Rogers Building

The Rogers Building, formerly called the English Club, is one of the most historic buildings of downtown Orlando. Originally constructed in 1886 as a club for English immigrants, it is the oldest building in the downtown area of Orlando, and is on the US National Register of Historic Places. It hosts art events, and so continues to serve society and culture in the present day. The building is currently the property of the city of Orlando and is one of the most important landmarks in the city. The Rogers Building is thus an important part of American and central Floridian history.

The Rogers Building was built in 1886 by Gordon rogers, an Englishman who had moved to Florida in 1883. Rogers was an important businessman of the time, and was a director of the Citizens National Bank. He built the Rogers building as a social club for the English immigrant community of Orlando. There were many English immigrants in Orlando and central Florida, as land around the city was cheap and used to grow citrus groves; by the 1890s, land was sold to English immigrants for about $1 per acre, and the English community grew. The Rogers Building was locally called the English Club, which was also the name of a social group hosted by the Rogers Building; members played cards and billiards, danced, and were entertained by theater. Besides hosting the English Club, the Rogers Building accommodated other organizations, and provided offices to the South Florida Sentinel, a contemporary newspaper and an ancestor of the Orlando Sentinel.

The construction of the building was a notable event in the 1880s, and was described by the Orlando Reporter and the Weekly Floridian. In particular, these newspaper claimed that the Rogers Building would be, “a handsome addition to our city.” The Rogers Building was built in the Queen Anne style, which was unusual for buildings in downtown Orlando. Today, the Rogers Building has a distinctive dark green color, which makes it instantly recognizable. As the oldest building in downtown Orlando, with a legacy reaching back to the 1880s, the Rogers Building is one of the most historic landmarks of the city.

While the Rogers Building has stood well since 1886, there have been changes to the landmark. In 1960, for example, a storefront was added to the northern side of the Rogers Building; this storefront faces Magnolia Avenue. This north end also received a new coat of galvanized metal after 1906. Thus, while the Rogers Building is still mostly in its original form, it has received changes to its appearance over the course of history; these changes, far from sullying the building, show its prominence as a historical landmark.

In recent history, the Rogers Building has hosted CityArts. CityArts is a branch of the Downtown Arts District and its mission is to present contemporary art. According to their website, CityArts uses the Rogers Building as a place to "exhibit an infusion of local and international works." CityArts has a total of seven art galleries in the Rogers Building, along with presentation and event spaces and a cafe. CityArts' placement in the Rogers Building gives the landmark a new legacy as a source of art in downtown Orlando. Thus, the Rogers Building continues to be a cultural center today.

While the Rogers Building has a great historical and cultural heritage, it is still making history today. On January 22, 2018, the Rogers Building was donated to the city of Orlando by its owner Ford W. Kiene. The building was renamed the Rogers-Kiene Building in gratitude for his gift. Thus, the Rogers Building after remaining a celebrated landmark of Orlando history for more than a century, is still a greatly appreciated part of Downtown Orlando.

Department of the Interior National Park Service March 2, 1934–null, “Florida SP Rogers Building”, National Archives Catalog, 2013-2017. Retrieved February 22, 2023. https://catalog.archives.gov/id/77843413

National Archives Catalog, Florida SP Rogers Building. This source shows the Nomination Form for the Rogers Buildings place in the National Register of Historic Places. It contains a description of the building and a brief account of its history. It presents information about its founder, Gordon Rogers, and how the building was originally a club for English immigrants. The source also explains how the Rogers Building held the offices for the South Florida Sentinel, one of the predecessors of the Orlando Sentinel. This acts as both a primary and secondary source, showing the Rogers Building’s admittance to the National Register of Historic Places, and collecting historical information about the building.

Library of Congress, “The weekly Floridian. [volume], November 17, 1887, Image 4,” Chronicling America. Retrieved February 22, 2023.https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82015289/1887-11-17/ed-1/seq-4/

The Weekly Floridian November 17, 1887. This source shows part of a newspaper from November 17, 1887. The first column of this newspaper image shows the state news, the fourth paragraph touching on news from the Orlando Reporter. In this article, we read how the construction of the Rogers Building is in progress, and how the building is expected to appear when finished. This newspaper article is important for understanding the history of the Rogers Building, as it documents the construction of one of the oldest buildings in downtown Orlando. Reading this newspaper article, we are reading a primary source more than a century old, which shows the interest of 19^th century Americans in the Rogers Building.

Best Books on, Federal Writers’ Project. “Florida; a Guide to the Southernmost State.” Best Books on. Pp. 224-225. Retrieved February 23, 2023. https://books.google.com/books?id=uOnhezTJonkC&lpg=PA222&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=false.

Florida: A Guide to the Southernmost State. This source is a book published in 1939 which chronicling the history and features of Florida and its cities. In pages 224-225, we read how the English Club (another name for the Rogers Building) was built for the many English immigrants of Orlando. The book also tells how these settlers came to Orlando due to low land prices. This secondary source is important in understanding the history of the Rogers Building, for it shows the building’s original purpose and reveals the size of the English community of Orlando in the late 19^th century. 

Downtown Arts District. "CityArts." CityArts, Accessed March 27th, 2023. https://downtownartsdistrict.com/cityarts/.

This is the homepage of CityArts. CityArts, part of the Downtown Arts District, is currently hosted by the Rogers Building, where it shows local and international artworks. From this page, one can learn about CityArts, as well as view some of their exhibits. The importance of the Rogers Building to CityArts is evidenced by the placement of its photo, along with the CityArts logo, at the top of the webpage.

City of Orlando. "Historic Downtown Building Owner Donates Arts and Cultural Asset." City of Orlando. Retrieved March 27, 2023. https://www.orlando.gov/News/Press-Releases/2018-Press-Releases/Historic-Downtown-Building-Owner-Donates-Arts-and-Cultural-Asset-to-City-of-Orlando

This is a news article from the City of Orlando. This source tells of the recent gift of the Rogers Building to the city of Orlando by its owner, Ford W. Kiene. The Rogers Building was then renamed the Rogers-Kiene Building. This article shows an important part of the history of the Rogers Building; moreover, it shows the recent history and current status of the Rogers Building.