October 2023

N E W S L E T T E R

Tickets are available now for this year's

Night at the Museum.

Join us at the museum as we take over Sams Avenue and the adjoining park to host our biggest fundraiser of the year, Night at the Museum.

With live music, great food, and a free raffle event giving everyone in attendance a chance to win, Night at the Museum promises to be the most memorable event you will attend this Fall.

Get your tickets now by visiting:

https://www.tix.com/ticket-sales/NewSmyrnaMuseum/6503

All proceeds from Night at the Museum are used to support the general operational expenses of the New Smyrna Museum of History.

Thank You!

for voting the

New Smyrna

Museum of History

the Readers Choice Museum in our local area.

October's Museum Programs

U-Boats, Orange Groves, and Saboteurs: Florida in

World War II

Thursday, October 12th @ 6:30 PM

120 Sams Ave.

New Smyrna Beach FL 32168



Join us as Ryan Lowry with Patriot Preservation LLC hosts:

U-Boats, Orange Groves, and Saboteurs: Florida in World War II. Delve into Florida history with the state's involvement in the largest war in history and how the state was vital to the successful defense of the nation.

Matinee Program

"Living The Dream,

New Smyrna Beach"

Wednesday, October 25th @ 2:00 PM

120 Sams Ave.

New Smyrna Beach FL 32168

Join us for this special program with author Cathy Rose Rader as she shares stories about her popular coffee table book, “Living the Dream, New Smyrna Beach”. Learn about the inspiration, the artists who contributed, and the journey that brought this wonderful time-capsule of our local area into existence.

President's Pen

Despite our warm temperatures and rainy weather, we will soon be welcoming fall here in Central Florida. We expect cooler drier conditions to arrive just in time for our annual Night at the Museum street party which will be held this year on Saturday October 28^th. 

A lot of planning goes into staging these events and our museum staff is working hard on the last- minute details. This year’s event promises to be better than ever. There will be a new menu featuring premium barbeque from Colt’s Pig Stand. Our new entertainment lineup includes a very popular local performer, Dan “The Saxman” Fuqua. 

Best of all, everyone will have a chance to come out a winner during our special fundraising auction and raffle. Our event posters will soon show up in your favorite stores and tickets are ready for sale. Look for a link to purchase your tickets right in this newsletter! You won’t want to miss the excitement as we light up Sams Avenue and Emory Bennett Park for this year’s Night at the Museum.

     The beginning of October also marks the rollout of a new and improved website for the museum. Our updated portal now includes new tabs and features that make it easier to explore everything the museum has to offer. Whether you want to look at upcoming tours, browse the gift shop, or check out the many videos on our You Tube channel, our new website has the information you’re seeking in one convenient place. 

    Speaking of our YouTube channel, I am proud to announce that we have currently logged a total of 543 subscribers and a library of 69 videos. Looking back, it was a mere 3 years ago when I casually suggested that we produce a video to commemorate our 250^th NSB anniversary celebration in Old Fort Park. From there, the channel took off with a wide variety of guests and topics that focus on local history. I want to thank all of our supporters who have followed us and “liked” our videos over the past three years. 

    Finally, I wanted to mention the next video topic which is currently being researched.

With the 100^th anniversary of our museum building coming up in 2025, I thought it would be interesting to take a historical look at the museum itself. Before the Southeast Volusia Historical Society came along, this building served as one of the early New Smyrna post offices. If you know of anyone who has photos or scrapbooks of memorabilia from the post office in the 1920’s or 30’s, please let us know. Your help would be greatly appreciated. See you at Night at the Museum!  

Brion Reilly

President

Southeast Volusia Historical Society

Museum Adopts Two

New Access Programs

Beginning this month, the New Smyrna Museum of History is implementing two new programs to increase public access to the museum.

The Blue Star Museum program provides free access to active duty military and up to 5 members of their family. Blue Star Museums is a collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and museums across America to offer free admission to the nation's active duty military personnel including National Guard and Reserve and their families.

The first Tuesday of each month is now Volusia County Residents day at the New Smyrna Museum of History. Residents can show a valid ID with a Volusia County address and receive free admission.

Now Available on YouTube

Historical Utopian Societies of Florida

with James "Zach" Zacharias

A must watch presentation from our program library hosted by one of Central Florida's favorite historians, Zach Zacharias. Explore the fascinating history of some of Florida's utopian communities of the past.

View Video Here: https://youtu.be/MFqbLj0A3a4

"The Timucua of

Northeast Florida"

with Felipe De Paula

Consisting of various tribes that shared a

common language, the Timucua inhabited most of what is today Central and North Florida.

What did they eat? What were they like? How did they live? Where are they now? These questions and many more are answered in this in-depth presentation about some of our Florida's earliest residents.

View Video: https://youtu.be/eqDmgc6W3LU

The Museum Store

Visit The Museum Store as we gear up for Christmas!

Now In Stock!

The New Smyrna Museum of History Christmas Ornament

Finally, the ornament collector in your life can add a collectable from The New Smyrna Museum of History to their holiday fun.

This beautiful green ornament adorned with the logo of the New Smyrna Museum of History is ready to add some holiday style and spark memories of Christmas fun from Florida's Smartest Little City, New Smyrna Beach.

Order Today:

https://nsbhistory.shopsettings.com/Ornament-Museum-Logo-p592391103

Seas "N" Greetings

Capture the feel unique feel of a holiday visit to the beach with this wonderful Christmas themed beach puzzle by Heritage Puzzles.

Available for $18, check out this puzzle and the variety of other 550 & 1000 piece puzzles available in the Museum Store.

Puzzles are available for in-store purchase only.

Museum Community News

Next Month

Thursday, November 9th @ 6:30 pm

"Hiking Through History, Retracing A Minorcan Odyssey"

W/ Ryan Brennan

If you follow us on Facebook, you might remember posts about Ryan from last November when he departed from our museum's front porch and set off to walk to St. Augustine. He completed the 70 miles in four days, spending 3 nights outdoors as he worked to retrace the steps of those who fled the Turnbull Settlement in 1877.

Ryan continues to work with the Ximenez-Fatio House Museum in St. Augustine. At November's presentation he plans to share insights from last year's hike and details of another project that will again have him "Hiking Through History". This coming March during Minorcan Heritage Month, Ryan plans to create a documentary short film on the Minorcan people and the circumstances that caused them to abandon their home here in Smyrnea' (New Smyrna), to seek a new beginning in British East Florida.

Your Membership and Support Matters!

To become a member, Click Here

New Members:

Michael Garofono

Alice Sundvall

Anne Kerr

Tracey & Sandy Arpen

Dolly Brown

Elizabeth Wilder

Charlotte & Willy Volders

Gene & Sue Jacobs

Stephanie Rees

Hosting NSB

In Memorium:

Lois Veronee Tipton

We were quite saddened to hear about the passing of Lois Tipton in late August, less than one month from reaching the age of 100.

Lois was born in Edgewater and grew up here in the New Smyrna Beach area. In her adult life she worked for the FEC railway which is where she met her late husband Thomas "Tip" Tipton. Together they opened Tipton's Florist in the 1960s and operated the business for about 15 years.

The community got to know Lois through the articles she wrote for the local newspaper. The popular series of articles titled "Old Days, Old Ways" shared stories of growing up here along the east coast of Florida. The articles were eventually turned into two books titled, "Old Days, Old Ways" 1 & 2. We have a limited number of these titles available in the Museum Store. The Museum Store is also proud to carry the Tipton family's guava jelly that continues to be a local favorite.

Last summer, Lois sat down with Dr. Frank Farmer and shared some wonderful stories of growing up here in New Smyrna Beach and what life was like locally during major national events such as the Great Depression and WWII.

The interview was captured by our video team here at the museum and released to our YouTube channel.

You can view the 4 part interview through the following links.

Lois Tipton Part 1

Lois Tipton Part 2

Lois Tipton Part 3

Lois Tipton Part 4

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.

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.

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