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Historical Museums

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Notices

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Tables of information on current and past notices (we keep notices online for one year)

Civil War and Reconstruction

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During the Civil War, Florida was not ravaged as several other southern states were. Indeed, no decisive battles were fought on Florida soil. While Union forces occupied many coastal towns and forts, the interior of the state remained in…

Florida Development

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During the final quarter of the nineteenth century, large-scale commercial agriculture in Florida, especially cattle-raising, grew in importance.

The Great Depression in Florida

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Florida's economic bubble burst in 1926, when money and credit ran out, and banks and investors abruptly stopped trusting the "paper" millionaires.

Manasota Key Offshore

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Starting in 2016, archaeological investigations located a 7,000-year-old Native American ancestral burial site in the Gulf of Mexico offshore near Venice. The Manasota Key Offshore (MKO) archaeological site is unprecedented. It is located on the…

George Abbott

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Pulitzer Prize-winning director and Broadway legend George Abbott produced, wrote and directed such a long list of acclaimed shows that long before he died, at age 107, he was known around the world as "Mr. Broadway." Abbott set an astonishing…

A. E. "Bean " Backus

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Largely self-taught artist A.E. "Beanie" Backus painted and sold realistic scenes of his native state for 54 years. Considered the "dean" of Florida landscape art, Backus exhibited a style that inspired—and was emulated by— hundreds of artists. His…

Robert C. Broward

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Robert Broward's 61 years of architectural practice in Florida have produced a legacy of nationally recognized architecture. As a teacher and mentor, he inspired the careers of two generations of noted architects. His consistent dedication to…

Ricou Browning

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Ricou Browning is a Florida native who made his mark as a writer, director, actor and underwater stunt coordinator in the Florida Film Industry. A penchant for underwater stunt work began at Wakulla Springs in the 1940s when he learned to perform…

Jimmy Buffett

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Performer, songwriter and author Jimmy Buffett has made Key West his home for more than 30 years, a period that saw him rise from an unknown street musician to the heights of fame and fortune. For his millions of fans around the world, Buffett…

Fernando Bujones

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A world-renowned ballet artist, Miami-born Fernando Bujones (pronounced "boo-HOH-nays) led an extraordinary career that will have a lasting impact on dance in Florida and around the globe. His immense power, technical brilliance and exuberance won…

Ray Charles

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Ray Charles has been called "the genius of soul," a true pioneer of American soul music. The Albany, Georgia-born musical prodigy, blind since the age of 7, defied formidable odds to become one of the foremost icons in the history of modern…

Harry Crews

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A brilliant novelist and satirist in the Southern Gothic tradition, Harry Crews has put his name to 17 novels, two major collections, numerous short stories, essays and film screenplays. Crews also is credited as a gifted instructor and mentor for…

Earl Cunningham

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Long recognized as one of the greatest American folk artists of the 20th Century, the late Earl Cunningham was a self-taught painter who used vivid colors to portray his own reflections of American life through a series of unique landscapes and…