Oral history of Gene Kruckemyer, editor for UCF News at the University of Central Florida’s News and Information Office. Kruckemyer moved Orlando to Sanford in 2004, following a series of hurricanes. He worked as a publisher for The Sanford Herald for three years and as an editor for The Orlando Sentinel for 33 years. This interview was conducted by Megan Kaczmarek at Kruckemyer’s office at the University of Central Florida on October 31, 2012. Within the oral history, Kruckemyer discusses his involvement with the UCF Public History Center, located at 301 West Seventh Street in Sanford, Florida.
The PHC was originally occupied by Sanford High School, which was established in 1902. The structure was designed by W. G. Talley in the Romanesque revival style. Due to an increasing student population, a new school building was constructed on the corner of East Ninth Street and South Palmetto Avenue in 1911. The original building on Seventh Street served as Westside Grammar Elementary School, which was later renamed Sanford Grammar School. In 1984, the structure was placed on the National Registry of Historic Places and converted into the Student Museum. The building reopened as the University of Central Florida’s Public History Center in 2012.