Florida Pioneer Museum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Florida Pioneer Museum
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 Location in Florida
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| Location | 0.5 mi. S of Lucy St. on FL 27 (Krome Ave.), Florida City, Florida |
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| Built | 1904 |
| Architect | Henry Morrison Flagler |
| Architectural style | Philippine Style |
| NRHP reference No. | 73000574 |
| Added to NRHP | August 14, 1973 |
The Florida Pioneer Museum is a special museum in Florida City, Florida. It helps us see what life was like for the first settlers in the area. The museum was started in 1962. It began with a gift of Native American artifacts from Dr. Herbert S. Zim. A group of local women also donated old tools.
Because of its importance, the museum was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on August 14, 1973. This list includes buildings and sites that are important to American history.
The museum is inside a house that was built way back in 1904. It was originally the home for the station agent of the Florida East Coast Railroad. In the 1960s, the house was moved to where it is now to become a museum. The land for the museum was a gift from Henry and Jacqueline Brooker, whose families were early settlers in the area.
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History of the Museum
The museum's story is about people working together to save history. They wanted a place to keep and show a growing collection of historical items.
A Building with a Story
The house that is now the museum was one of the first buildings in the nearby city of Homestead. It was built in 1904 by the Florida East Coast Railway. The famous developer Henry M. Flagler designed it. He used a special "Philippine style" of architecture. This style was great for Florida's warm and sunny climate.
In 1964, the house was in danger of being torn down. To save it, it was carefully moved to its current spot in Florida City. This move gave the old house a new life as the Florida Pioneer Museum.
What Can You See Inside?
The museum was created with the help of the Homestead Women's Club. The first items in the collection were Native American artifacts. These were donated by Herbert S. Zim, who wrote the famous Golden Nature Guides.
Soon, other people donated more items. You can see old tools used by pioneers, shells, and items from the railroad. There are also everyday things that pioneer families owned and used. These objects help tell the story of the area's first residents.
The Train Depot's Rescue
Behind the museum, there is a train depot. This building also has an amazing story. By 1976, the original depot in Homestead was old and falling apart. The railroad company planned to demolish it.
A group of local history lovers, including a man named Jack Levy, stepped in. They raised money to stop the demolition. They moved the depot to the land behind the museum. The land was donated by the Torcise family.
Sadly, in 1992, a powerful storm called Hurricane Andrew destroyed the depot. But the community did not give up. Using original drawings from the railroad, they built an exact copy, or replica, of the depot. The building you see today is that replica. It is owned by the City of Florida City.
Today, the Florida Pioneer Museum is owned by the City of Florida City. It is run by a group called the Florida Pioneer Museum Association. They work to keep the history of Florida's pioneers alive for everyone to learn from and enjoy.
See also
In Spanish: Museo Florida Pioneer para niños
