If you were in Orlando in the early 1940′s and wanted to dance to the big band sounds, the place to go was The Esplanade. This outdoor venue was located at the Army Air Force Base (which later became the Naval Training Center and is now Baldwin Park). The Thursday night “wolf dance” occasionally featured known acts such as Bob Hope and Sammy Kaye. From what we understand, the concrete dance floor (originally painted with Air Force symbols, and later repainted to reflect Navy ownership) still exists today.