FORT LAUDERDALE HISTORICAL SOCIETY INC

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF MUSEUM EXHIBITS - CONTRIBUTIONS OF SCHOLARLY RESEARCH AND WRITINGS TO THE BODY OF HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE. FORMED IN 1962, THE SOCIETY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RESTORATION, PRESERVATION AND INTERPRETATION OF THE FORT LAUDERDALE HISTORY CENTER (FLHC). FLHC IS HOME TO SIX DIFFERENT BUILDINGS (FOUR OF WHICH ARE HISTORIC). THE NEW RIVER INN, BUILT IN 1905, THE PHILEMON BRYAN HOUSE, BUILT IN 1905, THE ACETYLENE BUILDING, BUILT IN 1905, THE KING-CROMARTIE HOUSE, BUILT IN 1907, THE HOCH HERITAGE CENTER, BUILT IN THE 1940'S AS A POST OFFICE WAREHOUSE, AND THE 1899 REPLICA SCHOOLHOUSE. ALL OF THE BUILDINGS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC OVER 300 DAYS A YEAR. THE HOCH HERITAGE CENTER IS CONSIDERED ONE OF FLORIDA'S MOST IMPORTANT ARTIFACT AND RESEARCH COLLECTIONS OF STATE AND LOCAL HISTORY. THE STRANAHAN MANUSCRIPTS, OVER 250 ORAL HISTORY RECORDINGS OF BROWARD PIONEERS, OVER 8,000 ARTIFACTS, 5,000 ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS AND 2,000 MAPS. THE HOCH CENTER ALSO HAS A NON-CIRCULATING LIBRARY COLLECTION OF APPROXIMATELY 3,000 BOOKS ON STATE AND LOCAL HISTORY.

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS - TOURS AND OUTREACH FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS, VISITORS, AND SCHOOLS THAT SHARE THE STORY OF THE HISTORY OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE INDIVIDUALS THAT SHAPED IT. PROGRAMS INCLUDE SPEAKERS BUREAU, HISTORIC WALKING TOURS, AND THE PIONEER SCHOOL DAY PROGRAM. THE ORGANIZATION'S SPEAKERS BUREAU PROVIDES PRESENTATIONS TO GROUPS AT NO COST ON SUBJECTS THAT INCLUDE FORT LAUDERDALE HISTORY, SANDY NININGER, IVY AND FRANK STRANAHAN, HENRY FLAGLER, AND THE FLORIDA EAST COAST RAILWAY HISTORIC WALKING TOURS, WHICH ARE OFFERED FROM OCTOBER - MAY THROUGH THE ORIGINAL NEIGHBORHOOD OF FORT LAUDERDALE. ADMISSION IS FREE. TOUR GUIDES PROVIDE STORIES ABOUT OLD FORT LAUDERDALE AND THE EARLY PIONEERS, HENRY FLAGLER AND THE FLORIDA EAST COAST RAILROAD, AND ALSO GUIDE VISITORS TO SOME OF THE OLDEST BUILDINGS IN THE CITY. THE PIONEER SCHOOL DAY PROGRAM TEACHES STUDENTS HOW LIFE WAS LED BY CHILDREN AND ADULTS 100 YEARS AGO. STUDENTS TOUR THREE DIFFERENT BUILDINGS, AND EACH HAS A DIFFERENT ACTIVITY. THE PIONEER SCHOOL DAY PROGRAM EMPHASIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF THE INTERSECTION OF THE NEW RIVER AND THE FLORIDA EAST COAST RAILWAY TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF FORT LAUDERDALE.