MEMBER MICRONEWS

Events still to come in April at THE HISTORY CENTER!:

April 17, 12:15 to 1 p.m. – Lunch and Learn - Natural Resources Restoration of Circle B Bar Reserve by Jeff Spence

The Circle B Bar Reserve, on the northwest shore of Lake Hancock, is a former cattle ranch that, today, boasts a wide variety of plants and animals. The presentation offers an overview of the wetlands restoration of this 1,267 acre property which has resulted in an amazing diversity of wildlife. The site receives hundreds of thousands of visitors each year and has obtained national recognition. Biologist and Polk County Parks and Natural Resources Director Jeff Spence has been with Polk County government for over 34 years. In his present position, he is responsible for Parks & Recreation, Water Resources, Mosquito Control, the History Center, Invasive Plant Control and the Environmental Lands Program.

April 21, 11 a.m. – Architectural Tour
- Join us for an architectural tour of the History Center and learn about neoclassical architecture, the construction of the building and the stories behind the iconic Old Polk County Courthouse. The architectural tour is on the third Saturday of each month at 11 a.m.

April 28, 10 a.m. to noon – Research Workshop – Researching Revolutionary War Soldiers

In the second of four diverse research workshops this year, hosted by the Historical and Genealogical Library, join Daughters of the American Revolution Regent Gayle Londeree who will model the process of Revolutionary War research. This two-hour workshop will cover DAR resources, their Genealogical Research System, other websites, sources and resources. She will also help guide the researcher on how to begin, document and organize their findings. Additionally, she will focus on the importance of cluster research, and how useful this process can be.

May Events:

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

Learn about the history of the Mother’s Day holiday, and create a special Mother’s Day card in the children’s gallery. The holiday is celebrated with cards, flowers, gifts, and more phone calls than any other day of the year. The second Sunday in May has been officially designated as Mother’s Day in the United States since 1914. While there is a tradition of honoring mothers that has both Greco-Roman and Christian roots in Europe, Anna Jarvis began the celebration in the United States in 1908.

May 15, 12:15 to 1 p.m. – Lunch and Learn – Revolutionary Rogues: The Spanish American Adventurers Who Tried to Conquer Florida by David Head

Two hundred years ago, in the summer of 1817, a group of pirates and privateers invaded Amelia Island, then still a Spanish colony, in hopes of striking a blow for the Spanish American Revolutions. The presentation will tell the stories of these revolutionary rogues and their leaders, how they planned to free Florida from Spanish rule, and how the United State intervened to stop them. David Head is an historian, author, and lecturer of history at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. His first book, Privateers of the Americas: Spanish American Privateering from the United States in the Early Republic, was published by the University of Georgia Press in 2015. He is also the editor of The Golden Age of Piracy: The Rise, Fall, and Enduring Popularity of Pirates (coming June 2018). He is currently writing a book on George Washington and the Continental Army at the end of the American Revolution.

May 19, 11 a.m. – Architectural Tour

New Permanent Exhibit - Imperial Polk’s Services

A new gallery has been transformed into a permanent exhibit exploring the roots of Polk County Government. Imperial Polk’s Services details the formation of the county seat and the county commission, along with the origins of Polk County’s earliest functions: education, emergency services, law enforcement, doctors and hospitals. After becoming an official county on February 8, 1861, the first order of business was to elect commissioners and establish the location of the county seat - the administrative center for a county’s local government. A fully restored ca 1890s doctor’s buggy fills the center of the room. Other interesting artifacts include dedication plaques from the Polk County Stockade and Polk County Hospital, Sheriff John Logan’s service revolver, and an assortment of antique medical instruments, school supplies, and equipment from local law enforcement and firefighters


MEMBER MICRONEWS Events still to come in April at THE HISTORY CENTER!: April 17, 12:15 to 1 p.m. – Lunch and Learn - Natural Resources Restoration of Circle B Bar Reserve by Jeff Spence The Circle B Bar Reserve, on the northwest shore of Lake Hancock, is a former cattle ranch that, today, boasts a wide variety of plants and animals. The presentation offers an overview of the wetlands restoration of this 1,267 acre property which has resulted in an amazing diversity of wildlife. The site receives hundreds of thousands of visitors each year and has obtained national recognition. Biologist and Polk County Parks and Natural Resources Director Jeff Spence has been with Polk County government for over 34 years. In his present position, he is responsible for Parks & Recreation, Water Resources, Mosquito Control, the History Center, Invasive Plant Control and the Environmental Lands Program. April 21, 11 a.m. – Architectural Tour Join us for an architectural tour of the History Center and learn about neoclassical architecture, the construction of the building and the stories behind the iconic Old Polk County Courthouse. The architectural tour is on the third Saturday of each month at 11 a.m. April 28, 10 a.m. to noon – Research Workshop – Researching Revolutionary War Soldiers In the second of four diverse research workshops this year, hosted by the Historical and Genealogical Library, join Daughters of the American Revolution Regent Gayle Londeree who will model the process of Revolutionary War research. This two-hour workshop will cover DAR resources, their Genealogical Research System, other websites, sources and resources. She will also help guide the researcher on how to begin, document and organize their findings. Additionally, she will focus on the importance of cluster research, and how useful this process can be. May Events: May’s Family Program – Curators of Curiosity - All Month Learn about the history of the Mother’s Day holiday, and create a special Mother’s Day card in the children’s gallery. The holiday is celebrated with cards, flowers, gifts, and more phone calls than any other day of the year. The second Sunday in May has been officially designated as Mother’s Day in the United States since 1914. While there is a tradition of honoring mothers that has both Greco-Roman and Christian roots in Europe, Anna Jarvis began the celebration in the United States in 1908. May 15, 12:15 to 1 p.m. – Lunch and Learn – Revolutionary Rogues: The Spanish American Adventurers Who Tried to Conquer Florida by David Head Two hundred years ago, in the summer of 1817, a group of pirates and privateers invaded Amelia Island, then still a Spanish colony, in hopes of striking a blow for the Spanish American Revolutions. The presentation will tell the stories of these revolutionary rogues and their leaders, how they planned to free Florida from Spanish rule, and how the United State intervened to stop them. David Head is an historian, author, and lecturer of history at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. His first book, Privateers of the Americas: Spanish American Privateering from the United States in the Early Republic, was published by the University of Georgia Press in 2015. He is also the editor of The Golden Age of Piracy: The Rise, Fall, and Enduring Popularity of Pirates (coming June 2018). He is currently writing a book on George Washington and the Continental Army at the end of the American Revolution. May 19, 11 a.m. – Architectural Tour New Permanent Exhibit - Imperial Polk’s Services A new gallery has been transformed into a permanent exhibit exploring the roots of Polk County Government. Imperial Polk’s Services details the formation of the county seat and the county commission, along with the origins of Polk County’s earliest functions: education, emergency services, law enforcement, doctors and hospitals. After becoming an official county on February 8, 1861, the first order of business was to elect commissioners and establish the location of the county seat - the administrative center for a county’s local government. A fully restored ca 1890s doctor’s buggy fills the center of the room. Other interesting artifacts include dedication plaques from the Polk County Stockade and Polk County Hospital, Sheriff John Logan’s service revolver, and an assortment of antique medical instruments, school supplies, and equipment from local law enforcement and firefighters
Template dome - April 17, 2018