Archives
April, 2012
NORTHWEST FLORIDA
Wild About Wakulla Week
An ideal time to get outdoors and make memories with family and friends in Wakulla County –“the natural place to be”--is April 14-22. Discover scenic beauty and the friendly, richly historic communities of the area for activities and adventure.
The kick-off event is April 14: The 12th annual Sopchoppy Worm Gruntin' Festival. It starts at 9 am with a worm grunting demonstration and ends that night with the Worm Grunter's Ball. The day’s loaded with live music and fun: Try the Horseshoe Championship, bait casting and hula hoop contests. Admission is free. For more information, go to www.wormgruntinfestival.com.
On 4/15- St Marks Natural Refuge Historical Trail (allow 2 hours for this self-guided tour) Open M-F from 8am-4pm; Sat & Sun open 10am-5pm. $5 car entrance fee.
4/16: Visit the Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park for historical and ecological tours and entertainment. Go to www.FloridaStateParks.org.
4/17: Panacea/Ochlockonee Bay Community Showcase: Seafood demos from 10-5pm at Mineral Springs (oyster shucking, learn how to smoke mullet, and taste samples of seafood). At Crum’s Mini Mall in Panacea see cast net demos. At the Wakulla Welcome Center from 10:30-4:30, browse the exhibit of William Augustus Bowles: Portrait of a Scoundrel; The Gulf Specimen Lab & Aquarium Tour is from 4:30-5:30 pm. Enjoy a sunset cruise on Apalachee Bay from 6:30-8:30 pm. Personal guide (George Weymouth) specializes in birds, wildlife prints and carving. At St. Marks Outfitters there are guide specialists for coastal inshore fishing and eco adventures.
4/18: St Marks Community Showcase: Hundreds of bicyclists arrive yearly to the confluence of St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers at Fort San Marcos at the end of the state’s first rail trail. Enjoy open houses of locally-owned businesses and historic tours in this oldest existing river town in North America.
4/19 – In Sopchoppy, visit the 1893 depot from 10am-4pm. Experience the history of this colorful town on walking tours, 10am and 2 pm.
4/20 - Crawfordville Showcase: See the 1894 courthouse of heart pine (one of only 3 existing wooden courthouses in Florida). Its cupola is graced with a unique hand-carved cypress (mullet) weather vane. Tour the old jailhouse Museum (built in ’47).
On Friday evening, April 20, the Wakulla Wildlife Festival kicks off with its Art on the Terrace at the historic Wakulla Springs Lodge in Wakulla Springs State Park-–the hub of activities--from 6:30-9:30 pm. Pottery, photography, paintings and drawings, and food are highlighted by Sammy Tedder’s jazz. His Native American flute or soulful sax mixes with the eclectic voices of the wilderness. Visit www.WakullaWildlifeFestival.org.
4/21 Art on Terrace continues from 10am-4pm. On the festival grounds, the bluegrass sounds of Scrub Oaks, Coon Bottom Creek and Pickin' & Grinnin’ quickens the atmosphere. Living history demonstrators share the power of the blacksmith and the gentle grace of the spinner. Basket makers, cow hunters and soldiers from past Florida conflicts offer a glimpse into past lives.
Friday and Saturday premium tours (additional fees apply) offer excursions on the Wakulla River and tours of a submerged underground cave system. Bring your camera and capture the outdoor splendor of Spanish moss-draped cypress and flitting butterflies among spring blooms. Other tours guide guests into the normally off-limits sanctuary on a quest to discover neo-tropical migrating birds or the park’s champion trees. Early on-line registration is recommended for tours.
At the Bird of Prey and Reptile shows presented by the Center for Wildlife Education, Georgia Southern University, discover the mysterious yet vital role snakes and lizards play. Eagles, hawks and owls swoop overhead while their handlers present predator/prey relations and raptors as indicators of environmental health. There is also a presentation on common butterflies that thrive in the Florida Panhandle and a cave diver’s view of the largest submerged cave system in the United States. Don’t miss the fancy clogging footwork of the Hot Pepper Steppers.
4/22 –Enjoy a talk and tour of DeSoto Winter Encampment site. Then take the 30-40 minute driving tour to Fort San Marcos de Apalachee in the historical coastal village of St. Marks, where Certified Green Guide boat captains give scenic cruises from the fort; take a walking tour of the fort and grounds; or listen to a lecture in the Fort Museum on Conquistadors in the Fabled Land of the Apalachee.
Go to www.WakullaWildlifeFestival.org, www.FloridaStateParks.org, www.WormGruntinFestival.com; and www.WildAboutWakulla.com for more information.
Musical Echoes at Fort Walton Beach
Musical Echoes is an alcohol-free celebration of Native American culture, art, and music, highlighting the Native American flute. It occurs at Fort Walton Landing, 139 Brooks Street, along Santa Rosa Sound at Fort Walton Beach beginning on Friday, April 20 at noon and continuing through Sunday, April 22 at 3:30 pm. Admission is free and fun for all ages.
The flute’s music is ethereal and haunting, lyrical and timeless-–and a perfect backdrop for this location. The prehistoric temple mound, located on the Indian Temple Mound Museum grounds, is one of the most outstanding artifacts left by early inhabitants.
Built as a ceremonial center by the Mound Builder Culture between 800-1400AD, this mound is the largest on salt water and possibly the largest prehistoric earthwork on the Gulf Coast. It stands 12 feet tall and measures 223 feet across its base. It took an estimated 200,000 basket loads of earth to create it. In 1964 the Temple Mound was designated a National Historic Landmark. The temple, on top of the mound, was used as the residence of the leader, a temple for religious ceremonies, and a place to direct the activities of the village. It was and still is a sacred burial ground.
The Thunderbird Honor Guard leads the opening ceremony at noon on Friday. Saturday and Sunday feature a full line-up of entertainment including Ed Winddancer, a Nanticoke Indian from Maryland and Native American dancer, flutist and educator and other well-known entertainers are Jeff Ball, Injunuity, Arvel Bird, Emerson Begay, the Nikki Crisp Dancers, Billy Whitefox, Coyote Oldman, Jonny Lipford, and Dr. Michael DeMaria.
There are also workshops (registration required): novices can learn flute making or take a flute-playing class.
Call 850-243-9807 or visit www.musicalechoes.org for more information.
Musical Echoes at Fort Walton Beach
Musical Echoes is an alcohol-free celebration of Native American culture, art, and music, highlighting the Native American flute. It occurs at Fort Walton Landing, 139 Brooks Street, along Santa Rosa Sound at Fort Walton Beach beginning on Friday, April 20 at noon and continuing through Sunday, April 22 at 3:30 pm. Admission is free and fun for all ages.
The flute’s music is ethereal and haunting, lyrical and timeless-–and a perfect backdrop for this location. The prehistoric temple mound, located on the Indian Temple Mound Museum grounds, is one of the most outstanding artifacts left by early inhabitants.
Built as a ceremonial center by the Mound Builder Culture between 800-1400AD, this mound is the largest on salt water and possibly the largest prehistoric earthwork on the Gulf Coast. It stands 12 feet tall and measures 223 feet across its base. It took an estimated 200,000 basket loads of earth to create it. In 1964 the Temple Mound was designated a National Historic Landmark. The temple, on top of the mound, was used as the residence of the leader, a temple for religious ceremonies, and a place to direct the activities of the village. It was and still is a sacred burial ground.
The Thunderbird Honor Guard leads the opening ceremony at noon on Friday. Saturday and Sunday feature a full line-up of entertainment including Ed Winddancer, a Nanticoke Indian from Maryland and Native American dancer, flutist and educator and other well-known entertainers are Jeff Ball, Injunuity, Arvel Bird, Emerson Begay, the Nikki Crisp Dancers, Billy Whitefox, Coyote Oldman, Jonny Lipford, and Dr. Michael DeMaria.
There are also workshops (registration required): novices can learn flute making or take a flute-playing class.
Call 850-243-9807 or visit www.musicalechoes.org for more information.
Northeast
Ponce Inlet Lighthouse and Museum
For good reason this navigational helping hand was first known as the Mosquito Inlet Lighthouse. In 1886 in spite of yellow fever and the great Charleston Earthquake—hardly favorable to stability of tall narrow structures—the three-year project was finished. It had a kerosene lamp—first lit in November 1887—and a fixed Fresnel lens made in Paris that cast a beam visible from twenty miles out in the Atlantic.
As one might guess, in the 126 years since, there have been many keepers of the light, and a great deal of evolution to a radiance that still aids seaworthy mariners. Today the facility also functions as a museum that attracts more than 140,000 visitors each year. Of all the 19th-century lighthouses on U.S. coasts, the Ponce Inlet is one of a scant number with the entirety of original buildings still intact—possibly the best preserved and most authentic of the total.
In 1909 the kerosene lamp was replaced with incandescent oil vapor illumination, and over a decade later indoor plumbing was installed, plus electricity in exchange for energy from the still-standing windmill, providing new-fangled lights for the home. It wasn’t until 1927 that the name was changed to Ponce de Leon Inlet—much more alluring to tourism and the real estate boom than mosquitoes.
In 1933 the tower light was electrified with a 500-watt lamp and the original Fresnel lens replaced with a revolving, flashing lens. In 1939 the Lighthouse Service was abolished, and the last light keeper joined the Coast Guard that took over the Light Station, displacing the family habitat with barracks, while scouring the waters for German submarines.
In 1953 the lighthouse was totally automated, and by 1970 the Coast Guard abandoned it for a new station. If it had not been for the Ponce de Leon Lighthouse Preservation Association inaugurated in 1972, vandals probably would have completed the destruction they had begun. That same year the lighthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and later named a National Historic Landmark. By 1982 with restoration nearly complete, the light shown once more, although the rotating third-order Fresnel lens wasn’t returned to the lantern room until its refurbishment in 2004.
The lighthouse tower and museum are located 10 miles south of Daytona Beach and are open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas. Besides the authenticity, this tower jutting 175 feet into the atmosphere is the highest in Florida, and one of the tallest masonry lighthouses in the country. It takes 203 huffing and puffing steps to get to the top, but once there the view of the inland waterways and beach is magnificent.
At a lower level the keeper’s dwelling and other historic buildings make up the museum that highlights the United States Lighthouse Service, Fresnel lens restoration, and Florida’s—especially Daytona Beach—history.
The Ayres Davies Lens Exhibit Building houses one of the finest collections of restored Fresnel lenses in the world, including the first- order lens from the Cape Canaveral lighthouse and the original Ponce Inlet lighthouse lens.
You can rush through the lighthouse and museum in an hour, but a high degree of interest (and elevation) holds most people much longer. Stepping inside the white picket fence is a trip back in time, exposing a treasure of experiences for every member of the family. Recommended is a short introductory video that enhances the understanding of sights to be encountered and enjoyed.
The Ponce Inlet Lighthouse and Museum opens at 10am but closing time varies throughout the year. Admission is $5 for adults and $1.50 for children. With advance reservations groups can be accommodated. Full-Moon Tours (must reserve) are also offered. For more information call 386-761-1821 or visit www.ponceinlet.org.
The Beaches Museum and History Park - Jacksonville
Who thought you could be a time traveler at the beach? Well, at the Beaches Museum & History Park on Jacksonville Beach you can learn about the lives of early river pilots, fishermen, hardy pioneer settlers, and reminisce about a gilded-age seaside resort.
The Beaches Area Historical Society (BAHS) began in 1979 as a research organization and repository for historic photographs which richly capture this area’s heritage and growth. Over the years, the organization also moved and preserved several historical buildings at the history park. As local citizens brought more cherished family pieces, the BAHS built the museum in 2006 to house and showcase each of these beach communities’ unique personalities.
Mayport is French by birth, Spanish by upbringing, but definitely American with the United States Naval Station Mayport dominating the present-day community.
Although influenced by rail magnate Henry M. Flagler's Continental Hotel, Atlantic Beach had a prior history. Native Americans inhabited the area for thousands of years before European contact. Its abundant food and benign climate encouraged successive native cultures such as the Timucua to settle here as well.
In 1884 Eugene F. Gilbert paid the state $1.25 an acre for 180 acres which became Neptune Beach. Today this is a resident-focused community with many homes that have been in the same family for generations. It also boasts the largest park at the beaches.
Jacksonville Beach (originally named Ruby, then Pablo Beach) got its start in 1884, when William and Eleanor Scull set up their tent home on this oak scrub beach, helped survey the area for the coming railroad, and opened the first general store and post office. In 1899, Henry Flagler purchased the faltering Jacksonville & Atlantic Railroad which spearheaded the development of current-day Jacksonville Beach.
The area south of Jacksonville Beach was rich in rattlesnakes, alligators, mosquitoes, and minerals and was originally named Mineral City. When the National Lead Company mined here, mules were as prevalent as people. Today it’s an exclusive international golf resort community known as Ponte Vedra Beach.
In 1908, a canal was dug and connected the San Pablo River to the north with the Tolomato River near St. Augustine to the south. This intracoastal canal made access to the valley easier for raising cattle, farming, and logging. Named Palm Valley because they sold palm fronds to religious groups, today most farms have disappeared and luxury residences overlook the Intracoastal Waterway.
At the Beaches Museum & History Park tours are offered, or you can roam on your own. On site they also have the Mayport Depot, an early Pablo Beach Post Office, the restored Florida East Coast Railroad Foreman's house, and a 1911, 28-ton steam locomotive. A free treat for those interested in trains is to visit the Railroad Club operating HO model trains on Saturdays from 11 am-3pm).
Present Exhibits: From 3/1-30 One in Three: an exhibit empowering young people to share their stories of challenge and struggle as well as those of triumph and success. On 4/5–6/9 Jean Ribault and the French in 16th Century Florida: Rare Engravings and Historic Maps from the Michael and Dr. Linda Fisher Collection. On 6/16–8/25 Mermaids of the Sea: Women Surfers in Northeast Florida. On 9/4–10/27 Lifeguard on Duty: Celebrating 100 years of the American Red Cross Volunteer Lifeguards Corps in Jacksonville Beach.
The Beaches Museum & History Park is located at 381 Beach Boulevard at Jacksonville Beach. Hours are Tue-Sat from 10am-4:30pm. Archive Hours are Tue-Thur from 10am-4:30pm. Tour Hours are at 11am, noon, 1, 2, and 3pm. Admission: Adults-$5; Seniors-$4; Children (6-17)-$3; Free for children age 5 and under. Call 904-241-5657 or go to www.beachesmuseum.org.
Central
Florida Air Museum - Lakeland
Last month thousands traveled to the Sun ’n Fun International Fly-in at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport. The extravaganza was several fun-packed days and more than lived up to its heading, but if you missed the sights, sounds, and festivities, all is not lost because there is a permanent display on the campus that you can visit year round. It’s an exhibit that thrills aircraft aficionados, or anyone for that matter, who is interested in the history of the people and technology making aviation what it is today.
More than 30 years ago when Sun ’n Fun was in its infancy there were visionaries who foresaw a museum as a necessary presence—a grand concept that spanned years from inception to fruition, but never lost momentum. It started as a “mini museum” in one corner of a hangar and grew. After receiving funding from the city of Lakeland the current museum building—designed for projected expansion, and part of a planned restoration and educational facility—was opened to the public during the 1992 Sun ’n Fun Fly-in. However it wasn’t until 1999 that the pavilion section of the museum complex was completed, serving an evening curriculum during Sun ’n Fun, plus a variety of year-round programs.
In 2002 the museum was designated the Official Aviation Museum and Education Center of the state by the Governor and the Florida legislature. The exhibits cover a wide variety of vintage aircraft, ultra lights, experimental homebuilts, air racers, military, aerobatic, and factory-built aircraft from all eras—supplemented by a collection of engines from WWI to the present. One of the first noteworthy crafts displayed was the Lockheed XFV-1 “Vertical Riser” that remains fully restored and has become a landmark.
Some of the exhibits are: Florida Aviation History, Florida Aviation Hall of Fame, Lakeland in WWII, Tuskegee Airmen, Women in Aviation, Rocketry and Space, Golden Age of Air Racing, Charles Lindbergh, and “An Airman’s World” photographic display. These are periodically updated and changed, with 2007 marking the first touring exhibit from The Smithsonian Air & Space Museum.
The 8,000 square-foot Buehler Restoration Skills Center is just behind the museum and affords year-round opportunities for restoration and educational programs. Museum visitors can observe their work and talk with talented craftsmen about the current and ongoing projects.
The most extensive display, and most interesting to the masses concerns Howard Hughes, one of the pioneers of air travel and the eccentric personality who was a designer, test pilot, movie producer and entrepreneur. The museum took possession of more than 180 crates of Hughes aviation memorabilia including a 14-foot model of the Spruce Goose, leather flying suits, racing trophies, books, manuals, maps, scrapbooks, and personal keepsakes.
The Florida Air Museum prevailed over several institutions nation wide that desired the collection. It was rewarded after visits by a Vice President of the Hughes Corporation who appreciated that the collection would always be open to the public. The collection includes many items from Hughes’ flight around the world in 1938—en event that created a frenzy equaling Lindbergh’s flight a few years earlier—and facets of his life including the 65 movies he directed or produced.
The Florida Air Museum is located on the southwest corner of Lakeland Linder Regional Airport on the Sun ’n Fun fly-in campus in Lakeland. It is open every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. The museum is fascinating from a wide perspective. And, whether a pilot or trivia collector, the Gifts of Flight Shop offers aviation-themed merchandise that will help preserve the memories you take home.
The Florida Air Museum’s hours are: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat 10am-4pm and Sun noon-4pm. Admission: Adults/$10, Senior and Active Military/$8, Students 8-12/$6, and free for children under 5. For group tours, call 863-904-4073 of email them at educate@FloridaAirMuseum.org. For general information, call 863-644-2431 or go to www.FloridaAirMuseum.org.
The Great American Pie Festival in Celebration
and
The APC/Crisco National Pie Championships in Orlando
If you love to eat pies, take your appetite to Lakeside Park in Celebration. It becomes the Pie Capital of the World on April 28 and 29 when thousands of pie lovers, tasters and bakers gather at the Great American Pie Festival sponsored by Crisco®. The highlight will be the Never-Ending Pie Buffet, featuring award-winning pie, ice cream, toppings and beverages by Bakers Square Restaurants and Pies, Bonert’s Slice of Pie, California Raisin Marketing Board, J.Horner’s Desserts, Kroger’s Private Selection, Publix Super Markets, Inc., Rocky Mountain Pies, Tippin’s Pies, Village Inn, Wick’s Pies, and Smucker’s Toppings and The Folger Coffee Company.
Children can make their own pies at the Crisco Kids Creation Station. Activities like pie decorating, pie scraping, pie tin art will be offered. The Pietopia Demonstration Stage features entertainment and baking demonstration by chefs from across the country. Of course, no pie festival would be complete without a Pie Eating Contest.
Celebration hours are Saturday, April 28 from 11am-7pm, and Sunday, April 29 from noon-5pm. Demonstrations and entertainment are free. Cost for the Never Ending Pie Buffet is $10/adults, $5/seniors 65+, and children 5-12. Children's area, including children's pie making, pie eating, bounce houses, crafts, etc. is $10/children from 3-12, and adults/ $5. For more information, go to www.piecouncil.org.
However, if you’re a foodie who prefers baking to eating--and think you have a delectable pie to share--enter The APC/Crisco National Pie Championships at the Caribe Royale in Orlando. Under the auspices of the American Pie Council (APC), amateur pie makers, professional bakers/chefs & commercial pie companies from around the country and Canada have competed here since 1995 and covet an APC award because of their high standard of quality in pie making on all levels.
On Friday, April 27 the National Pie Championships kick off with the Commercial Division entrants’ registration of pies, starting at 6am. Independent Bakers (under $1,000,000 in pie sales) can enter their pies in a new division of the Commercial Competition. These following flavors for both categories will be accepted: apple, apple crumb, banana cream, berry, blueberry, cherry, chocolate cream, citrus, coconut cream, cookie/candy cream, open cream, custard, key lime, silk cream, peach, pumpkin, raisin, nut, open, open fruit/berry, peanut butter, strawberry, tropical fruit flavors and Best New Product. These pies will be judged on Friday, with awards presented Friday evening at the Pie Reception and Awards Ceremony in Orlando.
On Friday, April 27 amateur contestants can bake on a new Kenmore range. Entries will be accepted in the following flavors: apple, Crisco Classic Cherry, Crisco Classic Chocolate, Crisco Innovation, citrus, fruit/berry, raisin, cream cheese, no sugar added, cream, custard, gluten free, nut, sweet potato, pumpkin, peanut butter and open. These pies and others entered will be judged on Saturday, April 28 with awards presented that evening at 6:45pm in Orlando.
On Saturday, April 28 professional contestants bake on a new Kenmore range. Entries are accepted in the following flavors: apple, Crisco Classic Cherry, Crisco Classic Chocolate, Crisco Innovation, citrus, cream, fruit/berry, nut, peanut butter, raisin, mini-pies and open. These pies and others entered will be judged and awarded on Sunday in Orlando.
High school students will also get an opportunity to bake on a new Kenmore range on Saturday, April 28. Entries are accepted in the following flavors: apple, cream, open and fruit/berry. These pies will be judged and awarded on Sunday, April 29 in Orlando.
Whatever your inclination, eating or baking—You’ll get your fill of pies in Celebration and Orlando. For more information, go www.piecouncil.org.
Southwest
20th Annual Venice Sharks' Tooth Festival
On April 13, 14 and 15, you can enter shark tooth hunter’s heaven—and you won’t even have to get into the water to find them: Visit the 20th Annual BB&T Venice Sharks’ Tooth Festival at the Venice Airport Festival Grounds, near the beach, just off the US 41 Business Loop at 120 East Airport Avenue. Sharks’ teeth are everywhere on Venice’s beaches. You don’t even have to dig or look too hard. Nobody goes home without at least one. The Festival opens on Friday at 4pm.
Sharks continually shed and replace the 40 or more teeth in each jaw. .Over a period of 10 years, an average Tiger shark can produce as many as 24,000 teeth. Dead sharks sink to the ocean floor, where they are covered with silt and sand and decompose, leaving only the teeth. The Gulf’s unique tides and currents wash sharks’ teeth up on the beaches of Venice—making this the sharks’ teeth capitol of the world.
Snorkelers and divers go deeper, coming up with larger specimens that don’t always make it to the beach. Sharks’ teeth are black, brown, or gray, depending on the minerals in the soil in which they have been buried. They range in size from one eighth inch to three inches, and on rare occasions more. Venice Beach was recently featured on WWSB-TV sharing information on the many prehistoric finds.
Sharks’ teeth and other marine fossils on display are available for sale at the Festival. Children will enjoy a Sharks’ Tooth Scramble and Mote Marine’s hands-on exhibit. About 100 artists will have their work on display, and there will be plenty of music and food available. All proceeds benefit Special Olympics Sarasota County.
Entertainment Schedule
Friday, April 13-The Gator Creek Band from 6-9pm.
Saturday, April 14-Manatee Cloggers from 10-10:45am; The Cryin Shames from 11am-noon; High Tide from 12:30-1:30pm; Fishing Presentation from 2-2:45pm; High Tide from 3-4pm; Tropical Ave from 4:30-5:45pm; The Boogiemen from 6:15-9pm.
Sunday, April 15 -Manatee Cloggers from 11:15am-12:15pm; Impulse from 12:45-2:30pm; The Crashers from 2:30-5pm.
Admission is $3, and free for kids under 12. Free parking. Sorry, no pets allowed. For more information, call 941-412-0402 or go to www.SharkToothFest.com.
Naples Botanical Garden
The brochures boast “gardens with latitude” --a clever play on words. Latitude can’t possibly be altered, but attitudes can, and these gardens suggest such a positive sense of peace, tranquility, and natural beauty that the implication cannot be overlooked. On display is the splendor of nature enhanced by landscape artistry that will enthrall you in its innate essence.
All of this is due to a civic-minded group of Naples citizens organized around a garden premise nearly twenty years ago. In 2000 a gift from the Kapnick Family permitted the purchase of this extraordinary 170-acre site encompassing seven different natural habitats juxtaposed to downtown Naples.
However, projects of this magnitude, even in cities as affluent as Naples, do not occur overnight. It wasn’t until 2009 that the final transition—the site was formerly fronted by a strip mall and parking lot—took the form of a botanical venue that includes six cultivated gardens, and 90 acres of restored native preserve intermingled with 2.5 miles of walking trails.
The Gardens map leads you through a myriad: (Asian, Caribbean, Florida, Idea, and Water Gardens; Butterfly House, Pine Crossing; The Grove, River of Grass, and Solstice Landing, etc.) Each one is more captivating than the previous. Around every bend of the garden paths that sometimes resemble a maze, are vistas that totally envelop your senses. And it’s not the natural elements by themselves, but the combination of architectural brilliance that showcases the extravagant plant-life on the grounds. Plus there’s a multitude and variety of seating throughout, so you can contemplate and not feel rushed to experience the full impact. Furthermore, the scenery is in constant change. It’s a living, pulsating environment that invites return visits and promises something different each time.
A personal favorite is the Burle Marx Plaza with its gentle waterfall hovering above the Brazilian Garden. It appears that a draftsman’s French curve outlined the slab of concrete that has the sensation of floating with the surrounding lily pads, and is punctuated by large angular arches and a brightly colored mosaic. But, there are probably as many preferred locations as there are visitors, since at each step and every turn the landscape is dramatically made over.
There is also emphasis on convenience for visitors. The first special garden you encounter is whimsically designed for children. They can splash in the fountain and scramble up to the outlying fire tower and tree house. You can explore at your own pace or join the daily 11 a.m. guided tour (November-April). There are also designated times for dogs in the gardens, (Check site for specifics) with conveniently placed water dishes for the four-legged guests to lap at their leisure.
Of course wildlife is always found in abundance. There is a birding tower on the perimeter of the deep lake and the uplands and wetlands preserves provide vital habitats for countless species.
Strolling through the cultivated greenery produces a moving confluence of nature’s creativity with synthesized exquisiteness. The centerpiece of the gardens is the Palm Circle formed by a ring of sabal palms accented with bougainvillea, silver palmettos, and ground coverings of native grasses and wildflowers. Again, it’s nature at its best—strengthened by man’s ingenuity.
And, the intent of the Garden is not merely to please the senses of observation. There are myriad social events throughout the year—all of them educational in one way or another—everything from wellness programs to studying the botanicals and photographing them—all led by professionals in their field. There are children’s programs, (including an Easter Egg hunts on the morning of April 7,) art shows, movies and live entertainment at night.
The hanging pocket gardens and enabling gardens will intrigue those with arthritis or trouble bending with creative ways to enhance your own patio or garden spaces.
This month the schedule includes an exhibition of Zimbabwean sculpture until the 22nd— displayed under tent cover and staged aesthetically throughout the gardens. Russ Morrison and Frontline Bluegrass appears on the 4th, and the Dan McMillion Quintet of jazz musicians on the 8th. The Gardens repertoire is so wide and varied you will almost certainly find something to your liking—and regardless of how you enter—upon leaving your l-attitude will surely be adjusted to a more tranquil vision.
Naples Botanical Garden is located at 4820 Bayshore Drive in Naples. Open daily from 9am-5pm. Admission: Adults-$12.95; children age 4-14 -$ 7.95; free for those 3 and under. For a complete view of activities go to www.naplesgarden.com or call 239-643-7275.
Southeast
Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Society and Museum - Key West
Who would have thought that a landlocked Indiana chicken farmer would become the world’s most renowned underwater treasure hunter? Mel Fisher attended Purdue University but eventually left the Hoosier state for California where he found his true vocation to be closer to fish than fowl. There he opened the first diving shop in the state.
It took most of a lifetime—much of it hard times—but, Fisher, at an age when most people are considering retirement, made the discovery that would define him--and underwater treasure recovery for all times. Off the Florida Keys in July of 1985 Mel Fisher found the 1622 wreck of the Nuestra Senora de Atocha.
The wreckage site known as the “bank of Spain” yielded an estimated $400 million cache—40 tons of gold, silver, and Columbian emeralds. Yet, the “Atocha Motherlode," was possibly only half the total riches that went down. The stern castle, believed to be the most prized part of the ship, is thought to have never been located. Among other items, a fortune of 300 silver bars and 8 bronze cannons are still missing—and the search continues to this day.
But, for those of us not inclined to spend most of our time underwater, the search needn’t go farther than the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in Key West. As much as a museum, it is a conservation laboratory for underwater archeological artifacts. Entering the lab, there are large tanks of fresh water containing hundreds of coral-encrusted relics that must be kept saturated until stabilized. Otherwise exposure to oxygen can cause serious deterioration.
Each material requires a specific treatment for stabilization, varying from hours to several years. The staff handles 150 to 200 new items each year, and when they become physically and chemically secure they are displayed in the gallery or traveling exhibits—even then there is constant monitoring of temperature, humidity and light for an optimal environment.
Currently the collection contains approximately 100,000 artifacts consisting of bars of precious metals, coins and jewels; various glassware, ceramics, and ivory as well as organic items of wood and leather. Objects range from cannons and other weaponry to tools, riggings, and navigational hardware and instruments. It is not the object of conservators to restore objects to their original condition, but to preserve them in their present condition and prevent further degeneration.
Any foreign object in seawater attracts organisms that over time deposit a dense concrete-like cover referred to as concretion. As you will see, many items are completely concealed in concretion but can be identified by general shape and size.
This museum is a fascinating place. For many people much of what is found there has as much value in history and science as the treasures convertible to cash—all representative of a great adventure.
The Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Society and Museum is open 8:30am-5pm weekdays. 9:30am-5pm on weekends and holidays. It is located at 200 Green Street Key West. For more information call 305-294-2633 or go to www.melfisher.org
Clewiston Museum
The Clewiston Museum is housed in a 1928 building originally home to The Clewiston News. The city’s history comes alive in exhibits and video (their theater seats 60): Sugar cane is their primary crop—and this is where the United States Sugar Corporation produces 10% of the domestic sugar consumed in the U.S.
This small town located on the southern shores of Lake Okeechobee was the last frontier in the continental U.S. to be settled. Numerous drainage canals were dug and the area prospered due to the rich black soils that are the basis of its agricultural industry today. After the 1928 hurricane, the Herbert Hoover Dike was constructed around the lake to safeguard lives and property.
The museum shows evidence that Florida was once covered in a tropical sea before it rose. The shell and coral exoskeletons of marine life are made of calcium carbonate which broke down, forming the many layers of limestone in South Florida. Many large marine mammals were also present--dolphin and whale bones are on display--but the most unique exhibit is of the 12-foot Florida Dugong (related to the Manatee).
Since Florida was once part of a land bridge extending from South America, there are also fossil bones of mammoths and giant ground sloths. There’s even a complete leg of an ancient horse (probably reintroduced in 1521 when Ponce De Leon started a colony on the coast.)
There are North American artifacts depicting both the Miyamia people that once lived around Lake Okeechobee and the later-arriving Seminole. The museum also covers such diverse subjects as ramie (one of the oldest fiber crops) grown here to make rayon, the Royal Air Force pilots training at the Clewiston airfield, and a World War II prisoner-of-war camp.
The Clewiston Museum is not only a great place to get a slice of area history, but because Clewiston is known as “America’s Sweetest Town,” it will entice you with its celebrations:
April 12 is Seminole Heritage Day with an exhibit at the museum featuring baskets and dolls and speakers at 7pm on Seminole history of the area.
April 13 kicks off the 26th Annual Sugar Festival with the Raising Cane Youth Rodeo at 7pm at the Henry County Fair and Livestock Show Arena. The Bond Street Dance is at 8pm.
April 14: The Festival continues from 9am til dusk. Entertainment features arts and crafts, a Kid’s Park, and the Big Lake Cruisers Rod Run.
The Sugarland Express Heritage and Agricultural Tour ($42 per person is from 10am-2:30pm. Arrive by 9:45am) of Clewiston and Lake Okeechobee offers an upclose view of a sugar cane farm and the latest techniques used. The excursion also takes you to the Clewiston sugar mill, and the state-of-the-art refinery and citrus juice plant. Buffet lunch and tip (included in price) is at the historic Clewiston Inn. It ends with a tour of the Clewiston Museum. Tours offered during the October-March growing season. For info and reservations, call 877-693-4372 or 863-983-7979. Go to www.clewiston.org or email them at clewistonchamber@embarqmail.com.
The Clewiston Museum’s Historical Eco Tours are on Fridays only from 8:30am-2:30pm. Cost is $20 per person (lunch is not included) The trip starts at South Florida Water Management District’s “Stormwater Treatment Area 5.” Alligator sightings are numerous and this is a popular birding destination, so don’t forget your camera. After lunch at the Roland Martin Marina, you’ll travel on top of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer’s “Herbert Hoover Dike,” with the guide giving an historical interpretation of Lake Okeechobee, and concluding with a visit to the Clewiston Museum.
The Clewiston Museum is located at 109 Central Ave. Admission is $4/adults, $3/seniors, $2/students. Free for children under 6. Hours 9am-4pm weekdays. Gift Shop. Speakers programs are offered on a variety of topics. Call 863-983-2870, email clewistonmuseum@embarqmail.com or go to www.clewistonmuseum.org
