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