Often overlooked in its contribution to film history, Florida has played a key role in creating the modern entertainment industry. This presentation discusses how Florida became a "third coast" to the American film and television industries over the past one hundred years. Starting with the first film pioneers in Jacksonville during the 1900s and 1910s …

Drawing from the concept of ‘spirituality’ and the environmental humanities, this program explores how Floridians can understand the state’s waters within the context of the sacred, the holy, or the divine. By gathering historical outlooks and present-day environmental movements, Dr. Victoria Machado examines the cultural connections Floridians have to water and various environmental practices these …

This presentation takes audiences on a historical journey through the state, featuring performances of songs covering a wealth of historical events, characters, and folklore with in-depth storytelling about Ponce de Leon's voyage to Florida in 1513, Henry Flagler's building of the Florida East Coast Railway, Florida's unique ecosystems, and more. Original songs come from Chris …

Florida's schoolchildren chose the panther as the state animal, and a decade later it nearly went extinct. But a ragtag band-some scientists, a veterinarian, and a veteran hunter-banded together to pull off a risky experiment to save them. Craig Pittman is a native Floridian. Born in Pensacola, he graduated from Troy State University in Alabama, …

Some people regard Florida as nothing but the Punchline State because so many weird things happen here. Craig Pittman argues that it is also the greatest state with the greatest impact on other states. In this presentation, based on his hilarious and thought-provoking New York Times bestselling book Oh, Florida!, Mr. Pittman explains how what …

Florida's schoolchildren chose the panther as the state animal, and a decade later it nearly went extinct. But a ragtag band-some scientists, a veterinarian, and a veteran hunter banded together to pull off a risky experiment to save them. Craig Pittman is a native Floridian. Born in Pensacola, he graduated from Troy State University in …

Join distinguished archaeologist and historian Judith A. Bense for an engaging talk about her book Early Spanish Florida: Unearthing the History of America’s Oldest Colony. Told through the perspectives of the Spanish, Indigenous, and African communities whose interactions reshaped the region, the book highlights the complex cultural exchanges that defined early Florida. With maps, artifact photographs, …

Okeechobee Main Street and Okeechobee Historical Society will host the Smithsonian traveling exhibition, "Americans" in the Okeechobee Historical Courthouse from October 17th to December 5th, 2026. The exhibition explores how deeply intertwined American Indians are in the history, popular culture and identity of the United States. The exhibition will be open at the Historic Courthouse, …

Join us on October 17th at the Okeechobee Historical Courthouse for the opening of "Americans." Based on a major exhibition at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian, "Americans" explores how deeply intertwined American Indians are in the culture of the United States. Opening day activities are hosted by the Okeechobee Historical Society, Okeechobee …

Study major events in Florida history, and there's a good chance a hurricane was involved. Learn how these amazing but devastating weather machines work and how they have affected Florida, with a special focus on the great 1928 storm, the subject of Eliot Kleinberg's award-winning book Black Cloud. Eliot Kleinberg spent more than four decades …

Drawing from the concept of 'spirituality' and the environmental humanities, this program explores how Floridians can understand the state's waters within the context of the sacred, the holy, or the divine. By gathering historical outlooks and present-day environmental movements, Dr. Victoria Machado examines the cultural connections Floridians have to water and various environmental practices these …

Cuba is a historical laboratory of buildings, streets, and artifacts that have been mostly untouched since 1960, allowing visitors to transport themselves into a time and space that has not evolved into modern times. In this historical presentation, Mario Cartaya retraces and recalls six decades of friendly and cooperative Cuban-American relations and history. Mario Cartaya …