Laura Wakefield has been attending Osceola County Historical Society events for years. Born and raised in Osceola County, Laura was a history teacher in the county for over 18 years and would bring her students to the Pioneer Village at Shingle Creek to research local history. In June 2018, Laura joined the OCHS team as a grant specialist. Larissa Bixby caught up with Laura to get to know her a bit better.
Topics: Employee Spotlight, Grant Specialist, Osceola County History, Osceola County Historical Society
The hustle and bustle of working, shopping for gifts, and making sure the house is decorated with holiday décor can be exhausting and overwhelming at times so we’ve created a list of family friendly locations that are decked full of cheer and picture perfect. Here are 5 locations to check out over the holiday season!
Topics: Cadman House, Tyson House, Lanier House, Holiday Cheer, Santa, Pioneer Village at Shingle Creek, City of St. Cloud, City of Kissimmee
Lasting four years, from July 1914 to November 1918, World War I is often remembered as a long and horrible war. Millions were killed or wounded. Old fashioned tactics were being used alongside more modern weapons, this making it one of the deadliest conflicts in history. What made World War I particularly dreadful was the trench warfare. Soldiers from both sides were made to dig and fight in trenches along the main fronts of the war. The unsanitary conditions and dangers of fighting enemies with powerful weapons so close made the trenches unlike any other battlefield.
When Union Veteran John H. DeGraw arrived in St. Cloud, Florida in the fall of 1909, little did he know that when his daughter Myrtle married Victor G. Mapes, three of John’s grandsons – Victor Loris Mapes, Dana Austin Mapes and Theodore Augustus Mapes would serve their country in the 1940s, as John did over seventy-five years earlier.
Topics: Veteran, St. Cloud, Florida
Anza Bast has been involved with the Osceola County Historical Society for over 10 years, she is a dedicated volunteer and board member who received this year’s Florida Association of Museums Outstanding Volunteer award. Anza is an invaluable resource for OCHS. Her wealth of regional knowledge and her passion for history have made her an incredible asset to the organization. Anza volunteers most of her time in the Curation and Collection Department. Larissa Bixby caught up with Anza at the Research Center at Spence Pavilion one afternoon to chat a bit about her contributions to OCHS.
Topics: Volunteer Spotlight, Volunteer, Volunteering, Benifts of being a Volunteer, Volunteer Opportunities, Osceola County
With the opening of our 1800s Replica Historic Church available for Weddings and Vow Renewals, we have spent the past several months taking a look at common wedding traditions. We thought it was time to switch gears and look into planning the wedding itself.
Topics: Venue Rentals, Pavilion at Pioneer Village, Pioneer Village at Shingle Creek, Wedding Traditions, weddings, Outside Venues
Do you like trying new foods? Are you a fan of unique stores? How about classic vehicles and muscle cars? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then Old Town in Kissimmee is perfect for you!
Topics: Old Town, Kissimmee, Outdoor, Oscoela County Historical Society, Business Membership, Osceola County, City of Kissimmee, Around Osceola County, Osceola County History, Summer Activities, History, Tourism, Osceola History, Around Osceola
An exciting aspect of museum work is making new discoveries. Sometimes, these discoveries may only be new to the researcher. Usually, this means an item has been “rediscovered” in the museum’s archives. The Osceola County Historical Society has made such a discovery! In reorganizing our archives, we happened upon a postcard from 136 years ago. The postcard was addressed to a Miss Martha A. Pierce of Holliston, MA and was sent from her step-sister, Annie of Livermore Falls, Maine. This may sound like an unappealing find, and it certainly is not relevant to Osceola County history. However, what is unique about the postcard is Annie was able to fit 620 words on it, and they are legible (mostly)! Even after 136 years, the writing of a young woman, updating her step-sister of her life can still be read and enjoyed. We’ll count this as a win for history!
Topics: artifacts, Osceola County Historical Society Curator, Osceola County Historical Society, Osceola County, postcard
1 year ago, you invested in us, well beyond your cash donations. You revitalized our spirits, and helped us move forward.
Topics: Pioneer Village at Shingle Creek, 26th Annual Pioneer Day, Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures, Board of Directors, Osceola County, Lanier House, Tyson House, Cadman House, Replica Schoolhouse, 1800s Replica General Store, community
The youngest of nine children of Matthew and Sarah McMullen, born April 28, 1865; Charles Nathan grew up in Roane, West Virginia, working on the family farm. He was only six months old when his father died. At the age of thirteen, C.N. left home to make his own living.
Topics: Osceola County, Veteran
