March Happenings at the Polk County History Center

Journey into Polk history this month at the Polk County History Center. The following programs and events are open to the public and free of charge:

• March 1 – 31: Women’s History Month
  • Visit Polk County’s History Center and discover the ways women have impacted Polk County’s history. History Center staffers will provide interested guests insight into women’s history across Polk County. 

• March 4 and 5: 52nd Annual Bloomin’ Arts Festival
  • The History Center’s picturesque dome takes centerstage as the backdrop for Bartow’s 52nd Annual Bloomin’ Arts Festival. The art show is hosted by the Bartow Art Guild and it features judged competitions in a variety of mediums. The show kicks off with the Bloomin’ Bike ride on Saturday morning and it continues through Sunday afternoon.
  • At the History Center:
    • March 4: Bloomin’ Arts Festival Quilt Show
      • Quilts (representing all skills levels) will be on display in the 1926 Courtroom. The History Center’s Medallion Quilt will be on display in the rotunda. The quilt was a gift from Keightley Stringfellow, with hand quilting completed by Melody Clyatt. It uses more than 10,800 squares to recreate the tile decoration found in the rotunda.
    • March 4 – 31: Festival of Writing
      • To coincide with the Arts Festival, the Polk County History Center is pleased to introduce the inaugural Festival of Writing. Explore the poetry and short stories composed by students from Southeastern University’s Creative Writing program. The works will be displayed on the doors of the galleries that served as inspiration for the authors. Digital Media and Design students created the display panels for each story. So, step inside and enjoy Polk County’s history from a new perspective.
      • Following display at the History Center, the works will be displayed at Southeastern University.

• March 4, 11 a.m.: Oak Hill Cemetery Tour
  • Join our Curator of Education on a walking tour of the historic Oak Hill Cemetery in Bartow. Listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 2003, the cemetery is awash with the memory of Polk pioneers beneath a canopy of live oak trees. The tour starts at the History Center with a short walk of approximately one mile and includes historic landmarks along the route to the cemetery. The cemetery ground is uneven and visitors are advised to wear appropriate footwear. The cemetery tour is offered at 11 a.m. the first Saturday of every month, October through April.
• March 18, 11 a.m.: Architectural Tour
  • Join Curator of Collections Bartholomew Delcamp as he portrays historic courthouse architect E.C. Hosford on an architectural tour of the History Center.  Discover the neoclassical architectural elements that Hosford incorporated into the design that defines this iconic Polk County landmark. This month’s focus is on the unique engineering solutions utilized to complete the construction of the courthouse. The architectural tour occurs on the third Saturday of each month at 11 a.m.

• March 25, 10 a.m.: Genealogy Speaker Series – Resources at the Lakeland Family History Center, presented by Wanda Owens
  • Family history centers are branches of FamilySearch and the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. They provide resources for the research and study of genealogy and family history. There are more than 5,000 operating family history centers located around the world, including two in Polk County (one in Lake Hamilton and one in Lakeland). Wanda Owens is one of the volunteers that runs the Lakeland Family History Center and she share more about the resources and expertise found there.
  • The presenter will appear virtually. Guests are invited to join us at the History Center or the can participate via Zoom. For Zoom details, contact Preston Petermeier at (863) 534-4604 or PrestonPetermeier@polk-county.net.

The Polk County History Center is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday at 100 E. Main St. in Bartow. Visit www.polkhistorycenter.org or call (863) 534-4386 for more information on exhibits and programming. All programs and events are free and open to the public.