Our History

Construction of the Edgewater hotel began in 1923. With the placement of the final brick on top of the east wing facade on June 1st 1926, the facility was completed, as a bright clean and modern three-story building that was the culmination of local pride.

The Edgewater opened January 26th 1927 having the designation of being one of the safest and most technologically advanced hotels in the country. It quickly became a Sunday afternoon destination for many families that drove for miles around to admire, stay in, or just wander around the hotel's four spacious hallways. The Edgewater originally played host to businessmen looking for a winter hideaway to discuss important business ventures, the Washington senators during spring training preparing the major league season, and famous Hollywood celebrities (such as Clark Gable) visiting friends and enjoying the springtime climates of Florida.

The manually operated Otis elevator, being one of the first in the area in 1926, was an attraction all in itself. The elevator remains unchanged and in perfect working order to this day. The building featured a sprinkler system throughout its 30,000 square feet that, like elevator, has been well maintained and in continuous operation since 1926.

In the late thirties, winter garden was a destination resort area due to the bass fishing abundance of nearby lake Apopka. In 1936, local businessmen leased the hotel, installed a large lobby fireplace and equipped each floor of the facility with a fish cleaning station made of a sink and refrigerator. They marketed the facility throughout the United States in field and stream magazine as a full service fishing lodge.

In the early to mid 1940's the army, utilized the hotel during World War II, to house soldiers on their way overseas. The impact of the soldiers' stay at the Edgewater can still be evidenced by the telltale wear marks on the hotel lobby floor. Later the hotel contributed to the post-war American dream and housed schoolteachers, busy with the demand for better education.

In the late 1960's and early 1970's the hotel accommodated crews working on a little know construction project, the creation of Walt Disney world.

Origional Pamphlet 1927

On November 8th 2003, 35 years after the hotel had closed its doors; the Edgewater cut the ribbon on a grand reopening of the facility. After an extensive historic restoration of the building, visitors once again have the opportunity to stay in the same accommodations, as did the wealthy business tycoons in the 1920's.