The Cedar Key Historical Society began it`s monthly coffees on Thursday, January 19th with a presentation by Toni Collins of Chiefland, Fl. Ms. Collins, a renown local historian, captivated the audience with her portrayal of Catharine Hobday. Catharine was appointed to the position of assistant light keeper at the Cedar Key Light Station in September of 1872, one month prior to her 76th birthday. Toni Collins, author of the book: Cedar Keys Light Station, gave the audience a glimps of what life was like during this time and concluded with a most informative question and answer period.
The Cedar Key Historical Society coffees, (coffee and home baked goods), take place at the Cedar Key Community Center on the third Thursday of each month, through the month of April. The time of the coffees is 10am, and they are free and open to the public. The program for February will bare a slight similarity to January`s program in the respect that it will be the portrayal of another figure in Cedar Key history. Our guest speaker will be Will Irbe of Chiefland, Fl. doing his portrayal of Captain John Chambers. During the time preceding the Cival War, friction was steadily growing between the North and South. John Chambers was a land owner and business man in the area and had little use for Yankees or those sympathetic to their cause. In his reinactment, Mr. Irbe stirs up the crowd culminating in the formation of a "committee of vigilance", to deal with the impending Yankee threat. This program will fascinate war buffs and general history fans alike.
March will feature a program we have had in the past, and has always proved to be exeremely popular. We will be featuring our local teachers, both past and present. This program tends to run with a relatively loose format, but the panel of teachers holds it together and hand raising as well as other classroom etiquette will be observed.
In April, the last program of the season will feature Lu Vickers, Ph.D. and author of the book: Breathing Underwater. Ms. Vickers is one of the foremost authorities on Weeki Wachee Springs and it`s history, dating back to the 1940`s. One of the country`s oldest roadside attractions, Weeki Wachee has a rich history making our April coffee one that is sure to please audiences of all ages.
The Cedar Key Historical Society`s primary function is to promote our fascinating and diverse history. The society offers these coffees to both entertain and foster interest in this history. On the third Thursday of the month, try to set aside an hour to enjoy some local hospitality and, perhaps learn some fun facts as well. Hope to see you there. | 