While visiting the St. Cloud Heritage Museum, I noticed this Florida Historical Marker standing in…read morefront of the building. I've always enjoyed stopping to read these markers because they tell the stories behind places that might otherwise be overlooked. Part of the Florida Historical Marker Program, one of the Division of Historical Resources' most recognizable public history initiatives, these markers commemorate significant people, places, and events throughout the state. They can be found at archaeological sites, battlefields, churches, cemeteries, schools, historic districts, and notable buildings like this one. Historical Marker F-903 was dedicated in 2016 by St. Cloud Main Street, the City of St. Cloud, and the Florida Department of State. The marker tells the story of the Ladies Improvement Club of St. Cloud, founded in 1910. Long before the city had a permanent library, these determined women promoted literacy by creating a small lending library of books and magazines inside the Sugar Belt Railway depot. As St. Cloud grew, so did their vision of providing the community with a dedicated public library. In 1915, club president Mary George partnered with Judge W.G. Peckham to acquire lots on Massachusetts Avenue for a future library. The project suffered a setback when the First National Bank failed on December 31, 1917, wiping out approximately 60 percent of the club's savings. The ladies did not give up and began raising funds again through bake sales, socials, and other community events. World War I delayed construction even further as the club shifted its attention to wartime charitable work, including supporting the Red Cross and Near East Relief. Despite these challenges, they never gave up on the library. In 1921, William G. King, one of St. Cloud's founders, appealed to Union Army veterans across the country who had settled in the city's retirement colony for support. Their contributions, along with the club's years of fundraising, finally made the library possible. The Veterans Memorial Library was completed in 1923 and constructed by P. E. Morgan using hollow clay tile with a stained stucco exterior. Designed in the Grecian style by pioneering architects Ida Annah Ryan and Isabel Roberts, it became St. Cloud's first permanent public library. Ryan made history as the first woman to earn a master's degree in architecture from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), while Roberts trained under Frank Lloyd Wright and was among his earliest employees, helping complete several of his commissions during his absence in Europe. The library's dedication in February 1923 was a community celebration. The ceremony was led by the president of the Ladies Improvement Club, with sixty members of the Grand Army of the Republic and forty members of the Woman's Relief Corps marching to the library for a flag-raising ceremony. In addition to housing the city's first public library, the building also served as the first permanent meeting place for the Ladies Improvement Club, later renamed the Woman's Club of St. Cloud, until the organization constructed its neighboring clubhouse in 1949. The club continued operating the library for more than five decades before it became part of the Osceola County Library System in 1968. After the library relocated in 1974, the historic building served several community organizations before being restored by the City of St. Cloud. In 2008, it reopened as the St. Cloud Heritage Museum, where volunteers from the Women's Club continue to generously share the history of the community. I really enjoyed reading this marker because it tells the story of a remarkable group of women whose persistence and dedication helped shape St. Cloud. Their commitment to literacy, education, and civic improvement left a legacy that is still being celebrated more than a century later. It's amazing to think that the building behind the marker has served so many purposes over the years, and today it stands as both a museum and a reminder of the determination of the early women residents of St. Cloud.

Next to the bandshell in Veterans Park in St. Cloud, I spotted this blue historic marker, part of…read moreFlorida's Historical Marker Program, one of the Division of Historical Resources' most popular public history initiatives. These markers commemorate significant people, places, and events throughout the state and can be found along roads, at archaeological sites, battlefields, cemeteries, churches, colleges, historic districts, schools, and historic buildings. This marker tells the story of Veterans Park and its historic bandshell. Marker F-1254 was installed in 2024 by St. Cloud Main Street, the City of St. Cloud, and the Florida Department of State. St. Cloud is known as the "Soldier City" because it was founded by Union Civil War veterans. In 1929, the St. Cloud Tribune published a call for the local government to begin a city beautification program. In response, the city created a commission to oversee the construction of Veterans Park, along with several other municipal improvement projects. The land for the park was donated by the St. Cloud Woman's Club, whose members included the wives of Union Civil War veterans. The State Road Department contributed soil while working on Highway 192, and local residents donated additional soil, bricks for the walkways, and countless hours of labor to build an artificial pond. The park was formally dedicated by Mayor Clarence C. Smith on June 13, 1937. On the north side of the park stands a coquina rock memorial with a bronze plaque that reads, "Memorial to Veterans of All Wars." In the 1950s, the community raised $312.64 to construct a bandshell. When funding ran short midway through the project, local civic organizations, including the Jaycees, stepped in to help, volunteering their weekends to complete the structure. By early 1955, although the bandshell was still unfinished, it had already begun hosting concerts to raise additional funds. Finally, on November 20, 1955, the bandshell was officially dedicated during a ceremony featuring the Presentation of Colors by the Boy Scouts and a performance of the National Anthem by the St. Cloud High School Band. The bandshell is especially unique not only because of its historic significance but also because it continues to serve the community today. While larger performances are now held at the Lakefront Performing Arts Pavilion, the historic bandshell remains an active venue for smaller town events.

I love finding a historical marker. They are filled with nuggets of interesting history about the…read moresurrounding area. I found this one while driving through Central Florida in Polk County on my way to Kissimmee. This marker was erected in 1966 by the Polk County Historical Commission. When the government enacted the Indian Removal Act in 1830, the army was sent to drive all of the Native American out west on the Trail of Tears. The Seminoles resisted and the Second Seminole War broke out. Forts like this one on Lake Alfred were set up all across Florida to aid the US army in their mission. Fort Cummings was established on January 22,1839 and named for Col. Alexander Cummings of the Fourth Infantry. It was part of the forts in Central Florida protecting the supply line from Fort Brooke, Tampa to Fort Mellon, Sanford. In 1841 the fort was moved 1/2 mile west of the original location. In 1841 it was the site of a meeting between Seminole Chief Coacochee and Colonel William Jenkins Worth. The fort was abandoned later that year. There are no remains of the fort today, but the site is designated by a historic marker located at the intersection of South Lake Shore Way and West Pierce Street in present-day Lake Alfred, Florida.

I discovered this historical marker in front of the Osceola County Courthouse. Dating back to 1888,…read moreit is the oldest courthouse in continuous use in Florida. The Romanesque Revival style courthouse opened in 1890 and it was listed on the the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. The marker relates the history of Osceola County when it was created in 1887 from portions of Orange and Brevard Counties. Osceola became Florida's 40th county. It was Senator J. Milton Bryan who suggested the new county be named for Osceola, in honor of a Seminole warrior who adopted a name that translated to "black drink crier." Osceola led several small but successful raids against the U.S. army over 10 years. Osceola was captured on December 31, 1837, and died one month later at Fort Moultrie in South Carolina. Osceola is the sixth largest county in Florida and Kissimmee is the county seat. In the late 19th century it was a transportation hub for riverboats and the railroad. Osceola County is known for its long history of raising cattle. Cattle, agriculture, and tourism are now the main industries. Marker number F-340 was installed in front of the Osceola County Courthouse in 1983 by the Kissimmee Business and Professional Women's Club.

Sculpture of a man behind an old camera reel located in disney worlds Hollywood studios…read more Once you enter the park and walk down Hollywood Blvd If you look to the left you can't miss this neat statue. Overall cool homage to film makers and plays in well with the "Hollywood studios" them of this Disney park.

History can be found all around you if you take the time to stop, look, and read. I discovered this…read moremoving memorial depicting a dark time in WWII history. You can find it in Lakeside Park in Kissimmee. The Bataan-Corregidor Memorial honors all of those who served in the Philippines in World War II. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japan moved into the Philippines. The sculpture depicts three figures on the Bataan Death March which began on April 10, 1942 with the fall of Corregidor Island and the Bataan Peninsula to the Japanese. A total of 76,000 American and Filipino soldiers were marched by the Japanese 65 miles north of the Bataan Peninsula to Camp O'Donnell. During the march the soldiers were denied food, water, and rest. By the end of the war only 4,000 Americans had survived. The sculpture features a Filipino woman offering water to a desperate American and Filipino soldier on the march. On the 50th anniversary of the Bataan Death, former Kissimmee City Commissioner Richard Herring and resident Menandro de Mesa spearheaded the formation of the Bataan-Corregidor Memorial Foundation in a partnership with the City of Kissimmee. Private donations were gathered and ground for the memorial was broken April 9, 1994, the 52nd anniversary of the fall of Bataan. The Bataan - Corregidor Memorial was sculpted by artist Sandra M. Storm, a renowned artist with multiple large commissions to her credit including "The Courage to Challenge" in Vierra, FL, "Called to Serve" in Hillsboro, KS, and "Melody of Arts" in Panama City, FL. Her work is featured in major collections throughout the country. Of her work she has said " "I think my major strength as a sculptor is the intensity of my involvement in what I create in bronze and the emotional impact my sculptures have on those who view them. Teaching sculpture for many years has also showed me how art can change lives, especially of children and the elderly." The Bataan - Corregidor memorial was completed and dedicated on May 20, 1995. The ceremony included a wreath laying, and keynote speeches from Philippine Brigadier General Tagumpay Nanadiego and retired United States General Bruce Holloway. The Bataan-Corregidor Memorial has become the location of annual reunions of veterans and it is the centerpiece of the annual Filipino-American Friendship Day Festival.

41 miles of highway connects Interstate 4 and International Drive in Orlando east to the coastline,…read morepassing Interstate 95 and ending at US 1 in Cocoa Beach. The Beachline is owned and maintained by three agencies: CFX, Florida's Turnpike Enterprise and the Florida Department of Transportation. So everyone gets paid. It's certainly easier and faster than any of the surface roads (of which there aren't many) and it's pretty hard to avoid tollroads in central Florida anyway. There are transponder-reading gantries all along the way and if you don't have a SunPass or the equivalent, they will photograph your license plate and bill you in the mail. That "bill in the mail" gets mighty expensive with administrative charges so if you're here for more than a day or two, GET A SUNPASS! My drive was speedy and easy, sticking to the smooth right lane with the cruise control set and watching sportscars and such zip by me, only to get stopped by a highway patrol down the road. Yes, they're looking for speeders here and if you get caught, you'll be making a contribution to the local city and state revenue coffers. So don't speed! Yes, even non-residents can have a Sunpass. [Review 19306 overall - 1654 in Florida - 276 of 2023.]

An immersive queue as you walk through Elsa and Anna's Sommer Haus. We loved looking at their…read morepaintings on the wall and finding little details as we waited to meet the queens. Usually a long line. Grandkids had a blast meeting the ladies. Very engaging meeting and greet.