The Accidental Historian Poetry Contest

To warm up for "The Accidental Historian" exhibit, we’re seeking your poetry and flash prose. Write about how you see and feel about Central Florida right now. How would you narrate life today to those living more than 100 years from now?

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“Love Speaks” Highlights Artistic Responses to Pulse Tragedy

In honor of the third annual remembrance of the mass shooting at the Pulse Nightclub on June 12, 2016, the History Center presents a moving and beautiful art exhibition titled Love Speaks: Artistic Responses to the Pulse Nightclub Tragedy.

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History Center Receives Top National Award for Service to Community

The Orange County Regional History Center has been named one of ten recipients of the 2019 National Medal for Museum and Library Service — the highest honor given to museums and libraries across the nation.

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Orlando’s Earliest Library

National Library Weeks happens in April, and you might be interested to learn that the current iconic Orlando Public Library at the corner of Central Boulevard and Magnolia was not the first public library in our city.

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Mary McLeod Bethune: Educator & Activist

Known during her lifetime as the “First Lady of Negro America,” Mary McLeod Bethune is remembered for her contributions as an educator and civil rights activist. Although the founding of Bethune-Cookman University is probably her most well-known accomplishment, it is one of many.

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The Origins of the Florida Audubon Society

Gathering in the lakeside Maitland home of Clara and Louis Dommerich, fifteen men and women—the “Who’s Who” of Central Florida—agreed on March 2, 1900, to create a statewide arm of the national Audubon movement.

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2019 Brechner Speaker Series Highlights Women as “Warriors for Democracy”

The History Center has teamed with the League of Women Voters of Orange County to present the 2019 Brechner Speaker Series, highlighting the role of women as “warriors for democracy”.

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“Heritage Day” honors founding of Orange County with fun, free admission

The History Center is kicking off its first Heritage Day on Sunday, January 27, with free admission and fun family activities at the museum from noon to 5 p.m.

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Florida Highwaymen Return to the History Center

The History Center opens its doors on Sunday, December 9, as it invites visitors to meet original Florida Highwaymen painters and see their work, along with art by young Central Floridians inspired by the legends.

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An Orlando Legend: Billy the Swan

November 27 is Giving Tuesday, a global day of generosity for nonprofits around the world. Donations to the Historical Society of Central Florida can make a real difference in our community.

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