I love stumbling on educational historical markers and I found this one just before Monument Avenue…read moreon Main Street in downtown historic Kissimmee. It is located between the two Morgan and Morgan buildings and tells the history of a race I previously knew nothing about, The Great Endurance Race. On November 25, 1909 there was an automobile race to promote the building of roads in Florida. Called The Great Endurance Race, It was sponsored by the Tampa Daily Times and Coca-Cola. Today the 200 mile cross state trip from Tampa to Jacksonville takes three and a half hours but back in the 1900's in a 35 mile an hour automobile the trip could take 2 to 3 days. The Gravestone Hotel once existed on this site. It was the official third day check in point of the race. That night a gala was held on Thanksgiving for race participants. In 2019 on the 100th anniversary of the race, it was recreated using the same era of automobiles along the same route as close as possible. Proceeds were used to provide custom wheelchairs at Shriners Hospital. As a result of the race bond issues were passed that paid for road construction in Florida. I love antique cars and learning about this important part of Florida automobile history was very interesting The marker was erected in 1984 by the Osceola Historical Society.

Celebration is a master-planned community developed by The Walt Disney Company in the 1990s near…read moreOrlando, Florida. Designed according to the principles of New Urbanism, it blends traditional early 20th-century American architecture with a walkable layout of interconnected streets, parks, and a vibrant downtown district. Located near the US-192 entrance on Celebration Avenue, the Celebration Water Tower has been one of the town's most recognizable landmarks for more than two decades. Its is so iconic that it even inspired the name of a nearby shopping plaza. Built in the Colonial Revival style, the tower serves purely an aesthetic purpose. It does not provide water to the community, instead it acts as a visual centerpiece and symbol of the town's identity. When visiting Celebration, the water tower is a great spot to stop and snap a photo in front of one the most beloved landmarks and enduring symbols of community pride.

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.

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.

Having worked with -- and been part of -- several Chambers of Commerce over the years, I can…read morehonestly say that the N.E. Polk Chamber of Commerce has been outstanding in its support of local businesses and community members. It is also worth especially mentioning Edee, Lara, and Julie once again for their professionalism, responsiveness, and genuine commitment to helping local businesses grow and connect within the community. Their support and positive energy truly make a difference.

Edee, Lana, and Julie are all very kind and supportive chamber of commerce staff members that are…read morewelcoming and you can see their love for helping the community and our local businesses. I went in today for the new member packet for our local roofing company, Roof Top Experts, and they provided great information on helping boost our local presence and highly recommend joining the CoC as a member to help out your business. Thank you to Haines City for providing great resources and we are here to happily help with any Polk County roofing services like roof repairs and roof replacements. Providing the same great service that these Chamber Ladies provide us!

The Lake of the Hills Community Center is a historical landmark in Polk County on the northwestern…read morecorner of Lake Starr. A community social club formed in 1904. Early developer W. J. Howey created a land company that purchased several hundred acres around Starr Lake and in Lake Wales for home development. The railroad brought wealthy northerners to the winter community of Mountain Lake estates where the Bok Tower carillon was built. Howey believed they would also flock to his community and in anticipation of their arrival he set aside two acres for a recreational community site in 1914. In 1929 members of the local community built a one story stucco building. At first you had to be a Howey land owner to join the club but soon membership was open to anyone. On March 24, 2000, the stucco building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. In 2014 over 100 people attended a 100th Centennial Celebration and the name was changed to Lake Of The Hills Community Center. Today the Community Center is a gathering place hosting several social events throughout the year, including ice cream socials, spaghetti and covered dish dinners, meetings, monthly programs, and it is a host site for the annual 39-Mile Scenic Highway Yard Sale which is how I arrived here. The building can be rented for private events. As a fan of historic architecture it was a treat to visit this gem and see the old photos and history on the wall. The view of Starr Lake from the clubhouse is gorgeous. I love the old fashioned feel of this sweet community center that has been a stalwart of Lake Wakes for over a century.

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.

Patrick Kavanagh grand canal statue is a Disney springs shopping center public art piece that sits…read moreoutside of an Irish bar and restaurant. The fun photo op features a rendering of Patrick Kavanagh sitting on a bench and gives you the ability to sit down next to him and enjoy the views of Disney springs. Overall a fun and interactive statue that is well done.