Casino, is an interesting word. It conjures up images of the lavish, pretentious and luxurious gambling emporiums in places like Monaco or Las Vegas but it can also mean a place for social activities.
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| The Fruitland Park Casino |
The Fruitland Park Casino was of the latter variety and was built in 1914 by George Clark on the property of his Gardenia Hotel. The wood frame building had a metal roof, a long wide porch, low eaves, and a breezeway. Inside it had a large stage, and ladies' and men's dressing rooms, each with their own bathroom. The Casino also featured amenities such as running water, electric lights, and steam heat. Many dances, plays and other social events were held there and it also served as a meeting place for clubs and civic organizations like the Fruitland Park Chamber of Commerce. During the World Wars, women and school children met there to knit mufflers, sweaters, and socks for servicemen.
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| Original walls and windows in the lobby of the new library |
Activities continued, and The Casino was declared a Florida Heritage site in 2015 but in 2017 the ancient structure was deemed unsound and it was razed to the ground. The City of Fruitland Park has now built a new library on the site where windows and parts of the exterior walls and flooring from The Casino were used in the construction of the entrance lobby.
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| The new Fruitland Park library |