Charlotte County Historical Center

22959 Bayshore Road, Charlotte Harbor, FL 33980
941.629.7278

Upcoming Programs & Events

Fourth Friday Speaker Series

The Fourth Friday Speaker Series offers lectures, workshops, discussion groups and educational programs on a wide range of topics aimed at children as well as adults. Fees are $2 for adults & $1 children under 12. Call the Historical Center at 941-629-PAST (7278) to reserve seats.

February 17 (Black History Month) - 1:30 PM
The Harlem Renaissance: Observe Black History Month with this special video presentation & discussion on the African-American cultural movement of the 1920s & 1930s.

March 23 (Women’s History Month) - 1:30 PM
One Woman, One Vote: Ninety-one years ago, the passage of the 19th Amendment finally secured women the right to vote. Join the CCHC as we explore the path to women’s suffrage at this special video & talk with Historical Coordinator Jackie Brown.

Special Programs at CCHC

16th annual Florida Frontier Days festival - Friday, February 24 & Saturday, February 25 at beautiful, historic Bayshore Live Oak Park!

Saturdays, January 21, February 18 & March 17
Historic Cemetery Tours of Charlotte County
Join the Historical Center & its living historians on these unique historical walking tours of Charlotte Harbor, Indian Spring, & Carl Bailey cemeteries. Contact the Center for fees & times.

Kidz Korner

Saturday, March 17
The No-Cook Cook
Simple, no-cook cooking for kids ages 6-10.
10 AM to noon, $5 per student, limit 12 students

“Interested in ‘bringing history to life’? Then join the Charlotte County Historical Center Docents in their Living History programs. Meetings are held monthly. Contact the Center at 941-629-PAST (7278) for more information!”

Heritage Crafts

BEGINNING JANUARY, 2012
Pine Needle Weaving: 1st Wednesday & 1st Saturday of every month
$18 per class/$10 supplies fee - Pre-registration/pre-payment required
Learn the ancient craft of pine needle weaving from an expert artisan, Kathy Erickson

Changing Exhibits

Changing Exhibits focus on particular people, places, events and fascinating subjects
Admission: $2 adult; $1child under 12; includes all current changing & permanent exhibits

Holiday Traditions in Florida
December 7, 2011-January 28, 2012
A special holiday exhibit from the Museum of Florida History

Port Charlotte: Then & Now
February 8-July 28, 2012
An exhibit featuring Port Charlotte’s beginnings from the CCHC History Collections Online

Charlotte County: Telling Our Story
is the permanent exhibit which explores the full spectrum of Charlotte County and Florida history in several galleries, telling the rich stories of people living here from ancient times through the post-WWII development boom. Explore our natural history, our early inhabitants, fishing and boating, early explorers, pioneers and settlers, and more. After the hurricanes of 2004, we remodeled these galleries, and we continue to refresh the exhibit with additional historical artifacts every year.

Heritage Oil Paintings by Betty Reese
Fascinating oil paintings of historical buildings county-wide are now a part of our permanent exhibit at the Charlotte County Historical Center. Some of the structures depicted still exist, and others are gone forever. Port Charlotte artist Betty Reese researches each one, then makes it come alive again. She has generously donated all of these original paintings to the County collections.

Bicentennial Time Capsule
During the nation’s bicentennial in 1976, a time capsule was set in place at the old Memorial Auditorium in Punta Gorda, to be re-opened after 100 years. The Auditorium building was damaged beyond repair by Hurricane Charley, but before it was demolished in 2005 we removed the capsule’s two large cylinders from their sand-filled vault for safe keeping. The Bicentennial Time Capsule is on exhibit at the Charlotte County Historical Center, and a special place will be provided for it in a future exhibit being planned for the historic Charlotte County Courthouse.

Shopping in Charlotte County
From trading posts and peddlers, to neighborhood general stores and 20th century shopping plazas, local retail business has changed greatly over the years. Alongside the Historical Center’s Live Oak Emporium (museum gift shop) is the Shopping in Charlotte County permanent exhibit, with dozens of artifacts on display from the County historical collections. Did you live here when ladies had to travel all the way to Fort Myers to buy a fancy dress? Historical photographs from the late U. S. Cleveland and the former Charlotte Harbor Area Historical Society complete the picture.