Fair warning—this blog post contains pictures of mouth-watering barbeque food. Be prepared to crave this amazing food!

Topics: Osceola History, Around Osceola, History, Osceola County History, Around Osceola County, City of Kissimmee, Dine with the Departed, Osceola County, Business Membership, Oscoela County Historical Society, Kissimmee, Big John's BBQ

When the ten-year-old wooden Osceola High School burned to the ground on July 7, 1908; the headlines read “Pride of Osceola Is Laid In Ashes”.  A committee of citizens was immediately appointed by the School Board to secure plans for the erection of a new school building.  Cooper Contracting Company of Fitzgerald, Georgia was awarded the contract for $17,500 to construct the three-story structure using sand lime brick. 

Topics: Osceola History, Around Osceola, History, Educational, Osceola County History, Around Osceola County, City of Kissimmee, Osceola County, Oscoela County Historical Society, Kissimmee

Built in 1924-1925, the Interocean Hotel located on Highway 17-92 seven miles south of Kissimmee, Florida; sat empty the year following completion. 

Topics: Osceola History, Around Osceola, History, Educational, Osceola County History, Around Osceola County, City of Kissimmee, Osceola County Historical Society, Osceola County, Kissimmee

Hi! My name is Audrey and I am an intern for the Osceola County Historical Society’s Marketing and Development Department this summer. I am graduating from college this December and am so grateful for this opportunity to gain experience in marketing.

Topics: Osceola History, Around Osceola, History, Osceola County Welcome Center and HIstory Museum, Around Osceola County, Pioneer Village at Shingle Creek, Osceola County, Marketing, Oscoela County Historical Society, Kissimmee

Imagine transporting a student from the 1890’s schoolhouse at Pioneer Village at Shingle Creek to a heavily populated area in Osceola County, Florida in 1980; where wild turkeys and bobcats once roamed.  What they would see would be startling.  An earth-covered school, the design borrowed from Southwest American Indian tribes; was being built to save energy.  Referred to as “The dirt school, Groundhog or Eskimo Elementary”, the name chosen was ”Reedy Creek Elementary”.

Topics: Osceola History, Around Osceola, History, Educational, Osceola County History, Around Osceola County, City of Kissimmee, Osceola County, Oscoela County Historical Society, Kissimmee

Summer time in Florida is the perfect opportunity to explore the activities and attractions Osceola County has to offer! Offering family-friendly adventures, there are plenty of activities to ensure everyone has fun! Check out some of our favorite places to visit with our family and friends: 

Topics: Osceola History, Around Osceola, Shingle Creek Regional Park, The Pioneer Village, Tourism, Shingle Creek, History, Summer Activities, Osceola County History, KUA, Pioneer Village, Around Osceola County, City of Kissimmee, Pioneer Village at Shingle Creek, Airboats, Gatorland, Osceola County Historical Society, Osceola County, Toho Water Authority, Totally Tots! Temporary Exhibit, Kissimmee, The Paddling Center, Old Town, Boggy Creek Airboat Rides, Experience Kissimmee, Steffee Landing, Big John's BBQ, Cici's Pizza, United Arts of Central Florida

“Our Women Have the Vote” read the headlines of the September 26, 1918 “St. Cloud Tribune”.  But as quickly as they gained it, they lost it.

Topics: Around Osceola County

Held annually each February, the Kissimmee Valley Livestock Show and Fair we are familiar with originated in the 1940s with the Kissimmee Valley Livestock Market being used as its venue.  Interrupted briefly by World War II, the fair and show returned, was incorporated and became an association which continues the tradition of an annual fair and livestock show.

Topics: History, 100 years ago in Osceola County, Around Osceola County, Kissimmee Valley Livestock Show

 Janet Schick started “Social Enterprisers” in 2015, working on projects for small businesses and local organizations.  Janet’s passion is helping small business owners and members of local organizations realize the benefits of personal marketing outreach including, making telephone calls and other marketing elements. The mission of Social Enterprisers closely reflects Janet’s passion, to educate and inform people on how to best communicate market messages to promote business products and services.

Topics: Around Osceola County, Osceola County Historical Society, Business Membership, Marketing, Social Enterprisers

 Forty years ago, on November eighth,  people in the Shingle Creek area may have had a real monster on their hands. This story of the Shingle Creek Monster (pictured in this blog) was the headline for the Osceola-Polk section of the Sentinel Star. I followed Frank Carroll's footsteps when writing about this mysterious creature, nicknamed the “Loch Shingle Monster”, which doesn't flow like the Loch Ness Monster.  Many  people that lived in the area brushed off the beliefs that it could have been something other than a very large catfish.  Many made it a personal goal to catch the moster of Shingle Creek, but they all came up empty handed.  

Topics: History, Around Osceola County, Shingle Creek Monster Catfish