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.

While exploring St. Cloud, I came across one of Florida's distinctive historic markers. These…read moremarkers are part of the Florida Historical Marker Program, one of the Division of Historical Resources' most popular public history initiatives. They commemorate significant people, places, and events throughout the state and can be found along roadsides, at battlefields, cemeteries, churches, colleges, historic districts, schools, historic buildings, and archaeological sites. This particular marker tells the fascinating story of how scientists first used instruments at this location to unlock the life cycle of thunderstorms. Unlike the familiar blue historical markers found throughout Florida, this one is green. The Florida Historical Marker Program originally used green markers featuring the state seal before transitioning to the current blue design with the Florida Heritage emblem, which were easier to read and repair. Marker F-309 was installed in 1986 by meteorologists from across the country in cooperation with the Florida Department of State. Florida is often called the lightning capital of the world because it has three key ingredients, heat, humidity, and converging sea breezes from both the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. As a result, afternoon thunderstorms are an expected feature of the state's summer weather. In the early 1900s, however, scientists knew surprisingly little about the inner workings of thunderstorms. Following World War II, the rapid expansion of aviation led to an increase in aircraft accidents caused by severe weather, making it essential to better understand these dangerous storms. In response, Congress authorized and funded the groundbreaking Thunderstorm Project in 1945, the nation's first large-scale, multi-agency meteorological study dedicated to investigating the nature and causes of thunderstorms. Between May 1 and September 20, 1946, scientific instruments positioned throughout Osceola County recorded air pressure, electrical fields, rainfall, temperature, dew point, wind speed, and wind direction. The data collected provided scientists with their first detailed understanding of the structure and life cycle of thunderstorms. This location was selected because central Florida experiences more thunderstorms than any other region in North America. The Thunderstorm Project brought together the U.S. Weather Bureau, the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Navy, and the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), the predecessor to NASA. Scientists at the University of Chicago, led by project manager Dr. Horace R. Byers, analyzed the enormous amount of data collected during the project. A second phase of the study was conducted the following summer in Wilmington, Ohio, chosen for its large military airbase, flat terrain, and frequent frontal thunderstorms. The Thunderstorm Project became a milestone in meteorological research. It was the first weather study in which radar and research aircraft played central roles, demonstrating that radar could identify the most hazardous parts of storms and help aircraft avoid them. The unprecedented density and quality of observations established a new scientific standard for future atmospheric research. The project's findings which included the now-familiar three-stage life cycle of thunderstorms cumulus, mature, and dissipating, became the foundation of our modern understanding of thunderstorms, hail, damaging winds, heavy rainfall, and tornadoes. In December 1996, many participants in the now-famous Thunderstorm Project returned to St. Cloud for a 50 year reunion. The historic marker was restored in 2018 and can still be found on the east side of Veterans Park, where it commemorates one of the most important weather research projects in American history.

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.

The Fletcher Park Monument is a historical marker that commemorates Austin B. Fletchers…read morecontribution to the state of Florida. Austin B. Fletcher was born in 1852 in Massachusetts as a descendant of the Bay Colony Settlers. He graduated from Tufts College as a lawyer in 1872. Subsequently Fletcher came to own 38 acres of land between Haines and Kissimmee Florida. Hidden in the land was an orange grove that was s well kept secret of the Seminole Indians. When Fletcher passed away in 1923 he left his estate to Tufts who then deeded the land to Florida in 1935 to protect the cypress trees. The marker was moved from its original location on the old Tampa highway when they were widening and it now resides next to the Osceola County Welcome Center & History Museum.

I love exploring history so I was excited to find this art deco 1940 Publix in Winter Haven. It is…read moredown the street from the first Publix which was opened by company founder George Jenkins on September 6, 1930. After working as a food clerk in Tampa, George opened his own store which he named after the Publix Theaters movie chain. He opened a second store in 1935 which he operated until 1940 when he opened this store. This Publix store opened on November 8. 1940 and revolutionized grocery shopping with air conditioning, automatic electric-eye doors allowing hands free entry into the building, frozen food cases, and self-service meats. Soft music, pastel colors, and terrazzo tile made for an enjoyable shopping experience. The store was known as a "state-of-the-art food palace of marble, glass and stucco." By the end of the decade Publix had expanded to twenty stores. This store was open until 1957 and served as a model for the stores that opened after. In 2017, historical marker PCHC-020 was placed in front of the building by the Polk County Historical Commission, Publix Super Markets, Inc, and St. Matthew's Catholic Church. The building is now a thrift store. Inside are a few historical pictures of the Publix on the wall.

Are you a fan of a Pub Sub or a BOGO or have you ever enjoyed a Publix cake for your birthday?…read morePublix is ingrained in the everyday fabric of a Floridian's life. How did this beloved and iconic Florida supermarket come to be? I stumbled upon its origin story while exploring Winter Haven. Across from South Central Park in Winter Haven is the very first Publix opened by company founder George Jenkins on September 6, 1930. After working as a food clerk in Tampa, George opened his own store which he named after the Publix Theaters movie chain. He opened a second store in 1935. This store operated until 1940 when he opened his store two blocks east of here. I love the 1920's architecture of downtown Winter Haven and building. Historic marker number PCHC-022 was added to the front of the building in 2017 by the Polk County Historical Commission and Publix Super Markets, Two of George Jenkins grandsons had the honor of unveiling this marker. The building is empty for now but a sign on the window indicates that it will become a Foxtail Coffee.

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.

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.