St. Cloud’s Centennial Baby is…

The City of St. Cloud announced February 16, 2009 that Emma J. Myerson is St. Cloud’s Centennial Baby. St. Cloud residents Jeremy and Noel Myerson are the proud parents of the baby, who was born the morning of January 2, 2009.

“We received many phone calls, but only two families presented the necessary documentation,” said City of St. Cloud Public Information Officer Sandra Ramirez. “Of the two babies, Emma was born first; the ‘runner-up’ was born on January 13th. We are very proud to recognize Emma as the city’s Centennial Baby in honor of the city’s 100th anniversary and we thank both families for participating.”

To take part in the City’s search for the Centennial Baby, parents simply needed to have a St. Cloud address, show proof of address, and present the baby’s original/official birth certificate with the recorded date and time.

St. Cloud Mayor Donna Hart will proclaim Emma as St. Cloud’s Centennial Baby during the April 9 regular council meeting and City Council will honor her during the community’s centennial culmination festivities April 18. Council will also present her parents with $250 savings bond in Emma’s name, compliments of City of St. Cloud.

Emma’s parents were very happy to learn that Emma is the city’s Centennial Baby, and her father, Jeremy, said, “We moved to Saint Cloud not only because it embodies family values, but it also celebrates small-town life.” And Noel added, “It is an honor for us to have Emma take part in such a historic event.”

Saint Cloud Merchants Jubilee on Saturday March 28

2pm-10pm. NY and Pennsylvania Ave will be closed, merchants on these two streets will do a street sale and provide entertainment. Sponsored by the Saint Cloud DBG. Dinner Auction 3pm, Centennial Fashion Show, Street Entertainment, Live band at 6pm.

My hometown- St. Cloud

By Bill Mallett

My grandfather William John Mallett and his wife Bessie came from London n October of 1909 and arrived in St. Cloud, I believe, in 1910. William started a concrete business at 1500 10th St. next to the train tracks. He built our house "Normanherst" in 1915. He built the powerplant in 1912 and many other buildings. Many sidewalks he poured have his name stamped into them.

My father Norman Mallett was born in 1917 at Normanherst and also died ther in 1993. He owned Mallett's Garden Center from about 1945 to 1993. He was a graduate from the Universality of Florida and served from 1940 to 1945 in the Army Air Corps in North Africa and Italy.

My mother sold Normanherst in 1996 and now resides in Alabama near my brother.

Centennial Jubilee Committee Seeks Centenarians and St. Cloud Founding Families

If you or a family member are living in St. Cloud and will be 100 years old or more by April 18, 2009, then the Centennial Jubilee Committee wants you!

If your family is one of the original families that settled St. Cloud in the early 1900s – the Centennial Jubilee Committee wants to celebrate 100 years with you!

The Centennial Jubilee will begin on October 31, 2008 with the announcement of the Official St. Cloud Centennial Jubilee Poster at the Downtown Business Groups’ Halloween event. There are six finalists for the honor of being the “Official” poster of the Centennial Jubilee and each of them are on display now at The New York Artists Shop located at 1124 New York Avenue in historic downtown St. Cloud. The public is welcome to view all the finalists at no charge.

From October 31 through the Grand Finale of the Centennial Jubilee on April 18, there are many events and activities for the whole family to enjoy. One of the top priorities of the Centennial Jubilee Committee is locating all our St. Cloud Centenarians (100 years old or more) and recognizing our Founding Families of St. Cloud (settled in St. Cloud between 1909 and 1911).

St. Cloud Centenarians and Founding Families will be honored during events scheduled throughout the six months of celebration, and especially during the Centennial Jubilee Parade on April 18, 2009.

To register with the Centennial Jubilee Committee simply contact St. Cloud In The News at 1103 Pennsylvania Avenue or by telephone number 407-891-0662.

St. Cloud Centennial Jubilee Planning Has Begun
Planning the 100th birthday of St. Cloud

Plans are being formulated to mark a true “once in a lifetime” event – the Centennial Jubilee for St. Cloud. What a wonderful opportunity for every resident and business in St. Cloud with the coming of the 100th anniversary of the founding of our city, which will be held in late 2008 and 2009. Plans include almost seven months of activities and special events for everyone to enjoy.

As in the past for the 50th and 75th anniversary celebrations, a committee of residents, business leaders, community and civic organizations and governmental entities are meeting to coordinate all their efforts for this special “birthday party.”

Founded in April 1909, St. Cloud was settled by retired Civil War ‘Union’ soldiers that answered advertisements from the Seminole Land and Development Company. The small town grew through the efforts of men and women, many of them in their 70s and 80s, looking to make this part of Osceola County their home. Using the railroad system and horse-and-wagons homes, a hotel, general businesses, a Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) meeting hall, along with agricultural ventures including citrus growers, cattle ranchers and a sugar mill sprung up and prospered.

Soon, there was a Library, a school and St. Cloud became less and less dependent on Kissimmee. In 1911 the founding fathers of the community received the State’s sanction for the incorporation of St. Cloud as a full-fledged city. But that will be another date to celebrate in a couple of years.

Over the past 100 years our town has seen fires and the Great Depression; we have sent sons, and daughters, off to various wars; we have raised families and welcomed newcomers from “the North” to enjoy our community. East Lake Toho has been a recreational hot spot since the founding of the city and still continues to provide a year-round relaxing and fun haven for young and old. We’ve held baseball games; football rivalries, marched in parades, held 4th of July celebrations; we have buried our families in the local cemetery and recognize the value of patriotism.

Another feature of the Centennial Jubilee that makes it unique is every group and organization is working together, with no one entity “in charge” to make the anniversary special. Co-Chairs Brenda Terrell with Allen’s Osceola Realty and Chris Falkowski, Managing Editor of this hometown newspaper are coordinating the meetings and keeping track of the event calendar. As of publication date the businesses, groups, organizations and governments involved are:

The City of St. Cloud, Osceola County School District, Osceola Library System, St. Cloud Historic Preservation Committee, OUC-The Reliable One, Osceola County Board of Realtors, the St. Cloud-Greater Osceola Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Business Group, the St. Cloud Main Street Program, the American Legion Post 80, the Sons of Union Veterans of Civil War Lucius L. Mitchell Camp #4, the Sons of Confederate Veterans Jacob Summerlin Camp, the Daughters of the American Revolution Joshua Stevens Chapter, the St. Cloud Woman’s Club, the Osceola County Historic Society, the Genealogy Club of Osceola County, the Silver Spurs Riding Club, the Rotary Club of St. Cloud, Bob Fisk, Official Historian, the St. Cloud Heritage Museum, the St. Cloud Ministerial Association, The New York Artists Shop, We Got Palms, The Transition House, Rogue Herald Communications, St. Cloud In The News, the Latter Day Saints Church, CenterState Bank, Colonial Bank, and Fortis Management Group.