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March 2024
N E W S L E T T E R
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Thursday, April 4th from 7 - 8:30 PM
at The Brannon Center
105 S. Riverside Drive
New Smyrna Beach FL 32168
Hear The Story of Bob's journey to hosting one of America's most beloved art educational programs, eventually returning to make his home in New Smyrna Beach.
Experience The Art gallery show of over 30 pieces of original artwork by Bob Ross and Nicholas Hankins. Including the final 7 paintings Bob Ross created for season thirty-two which have not been available for public viewing until now!
See The Process as Nicholas Hankins creates a painting live on stage and shares how an early interest in art led to him becoming the new host of "The Joy of Painting".
For Tickets Visit:
https://www.tix.com/ticket-sales/NewSmyrnaMuseum/6503
General Admission $60
Museum Members $40
Presented By
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Thursday, March 14th
@ 4:30 & 6:30 PM
Dr. John Milton Hawks
and Dr. Esther Hawks
as portrayed by
Joe & Kimberly Joy Vetter
“Do you want a beautiful winter home in Florida? Located on the highest, driest, and healthiest spot for a town?” The year was 1871, and the town of Hawks Park was established, later to become modern day Edgewater in 1925, but by that time, many of the residents had forgotten the Hawks contributions and the tremendous amount of work that had transpired in the many years before…let Drs J.M and Esther Hawk take you back.
Join us as we explore the remarkable 19th century journey of two Civil War doctors, abolitionists, suffragists, educators, and believers in a free society. Their collaboration helped change America… before, during and after the Civil War.
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Museum Matinee Program
Wednesday, March 20th @ 2 & 4 PM
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Join us in March as we welcome Emily Jane Murray with the Florida Public Archaeology Network (FPAN) to share how archaeologists study pottery.
Come learn about Florida’s 4,000 years of
prehistoric ceramics and explore how archaeologists learn about the people in the past from these baked bits of clay. This is an all ages presentation with a hands-on portion allowing for younger folks, or those who are younger at heart, to get some clay on their hands and create some pottery real time.
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Walking Tours Continue in March | |
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For additional information and online sign-up form visit:
https://nsbhistory.org/new-smyrna-beach-walking-tours/
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Each Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and select Saturdays Pick from four different engaging tours:
Tues: The Central Historic District tour
Wed: Old Coronado Beach / Flagler Ave.
Thurs: The 3 Downtowns of New Smyrna
Select Saturdays: The Civil War Comes to New Smyrna
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Civil Rights In Florida
W/ Robert Redd
In this special feature, Robert Redd discusses two historic civil rights issues in Florida, voting rights and equal access to public transportation. Hear about state politics surrounding the women's suffrage movement and a groundbreaking bus boycott in Tallahassee.
View Video Now:
https://youtu.be/zcDMY9oEso8
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Well, here it is March already. As you can see from the list of special events and programs shared in this newsletter, this is a busy time for us here at the museum. As a facility run by volunteers, our member volunteers keep the key components of the organization operating seamlessly. They create the first impression experienced by our museum guests, coordinate our volunteer schedule, maintain our membership roles and renewals, keep our facility working properly, help us set up for events, and write the checks to keep the bills paid.
As you might guess, in a retirement / resort driven community such as ours, this can present challenges. Many of our fantastic members only spend a portion of the calendar year in the local area, while others are blessed with the ability to travel frequently. The museum is seeking individuals who have the talent and willingness to act as assistants in some of these key positions. Ideally, these folks will have integrated technology into their daily life and have a basic knowledge of computers, software and smart phones. They would also have the ability to be available to interact with these important elements either here in the museum or remotely in some cases, on a consistent basis.
Our goal is to grow our pool of talented volunteers so that each of these mission critical components has a small team of folks that understand the activity they have agreed to be a part of. They will have the tools to complete the tasks effectively, and will be able to step in and maintain activities when others need time away or have the opportunity to travel to visit friends or family.
If you think this might be a good fit for you, please take a look at the article below in the Museum Community News section titled "The Museum Needs You" and send us an email. We look forward to seeing you at an upcoming museum program or special event.
Greg Holbrook, Executive Director
New Smyrna Museum of History
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March is Minorcan Heritage Month! | |
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In support of Minorcan Heritage Month, Ryan Brennan, with the Ximenez-Fatio House Museum in St. Augustine, will once again be walking to St. Augustine. Ryan plans to depart from the front porch of the New Smyrna Museum of History on Wednesday, March 20th at approximately 7:30 AM. He is projected to stroll into the Ximenez-Fatio House Museum four days later for an arrival celebration scheduled for 3 Pm on Saturday, March 23rd.
Ryan's walk is being conducted to draw attention to the story of the Minorcan culture in Northeast Florida, and to share those peoples difficult beginnings here in Smyrnea', the British Settlement that was the beginning of the community we now call New Smyrna Beach.
Ryan is also raising money to support the maintenance of the Ximenez-Fatio House Museum, which is one of 31 homes which were built of coquina stone in St. Augustine. The home was built by Don Andres Ximenez in 1798 for his bride Juana Pellicer, the daughter of Francisco Pellicer, who was one of the leaders in the Minorcan community that played a large role in securing the freedom of the settlers.
You can learn more and donate to the cause by visiting the following link. https://www.ximenezfatiohouse.org/hth
Anyone who donates more than $100 is invited to attend the Finish Line Party at the Ximenez-Fatio House Museum that Saturday, March 23rd at 3PM. We look forward to sharing an update a few days prior to Ryan's departure, and hope you can join us here on the front porch of the museum on Wednesday, March 20th at 7:30 AM to cheer Ryan on and support his efforts.
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Minorcan History Month
Literature Selections
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"Fromajadas and Indigo, The Minorcan Colony in Florida"
by Kenneth H. Beeson Jr.
With great anticipation, more than twelve hundred settlers the majority from the Mediterranean island of Minorca arrived on the eastern shore of Florida, south of St. Augustine, in 1768 to begin a new life at the colony of New Smyrna. Despite the initial successes of the colony, political strife and inadequate financing steered the colonists into dire straights. Fleeing the miserable living conditions and ruthless maltreatment of the colony overseers, the colonists eventually sought refuge in St. Augustine, where the governor granted them asylum in 1777.
For more than two hundred years the descendants of the surviving colonists have formed a resourceful and talented portion of St. Augustine's population. From the six hundred plus that made the walk from New Smyrna, there are now over fifteen thousand descendants living in the St. Augustine area today.
Kenneth Beeson was a direct descendant of the original Minorcan colonists. His treatise, Fromajadas and Indigo: The Minorcan Colony in Florida, has long been considered the first serious study of the Minorcan colonists and their history in St. Augustine.
Order Now: https://nsbhistory.shopsettings.com/Fromajadas-and-Indigo-p606296780
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"New Smyrna: An Eighteenth Century Odyssey"
by Epaminondas P. Panagopoulos
The story of the Greeks from Asia Minor, who came to Florida long before there were migrations to America from Greece in the latter Nineteenth Century, is truly a tale worthy of Homer himself. For these spiritual ancestors from that place know even in the Revelation of Saint John, theirs was a fulfillment of the Lord's recognition of their Christian forebears: "I know your deeds, your tribulation, and your poverty" (Revelation 2:9). For their journey from their homeland to New Smyrna was, as Homer says in the Odyssey, a story of "twists and turns".
This title is also available in Greek, please call the museum at 386-478-0052 to confirm availability.
Order English Version Today:
https://nsbhistory.shopsettings.com/New-Smyrna-An-Eighteenth-Century-Odyssey-p620681047
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"Mullet on the Beach"
by Patricia Griffin
This title explores the Minorcan community made up of subsistence farmers from Minorca, Italy and Greece that toiled to carve out a life 70 miles south of St. Augustine in what is today known as New Smyrna Beach Florida. The study of the first twenty years that these people spent in the New World is based on the master's thesis work of the author Patricia Griffin and was completed at the anthropology department University of Florida, Gainesville.
Order Today: https://nsbhistory.shopsettings.com/Mullet-on-the-Beach-p415816347
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"Floridanos, Menorcans,
Cattle-Whip Crackers, Poetry of St. Augustine"
by Ann Browning Masters
"There's no better introduction to America's oldest city than Ann Browning Masters "Floridanos, Menorcans, Cattle-Whip Crackers." These poems and commentaries are knowledgeable, eloquent and affectionate, capturing St. Augustine's history, beauty, people, and food, along with its magical ambience." Peter Meinke, Poet Laureate, State of Florida 2015-2019
A St. Augustine Native, Dr. Ann Browning Masters is a 12th generation Floridian. She is also a Floridana, a descendant of Spanish settlers during Florida's First Spanish Period, and a Menorcan, a descendant of the Italian, Greek and Menorcan colony who came to St. Augustine in 1777 during Florida's British Period.
Order Now: https://nsbhistory.shopsettings.com/Floridanos-Menorcans-Cattle-Whip-Crackers-p544792897
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"Dr. Andrew Turnbull and the New Smyrna Colony of Florida"
by Carita Doggett
This hard-cover version of the original book written in 1919 tells the story of the Turnbull Settlement, Smyrnea, of over 250 years ago which marked the beginning of the community of New Smyrna Beach Florida, the third oldest settled community on the Florida peninsula. This dynamic account shares the story of the brave men and women who came with the promise of a new and prosperous life that could be carved out for themselves, only to find harsh conditions, brutal management, starvation and disappointment in the short lived British Colonial settlement of the late 1700's.
Order Now: https://nsbhistory.shopsettings.com/Dr-Andrew-Turnbull-and-the-New-Smyrna-Colony-Old-Edition-Hard-Cover-p364384120
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"A Minorcan Mystery,
Where Are They?"
by Robert P. Jones
The Minorcans of St. Augustine are a culturally rich community with roots in Spanish, Catalan, Italian and Greek traditions. These several ethnicities involved in this odyssey became known as "Minorcans". Despite their significant role in American history, their story largely goes untold, confined to the local awareness in St. Johns County Florida. This oversight is amplified by the absence of Minorcan history from educational curricula and the haunting fact that the graves of 964 Minorcans in New Smyrna Beach have never been found. Their story is not just a local curiosity; it serves as a lens to explore the distinctions between indentured servitude and enslavement, providing a more nuanced understanding of Florida's multicultural history. After nine years of toiling in Dr. Andrew Turnbull's New Smyrna Colony, the Minorcans were freed from indenture and undertook a perilous 70-mile journey to St. Augustine in 1777. Their legacy endures through a multitude of descendants.
Order Today: https://nsbhistory.shopsettings.com/A-Minorcan-Mystery-p618773625
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WAIT! There's More to See!
Explore our entire online catalog by visiting:
https://nsbhistory.shopsettings.com/
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Museum Programs Coming In April | |
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Thursday, April 11th
at 4:30 & 6:30 PM
Join us as John Mann of the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse and Museum tells the story of the first Lighthouse that was built at our modern day Ponce Inlet. After urging from local residents, the ill-fated lighthouse was constructed here, on the New Smyrna side of the inlet in the 1830s. Hear about the challenges and fate of this early attempt to improve the navigational signals at a treacherous Mosquito Inlet!
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Matinee Program
Wednesday, April 24th
at 2:00 PM
Join us for this special Matinee Program as director George Sibley shares his insights and experiences as he traveled around Europe capturing interviews and footage for his film "Smyrnea Lost and Found".
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The Museum Needs You!
The New Smyrna Museum of History is looking for a few volunteers to fill key positions within our weekly activities at the Museum.
The teams we are looking to build would assist in the following roles.
Volunteer Schedule Coordination: this activity is best facilitated by text messaging and can be handled remotely.
Museum Membership: This activity is best handled on a weekly or bi-weekly basis and includes generated mailings and reminder mailings along with maintaining a list of current and recently expired members.
Museum Facility Support: This is an activity best conducted by someone with hands on maintenance experience. It includes working with simple day to day needs in the facility and at times interacting with contracted elements such as plumbers or other contractors hired to complete work in the museum.
Museum Store Assistant: The Museum Store is a developing revenue stream for the museum and features a variety of literature, apparel, consumables, stationary and artwork. These items are made available for sale both in the museum and through the Museum Store's ECommerce website. The ideal volunteer would work closely with the museum director to stock existing inventory in the store, order replacement items when needed and assist in the development of new products using the museum's collection. The ability to work with software is key with these tasks.
Assistant to Treasurer: This individual would work directly with our organizational treasurer and museum director to track the day to day expenses and earnings of the operation and take action on accounts receivable items and invoices.
Museum Outreach Set-up Team: Ideally, this person would have access to a pick up truck and be available to travel short distances to assist with helping us set up our "away game". We often provide a presence for our organization at various activities outside the museum. Such as, The Ponce Inlet Lighthouse Heritage Day, Mary S. Harrell Black Heritage Festival, and History Con at the Museum of Arts and Science in Daytona etc. This person or people would have the support of other volunteers to staff the booth at these events once it is set up, but would assist with both the transport, set-up and tear-down of the needed components.
If you feel like you could contribute to one of these needed positions please reach out to us at:
NSMofHistory@gmail.com
We will be excited to follow up with you and have a conversation about how you can get involved and be a part of the continued success of the Southeast Volusia Historical Society and New Smyrna Museum of History.
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Your Membership and Support Matters!
To become a member, Click Here
New Members:
Gary Neumann & Darla Stiles, Ken & Deborah Lytle
Donna Farella, Mark Massoud, John Edmundson
Suzanne Trzaskus, Gilbert Pomar, Kim Cooper
Tracye & Joe Ziglar, Alexis Jacobs & Jack Krips
George Scheufele
In Memoriam:
Catherine "Kitty" Martin
Bernice Giddish
Bernice was a long-time museum member and dedicated volunteer for many years at the New Smyrna Museum of History. We have fond memories of the time she was able to share with us.
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The Southeast Volusia Historical Society has been awarded the Silver Seal of transparency to acknowledge the level of dedication that we provide to donors, organizations and government entities who consider donating to our organization.
Visit https://www.guidestar.org/Profile/59-2451690 to view our full Guidestar / Candid non-profit profile.
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Make your donation today by mail to:
Southeast Volusia Historical Society Inc.
P.O. Box 968
New Smyrna Beach FL 32170-0968
Donations can also be processed online by clicking the button below:
Donate Now
Talk to your investment planner about how you can donate your mandatory minimum IRA distribution directly to the Southeast Volusia Historical Society and not pay personal income tax on the distribution.
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Museum Hours
Tuesday - Saturday
10 AM - 4 PM
Adults 18+ $8
Young Adults 11-17 $5
10 & Under Free
Members Free
First Tuesday of each month is Volusia County Resident Day with county residents getting free admission.
Active Duty U.S. Military and their family get free admission everyday, as a part of the Blue Star Museums program.
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The New Smyrna Museum of History
120 Sams Ave., New Smyrna Beach Fl. 32168
Phone: 386.478.0052
www.NSBHistory.org
nsmofhistory@gmail.com
PO Box 968, NSB, Fl. 32170-0968
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