Category: Past Events

Event Schedule for 2022

Our next event at the historic Green Street Church,
510 S. Indiana Avenue, Englewood:
7pm, April 26:
Rhoda Clovis “Cyprus Gardens”

From the 1953 movie “Easy To Love” with Esther Williams, Rhoda Clovis is on the right.

Englewood’s own Rhoda Clovis will talk about her career as a model and water skier at Cypress Gardens during its heyday in the 1950s.
Rhoda has been a resident of Englewood for 54 years. She owned Rhoda’s Swimwear for 30 years.

We asked her how she became an Aquamaid:
”When I was 16, I was invited to spend a week at Beautiful Cypress Gardens to see if I was photogenic and had any Water skiing abilities (I had learned to ski on Lake Dora in Mt. Dora, Fl. Where I attended school.) I was asked to come back and work there after high school, but went on to the University of Florida. I eventually agreed to accept the position of water skier and model at Cypress Gardens.

“I married their head photographer, Trammell Pickett and moved to Sarasota and then Englewood.

“I have two wonderful sons who never left Englewood (Tram Pickett (co-owner of Berlin Sign Co) and Travis Pickett (Owner of Native Charters in Englewood). I have 4 grandchildren and 3 great grands.”
Rhoda appeared along with Esther Williams in the 1953 film “Easy To Love.”

Join us Tuesday, April 26 at 7pm at the Historic Green Street Church, 510 Indiana Ave., Englewood.

All are invited.
Admission is FREE but your tax-deductible contributions are always greatly appreciated.
Thank you!

About Cypress Gardens:

Cypress Gardens “Belles” Walking on Water
(Click for Larger View)

When Dick Pope Sr. opened his Cypress Gardens in 1936, the park in Winter Haven became Florida’s first large-scale tourist attraction. Pope turned marshland into a garden showplace for 8,000 varieties of plants and trees. By 1943, Cypress Gardens became known as the water ski capital of the world, attracting Hollywood stars and providing the setting for many movies. Cypress Gardens closed in 2009, becoming Legoland Florida Resort. Cypress Gardens remains as part of the attraction.

Charlotte County Centennial 2021

The Lemon Bay Historical Society invites the public to the Historic Green Street Church Museum Tuesday, November 16 at 7pm for a special presentation on Charlotte County’s 100th Anniversary.

Our speaker will be Dr. Jennifer Zoebelein, the  historian for Charlotte County. Her presentation will celebrate Charlotte County’s centennial by examining its history before and after its creation in 1921, highlighting those individuals, places and events that have contributed to the county’s development over the last 100 years.

 

A native of Long Island, Dr. Zoebelein received her Ph.D. in History from Kansas State University in 2018 and joined the staff of Charlotte County Libraries and History in November 2019 after working as the Special Projects Historian at the National WWI Museum and Memorial in Kansas City.

Passionate about history since high school, Jennifer has worked for the New-York Historical Society and the National Park Service.

For more information on Charlotte County’s Centennial, visit: charlottecounty100.com

Save the date: Tuesday, November 16 at 7pm at the Historic Green Street Church Museum, 510 Indiana Ave., Englewood.

Admission is free but donations for the upkeep of the iconic building will be greatly appreciated.  CDC guidelines will be followed.

4 War Vet, Ft. Ogden and More

The Lemon Bay Historical Society has again opened the Historic Green Street Church to the public for monthly community events.

Thomas Kreidler

Our next event will be on Tuesday, October 26 at 7pm. Thomas Kreidler, historian and Civil War re-enactor will do a presentation on Francis Calvin Morgan Boggess, a pioneer settler of Fort Ogden, a soldier, schoolteacher, cattleman and civic leader.
Our speaker, Thomas Kreidler, is a former Army officer, Vietnam veteran and retired professor. His hobby is cleaning veterans’ headstones and has spent many days at Indian Creek Cemetery in Punta Gorda, which has more than 100 veterans’ graves.
“It’s time alone to think about their stories,” he says. “I introduce myself and tell them I’m there to give them a haircut and spruce them up a bit.”
He’s even cleaned the graves of prominent men like Albert Gilchrist and Joel Bean.

Learn about Calvin Boggess and more Tuesday, October 26 at 7pm at the Historic Green Street Church Museum, 510 Indiana Ave., Englewood.

Admission is free but donations for the upkeep of the iconic building will be greatly appreciated.  CDC guidelines will be followed.

 

Surviving Sarasota

September 28, 2021  7:00 pm

Author and Poet Clarissa Thomasson will be speaking at the Green Street Church in Englewood as the Lemon Bay Historical Society again opens this historic building to the public. Due to the COVID Delta variant masks will be required. 

Thomasson will showcase her book Surviving Sarasota which highlights the lives of Sarasota County’s first American settlers from 1851 – 1865 as they endure the Third Seminole War, the American Civil War, and its aftermath. She has also written a poem for Sarasota County’s Centennial which can be viewed HERE.

Her first two novels, Defending Hillsborough and Reconstructing Hillsborough were chosen by the North Carolina Association of Public School Librarians for use in the high school study of the Civil War. Lorinda’s Legacy was “pick of the month” at Greensboro, NC Barnes and Noble.

In 2000, Thomasson returned to Florida and now resides in Venice, FL. where she has written five children’s books in her Little Green Monkey series, four novels: Florida Shadows, Florida Secrets, Florida Sunset and Surviving Sarasota set in Southwest Florida, a World War II novel—Over the Bridge—and Venice Dreamers, which highlights Venice’s original settlers.

Thomasson’s stage plays, Over the Bridge and Florida Shadows, each won first place in the Clarence “Bud” Jones Playwriting Competition at the Firehouse Theatre in LaBelle, FL, in 2014 and 2015.

Thomasson is also a freelance writer–having written for GRAND magazine, Yesterday in Florida—where she won a 2005 Florida Trust for Historic Preservation Award for her contributions to Florida history—and Eastside Venice Neighbors—where she wrote monthly articles on Florida history. She is also a contributor for the Venice Gondolier.

The Lemon Bay Historical Society is pleased to be resuming its monthly community programs and has additional speakers lined up for October and November plus the traditional Holiday Sing-Along in December. Don’t forget your mask.

MOTHER’S DAY SING-A-LONG!

A benefit for the Lemon Bay Historical Society and the upkeep of the Historic Green Street Church Museum in Englewood will be held on Mother’s Day, May 9, 6 PM, at the Englewood Methodist Church Sanctuary, 700 E. Dearborn, Englewood.
Pastor Don and Mary will lead the Sing-A-Long. Face masks and social distancing will be required.
Pastor Don Burlock is an accomplished musician, playing organ, piano, accordion and alto horn. Don is married to Mary Lynn from Baltimore, Maryland. They have three children.
Englewood United Methodist is a “servant church” that makes its campus facilities available for a broad range of community activities as well as open to all for its numerous ministries. It has been a focal point for Englewood and the surrounding area for over 100 years. The large Sanctuary serves as a well-equipped venue for such quality productions as those of the annual EUMC Music Ministry Concert Series and Englewood Performing Arts Series (EPAS).
The Englewood Methodist congregation’s first church was on Green Street. Built in 1928, this building, recognized by the Sarasota County Register of Historic Places, was moved and saved by the Lemon Bay Historical Society. The Green Street Church Museum is now located next to the historic Lemon Bay Cemetery on Indiana Ave., Englewood. Admission to the Sing-A-Long is FREE but donations are welcome.
Note that the Sing-A-Long will be held at the Methodist Church located at 700 E. Dearborn Street (not at the Green Street Church).

Cracker Fair 2020

A LOOK BACK TO 2020

18th ANNUAL CRACKER FAIR SPONSORS
These great businesses and organizations helped make the Cracker Fair possible. Please visit them. Shop local!

Arts Alliance of Lemon Bay Inc.

Tony Babington Realtor Keller Williams

Bigfoot Cooling and Heating

Brian Faro Paradise Exclusive Real Estate

FPL

Ivy’s On Dearborn

Jeff Joyce A Sound Beginning

Key Agency, Inc.

Lasbury – Tracy Realty

Lemon Bay Garden Club

Michael J. Looney Electrical Contractor

Joe Maxx Coffee Company

Merrill’s Heating & Air Conditioning

Olde Village Publix

Pioneer Days Committee

Pope Insurance

Sarasota County Community Redevelopment Agency

Janet Shawen PA Paradise Exclusive Real Estate

Jonathan Varner Wampler Insurance & Financial Group

The Windsor of Venice

 

On February 8, 2020, the 18th Annual Cracker Fair, a celebration of Old Florida, was held at  Dearborn Street Plaza. Organized by the Lemon Bay Historical Society, it is our gift each year to the community. Admission is free. The Cracker Fair is the culmination of the Lemon Bay Fest, a week of celebrating Englewood’s history. The Fair is also a fund-raiser for our community programs and our mission to preserve the rich history of the Lemon Bay area. 
There are food vendors, live entertainment, crafts, demonstrations, authors, artists and activities for children. In past years attendees enjoyed lemon desserts, sampled swamp cabbage, watched the Bit of Hope Ranch give a whip-cracking demo, learned how to throw a cast net and interacted with animals brought by the Peace River Wildlife Center. Become a Sponsor of the Fair to help celebrate our historic Englewood community!
The Society is a not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) corporation founded in 1985. Our purpose is to preserve Englewood area’s history and to educate the public about our past through our programs, books, and open houses. One of our latest and most successful area restoration projects was saving the Historic Green Street Church by moving it from leased land to property we own on Indiana Ave.
A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE (1-800-435-7352) WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. OUR REGISTRATION NUMBER IS CH49480. www.FloridaConsumerHelp.com.

Cracker Fair 2019

Food Vendors, Artists, Authors, Local Merchants, Crafts, Music, and more

Kids Zone 

 Lemon Dessert Baking Contest

Located in Pioneer Plaza, Dearborn Street, Englewood, Florida.

Delicious lemon desserts in the Baking Contest served by the Lemon Bay Garden Club
Why lemons? They played a role in Englewood since 1894 when the Nichols brothers purchased 2000 acres of property to develop a town with surrounding lemon groves. The land sold for $30 an acre. If you were interested in a 1-acre home lot, you had to also purchase a 10-acre grove lot. Unfortunately, 2 hard freezes in 2 consecutive years doomed the lemon crops.

The 2019 CRACKER FAIR was pleased to present the following musical artists:

We are pleased to have John Tuff and Friends return again this year. Enjoy the very best in Classic Country Music!

 

New to the CRACKER FAIR is singer-song writer DOUG BURNS. He’ll be doing Americana and Alt-Country styles of music with inspiration from the likes of Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Social Distortion, Guy Clark (and so many more). His sound is unique and fresh with one foot in the past and one in the future.

 

A unique experience will be on hand when James Hawkins performs on our sound stage. James specializes in crafting and performing songs about our rich local history. A perfect fit for the CRACKER FAIR.

CLICK PHOTOS FOR LARGER VIEW:

CRACKER FAIRS THROUGH THE YEARS

(CLICK FOR LARGER VIEW)

CLICK TO SEE THE 2018 CRACKER FAIR HIGHLIGHT VIDEO

A great crowd on a great day at last year’s Fair watching a whip cracking demonstration by Isabella Park from the Bit of Hope Ranch. (See video below.)
Cracker whip demonstration by Isabella Park of Englewood’s Bit of Hope Ranch
John Tuff and Friends are back with great county music.

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Christmas wishes for Green Street Church

By STEVE REILLY Staff Writer for the Englewood Sun

Lemon Bay Historical Society treasurer Carol Garrett, president Charlie Hicks and vice president Esther Horton thank all those who donated to resettle the historic Green Street Church and Museum at the Lemon Bay Cemetery. SUN PHOTO BY CHRIS PORTER

ENGLEWOOD — The historic Green Street Church is settled in its new location at the Lemon
Bay Cemetery on South Indiana Avenue — but that doesn’t mean the work is completed.
The Lemon Bay Historical Society still needs help before the 90-year-old historic building can
be reopened to the public. The members put together a wish list they hope donors can help fill.
“We still need help financially and in-kind help,” Historical Society president Charlie Hicks
said. “We’re at a standstill.”

The project has proven expensive, far more so than anticipated. The nonprofit Historical
Society raised $161,000 through donations and grants of which $160,000 has been spent on
the project.

After a year-long wait, in September, in the middle of the night, R.E. Johnson & Sons movers
lifted the 90-year-old church onto a trailer, tied it down securely and inched it from its
longtime location on West Green Street to the Lemon Bay Cemetery on South Indiana Avenue
(State Road 776). The 1.1-mile journey took most of the night at around 4 mph.

The church was gently set down at the southeast corner of the cemetery, its new permanent
home. In October, the steeple — which was removed before the move — was placed atop the
church.

Since then, Leo Pfliger Construction, the Englewood contractor overseeing the project for the
Historic Society, began work on a retention pond that’s required by Sarasota County and
preparing the site for the finishing touches.

Historical Society members had hoped to reopen soon after the new year, but a lot more work
needs to be completed — such as landscaping, lighting, a parking area, handicap-accessible
ramp, and hook ups to utilities — before the county will issue its certificate of occupancy to the
Historical Society.

The Historical Society will have access to a $50,000 grant from the Sarasota CountyEnglewood Community Redevelopment Agency. However, the grant provides reimbursement
funds the Historical Society only receives after it completes all the work and garners permit
approvals required by Sarasota County. The historic building has to have its certificate of
occupancy before the county will release the $50,000.

“We can’t plan anything,” Hicks said.
Members are continuing their fundraising efforts. The Lemon Bay Garden Club, Florida Native
Plant Society and the Master Gardeners are all ready to assist with the landscaping, which is
also required by the county.

The church had been Englewood’s first house of worship and for years sat on property the
Historical Society leased from the Crosspoint Church of the Nazarene on West Green Street.
The Historical Society bought property at the cemetery so the church can have its “forever
home.”

The historic building hasn’t seen a religious service in decades, but the Historical Society
schedules weddings, memorial services, meetings and other community events at the church.
The Historical Society is now planning for a fundraiser 6 p.m. Jan. 25 at the Englewood
United Methodist Church, 700 E. Dearborn St. That happens to be the congregation that
originally built the church nine decades ago. The fundraiser will include a video highlighting
the move and a performance by John Tuff & Friends.

Email: reilly@sun-herald.com

Historic church wish list
The nonprofit Lemon Bay Historical Society depends upon donations and hopes donors will help fulfill their
wish for the reopening historic Green Street Church:
• Changeable letter sign for front of building
• Irrigation for landscape plants; soaker hoses. Maybe an irrigation well.
• Handicap signs.
• Concrete parking bumpers.
• Sidewalks completed.
• Solar-powered parking lights.
• 11 silver buttonwood trees.
• 109 cocoplum plants.
• Two black olive trees
• 14 bags of organic mulch.