March 26, 1981: The Different World of Walter Phillips

Authored in 1981 by Local News founding Editor Roger Swanson, the article investigates the fascinating and peculiar aspects of Walter Phillips' lifestyle. Son of citrus mogul Dr. P. Phillips, Walter Phillips lived near Phillips Landing and Granada Groves in the Sand Lake area, seeking seclusion and privacy. Enjoy this rare glimpse at the hidden life of Walter Phillips.

   He has seen vast changes over a period of 70 years as boy and man in the citrus groves, yet Walter Phillips seeks to hang onto a different world — a Florida of decades past that hardly survives in a modern era of urban and residential sprawl. The only surviving son of Dr. P Phillips who pioneered citrus groves throughout Soutwest Orange County, Walter Phillips now 76, looks back on a busy and active life but regrets that in the twilight of his experience such developments as Walt Disney World, industrialization and population growth are "destroying" the Florida he once knew. "The worst thing that ever happened to Florida," Phillips said, "was Walt Disney World. It marks the beginning of the end of a paradise that we had known here for so long. And everything has changed for the worse, and nothing can be done to retrieve it."

A visit with Walter Phillips at his 20 acre estate in our area can become an somewhat eerie, almost frightening experience. For it is no secret that Phillips maintains a strong policy designed to keep unwanted visitors away. And those who do approach are warned by signs that no trespassing is allowed. Violators may be subject to prompt arrest — and Walter Phillips himself is a deputy sheriff of Orange County. Phillips calls his 20 acre area on a rise of ground between Sand Lake and Lake Serene a "bachelors’ paradise." Occasionally he will invite a friend or a long time associate to visit him but, now, he stays mostly to himself — and he likes it that way.

   His Moroccan style residence and adjoining buildings are a marvel of sturdy construction. Every door is steel and reinforced with steel. Walls are 2 feet thick or more. And the house has no windows. Yet the walls provide a marvelous kind of natural air conditioning. Inside, comfortable and stylish furniture rests on tile floors which also contribute to a cool and pleasant atmosphere. You note bookcases loaded with volumes; and a generally comfortable interior design. Born in Kissimmee, Walter Phillips began to work in the citrus groves operated by his father when he was six years old and he continued part and full-time until today. He still harvests a sizable number of trees on his present property.

   Offered a fine education by his father, Walter Phillips attended Phillips Exeter academy in New Hampshire and Worcester Academy in Massachusetts. He declined to go onto college, although his brother Howard Phillips did attend college and became the professional spokesperson and heir for the Phillips fortune. Howard Phillips was murdered almost 2 years ago on a business trip to San Francisco. "Howard was always so polished, so well educated with such a degree of professionalism... he was a diamond of the family," Phillips said.

   But I was the worker; I was the one that went out in the Groves and dug and did whatever was necessary – I was the chunk of coal in the family. "So I feel that I have a right to my privacy. And I will warn anybody to stay off my property unless they are especially invited to come in." Among the many fascinating aspects of the Walter Phillips' place is a now-seldom used airstrip, 3000 feet long. Phillips long was a pilot and served during World War II in coastal patrols. He also was active in the Civil Air Patrol. If Walter Phillips is in the right mood, he enjoys talking about the past and showing visitors his property. "See the lake out there," he may say. "It’s 11 feet lower now than it was in 1960 and it’s been declining especially ever since Disney came here. As I say, Disney is the worst thing that ever happened to Central Florida. Everybody says they want tourists and they want tourist dollars. But what good is it; what good is money, what good are tourists if paradise is spoiled… And believe me our paradise has been spoiled.”

   Over his many decades, Walter Phillips can recall extremes of weather but he says he rarely can remember a year which matched the severe cold this last January. He speaks of it as being the widespread cold wave of memory, although on one or two occasions temperatures did drop lower for a night or two. But it was the sustained nature of this cold wave that was so severe. Walter Phillips recalls as a boy that the weather was so warm almost every winter he could swim any day in the lakes of Central Florida; but now, of course, with seemingly increasing cold waves that has become improbable. "The water level is falling, the lakes are getting lower and that affects our climate adversely," he said. "You can’t have 500,000 people flushing the toilet six times a day and not expect to have a bad effect on the water and quality of living." Zealously intent on his privacy, Walter Phillips believes that he has found the right definition of proper neighbor: "that’s someone who lives 10 miles away and is too busy to visit you." It is generally known that Phillips keeps shotguns and rifles throughout his house including a .22 calibre pistol that fire cyanide tipped bullets. In fact, when he was visited recently he pulled out his revolver and fired it at a stone at the base of a citrus tree to demonstrate his marksmanship. In his earlier years he was a totally expert shooter, but with slightly failing health, now, he has somewhat less of an aim.

   But Walter Phillips has set up a careful protection system for his property and he knows instantly when someone crosses through his gate. Philosophically a conservative, Walter Phillips laments the trends and government and political philosophy that have changed America so much over the last several decades. His business card warns against the dangers of liberals and communism. A chat with Walter Phillips is fascinating for many reasons one being the knowledge of he has of the past. For example, did you know that the area around Bay Hill in South bay was once known as Zante (for a Greek island) and that in the 1930s there was no settlement of any kind between Vineland and Windermere? At that time Vineland had perhaps two dozen houses, larger than it is today, and was a rival for Windermere which had only about 60 homes during that period. Walter Philips seemingly has enjoyed his life alone. He’s proud of the fact that his experience has been largely based on hard work and he boasts that he never received any gratuity of blessings from family wealth but earned all that he has himself.

   Phillips does have neighbors, including supervisors and workers at what is left of Granada Groves, a citrus operation on the fringe of his property. Dan Sullivan, and Ralph Mackey speak highly of Walter Phillips as do the others in the area. Among his old friends and aids of many years is Henry Ford Junior who has been a devoted assistant. Walter Phillips' days are now spent reminiscing about the past. "The problem is," he says, "that no one really gives a damn about the fact that Florida has changed, that it’s not nearly as pleasant and beautiful as it used to be; no one seems to give a damn." In good health most of his life, Walter Phillips suffered from glaucoma and other eye diseases several years ago and suddenly went blind.

Through surgery and other treatments, he regained his sight and now sees well. Rather small in stature, Phillips wears heavy-rimmed glasses and is nearly bald. Despite his somewhat rough exterior and his reluctance to have visitors, he does seem to enjoy talking when someone manages to make an appointment. He enjoys reminiscing over the old days and recalls the vast citrus empire that has just about disappeared from our area. Walter Phillips has a parting word for sightseers for those who might have a curiosity be about life on his property.

He wants no visitors, nor will tolerate any who are not invited. It is mystery that he maintains a cache of firearms – and that he would not hesitate to confront an intruder. Phillips remembers an episode in which a group of men, perhaps by mistake, drove onto his property one night. By his secret alarm system he knew that someone had entered the place, so he grabbed a shotgun and went on the roof of his home. The car containing the three men drove up and Phillips warned them that they were on private property and must leave. One of the men replied, "we know our civil rights and we can go anywhere we want to." To which Phillips responded, "well that’s just fine"… And then, holding his shotgun a loft, said, "this is my civil rights."