Micanopy Historical Society Museum facts for kids
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| Location | 607 Northeast 1st Avenue Micanopy, Florida |
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| Type | History museum |
The Micanopy Historical Society Museum is a cool place to learn about the history of Micanopy, a small town in Florida. It's located at 607 Northeast 1st Avenue. This museum is part of the Micanopy Historic District, which is a special area listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important historical spot!
Contents
Museum History
The Micanopy Historical Society started in 1983. This happened after a group worked hard to get the Micanopy Historic District recognized as a historic place. John E. Thrasher III was the first president of this society.
Starting the Museum
The museum really began under the second president, Dr. Robert N. Pierce. It first opened in April 1985, in a small storefront. This area was known as "Antique Alley." Members of the historical society worked together to get the space ready. They designed the displays and collected old items and stories from Micanopy's past.
One of the first displays focused on William Bartram. He was a famous naturalist who explored the area a long time ago. The museum also showed special exhibits that traveled from other museums. Because the first location was small, they even used a storage room at the town hall for extra items!
Finding a New Home
Under the third president, Dr. Ron Cohen, the search began for a bigger place. They started looking at an old building called the Thrasher Warehouse. In 1986, the historical society received a grant. This money helped them study if the Thrasher Warehouse could be restored.
The study showed it was possible! The town leaders approved the plan to fix up the warehouse. The idea was to turn the warehouse into a museum. There were also plans to add shops and a small restaurant nearby.
Restoring the Warehouse
A state grant helped pay for the museum's renovation. The old warehouse was brought back to how it looked around 1890. But it also got modern updates to make it safe and usable today. The front part of the building was set up for exhibits. These exhibits tell the story of Micanopy and the surrounding North Central Florida area.
Grand Opening
The museum officially opened to the public in 1991. It was a big event! People dressed in old military uniforms marched down Cholokka Boulevard. They led the way to the new museum. Alyce Tincher, who was the historical society president, gave a speech. Tom Brady, the museum chairman, talked about how they restored the building. After a ribbon was cut, everyone got to go inside and explore the new museum.
The Thrasher Warehouse
The museum is located inside the historic Thrasher Warehouse. This old wooden building was built around 1890. It used to be connected to a branch of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. This railroad helped transport goods until the 1950s.
The warehouse was first used by J.E. Thrasher, Sr. He opened a general store in 1896. The warehouse stored many things for his business. This included farm equipment, tools, wood, and other supplies. When his store burned down in 1911, he moved his business into the warehouse. He operated from there until a new brick store was built.
The Thrasher Warehouse itself is a historic building. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
Archives
The Micanopy Historical Society also has an archives collection. These archives are in a separate building on the same property as the museum. The archives hold many important documents and photos. These materials tell the history of the Micanopy area.
If you want to see these materials, you have to use them inside the archives building. You can't take them home. However, you can get copies of materials for a small fee. Researchers need to sign in before they can use the archives. The archives are open for a few hours once a week. You can also make an appointment to visit. If you have old documents or photos about Micanopy's history, the archives might accept them as donations!
