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

The Lanier family, like many others, migrated from another state to the wild frontier of Florida. The patriarch, John Lanier, came from Georgia where he was born in 1805. The exact date when John came to Florida is unknown. However, we do know that it was after his first wife’s passing and preceding his marriage to Margaret Hogan in 1839. It was during his time in Florida that he made a name for himself and his family in the cattle industry.

Topics: Kissimmee, Oscoela County Historical Society, Osceola County, Pioneer Village at Shingle Creek, City of Kissimmee, Around Osceola County, Pioneer Village, Osceola County History, Educational, History, Shingle Creek, The Pioneer Village, Pioneer Family, Osceola History, Around Osceola

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

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

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

With the opening of our 1800s Replica Historic Church available for Weddings and Vow Renewals, we wanted to take a look into many common wedding traditions still performed.

Topics: Wedding Flowers, Flowers, Kissimmee, Oscoela County Historical Society, Wedding Traditions, Vow Renewal, Venue Rentals, Educational, History

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

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

It was slightly different in design but dating to the same 1890s time period as the replica schoolhouse at the Pioneer Village and two stories have emerged regarding how the school got its name.  Miss Emma Yowell, one of the early teachers refers to it as “Shaker Rag” and stated in a 1940 newspaper interview that it was later known as “Pine Grove” in a 1940 newspaper.

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

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

One of the official actions at the first School Board meeting on August 29, 1887 was to name and number the schools.  # 5 was Shiloh, #7 Cross Prairie, #11 Neallo and #13 was Lakeview, to name a few.  There were a total of twenty-one with #22, Merry Winter, added the following month.  The salary for teachers assigned between ten and fifteen students was set at $20 a month; classes above fifteen students would result in $1.50 per student per month additional payment.

Topics: Kissimmee, Samuel Lincoln Lupfer,, Oscoela County Historical Society, Osceola County, Osceola County Historical Society, City of St. Cloud, Pioneer Village at Shingle Creek, City of Kissimmee, Pioneer Village, Osceola County History, Educational, St. Cloud, The Pioneer Village, Osceola History, Around Osceola