Pioneer Park (Hardee County, Florida) facts for kids
Pioneer Park is a fun place located in Zolfo Springs, Florida. Hardee County, Florida owns and runs this park. You can find it where US 17 and Florida Highway 64 meet. The park is also next to the Peace River on its north and west sides. About half of the park, the northern part, is covered in trees.
Pioneer Park has many cool things to see and do. On August 13, 2004, a big storm called Hurricane Charley caused a lot of damage here. Not all the damaged buildings were fixed. On the west side of the park, there is Pioneer Park Lake. This is a man-made lake that is about 8.5 acres big. You can go fishing in the lake and also in the Peace River. People also enjoy canoeing on the Peace River. There are special areas in the park where campers can set up their tents or RVs.
Cracker Trail Museum: A Look Back in Time
Two very special parts of Pioneer Park are the Cracker Trail Museum and Pioneer Village. The museum first opened its doors on June 24, 1967. It was called the Pioneer Park Museum back then. The Peace River Valley Historical Society started it. Over the years, people living nearby gave many old items to the museum for everyone to see.
In June 1988, the Historical Society stopped running the museum, and it closed. But Hardee County reopened it in September 1988. At that time, its name changed to the Cracker Trail Museum. The next year, the museum closed again because it didn't have enough money. Luckily, Cargill Fertilizer helped out with a $50,000 donation. Half of this money was used to build a new part onto the museum. It really needed more space! The bigger museum reopened in 1991.
When Hurricane Charley hit, it tore off part of the museum's roof. Some of the old items inside were also damaged. But many kind volunteers helped fix the museum building. They also carefully repaired the damaged historical items.
Pioneer Village: Stepping into the Past
Pioneer Village started not long after the museum opened. The first building put up was a shed for grinding sugar cane. Soon after, a train engine from 1914 was given to the park. An open shed was built to keep it safe. Next, a blacksmith shop from 1897 was moved and put back together in the park.
In 1979, the Hart Cabin was brought to the park. This cabin was 100 years old and was donated by Wendell M. Smith. A smokehouse was built, and two old wagons from the 1880s were placed in Pioneer Village. An old post office from 1886 and an outhouse were also added to the village.
The Hart Cabin was built in 1879. It was donated and moved to the park by Wendell M. Smith in 1979. He was the great-grandson of W.H. Hart. The cabin is just one room from the original house. W.H. and Mary Jane Hart raised their six children in that house on Maude Road in Hardee County. Many of the pieces of furniture inside the cabin were made by Mr. Hart himself.
Hurricane Charley also caused problems in Pioneer Village. The outhouse was destroyed, and the post office was damaged. But just like with the museum, volunteers worked hard to fix both of them.
