The historic Edgewater Hotel in downtown Winter Garden officially closed its doors, ceased operations and is in the process of being sold.
Built in 1926, the 28,855-square-foot property began operations the following year with 53 guest rooms, predominantly lodging traveling fishermen in its early days. Today, after renovations converted the hotel into a bed-and-breakfast with retail shops and restaurants on the first floor, the Plant Street hotel was appraised in 2024 with a $2.57 million market valuation by the county.
The initial plans to build the hotel were formed by local businessmen J.D. McMillan, Harry E. Bumby, J.M. Lazenby, William F. Cappleman, PH. Britt and N.A. Perry when they used $120,000 to begin construction in 1924. Following the bankruptcy of the hotel’s builder later that year, construction came to a halt before local real estate agent Jerry J. Chicone formed a group of investors to finance the completion of construction…