MEMBER MICRONEWS

WIN PRIZES BY LOGGING IN!
Commit. Bike, walk, carpool, ride the bus, telework – anything but driving solo!
Track and Win. Log all your trips!

http://commuterservicesfl.com/information/trip-tracker/ tag your photos www.facebook.com/CommuterServicesflorida and stories on social media. Individuals that track trips will be entered in prize drawings donated by partnering organizations. Grand Prize Drawing for April and May Participants! *Gift Cards - Apple iPad min - Bus Passes - Digital Camera

Registration is Fast, Free and Easy!
Call or visit us online today - We are here to help!
www.CommuterServicesFL.com Phone: 1.866.585.RIDE (7433)

MAY HISTORY CENTER EVENTS & EXHIBITS
Journey into Polk history this month at the Polk County History Center. The following programs and events are open to the public and free of charge:

May 4, 4 p.m. – Citrus Label Tour Dedication – Boswell & Dunlap LLP
- Another stop on the Citrus Label Tour will be added at the law office of Boswell & Dunlap LLP, 245 South Central Ave. in Bartow with the unveiling of the Monogram and Banquet labels, sponsored by the Bartow Community Redevelopment Agency. The tour is a partnership between the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame, Visit Central Florida and the Polk County History Center’s History and Heritage Trail. For more information or an application to participate, contact the Polk County History Center at (863) 534-4386.

May’s Family Program – Curators of Curiosity - All Month - Historic Preservation

Did you know that the Florida Legislature formed the Polk County Historical Commission in 1937 to preserve and protect our valued heritage? The commission now guides activities that help designate new historic sites and installs historical markers to interpret history at specific sites. Learn more about the markers across Polk and create a marker for a site that is important to your history.

May 16, 12:15 to 1 p.m. - Lunch and Learn – Polk County Historical Commission: Reflecting on 80 Years of Preserving Polk’s History and Heritage
- Join the Polk County History Center as we welcome historian William Lloyd Harris to reflect upon the work of the Polk County Historical Commission over the past 80 years and the direction it will take moving forward in the 21^st Century.

Book Club recommended reading for the month of May is None Can Have Richer Memories: Polk County, Florida, 1940-2000 by Dr. Canter Brown.

May 20 , 11 a.m. - Architectural Tour
- Join us for a family friendly architectural tour of the History Center and learn more about neoclassical architecture, the construction of the building and the stories behind the iconic Old Polk County Courthouse. This month’s tour features a special emphasis on the process of getting the courthouse listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The architectural tour is at 11 a.m. on the third Saturday of each month.

May 25, 2:30 p.m. - The Polk County Historical Commission and Marker Committee will meet at the Polk County History Center at 2:30 p.m. The meetings are open to the public.

New Permanent Exhibits

Tin Can Tourism and the Dixie Highway

Although our temporary exhibit, “Good Reasons for Good Roads,” ended last year, the History Center has dedicated a space in our permanent gallery to feature Tin Can Tourism and the Dixie Highway.

The Dixie Highway’s path through Polk was a combination of dirt, brick and crudely paved roads. Drivers entered the county north through Loughman and exited south through Fort Meade. With the new-and-improved roads came Tin Can tourists, a new group of motorists, living for weeks or months out of their vehicles and consuming meals of canned food. The Dixie Highway welcomed Tin Can tourists to Florida and facilitated a new era of roadside attractions.

Our large panel displays chronicle the transformative role of the Dixie Highway on the cultural and physical landscape of Florida, and highlights the early history that continues through cherished community memories. The Tin Can Tourism exhibit features vintage maps and automobile artifacts, including the first license plate issued in Polk County.

History Center Closure
- The History Center will be closed on Wednesday, May 10 for use of the facility for commercial filming purposes.

About the Polk County History Center: The Polk County History Center is located at 100 E. Main St. in Bartow and is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Visit www.polkhistorycenter.org or call (863) 534-4386 for more information on exhibits and programming. All events and programming are free and open to the public.


MEMBER MICRONEWS WIN PRIZES BY LOGGING IN! Commit. Bike, walk, carpool, ride the bus, telework – anything but driving solo! Track and Win. Log all your trips! http://commuterservicesfl.com/information/trip-tracker/ tag your photos www.facebook.com/CommuterServicesflorida and stories on social media. Individuals that track trips will be entered in prize drawings donated by partnering organizations. Grand Prize Drawing for April and May Participants! Gift Cards - Apple iPad min - Bus Passes - Digital Camera Registration is Fast, Free and Easy! Call or visit us online today - We are here to help! www.CommuterServicesFL.com Phone: 1.866.585.RIDE (7433) MAY HISTORY CENTER EVENTS & EXHIBITS* Journey into Polk history this month at the Polk County History Center. The following programs and events are open to the public and free of charge: May 4, 4 p.m. – Citrus Label Tour Dedication – Boswell & Dunlap LLP Another stop on the Citrus Label Tour will be added at the law office of Boswell & Dunlap LLP, 245 South Central Ave. in Bartow with the unveiling of the Monogram and Banquet labels, sponsored by the Bartow Community Redevelopment Agency. The tour is a partnership between the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame, Visit Central Florida and the Polk County History Center’s History and Heritage Trail. For more information or an application to participate, contact the Polk County History Center at (863) 534-4386. May’s Family Program – Curators of Curiosity - All Month - Historic Preservation Did you know that the Florida Legislature formed the Polk County Historical Commission in 1937 to preserve and protect our valued heritage? The commission now guides activities that help designate new historic sites and installs historical markers to interpret history at specific sites. Learn more about the markers across Polk and create a marker for a site that is important to your history. May 16, 12:15 to 1 p.m. - Lunch and Learn – Polk County Historical Commission: Reflecting on 80 Years of Preserving Polk’s History and Heritage Join the Polk County History Center as we welcome historian William Lloyd Harris to reflect upon the work of the Polk County Historical Commission over the past 80 years and the direction it will take moving forward in the 21^st Century. Book Club recommended reading for the month of May is None Can Have Richer Memories: Polk County, Florida, 1940-2000 by Dr. Canter Brown. May 20 , 11 a.m. - Architectural Tour Join us for a family friendly architectural tour of the History Center and learn more about neoclassical architecture, the construction of the building and the stories behind the iconic Old Polk County Courthouse. This month’s tour features a special emphasis on the process of getting the courthouse listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The architectural tour is at 11 a.m. on the third Saturday of each month. May 25, 2:30 p.m. - The Polk County Historical Commission and Marker Committee will meet at the Polk County History Center at 2:30 p.m. The meetings are open to the public. New Permanent Exhibits Tin Can Tourism and the Dixie Highway Although our temporary exhibit, “Good Reasons for Good Roads,” ended last year, the History Center has dedicated a space in our permanent gallery to feature Tin Can Tourism and the Dixie Highway. The Dixie Highway’s path through Polk was a combination of dirt, brick and crudely paved roads. Drivers entered the county north through Loughman and exited south through Fort Meade. With the new-and-improved roads came Tin Can tourists, a new group of motorists, living for weeks or months out of their vehicles and consuming meals of canned food. The Dixie Highway welcomed Tin Can tourists to Florida and facilitated a new era of roadside attractions. Our large panel displays chronicle the transformative role of the Dixie Highway on the cultural and physical landscape of Florida, and highlights the early history that continues through cherished community memories. The Tin Can Tourism exhibit features vintage maps and automobile artifacts, including the first license plate issued in Polk County. History Center Closure The History Center will be closed on Wednesday, May 10 for use of the facility for commercial filming purposes. About the Polk County History Center: The Polk County History Center is located at 100 E. Main St. in Bartow and is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Visit www.polkhistorycenter.org or call (863) 534-4386 for more information on exhibits and programming. All events and programming are free and open to the public.
GreenBlue - May 9, 2017