H. Gary Morse, the developer and founder of the Villages???
 

Did anyone else see that Gary Morse is listed as the founder of the Villages on page 49 of the new Villages magazine that came in today's paper? His father Harold Schwartz founded and started the development of the Villages until he handed it over to his son Gary Morse. Why is the Villages magazine not even mentioning the real developer and founder of the Villages?????
There is also a street named after Mr. Schwartz, not just one named after his son as they wrote. Why are they trying to rewrite the history of our area? Without Mr. Harold Schwartz the Villages would not exist. Just found this very odd. Give credit where credit is due and don't try to rewrite history.

Uh-oh. There goes his statue.

Didn't notice it until I read your post

I recall reading somewhere that when Mr. Schwartz invited Gary Morse to come down and help him manage things it was called Orange Blossom Gardens (or something like that)...which is the area that we refer to today as 'the historic district'.

Mr. Morse, not Mr. Schwartz could easily have been the visionary and founder of the sprawling new development called "The Villages". The historic section was annexed into TV and given a Villages identity.

So, call it semantics if you want...doubtful that the Morse family is trying to nullify the work and efforts of Mr. Schwartz....his statue is still in Spanish Springs

just my guess...

I like what you said and how you said it.

Harold Schwartz started the development of modular homes called Orange Blossom Gardens and when Gary Morse, his son, whose mother changed his last name when she remarried, when Gary Morse came from Michigan to join his father who came from Illinois, when site built homes and the first squares came to be and things started on a much bigger scale, THEN it became;

The Villages.

Someone should write a book on how the Villages came to be what it is today

Stu I think there is one...called living in the bubble or something like that

the author had also been sending tidbits out electronically

he seemed to be an advisor for developers of other 55+ communities

The Complete Guide to The Villages, FL Interesting book. More for "before buying a home" but a lot of history in it.

May The Schwartz be with you.

Its available as an ebook for $ 27 and is periodically updated. When you buy it you are entitled to free updates for life (not sure whose).

Will contemplate this.

Stu,
If you haven’t visited Rohan Rec Center, you should. You can learn a lot about TV history there. Take your time and look at the many family photos and aerial shots of TV development. It’s fascinating. One could spend an afternoon there. Did you know that Katie Belle was a real person?

Stu, check out the book "Inside The Bubble" by Ryan Erisman

Don’t let outsiders know of the status, if so it might be peaceful protest as they tear it down? :icon_wink:

Go to Rohan Rec, nicely done history of how The Villages started and pictures. It was Harold Schwartz, not Morse. Just because your name was changed by your mother doesn’t change your bloodline. Don’t change history.

There is one

You are 100% correct. When I first came here in 1992 the only name connected to TV was Harold Schwartz. He is probably turning over in his grave as he watches what's become of it.