Colonial Plaza's new MIllion Dollar Air-Conditioned Shopping Mall

Colonial Plaza’s new Million Dollar Air Conditioned Shopping Mall.  The largest in the South.

Color:  Jack McCullom, Orlando

Sister Bay, WI, August 10, 1981

Dear Lauretta & Red

A whole week gone already.  Got here fine & enjoying every day even tho we aren’t doing much.  Played bridge with the neighbors & also had the Shrevenbergers? over for dinner & they had us over last nite.  Had a terrific storm last nite & it rained almost all day today.  They need it here.

Thanks again for every thing.

Mr. & Mrs. F Neidelbach

926 W. MacArthur

Eau Claire, Wis. 54701

Since you can barely make out the circle over the writing that was probably an Orlando postmark, I’m going to assume that the Sister Bay, WI postmark was a receiving one, and not a failed attempt by the anonymous writer to fool our friends Lauretta and Red Neidelbach into thinking that she was braving the oppressive Orlando summer. 

It’s ironic that the dry summer was noticeable, since a week after this postcard was received, Hurricane Dennis brought significant rainfall as it traveled north along the entire Florida peninsula.

For longtime residents of Orlando,  Colonial Plaza Mall was the mall, (actually until 1973 it was the only mall.)  Other malls opened, and the property was sold to a development company that built the outdoor shopping center, Colonial Plaza Market Place by tearing down most of the mall's structure, including iconic Orlando restaurant Ronnie's.

Eau Claire, Wisconsin is a city of about 65,000 people.  It's hard to tell if the little house at 926 W. MacArthur is still standing from Google Streetview, and there is little evidence of a Neidelbach, or Neiderbach residing in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.  Since the card isn't that old, it is conceivable that someone knows the recipients, or someone is still playing bridge with the Shevenbergers in sunny Orlando.