The United States has a dark past and it is markers like this that help remind us so that we can…read morenever let it happen again. This marker points out one of those events. On the front, "Racial violence erupted in the small and quiet Rosewood community January 1-7, 1923. Rosewood, a predominantly colored community, was home to the Bradley, Carrier, Carter, Goins, and Hall families, among others. Residents supported a school taught by Mahulda "Gussie" Brown Carrier, three churches, and a Masonic lodge. Many of them owned their homes, some were business owners, and others worked in nearby Sumner and at the Cummer Lumber Mill. This quiet life came to an end on January 1, 1923, when a white Sumner woman accused a black man of assaulting her. In the search for her alleged attacker, whites terrorized and killed Rosewood residents. In the days of fear and violence that followed, many Rosewood citizens sought refuge in the nearby woods. White merchant John M. Wright and other courageous whites sheltered some of the fleeing men, women and children. Whites burned Rosewood and looted livestock and property; two were killed while attacking a home. Five blacks also lost their lives: Sam Carter, who was tortured for information and shot to death on January 1; Sarah Carrier; Lexie Gordon; James Carrier; and Mingo Williams. Those who survived were forever scarred." And on the reverse, "Haunted by what had happened, Rosewood residents took a vow of silence, lived in fear and never returned to claim their property. That silence was broken seventy-one years later. In 1994 survivors, including Minnie Lee Langley, Arnett Turner Goins, and Wilson Hall, filed a claims bill in the Florida Legislature. A Special Master, an expert appointed by the Speaker of the House, ruled that the state had a "moral obligation" to compensate survivors for the loss of property, violation of constitutional rights, and mental anguish. On May 4, 1994, Governor Lawton Chiles signed a $2.1 million compensation bill. Nine survivors received $150,000 each for mental anguish, and a state university scholarship fund was established for the families of Rosewood and their descendants. A fund was also established to compensate those Rosewood families who could demonstrate property loss." It is marker number F-407 and it was erected in 2004 by The Real Rosewood Foundation, Inc. and the Florida Department of State. [Review 369 of 2025 - 2020 in Florida - 23931 overall]

I'm a history buff! The Rosewood Massacre of 1923 was "the first time in United States history that…read morea state compensated victims of racial violence." A sign now marks the site on SR 24 where the Rosewood community once stood. I believe in visiting historical landmarks, and knowing the stories of the past. I grew up about 45 minutes from Rosewood, and didn't know about this event until I watched the movie as a teenager. I visited this site in high school, but before the marker was dedicated. The Rosewood Massacre is a sad part of Florida's (and African American) history. Thankfully (and prayerfully) we can all learn from it and be better humans.

Yelp trimmed the title. It's "The Cedar Keys: Pencils, Lumber, Palm Fiber and Brushes Historical…read moreMarker." On a quiet corner at the southwest end of Cedar Key, this marker points out some of the agricultural history of the area and provides information about some of the resources that were harvested. The front of the marker reads, "Harvesting redcedars (a form of juniper) for pencil manufacturing, along with pines and baldcypress for lumber, was of great importance to the Cedar Keys and the early development of North Florida in the late 1800s and early 1900s. In 1849, German entrepreneur J. Eberhard Faber (1830-1884) arrived in New York hunting splinter-free wood for pencils. He found abundant redcedar in Florida's Gulf Hammock/Waccasassa Bay area between the Suwannee and Withlacoochee Rivers. He bought land and timber, floated logs to the Keys, and shipped logs to the family factory in Germany. In 1858, Faber built a slat mill on Atsena Otie (Depot Key), directly south of this location, and shipped slats instead of logs. In 1862, he built the Faber pencil factory on New York's East River (near the current site of the United Nations) and supplied it with slats from his Cedar Keys mill, a practice facilitated by the 1861 completion of David Levy Yulee's (1810-1886) Florida Railroad connecting the Keys and Fernandina Beach." And on the reverse, "The Eagle Pencil Company followed Faber's lead, building its New York factory in 1868 and supplying it with redcedar slats from its own mill built on this site in 1876. This industry flourished on the Cedar Keys until the local resources were depleted and the slat mills were destroyed by a hurricane in 1896. Augmenting Cedar Key's redcedar-for- pencils industry of the era were other forest-based products. Yellow pine and baldcypress lumber was milled on the Keys by Suwannee Lumber and Fenimore Steam and Planing mills on Atsena Otie and Way Key, respectively . Cabbage (sabal) palms were harvested and used for dock pilings locally and as far away as Key West. Later (1910-1952), the Standard Manufacturing Company developed a process, established a mill, and produced brush fibers and Donax® whisk brushes from young cabbage palms. Palm fibers were shipped nationwide and as far as Canada, Germany, and Australia. The rich and diverse forest resources of the Cedar Keys and surrounding area, and the entrepreneurial energy of many were central to the settlement and development of the "Cedar Keys." They provided homes and livelihood for thousands, products needed and enjoyed around the world, and a proud legacy for Florida." It is marker number F-584 and it was erected in 2006 by the Florida Society of American Foresters and the Florida Department of State. It's a quiet spot so it's easy to stop to read the details on the marker. [Review 375 of 2025 - 2025 in Florida - 23937 overall]

This marker is located in the northwest corner of City Park aka Lil Shark Park and points out the…read morehistory of the railroads in Florida. It has the same text on both sides, reading "Florida was provided with its first cross-state railroad in 1861 when the Florida Railroad Company line reached Cedar Key. Overcoming early financial troubles, the line had begun construction from Fernandina, on the Atlantic, in 1856, but building was intermittent. It had been incorporated in 1853 with David L. Yulee as president. The railroad received land grants from Federal and State governments." It is marker number F-33 and it was erected in 1961 by the Florida Board of Parks and Historic Memorials. There is parking nearby but if it is a "beach" day, that might be a challenge. [Review 374 of 2025 - 2024 in Florida - 23936 overall]

More than you had any right to expect…read more I am a fully grown adult and had no idea how the pencil--the lowly pencil--is a lovely metaphor for civilization itself. I didn't know how they were made (each is made from two pieces of wood) and how the wood from Florida was combined with graphite from Siberia by craftsmen in Germany. All fascinating stuff and more than anyone has any right to expect from a small town vacation-community museum. Also oysters, clams, and Donax bristle brushes. The Museum itself is well-kept and well organized.

This museum by the local Historical society consists of two buildings:,the Lutterloh building and…read morethe Andrews house. For the price of $3 per person you get to see both. All cases and exhibits and wall hanging are clearly marked, it's organized and clean. You do have to do a bit of reading to see everything as it's self guided. There are maps and artifacts from the early Native American inhabitants through the civil war years. Everything from the cross state railroad to the factories and medical/doctors services and tools are highlighted. You can see how the wood slats for cedar pencils was made; donax brushes were constructed from the palm fiber to finished product. A timeline is provided from 1700 to the current day. You can purchase many books and a few souvenirs as well. This is an easy walk in downtown -- perfect for an after lunch activity or between lunch and ice cream. Plan on about an hour depending on how much you like to read every name plate/tag.

William John Howey (January 19, 1876 - June 7, 1938) was an American real-estate developer, citrus…read moregrower, and Republican politician from Florida. He founded and served as mayor for the town of Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida where he developed and sold citrus groves, becoming one of Florida's greatest citrus developers. He was one of the first citrus growers to send fruit from Florida to England. In 1921 he opened Florida's first citrus juice plant. He ran for governor on the Republican ticket in 1928 and 1932. Mr. Howey's prominence led to many distinguished guests visiting the Howey mansion, These included Lord Bathhurst of England, H.B. McNeal, publisher of Golfer's Magazine, golf master Chick Evans, Kansas Governor Alfred Landon, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Phillip's of petroleum fame, and President Calvin Coolidge who was guest of honor at an all-male dinner party in February 1930. Mr. Howey's former home near Lake Wales, Florida became the site of Florida's Bok Tower at the Bok Tower Gardens. In 1925 Mr. Howey commissioned a 20 room mansion in the town he founded. The architect was Katherine Cotheal Budd. During WWI she designed temporary lodgings known as hostess homes for women who were visiting their husbands at military training camps. Budd is credited for creating 72 lodgings with a homelike atmosphere and the Howey House is one of a few existing examples of her work. The Howey Mansion was designed in the popular Mediterranean Revival style. The house is set back on a wide lawn with wrought iron gates and a long horseshoe drive. The entrance to the home features an elaborate, two story bas relief frontispiece .The massive front door and the woodwork on the first floor is made from peaky cypress. Leading to the second floor is a graceful curving stone stairway with a wrought iron banister. Other features of the home include three large fireplaces, a ballroom-size drawing room, enormous beamed ceilings, and a servant call-bell phone system. There is even a hidden passage behind a sliding bookshelf panel in the library. The original 15 acres grounds of the mansion were called The Park and included many botanical plants and shrubs. On March 6, 1927 The Park was the host site for an open air concert performed by the New York Civic Opera Company bringing the top opera singers of the day to the mansion for a concert for the community. The mansion was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Place on January 27, 1983. On April 12, 2017 it was listed for sale at $480,000. The new owners are Brad and Clay Cowherd, Orlando real estate investors who have made period-accurate restoration of the house. I visited the Howey Mansion for the Founders Day Festival. Admission for tours of the home was discounted to $10. The Howey Mansion is available for private rentals like weddings while historical tours are also available Monday through Friday at 11am. The Founder's Day event included a local market, food trucks, live music, and family activities. I enjoyed visiting the tents and touring the mansion including the hidden bar in the basement that was created during prohibition. Behind the mansion, is a trail through the woods that will take you to the Georgian marble mausoleum where the Howey family is interred including William J. Howey (1938), daughter, Lois Valerie Howey (1941), and Mary Hastings Howey (1981). This year Centennial Founder's Day Celebration, marked100 years since the town's founding in 1925.

What an incredible place! We really enjoyed the tour Fran and Mercy gave us. They were extremely…read moreknowledgeable about the property and you can tell they love what they do. The property itself is gorgeous. If you're looking for an event space, you're in luck they rent it out for weddings and other events.

Nice resting place by the pond. Wasn't hard to locate as…read moreI'd looked up location prior. Cemetery was well kept and a nice employee answered questions that our group had about other graves.

A park in Clay County, Florida named in memory of Ronnie Van Zant, the lead singer of southern rock…read moreband Lynyrd Skynyrd who died with several others in a 1987 plane crash. It is a peaceful place, with a children's playground, a fishing pond, several pavilions, a baseball field, basketball courts, tennis courts, and more. This park is a fitting tribute to a man who never got to realize all he could have accomplished, that fate took him far too soon. But his legacy lives within his music. This park is a place to remember this man, to realize that life is short, and to dare to dream big.

Wonder place to visit especially for a simple family day with older children or a date night.read more

From the owner: This page is intended for weddings and event bookings only. Not for museum or Ybor city tours…read more The Ybor City Museum, located in the heart of Tampa’s vibrant Ybor City, offers a historic and charming venue for weddings and special events. Its beautifully landscaped courtyard, surrounded by lush greenery and iconic brick architecture, creates a romantic and intimate atmosphere for outdoor weddings, receptions, concerts and social gatherings. The museum features a serene and elegant bridal suite plus a relaxing groom’s lounge, providing comfort and privacy for the wedding party. Combining historical charm with modern amenities, the Ybor City Museum ensures a unique and memorable experience for any celebration. Interior space includes a bridal suite, grooms lounge, board room, meeting rooms and unique photo locations. The outdoor courtyard features a stage, fountain and an intimate oasis in the heart of Ybor City. Immerse yourself in the rich history and culture of Ybor City at our museum and special event space. Discover the stories underneath the trees, where the community bloomed and thrived since 1886 and known as "Cigar Capital of the World".

When I learned about the Mayan excavations in the area, and the possibility that the dugout/boat on…read moredisplay in the museum may be of Mayan origins, I knew that I would end up here eventually. Many years passed until I finally had the opportunity to visit. I was not disappointed. The location of this park is very urban, but once you enter the park you feel like you are in a magical land, with the river, the sun, the moon, the marshes greeting you. The pottery found looks strange to me, I see an extraterrestrial and a spaceship. One of the rock pillars also has a similar extraterrestrial face, and one of the hands in the pottery has tattoos on it. I don't know what happened here, but I "feel" something here, and I like it. This place feels like sacred ground. I hope that I can visit again and again.

Beautiful park, the rangers were very knowledgeable and helpful. It was a warm day, but the breeze…read morewas nice and they have a lot of places near the water to sit and relax. The top of mound was gorgeous.

We took a cruise out to the Anclote Key, and a light house for the sunset. The ride out was nice,…read moreand Ill review that separately. This is an AMAZING beach for shelling! There's a lot of life there in the shore wagers too, so you have to be careful what you're pulling up. The beach closes at sunset so be ready to leave when the park ranger comes by.

Anclote key Lighthouse commissioned in 1887 stands on the southern end of the island. Accessible…read moreonly by boat. It is 403 acres in size and sits in the blue/green gulf waters 3 miles west of Tarpon Springs Florida. A great place to spend the afternoon along the shores collecting sea shells and sand dollars.

Cedar Key isn't huge and so there aren't too many places to "beach" but this is the only one I…read morespotted. I found easy parking (no shade) that was close enough that I could plug my Sprinter van into one of the chargers for some free electricity to power up the house battery. I managed to get here early enough to have one of the "first come, first served" pavilions that had a working power outlet. Sitting here for a couple of hours with my laptop while watching the people coming and going and with the beach right over there, it was perfection. There's even a public restroom and they have BBQ grills. This is a wonderful spot. Enjoy and don't forget to support local vendors and restaurants. Prickly Palm is great for coffee! [Review 372 of 2025 - 2022 in Florida - 23934 overall]

Little shark park's ...a ....great place to park. And enjoy a small, clean, netted beach as I saw…read moreso many happy families doing. There's bathrooms and pavilions, places to enjoy a picnic or barbeque. It's within walking distance of all things fun Cedar Key. Enjoyable. Fun.