Then….and Now

The Florida Telephone Corporation building is seen in this circa 1974 photo from Southeast Osceola Avenue looking east. Through the years the site has remained the hub of telephone service in Ocala. Over the years, the building has carried the banners of Sprint, Embarq and currently CenturyLink. The center portion, shown in the photo bearing the FTC letters, was demolished. The portion of the building to the right was renovated into condominiums. CenturyLink continues to occupy the left portion of the complex. [State Archives of Florida]

The current view from near the same area on Southeast Osceola is now obstructed by a city parking garage built in 2016. While the buildings are no longer visible the phone company’s large antenna can still be seen poking above the garage’s roofline.