Ebsen Dance Revue
Orlando siblings Buddy and Vilma Ebsen make it big as professional dancers and perform in their hometown in May 1940 at Orlando’s City Auditorium.
How Spring Baseball Came to Florida
With reliable rail travel and emergent automobiles and airplanes, the distance between sunny Florida and baseball’s best teams shrank almost yearly in the early 20th century.
A Rare Bird: The Art and Life of Joy Postle
By re-interpreting nature with her own artistic flair, Joy Postle – artist, champion of wildlife, poet, traveler, and free spirit – turned a spotlight on the natural Florida that would be carelessly threatened during her lifetime by unchecked development.
Mabel Norris Reese: Fearless Voice for Truth
Mabel Norris Reese began her life career in journalism in Akron, Ohio, where she first worked as a reporter for the Akron Times-Press and, from 1935 to 1941, as a reporter for the Akron Beacon-Journal. In 1947, she and her husband, Paul, bought the Mount Dora Topic newspaper.
Parramore’s Landmark Churches
In Orlando’s Parramore neighborhood, African Americans worshipped outdoors in brush arbors and stables while they saved funds to build proper churches, which served not only as places of worship but also as social centers, gathering places, and schools.
The Wells’Built: Rich Echoes of the Past on South Street
Now, the hotel on South Street near Division Avenue – originally called the Wellsbilt – is home to the Wells’Built Museum of African American History and Culture.
Becoming Florida: Discovering the People of Our State’s Past
The year 2021 marks 200 years since Florida’s American era began. Join us as we explore the histories of the people who inhabited Florida before it became a United States territory.
Windover: Prehistoric Past Revealed at Ancient Pond Cemetery
Explore the discovery and excavation of one of the most important archaeological sites in North America: the 7,000-year-old pond cemetery known as Windover.
Ben White Raceway: The Training Capital of Harness Racing
Trotters Park was once Ben White Raceway, at one time the largest training facility for harness racing in the United States and the winter home of championship harness races and racehorses.
Give an Experience They Won’t Forget!
During a holiday season like no other, the History Center offers brand-new opportunities to give one-of-a-kind gifts to family and friends, or even for yourself! From behind-the-scenes tours of our collections to a secret nighttime event at the museum, these gifts are not to be found anywhere else.