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Historic Spanish Point
Press Releases
Contact: Laura Dean, Marketing &
Public Relations Coordinator
Historic Spanish Point
PO Box 846 Osprey, FL 34229
941-966-5214 |
laura@historicspanishpoint.org
www.historicspanishpoint.org
Historic Spanish Point to Celebrate 30th
Anniversary
--2012 marks 30 years as Sarasota County’s premier
history museum--
~[Connecting you to 5,000 years of history!]~
(Osprey, FL) Historic Spanish Point, the first site
in Sarasota County to be listed in the National
Register of Historic Places, will celebrate 30 years
of museum operations in 2012. In 1980, the family of
Mrs. Potter Palmer gifted this property to Gulf
Coast Heritage Association, Inc., a not-for-profit
organization. In April 1982, Historic Spanish Point
opened to the public. Today, it is a museum
accredited by the American Association of Museums.
Its mission is to connect people of today with 5,000
years of human history in south west coastal Florida
by collecting, preserving, and interpreting the
objects and traditions significant to our region’s
past.
Over the 30 years as a non-profit museum, Historic
Spanish Point has undergone major restorations of
the site’s pioneer buildings and Palmer gardens and
created the most unique archaeological exhibition in
the country, called, “A Window to the Past.” Each
year more than 27,000 people visit, including up to
5,000 school children who tour as part of curriculum
based educational field trips. Active membership,
fundraisers, and grants provide essential support. A
professional staff and volunteers work diligently to
continue the mission.
“Historic Spanish Point is a great place for new
residents to discover the rich cultural heritage of
this part of Florida. Plus, the site is located
right on Little Sarasota Bay. Boardwalks and shaded
paths link gardens and pioneer buildings for a
wonderful outdoor adventure.”
-Linda Mansperger, Executive Director of
Historic Spanish Point
During 2012, Historic Spanish Point will continue
its rich assortment of educational programs, special
events, and tours. An exciting renovation of the
landscape and entrance of the Visitors Center will
accompany the celebration. The annual fundraising
luncheon in February has a theme of “Pearls and
Palate Pleasers,” as pearls are the jewel
recognizing a 30th anniversary. Visit throughout the
anniversary year to see why Historic Spanish Point
is the pearl of Sarasota history.
####
HISTORIC
SPANISH POINT TO EXPAND PATHS AND ADD
MUCH NEEDED EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Your community’s premier history museum to
continue its mission to connect people of today with
5,000 years of history through improvements and
additions to paths and to Mary’s Chapel
[OSPREY, FL August 11, 2011] – Gulf Coast
Heritage Association, Inc., which owns and operates
Historic Spanish Point, has begun several
improvements and additions to the 30-acre site
thanks to a generous grant from Gulf Coast Community
Foundation. The accredited museum draws more than
27,000 visitors and over 5,000 school children per
year.
Mary’s Chapel, a reproduction built in 1986, is one
of the highlights of all tours, Living History
Interpreter presentations, and the location for
dozens of “Old Florida” style wedding ceremonies per
year. In keeping with Historic Spanish Point’s
ongoing efforts to make the museum easily accessed
by all visitors, pathways will be widened, raised,
and re-shelled to accommodate tram transport to and
from Mary’s Chapel for guests on tours and for
wedding events. In the process, invasive plants will
be removed and native habitats will be restored
around the Ornamental Pond where wildlife is viewed
by visitors of all ages as they travel to Mary’s
Chapel and other museum areas. The chapel path will
be lit with energy conserving LED outdoor lighting.
This portion of the project will be completed during
the summer of 2011.
Thanks to generous donations from individuals
through a Gulf Coast Gives initiative, homestead
period style lighting fixtures will be installed in
Mary’s Chapel. This is a much needed improvement for
all museum programming as well as weddings. The
addition of two vintage style ceiling fans will
create a cool southern breeze making all visitors
more comfortable inside during programs while
staying in keeping with the historic nature of the
building.
In addition, the Gulf Coast grant will fund the
installation of energy conserving LED outdoor
lighting along paths from the parking area to the
White Cottage, allowing for improved functionality
and ambience for outdoor nighttime museum events and
rentals. A combination of up lights, down lights,
and path lights will make walking safe, plus
beautifully showcase our oaks, palms, and historic
treasures. Collectively these improvements will make
Historic Spanish Point more sought-after as a
wedding and private event location increasing the
museum’s rental revenue.
A final phase of the project will be a new path
between Historic Spanish Point and Bay Preserve.
Elegant gated fencing will be installed on either
end of the path which will primarily be used for
private rentals and weddings of both facilities. All
project work will be completed this fall.
About Gulf Coast Community Foundation
Gulf Coast Community Foundation inspires people
and mobilizes resources to transform the communities
it serves. Gulf Coast is a public charity that was
created in late 1995 and, since it began making
grants in 1996, has funded more than $123 million in
the areas of arts and culture, health and human
services, education, civic affairs, and the
environment. Gulf Coast is the largest community
foundation in Florida.
#####
Unlocking the Secret – The New Entrance to
Historic Spanish Point
Valuable community resource will no longer be
referred to as “Sarasota’s Best Kept Secret”
(Osprey, FL) Historic Spanish Point announces a
major capital campaign to fund a new entrance to the
National Register Historic Site and Visitors Center,
formerly the Osprey School. Professionally designed
by Sarasota landscape architect David W. Young, the
improvements include beautiful landscaping,
lighting, and signage surrounding the exterior of
the Visitors Center and at the museum’s Tamiami
Trail frontage. Local contractors, some of whom
attended the Osprey school as children, together
with volunteers from the community will band
together to see this project to completion.
"These improvements will help attract additional
visitors to Historic Spanish Point, properly welcome
members and their guests, demonstrate supporters’
pride in this unique historic site, and overall
enhance the streetscape of our community," notes
board president Ann Moore. "Over 5,000 years of
history are preserved on the 30 acre bayfront site
comprised of prehistoric Indian middens, pioneer
buildings, and Palmer Gardens. The museum offers
something powerful and unique, educational and
inspirational, to all ages."
Stephen Wilberding and his late wife, Ann “Stevie”
Wilberding (former Historic Spanish Point Board
member), generously pledged $100,000 to help fund
entrance and exterior improvements to the Historic
Spanish Point Visitors Center. Their exceptional
pledge is to be used to encourage and match
additional project contributions and grants. As of
April 5, Historic Spanish Point is 90% of the way to
the achieving the match. The final goal is to raise
a total of $200,000.
"We are excited about the overwhelming support
from the community to date, and we want everyone to
join in this transformational project," notes
Ann Moore. "Please stop by the Historic Spanish
Point Visitors Center to see our plans."
Historic Spanish Point is located at 337 North
Tamiami Trail, (US Highway 41) in the Sarasota
County, Florida community of Osprey. The Osprey
School House, built in 1927, is where volunteers
today greet visitors to the site who enjoy an
orientation program, exhibits, and the museum shop.
In addition, the Visitors Center will soon house the
Mid-County (Osprey) branch of the Sarasota County
library system.
All contributors to this project will proudly be
welcomed by Historic Spanish Point. The project
completion is proposed for fall of 2011. To become a
sponsor or donor, please contact Linda Mansperger,
Executive Director, Historic Spanish Point at
941-966-5214 x230 or linda@historicspanishpoint.org
.
