them in other areas of Central Florida. Next door | | | | Built Hotel. In its heyday, the Wells' Built provided |
| to the Wells' Built was once the South Street | | | | lodging for clientele such as Pegleg Bates, Ella |
| Casino, a performance hall, which featured | | | | Fitzgerald, Roy Campenella, Thurgood Marshall, and |
| musicians that traveled the 'Chitlin Circuit' | | | | Jackie Robinson. The entertainers and athletes |
| performing for audiences all over the country. The | | | | who frequented this establishment made it one of |
| hotel opened with three storefronts on the first | | | | the most popular venues for African Americans in |
| floor and hotel rooms on the second floor. Dr. | | | | the South. Today the museum features over |
| William Monroe Wells was one of Orlando's first | | | | 6,000 square feet of display space. It retains the |
| black physicians and came to the area in 1917. | | | | original hotel facade, a guestroom featuring |
| Born in Ft. Gaines, Georgia, in 1889, Dr. Wells | | | | authentic furniture, beading and decorations of the |
| completed his medical training at Meharry Medical | | | | 1930's, and also bears an original interior wall |
| College. During part of WWII, Dr. William Monroe | | | | reflecting important architectural elements and |
| Wells was the only African American physician in | | | | designs unique to the period. Exhibition material |
| Orlando. During segregation, white physicians did | | | | collected for display include: official hotel |
| not treat African American patients. African | | | | documents, an original Negro League baseball |
| American doctors, therefore, earned their money | | | | jersey, photographs, artifacts, books, multi-media |
| from people of their own race. He worked very | | | | exhibits, slave records and other items of historic |
| hard to serve the growing African American | | | | significance. Dr. Well's home has been moved to |
| population in Orlando. With the help of his | | | | the site of the Casino and will be restored and |
| assistant, Mrs. Josie Belle Jackson, Dr. Wells is | | | | opened to the public. The Well's Built Museum of |
| known to have delivered over 5,000 babies in | | | | African American Culture and History is located |
| Orlando. He treated patients who suffered from | | | | just west of I-4 near Church Street at 511 West |
| pneumonia, influenza, scarlet fever and other | | | | South Street, Orlando 32801, tel. (407) 245-7535. |
| serious illnesses before drugs like penicillin were | | | | This entire article including photos is located at |
| introduced. Many of Dr. Wells' patients were | | | | Susanne Pacher is the publisher of a web portal |
| extremely poor. He treated their illnesses though | | | | for unconventional travel & cross-cultural |
| they many times could not afford to pay his fee. | | | | connections. Check out our brand new FREE |
| This allowed them to speak forcefully against | | | | ebooks about travel. |