February 2015
The Way We Worked Grand Opening
February 7th - 10am
FEBRUARY 7, 2015 - 
MARCH 21, 2015

 
President's Pen
Larry Skates, President

The New Smyrna Museum of History requires a lot of volunteer hours to operate (and we have a great group of volunteers donating these hours). In addition to the hours that have been donated, we also have expenses of $70,000 - $80,000 per year necessary to maintain and operate the museum.


We receive these funds from various sources. The main source is income from membership. For individuals this is the best bargain in town, $35.00 per year for a family!  I encourage everyone to become a member and enjoy the history and educational values of the museum. Another type of membership is for commercial and/or businesses for $50.00 per year. We have bus tours from all over Central Florida that come to visit the museum.  When the tour group leaves in the afternoon, they have eaten lunch at local restaurants and made purchases at local retail stores. I would hope the local merchants will help support our museum which brings this business to our community. (Memberships can be purchased on-line...click here).

 

We also have fund raisers such as Pancakes in the Park, Pilau dinners, Walking Tours, River Tours and the annual Night at the Museum. If you would like to sponsor one of these events, call our Executive Director, Robert Redd, at the museum.

 

 A future source of revenue is our Trust Fund. In another section of this newsletter you will find an article from the Chairman of the Trust Fund, Mark Rakowski. He explains how the Trust will help us financially. Call Mark for any information you may need to donate to this 501c3 Fund.

 

We also explore and apply for grants for which we may be eligible. Last year we applied for a Volusia County Grant and received $8,000 and a grant from the Florida Humanities Council and received $6,000.

 

I hope I have given you some information that will help you decide that making a general donation, sponsoring one of our events, or donating to the Trust Fund with funds available to you now or through your estate will be of a benefit to you and your community.

 

I would like to thank everyone who has made 2014 a very successful year at the Museum.

 

Larry Skates, President

Southeast Volusia Historical Society Charitable Trust

By Mark Rakowski, SEVHS Charitable Trust Chair 

 

This is a periodic article about the Southeast Volusia Historical Society (SEVHS) Charitable Trust (Trust) which was established about 15 years ago to ensure the fiscal viability of the SEVHS programs and the historical museum it operates.
 

2014 was a great year for the Trust. Over the year a portion of the Trust held in one investment account increased about 8%. In addition, generous community member donations increased the Trust by $28,000. In the beginning of 2014 the Trust had a value of about $122,000 and by the end of the year the value had increased to almost $155,000.

 

This year the Trust Board is investigating ways to bolster the Trust. One method is to encourage community members to remember the SEVHS and the Museum in their estate planning efforts. This year I will pledge to amend my personal trust to ensure that, in my passing, the Trust will receive a minimum of $10,000 from my estate if I can get another community member or visitor to pledge the same. I challenge all community members to dedicate a portion of their estate to the Trust in their estate planning efforts.

 

Anyone interested in participating in the Trust campaign please contact me at 386.690.3880 or MRakowski@cfl.rr.com. Thank you very much and I hope this is a great year for everyone!

Mark
of History

Museum hours:

  • 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Tuesday ~ Saturday

Admission by donation.

120 Sams Avenue

New Smyrna Beach

386-478-0052
Upcoming Events ~ 2015
The Way We Worked Special Events
The Way We Worked Lecture Series  
February 11th -  1:30pm

The Way We Worked Lecture Series  Historian Dan Schafer, from the University of North Florida, will discuss Dr. Andrew Turnbull and his recruitment of indentured servants to work in the New Smyrna settlement. This lecture will be held at the Utilities Commission building (200 Canal Street) in the DeBerry Room.

History Book Club 
February 12th - 1:30pm
Past SEVHS President, Dave Borland, will speak in the upstairs conference room at the museum. Dave will be discussing his newest book, Hellespont. In addition he will also discuss some of the historical articles he wrote while living in New Smyrna Beach.

The Way We Worked Lecture Series
February 18th - 1pm
 

Gary England from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Services will discuss the citrus industry in the state of Florida. He will include a discussion on comments from William Bartram regarding wild citrus groves in New Smyrna. This lecture will be held at the Utilities Commission building (200 Canal Street) in the DeBerry Room.

Community Museum Meeting
The Way We Worked Lecture Series
 February 19th - 6:30pm  

Museum volunteer Linda Cody will discuss the live oaking industry and its role in the New Smyrna area. Come and learn the importance our area held to the shipbuilding industry during the 1800s. This lecture will be held at the Utilities Commission building (200 Canal Street) in the DeBerry Room.

 

 

The Way We Worked Children's Day and Echo Rangers 
 February 21st - Noon  

In addition to the normal Echo Rangers day we will have special games and activities for children that are related to our exhibit. Activities are to be held in the upstairs conference room at the museum. 

 

The Way We Worked Lecture Series 
 February 24th - 1pm

Documentarian Eric Dusenbery will be on hand to discuss his work including his book Florida Soup: Putting History on the Table. The book deals with food production, gathering and consumption practices in rural and small town Florida. This lecture will be held at the Utilities Commission building (200 Canal Street) in the DeBerry Room.

 

The Way We Worked Lecture Series 
 February 26th - 6:30pm

Author Fannie Hudson will discuss her research on African-American owned businesses in New Smyrna Beach. From restaurants to beauticians and dozens of others industries Ms. Hudson has helped preserve the history of businesses that otherwise might have been forgotten. This lecture will be held at the Utilities Commission building (200 Canal Street) in the DeBerry Room.

 

Hannah Bonnet Walking Tours

Every Wednesday, Friday & Saturday

now through April 18, 2015

10:30am

Members $6

Non-members $8

 

Join museum volunteer Barbara Zafuto as she portrays Hannah Bonnet, the first female Mayor of New Smyrna Beach. On these tours you will learn the history of the area and see many locations that even some locals aren't aware of.

 

Wednesday and Friday tours meet at the museum. On Wednesdays tour the "Old Fort" historic area and on Friday take a tour of the Canal Street business district.

 

On Saturday meet at the Riverview Hotel, 103 Flagler Avenue, and take a tour of the Flagler Avenue area.
OUR MUSEUM COMMUNITY
WELCOME
NEW MEMBERS

 

Dabney Kline

Rod & Cheryl Rich

 

 Click here to purchase membership

Memberships can be purchased online via our secure PayPal account
BUY 4 -
Support The Museum When You Shop
What is Buy4?
What is Buy4?
Do you shop online? If so, you might be able to make a donation to the museum just by doing your normal shopping. Please consider joining Buy4! Go to the website www.buy4.com  and sign up and choose the New Smyrna Museum of History as your "cause". Then, whenever you shop online start at this website. Then click on any of the more than 2,000 links on the site. You will be taken directly to the website you want and for any purchase you make the museum will receive a small portion of the dollar amount you spend. It costs you absolutely ZERO. Buy4 does not know your card number or any of your financial information. That is all handled through the store you are shopping at. It's very easy.

 

 

Florida Archaeology Month

Proclamation on February 24, 2015 

 

Florida Archaeology Month is celebrated each year during the month of March throughout the state. The Florida Public Archaeology Network publishes an official public educational poster which is distributed for display in museums, schools, libraries and city halls around Florida. The theme of this year's poster is the prehistoric Archaic peoples and titled "Innovators of the Archaic: Technology, Architecture, and Transportation." 

 

These natives lived in Florida before the St. Johns people, the ones who created many shell middens, such as Turtle Mound, composed primarily of oyster and clam shells.  Though Archaic shell middens are uncommon in this area, there is a glass display case in the museum, outside the Archaeology Lab, that features text and artifacts from this time period.

 

The City of New Smyrna Beach will honor this upcoming March event with an official proclamation that will be read at the February 24 City Commission meeting. We should receive posters and bookmarks by the first of March. These are free and will be available in the Archaeology Lab.

Dot Moore & Dr. Roger Grange, archaeologists

 

 
               
                 386-424-6931