November 2010

Relics of America's Gilded Age are elegantly exhibited on the museum's three floors. Costumes, furnishings, mechanical musical instruments and other artifacts give you a glimpse into 19th century daily life. The Lightner collection includes beautiful examples of cut glass, Victorian art glass and the stained glass work of Louis Comfort Tiffany.

Exhibits cover a number of topics, including the 1960's counterculture, the Greenwood Stagecouch route, the voyage of the clipper ship Frolic, the racehorse Seabiscut, Native Americans, the San Francisco Earthquake, and frontier transportation, visitors can get an interesting and comprehensive presentation of life in Mendocino county in the 19th and 20th century.

The 46 foot tall Letchworth-Love Mound, built between 100 and 900 A.D., is the tallest Indian mound in Florida and an important piece of the state's prehistory.*

Visitors to this archaeological site will see Florida's tallest Native American ceremonial mound-46 feet-built between 1100 and 1800 years ago. The people who built the mound are believed to have been members of the Weedon Island Culture, a group of Native Americans who lived in North Florida between 200 and 800 A.D. The park offers picnicking, birding, and hiking. (from website.)

The museum has an interesting history all its own. It has been home to the Leesburg Library, the Leesburg Chamber of Commerce, several civic clubs, the Leesburg High School Prom and the Poinsettia Ball. The museum is crammed with artifacts and items that help tell the story about Leesburg – from the days that citrus was king and the popular Watermelon Festival was a highlight for kids and adults alike, to the Leesburg Centennial in 1957 and gathering places such as the Magnolia Hotel and the Lake View Hotel.

In addition to the artifacts and memorabilia there are also extensive archives that help tell the story of Leesburg’s past, including businesses, city government, families, churches and social organizations. The museum is staffed by members of the Leesburg Heritage Society, which was organized in 1976.

The House provides a rich archive of Contra Costa and Walnut Creek history in its exhibits and collections of old newspapers, photographs and government records.

The Museum is located in Vallejo's historic Old City Hall and features five galleries devoted to community and U.S. Navy history. They include selections from the permanent collection of the Museum, local private collections, traveling exhibitions, and borrowed artifacts from the extensive collection at Mare Island. A working submarine periscope is installed through the roof and provides an excellent view of the city and Mare Island.

Born in 1901, the enigmatic and reclusive poet Laura Riding Jackson's life spanned nearly the whole of the 20th century. This east Florida home served as her residence and inspiration for many of those years, and today offers a historical education in the biography and times of this preeminent writer.

Constructed of brick and covered with pink stucco, the Depot at 325 S. Scenic Highway was built as a passenger station by the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad in 1928 at an approximate cost of $51,000. Replacing service at the original depot, the new location was chosen to relieve traffic congestion in the downtown area. A freight room and loading platform were added in 1938.

Passenger service to Lake Wales ceased in 1954. In 1966, Seaboard Air Line and Atlantic Coast Line merged to form the Seaboard Coast Line Railway. In 1974, freight service shifted to the West Lake Wales station, and trains no longer stopped at the Lake Wales depot. However, the Spanish style building with the red tile roof remained a landmark of the post-boom era in Lake Wales.

The Native Americans who resided on the banks of Lake Jackson between 1200 and 1500 A.D. left monuments by which to remember them: three temple mounds, one of which stretches 26 feet towards the sky. Today interpretive kiosks and guided tours render the history of these mounds accessible.

More than eight centuries ago, Native Americans inhabited the area around Lake Jackson, just north of Tallahassee. The park site was part of what is now known as the Southeastern Ceremonial Complex. Today, it encompasses six earthen temple mounds and one possible burial mound. The largest mound is 278 feet by 312 feet at the base and approximately 36 feet in height. Artifacts of pre-Columbian societies have been found here including copper breastplates, necklaces, bracelets, anklets, and cloaks. Visitors can enjoy a short hike past the remains of an 1800s grist mill or picnic on an open grassy area near the largest mound. Guided tours and interpretive programs of the park are available upon request.

Located in a quiet, tree-shaded Victorian neighborhood in historic downtown, the purpose of the museum is to collect and preserve artifacts relating directly to the history of Solano County and to promote an awareness and understanding of county history and culture by offering interpretive exhibits and associated programs, events and workshops.