P.W. “Bill” Kanecht
P.W. “Bill” Kanecht was born in Illinois and moved to Oklahoma when he was a child. His family would later move to Tillman, Florida (which is known now as Palm Bay) to raise potatoes. When he was a child, his father got in touch with Davis E. Fishback through an advertisement in the Florida Grower to have him look at their farm’s irrigation. Davis E. Fishback worked in the overhead irrigation business and Bill Kanecht would later join him in Orlando, serving as his chief mechanic for more than 17 years. Bill Kanecht also worked for Harry P. Leu and did work on the famous Leu Gardens.
This interview was conducted by Hatabel Hyer on November 12, 1974 for the Friends of the Orlando Public Library’s Oral History Committee.
LISTEN 30:59
In this oral history, topics discussed include:
- Kanecht family history
- Potato farming
- Davis E. Fishback
- Harry P. Leu
- Hyer family history
- Leu Gardens
- Harry P. Leu’s generosity
We are grateful for the Orange County Regional History Center’s making this recording available for Orlando Memory.
Listen to other oral histories with other Orlando pioneers.
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