In 1972, Henry Swanson, an agricultural agent and "resident layman expert on Central Florida water,"  wrote a letter to the editor warning Orange County mayors of the sinkhole danger that could be posed by overdevelopment and excessive groundwater use.
Swanson predicted that the west Winter Park area would be especially at risk.
 In May 1981, during a period of record-low water levels in Florida's limestone aquifer, a massive sinkhole opened near the corner of Denning Drive and Fairbanks Avenue.

The sinkhole first appeared on the evening of May 8, 1981 near the house of Winter Park resident Mae Rose Williams.
Within a few hours, a 40-year-old sycamore tree near her house had fallen into the sinkhole.
The next morning, the hole expanded to nearly 40 feet (12 m) wide.
In a story in the Orlando Sentinel, she said that as the sun rose, she heard a noise "like giant beavers chewing" as the hole began to devour more of her land.
The hole was collapsing rapidly.
By noon, as she realized that her home was slipping into the expanding hole, she and the family evacuated and removed their belongings.
That afternoon her house fell into the sinkhole, and within a few hours the house was irrevocably on its way into the sinkhole's center, headed to unknown depths.

The hole eventually widened to 320 feet (98 m) and to a depth of 90 feet (27 m).
The following fell into the sinkhole: five Porsches at a repair shop, a pickup truck with camper top, the Winter Park municipal pool, and large portions of Denning Drive.
By May 9, nearly 250,000 cubic yards (190,000 m³) of earth had fallen into the sinkhole.
Damage was estimated at $2 million to $4 million.
May 9, 1981: The sinkhole grows to a record size, gulping down 250,000 cubic yards of soil and taking with it the deep end of an Olympic-size swimming pool, chunks of two streets and Williams' three-bedroom home and yard.
Florida engineers have described the event as "the largest sinkhole event witnessed by man as a result of natural geological reasons or conditions."
 He based his statements on his study of 2,000 sinkholes over more than 40 years.
That opinion was echoed by Ardaman & Associates, a local engineering consulting firm.

The sinkhole drew national attention and became a popular tourist attraction during the summer of 1981.
A carnival-like atmosphere arose around the area, with vendors selling food, balloons, and T-shirts to visitors.
The city of Winter Park sold sinkhole photographs for promotional and educational purposes.
July 9, 1981: Winter Park begins selling sinkhole photographs to educate the community about sinkholes and to promote tourism.
The sinkhole began to fill with water that summer, but on July 19 the water level suddenly dropped by a reported 15 to 20 feet (4.6 to 6.1 m).

As the novelty wore off, the city worked to repair the damage.
Workers were able to recover four of the six vehicles that fell into the sinkhole, including the travel trailer, whose owner drove it away, and three of the five Porsches.
The other two remain at the bottom of the lake with Mae Rose Owens' home.
Engineers filled in the bottom with dirt and concrete,  Diver reports from 2009 suggest that the lake has since been used to dispose of unwanted vehicles. "
The other two remain at the bottom of the lake with Mae Rose Owens' home, as well as three other vehicles that were reported by divers in 2009, who saw a Cadillac and a Toyota from the 1980s and a Dodge pickup truck with a 2001 license plate.
Apparently the site that once took expensive cars without their owners' permission had become a place to dispose of unwanted vehicles.
Besides a 1987 incident in which the bottom of the lake suddenly dropped 20 feet (6.1 m), causing erosion on the southern rim, the stabilized sinkhole has been generally quiet.
In 1972, Henry Swanson, an agricultural agent and "resident layman expert on Central Florida water,"  wrote a letter to the editor warning Orange County mayors of the sinkhole danger that could be posed by overdevelopment and excessive groundwater use. Swanson predicted that the west Winter Park area would be especially at risk.  In May 1981, during a period of record-low water levels in Florida's limestone aquifer, a massive sinkhole opened near the corner of Denning Drive and Fairbanks Avenue.
The sinkhole first appeared on the evening of May 8, 1981 near the house of Winter Park resident Mae Rose Williams. Within a few hours, a 40-year-old sycamore tree near her house had fallen into the sinkhole. The next morning, the hole expanded to nearly 40 feet (12 m) wide. In a story in the Orlando Sentinel, she said that as the sun rose, she heard a noise "like giant beavers chewing" as the hole began to devour more of her land. The hole was collapsing rapidly. By noon, as she realized that her home was slipping into the expanding hole, she and the family evacuated and removed their belongings. That afternoon her house fell into the sinkhole, and within a few hours the house was irrevocably on its way into the sinkhole's center, headed to unknown depths.
The hole eventually widened to 320 feet (98 m) and to a depth of 90 feet (27 m). The following fell into the sinkhole: five Porsches at a repair shop, a pickup truck with camper top, the Winter Park municipal pool, and large portions of Denning Drive. By May 9, nearly 250,000 cubic yards (190,000 m³) of earth had fallen into the sinkhole. Damage was estimated at $2 million to $4 million. May 9, 1981: The sinkhole grows to a record size, gulping down 250,000 cubic yards of soil and taking with it the deep end of an Olympic-size swimming pool, chunks of two streets and Williams' three-bedroom home and yard. Florida engineers have described the event as "the largest sinkhole event witnessed by man as a result of natural geological reasons or conditions."  He based his statements on his study of 2,000 sinkholes over more than 40 years. That opinion was echoed by Ardaman & Associates, a local engineering consulting firm.
The sinkhole drew national attention and became a popular tourist attraction during the summer of 1981. A carnival-like atmosphere arose around the area, with vendors selling food, balloons, and T-shirts to visitors. The city of Winter Park sold sinkhole photographs for promotional and educational purposes. July 9, 1981: Winter Park begins selling sinkhole photographs to educate the community about sinkholes and to promote tourism. The sinkhole began to fill with water that summer, but on July 19 the water level suddenly dropped by a reported 15 to 20 feet (4.6 to 6.1 m).
As the novelty wore off, the city worked to repair the damage. Workers were able to recover four of the six vehicles that fell into the sinkhole, including the travel trailer, whose owner drove it away, and three of the five Porsches. The other two remain at the bottom of the lake with Mae Rose Owens' home. Engineers filled in the bottom with dirt and concrete,  Diver reports from 2009 suggest that the lake has since been used to dispose of unwanted vehicles. "The other two remain at the bottom of the lake with Mae Rose Owens' home, as well as three other vehicles that were reported by divers in 2009, who saw a Cadillac and a Toyota from the 1980s and a Dodge pickup truck with a 2001 license plate. Apparently the site that once took expensive cars without their owners' permission had become a place to dispose of unwanted vehicles. Besides a 1987 incident in which the bottom of the lake suddenly dropped 20 feet (6.1 m), causing erosion on the southern rim, the stabilized sinkhole has been generally quiet.
Winter Park, Florida