July Happenings at the History Center

History Center Reopens to the Public on July 15

After months of ongoing restoration and preservation work, the Polk County History Center is ready to reopen to the public on July 15.

While some galleries may remain closed as final work on the building is completed, all safe and accessible areas, including the Historical and Genealogical Library, will reopen to the public. Visitors are encouraged to call (863) 534-4386 in advance to confirm availability.

Upcoming Events & Programs

Polk Place

Jayme Jamison, Curator of Education and Visitor Engagement joins host Bryan Lacey on Polk Place to discuss the events and programs happening in July.

Architectural Tour

11 a.m. | July 19

Join Bartholomew Delcamp, Curator of Collections, as he portrays historic courthouse architect E.C. Hosford on an architectural tour of the History Center. Discover the neoclassical architectural elements that Hosford incorporated in the design that define this iconic Polk County landmark. The tour begins at 11 a.m. on the third Saturday of each month.

This month’s focus is on the the fireproof windows installed during the 1926 expansion.

Genealogy Speaker Series

10 a.m. | July 26

American Military Records of the 18th and 19th Century

Presented by Sandy Rumble

Early U.S. military records offer valuable tools for distinguishing individuals who have the same name. These documents often reveal post-service lives and provide key demographic insights for family history research.

This presentation will highlight the most commonly used veterans’ benefits records from the 18th and 19th centuries.

Sandy Rumble, president of RumbleSoft, specializes in record retrieval services and serves as a course coordinator for the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP). She began her career as a software developer and trainer before expanding her interests to genealogy. Rumble now presents at genealogical institutes, historical societies and Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) chapters. At GRIP, she coordinated “Answering the Call of Uncle Sam,” an in-depth exploration of early American military records.

This is a virtual program. The presenter will appear virtually. Guests are invited to participate via Zoom. For Zoom details, please contact Shannon Graham, Research and Genealogy Historian by calling (863) 534-4386 or e-mail ShannonGraham@polk-county.net.

Polk County Historical Commission and Marker Committee Meeting

2:30 p.m. | Aug. 7

The Polk County Historical Commission and Marker Committee will meet in the County Boardroom on the first floor of the County Administration Building at 330 W. Church St. in Bartow. The meetings are open to the public.

Stay up to date on meetings and events happening within Polk County.

Polk County Events Calendar

Polk County Meetings Calendar

Community Spotlight

Children from Camp Ignite help rep the History Center for reopening.

Camp Ignite volunteers dedicated their time to support the beautification efforts ahead of the History Center's reopening. The group assisted in removing Spanish moss and Virginia creepers from azalea plantings and helped clean and dust surfaces in the 1908 courtroom.

Online Spotlight

Looking for new ways to engage with Polk County’s history? Check out these digital programs:

Zoom & Vroom is a virtual program that provides the tools necessary to make learning about Polk County fun for the entire family. Each digital session features a virtual history lesson on a variety of topics, a routed driving tour that guides you from one historic location to the next, suggested interactive and thematic activities including crafts and recipes, and suggested book readings to extend the learning experience. See you out on the Polk County Heritage Trail.

Open Video Playlist

Explore our online collection of digitized photographs and documents from the History Center collection. The collection is continuously updated with images and information from across Polk County and even the State of Florida. This month, explore the Mulberry Senior Class of 1939. Group photos feature classmates standing in front of the Mulberry and Pierce schools, the football teams and faculty members. The collection was curated in honor of the Class of 1939 and their 50th Anniversary in 1989. The collection was donated by the Mulberry Historical Society to the Polk County History Center in 2019.

Visit Online Catalog

aerial view of Polk County History Center

Polk County Historical and Genealogical Library

Did you know that you can reach out to the History Center directly for historical inquiries? Struggling to find that one tax record, or curious about a street name or pioneer settler in Polk? Our dedicated library staff are available to help you. To start your request, contact Research Historian Shannon Graham by phone at (863) 534-4604 or e-mail ShannonGraham@polk-county.net.

The History Center’s extensive artifact and photograph collection are available on our website. Visit www.polkhistorycenter.org, select “Historical Museum Collection” and use the keyword search feature.

Digital Collections Online

The Polk County History Center's collection features a variety of materials – documents, photographs, maps, audio/visual media and three-dimensional items. These items are accessible to the public digitally through our inventory database and through specially curated digital albums via CONTENTdm.

To access the digital albums, click here.
Access the extensive artifact and photograph collection inventory by visiting www.polkhistorycenter.org and selecting “Historical Museum Collection.” You can use the keyword search feature.

Each week a different vintage photograph from the History Center's archives is featured on our social media pages. Check it out and see if you recognize any places or faces.

VISIT OUR WEBSITE

Polk County Facebook

Polk County Instagram

Parks & Recreation Facebook

Polk County History Center

100 E. Main St., Bartow, FL 33830

(863) 534-4386

Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday

History Center will reopen on July 15

Share This Email