Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
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It was just another ordinary morning when I opened the doors of the old building. I wasn't even worried about turning on the lights. After all, I'd been here many times before and I could make my way around in the dark because I knew the place so well. Confidently, I moved inside, locking the doors behind me. The hall was dim because the day was cloudy and sunlight only filtered in on a good day when the dilapidated blinds were closed. Unhurriedly, intent on my mission, I...
Despite the challenges of COVID-19, Lake Wales continues to function as close to normal as possible, Emergency Operations Director Joe Jenkins said Tuesday night. Jenkins, also the city's fire chief, updated Lake Wales leaders on the latest measures and precautions being taken in light of the national health emergency, including where to go if someone suspects they might be infected. Most city facilities are closed to the public – like the library and history museum – but city...
Dr. Diana Reigelsperger speak Thursday, Feb. 20 about Tavern Life in Colonial Florida - a time when American consumption of alcohol was at an all-time high, and early Temperance movement organizations arose. The free presentation begins at 6 p.m. in the city commission chambers at 201 W. Central Ave. in Lake Wales. Reigelsperger is an associate professor of history at Seminole State College in Sanford, FL Her research focuses on trade in colonial Spanish Florida, particularly...
The Lake Wales History Museum opened the major traveling exhibit, Spirited: Prohibition in America on Tuesday, Jan. 28. Organized by the National Constitution Center, Philadelphia, PA, in partnership with Mid-America Arts Alliance, Kansas City, MO, Spirited: Prohibition in America explores the era of Prohibition, when America went "dry." Visitors will learn about the complex issues that led America to adopt Prohibition through the 18th Amendment to the Constitution in 1919 unt...
The Lake Wales History Museum will hold its next history bus tour from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 1. The tour will feature old Florida history, driving through the heart of downtown Lake Wales and beyond, stopping at historic buildings such as the Rhodesbilt Arcade, the old Lake Wales State Bank, Dixie Walesbilt Hotel, Bullard Building, Lake Wales Arts Center and more. Along the way, participants will learn about the historic district, buildings and lakes of Lake Wales....
Enslaved Africans brought their food ways and special skills such as rice cultivation with them during their forced journey through the Middle Passage. Dr. Martha Bireda will present the journey of African foods and food preparation to modern day at the Lake Wales Public Library in celebration of Black History Month. The Lake Wales Public Library annually presents a Black History Month program. This year's will not only be informative, but also tasty. Dr. Martha Bireda, Direct...
Lake Wales' longtime historian, visionary, beloved wife, and mother, Mimi (Mary Leigh Reid) Hardman, died at age 85 on Dec. 13 following an extended illness. A driving force for historic preservation and celebrating the pioneers who built Lake Wales, Hardman left behind an extraordinary legacy. In her adopted hometown and beyond, Mimi will be remembered as the founder and director of the Depot Museum, host of the annual Pioneer Days festival, red outfits and patriotic...
Editor's Note: Memorial is scheduled for 2 p.m. Monday, Jan. 13 at 1st United Methodist Church in Lake Wales, with musical prelude starting at 1:30 p.m. The grand lady in red, white and blue, Lake Wales legend Mimi Hardman died Friday, Dec.13. A driving force for historic preservation and celebrating the pioneers who built Lake Wales, Hardman left behind an extraordinary legacy. Her service as chair of the Bicentennial Commission led to the opening of the Depot Museum on July...
The Lake Wales History Museum will be closed Nov.26 - 30, 2019 for a major termite treatment of historic buildings on the museum campus. The treatment will include tenting all four of the museum's historic buildings including: the Historic Stuart House, 1916 Seaboard Air Line Freight Station, the Historic Crystal Lodge, and the main museum building, the 1928 Atlantic Coastline Railroad Station. This is one of the first steps towards the preservation of the museum's historic...
The Lake Wales History Museum is offering a bus tour to explore the community's history from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Dec. 7. The new, air-conditioned History Bus will take riders on a tour through old Florida history, driving through the heart of downtown Lake Wales and beyond, stopping at historic buildings such as the Rhodesbilt Arcade,the old Lake Wales State Bank, Dixie Walesbilt Hotel, Bullard Building, Lake Wales Arts Center and more. Along the way, participants will...
The Lake Wales History Museum 2019-20 Speaker Series kicks off Thursday, Nov. 21 with a presentation by Steve Noll about Florida Transportation History: Planes, Trains and Automobiles (and Steamboats Too!) The event promotion says Florida's history as territory and state can be told through the changing methods of transportation networks in the state. This presentation shows how Florida moved from a backwoods frontier to one of the most important states in the union. Tying...
Sellers and buyers alike have a special opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the Ridge Scenic Highway Scenic corridor Saturday, Nov. 2 while hunting for bargains along the 39-Mile Scenic Highway Yard Sale. The Lake Wales History Museum at 325 S. Scenic Highway is one of seven official locations, hosting 30 booths along with music and food. Tables will line the Scenic Highway from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Other official locations are the Lake of the Hills Community Clubhouse, Krewe of...
The Lake Wales History Museum is planning a larger than ever 44th Annual Pioneer Days Festival Oct. 26-27 in Lake Wailes Park. Admission and parking are free for the heritage celebration that will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. At 10 a.m. on Saturday, retired Bok Tower carillonneur Milford Myhre will be recognized as Pioneer of the Year. See story at https://www.lakewalesnews.net/story/2019/10/02/news/retired-bok-carillonneur-milford-myhre-named-pione...
The newly refurbished visitor center at Bok Tower Gardens, now called the Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Exhibit Hall, reopens to the public Oct. 19 with dazzling new exhibits and high-tech interactive displays. Donors, board members and friends of Bok Tower attended a reception Oct. 17 where they got their first look at the $1.8 million renovation, which took about three months to complete. The gallery is named in honor of the parents of Dorothy Jenkins, a major donor from...
The Lake Wales History Museum will honor retired Bok Tower carillonneur Milford Myhre as Pioneer of the Year during the 44th Annual Pioneer Days Festival. The celebration will take place at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26 at Lake Wailes Park. Myhre has been a resident of Lake Wales since 1968. He served as the carillonneur of Bok Tower Gardens for 36 years, until his retirement in 2004. During that time he played daily concerts at the tower, greeted thousands of visitors to the...
Lake Wales History Museum Curator Bartholomew Delcamp worked tirelessly for the last three-plus years cataloguing nearly 20,000 items, organizing collections, creating new exhibits and assisting in educational programs and tours. His hard work and dedication to the history of Lake Wales were recognized Sept. 17 when he was named 2019 Outstanding New Professional by the Florida Association of Museums. Delcamp started as an intern, then served as a part-time museum assistant...
The new Friends of the Lake Wales Museum will host a mixer Sunday afternoon, Sept. 22 to recruit members, introduce its board of directors, talk about fundraising projects and describe how people can get involved. Complimentary refreshments will be served from 2-4 p.m. at the museum, located in the old Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Depot at 325 South Scenic Highway. The event is free but people are asked to register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/friends-of...
Leadership Lake Wales Class 24 kicked off its 10-month program Wednesday, Sept. 18 with a class retreat at Bok Tower. The program is coordinated by the Lake Wales Area Chamber of Commerce and EDC through its nonprofit Lake Wales Area Foundation. Class 24 has 20 members, representing various businesses, nonprofits and government agencies in the area. Alumni from some of the previous 23 groups came to meet the new class, reflect on their participation and offer suggestions on...
In preparation for Hurricane Dorian, Lake Wales Mayor Gene Fultz declared a state of emergency for the city starting at noon Thursday, Aug. 29 and lasting up to seven days. This declaration followed a similar one by Gov. Ron DeSantis covering the entire state of Florida. The order gives City Manager Ken Fields authority to enact emergency management procedures for the city. The city's Emergency Operations Center is expected to open in the main fire department around noon on...
Lake Wales pioneer and historic preservationist Mimi Hardman may soon have a city building named in her honor. The Lake Wales History Museum will be seeking donors to help restore and rehabilitate the historic 1916 Seaboard Airline Freight Depot, and repurpose the interior of the building as the new permanent Mimi Hardman Collections & Research Center. Items in the city collection date back to 1852, when the original government survey of Lake Wales was completed. A project of...
The Lake Wales History Museum is hosting free Summer Fun Days on from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays through Aug. 10. The theme for July 27 is Bok Tower Day, which will include a guest from Bok Tower, free gardening activities, the "Creating an Icon" exhibit and more. Future Fun Days include Multicultural Day on Aug. 3 and 80s Day on Aug. 10. Each day has different games, activities, films and foods based upon the specific them. The museum is located at 325 S. Scenic Highway in...
The Lake Wales History Museum will be hosting "Wildlife of Florida and Beyond" Day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 22. As part of Summer Fun Days at the Museum, people of all ages will be making edible dirt pies, botanical prints, and see natural history artifacts and a wildlife demonstration. A reptile discovery program meet and greet will be held from 1-3 p.m. Participants can learn about a different wild animals from Florida and beyond. Guests are welcome to meet a...
The popular Lake Wales History Museum speaker series took a hit when the Florida Humanities Council (FHC) announced June 11 it had lost all of its state funding. The museum now will need to find $5,000 to underwrite the five programs it expected to be provided at no cost by the Council. Executive Director Steve Siebert said the FHC normally gets about 25 percent of its annual funding for operations and programs from the state, but the Florida Legislature provided zero funding...
To continue focusing on its mission and to promote brand awareness the Lake Wales Museum and Cultural Center has been renamed the Lake Wales History Museum. The Lake Wales City Commission Tuesday, May 21 approved the name change, recommended by Museum Director Jennifer D'Hollander. "As an established resource in the Lake Wales community, the museum has included many different activities over the years. Today, the museum looks to the future as a focused, vibrant center focused...
City Manager Ken Fields was named Public Servant of the Year at the May 9 Annual Awards Gala of the Lake Wales Area Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Council. The award was presented by last year's winner, Kathy Bangley, the city's director of planning and development. She said when she won the award she didn't realize she'd be presenting the next one to her boss. She cited his 30 plus years' experience in government and the private sector. "To be a public servant...
