Family reunites in its own city

Many of R.E. Olds' modern relatives didn't know about his dream city until this year's reunion brought them to Oldsmar.

	[Times photo: Douglas Clifford] From left, Jessica Olds-Ericson, 81, of Lady Lake, Meredith Olds McDonald, 48, of Fresno, Calif., Alanna Woodward, 6, of Fresno, and George Gouldbourn, 69, of Inverness tour Oldsmar in a 1970 Oldsmobile 98. They were in town as -part of the Olds family reunion, the first in Florida.

OLDSMAR - Sometimes it's easy to miss this small city at the top of Old Tampa Bay: Even if you're related to the guy who built it.

Nearly 50 distant relatives of Ransom Eli Olds, the founder of the Oldsmobile car company and Oldsmar, were here this week to see what their famous relative created 90 years ago.

But before the reunion was organized, most didn't even know the Florida city that bears the family's name existed.

"I know it sounds a little embarrassing, but up until we were told the reunion would be in Oldsmar, I had no idea there was such a place," said Helen Olds-Glover, a 48-year-old from Rhode Island who was also a contestant on CBS' reality TV show Survivor.

Growing up, schoolchildren use to tease Olds-Glover, calling her Helen "Oldsmobile."

She would answer back, "Oh yeah. Well, I'm related to that guy."

It didn't get very far with the kids. But in Oldsmar that link goes a long way.

The Oldsmar Historical Society displayed a collection of Olds antiques at the city's library in anticipation of the reunion, which ended Sunday. Marquees across the city welcomed the family.

And Mayor Jerry Beverland proclaimed Sunday Olds Family Reunion Day. "It's an honor for them to hold the reunion here," Beverland said. "It's very important to have the family the city is named after right here."

The Olds family spent the week visiting R.E. Olds' dream city. Sunday they posed for photos in front of the former Oldsmar Bank Building, the oldest public building in the city. Built in 1919, it now serves as the city's library.

They then took a motorcade of Oldsmobile automobiles to R.E. Olds Park along Shore Drive for a picnic.

This is the family's sixth reunion and the first in Florida. Most of the family now lives across Canada and in the Northeast.

Jessie Olds-Ericson, who organized the event, said she was surprised how much the city embraced the Olds heritage.

"We have been overly pleased with everything we've seen," said Olds-Ericson, who at 81 lives south of Ocala in Lady Lake. "It's amazing at the pride this city takes in its history. We're just happy to be a small part of that."

R.E. Olds abandoned the city in the 1920s after investing more than $4.5-million developing the land. He envisioned a thriving community of 100,000 people, a luxurious waterfront hotel and golf course. When he left, there were about 200 residents, and the golf course and hotel never materialized.

Later, the city even briefly changed its name to Tampa Shores to try and remove Olds' influence.

Oldsmar is now a city of 12,000 that is bisected by Tampa Road into two communities. To the south is Olds' original city, with old homes, older trees and roads shaped like spokes on a tire. The north is a mix of new residential subdivisions and corporate developments.

Beverland said Olds' vision was simply delayed in materializing. There's still no waterfront hotel or golf course, but today's Oldsmar is closer than ever before to Olds' dream, he said.

"He was just 90 years ahead of the game," Beverland said.

Touring the city for the past week, Olds-Ericson said her grandfather's cousin left a blueprint that has slowly turned into a "noteable city in the state of Florida."

"This is the friendliest place in the state," Olds-Ericson said. "I cannot get over how everyone has come out and welcomed us.

"I'm proud to be an Olds in Oldsmar."

- Aaron Sharockman can be reached at 727 771-4303 or asharockman@sptimes.com

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