Manatee Village Historical Park

Manatee Village Historical Park Discover how we Preserve Real Places, Tell Real Stories through a collection of historical buildings. armed forces.
(1)

Thank you for visiting the Manatee Village Historical Park/ Manatee County Historical Commission's page. Please note if you post a comment, Manatee Village Historical Park/ Manatee County Historical Commission reserves the right to delete submissions that are not topically related to the particular social medium article being commented upon; comments that contain vulgar language, personal

attacks of any kind, or comments that are offensive to a person with reasonable sensitivity or target or disparage age, race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sexual preference, handicapped or disabled, genetic information, or status as a veteran or disabled veteran of the U.S. Further, Manatee Village Historical Park/ Manatee County Historical Commission also reserves the right to delete comments that:
• are spam or include links to other sites;
• are clearly off topic;
• advocate illegal activity;
• promote or oppose particular services, products, or political organizations and candidates;
• infringe on copyrights or trademarks;
• would be offensive to community standards of decency; and/or
• violate the policies set forth by this social media platform. The comments expressed on this site, other than those posted by Manatee Village Historical Park/ Manatee County Historical Commission, do not reflect the opinions and position of the Manatee Village Historical Park/ Manatee County Historical Commission/Manatee County Clerk of Court or its officers, employees, or volunteers. If you have any questions concerning the operation of this online moderated discussion site, contact the Manatee County Historical Commission Liaison at 941-749-7165.

Will you be joining us as we celebrate our 50th anniversary?This event is PACKED with exciting activities, and best of a...
06/17/2026

Will you be joining us as we celebrate our 50th anniversary?

This event is PACKED with exciting activities, and best of all, it’s FREE! It’s the perfect summer outing for you and your family!

-Join us in the morning to watch the Manatee High School Band kick off the celebration.
-Get your face painted (FREE) and enjoy lunch from one of our fantastic food truck vendors (available for purchase).
-Relax in the courtyard while listening to music and get in line for a FREE cupcake at noon, available while supplies last.
-Help our garden grow by planting a pumpkin seed.
-Experience pioneer life by washing laundry like they did in the past.
-Explore our various booths featuring crafts, books, and hands-on activities.
-Vote for your favorite build and stay for the awards ceremony at 1:45 PM.

It truly is a day packed with fun for the entire family, and we would love to celebrate this amazing milestone with you. Stay tuned for more information and details as we get closer. We hope to see you there!

History Highlight:This 1913 photo of the Red Cow Ranch home, owned by Robert Roberts Sr., might look familiar. It looks ...
06/16/2026

History Highlight:
This 1913 photo of the Red Cow Ranch home, owned by Robert Roberts Sr., might look familiar. It looks very similar to the Stephens house here on our site!

Even more interesting, both homes were located near one another in Ona, Florida (once a part of Manatee County). The Stephens House was built in 1912, and this photo was taken just a year later. While there's no known evidence connecting the two families, it's possible that they shared ideas and designs, given that they look so similar!

The architectural style of these homes were common in rural Florida during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, called Cracker Gothic.

Cracker Gothic homes combined the practical design of traditional Florida cracker houses with decorative elements inspired by the Victorian Gothic Revival movement. Built to withstand Florida's heat, humidity, and storms, these homes often featured large wraparound porches for shade and outdoor living, tall windows and high ceilings to improve airflow, elevated foundations to protect against moisture and flooding, steep pitched roofs and decorative "gingerbread" trim, ornate railings, brackets, and other Victorian-inspired details.

This style blended beauty with practicality, and homes like the Stephens House and the Roberts House show us how Florida pioneers adapted to their environment when creating their homes.

Photo of Roberts home, 1913, courtesy of https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~crackerbarrel/genealogy/Roberts1.html

Next in our event lineup is Joan Garcia, who will be painting LIVE! Having participated in our previous events, we're ex...
06/15/2026

Next in our event lineup is Joan Garcia, who will be painting LIVE! Having participated in our previous events, we're excited to have her back to showcase her skills.

Be sure to stop by and watch her paint a beautiful landscape while you enjoy a day filled with history, activities, and celebration!

Stay tuned as we reveal more exciting features and activities for our 50 Years at the Village celebration!

06/13/2026

🚨Important Announcement🚨

Due to the summer heat, our 2:00 PM tour will move to 11:00 AM beginning June 23 and continuing through September 18.

During this time, no 2:00 PM tour will be offered. We appreciate your understanding as we adjust our schedule to provide a more comfortable experience for our visitors.

Please help us spread the word by sharing this update with friends and family who may be planning a visit!

Got family in town for the summer?Manatee Village Historical Park is the perfect place to bring them! Step back in time ...
06/13/2026

Got family in town for the summer?
Manatee Village Historical Park is the perfect place to bring them! Step back in time and explore Manatee County’s pioneer past.

We’re open today from 9 am - 4 pm come visit us!

Next on our Event feature is !Paperback Coffee will be offering a variety of coffee, specialty lattes, matcha, and small...
06/12/2026

Next on our Event feature is !

Paperback Coffee will be offering a variety of coffee, specialty lattes, matcha, and small pastries for purchase throughout the event from 10 AM–2 PM. ☕

Be sure to grab a cup of coffee while you enjoy a day of history, activities, and celebration at the Village.

Stay tuned as we continue to reveal more exciting features and activities coming to our 50 Years at the Village celebration!

Don't miss our upcoming "Caring for your Family Treasures" workshop on June 27th from 2-3pm. In this workshop you'll lea...
06/12/2026

Don't miss our upcoming "Caring for your Family Treasures" workshop on June 27th from 2-3pm.

In this workshop you'll learn about preservation techniques you can use to safeguard your family heirlooms, photos, and other family treasures for generations to come!
Led by Matt Woodside, M.A. in Museum Studies, with over 30 years of experience in curation and exhibition development, this workshop will provide you with valuable insights and practical tips to apply in your own home.

Limited availability of 20 persons. First come first served. Free to the public.
Tickets available at 12:30pm in the Wiggin's Store.

Today officially marks ONE MONTH until our 50 Years at the Village celebration! 🎉You won't want to miss this fun-filled ...
06/11/2026

Today officially marks ONE MONTH until our 50 Years at the Village celebration! 🎉

You won't want to miss this fun-filled day for the whole family! Join us for this FREE event featuring live entertainers, crafts, hands-on activities, face painting, and so much more.

Food will be available for purchase throughout the event, and don't forget to stop by at 12 PM for FREE cupcakes while supplies last, courtesy of Publix and the Friends of Manatee Village!

Mark your calendars and get ready to celebrate 50 years of preserving and sharing Manatee County history!

We're back to continue sharing details about our 50 Years at the Village celebration!We are so excited for the Manatee C...
06/10/2026

We're back to continue sharing details about our 50 Years at the Village celebration!

We are so excited for the Manatee County Clerk of Court & Comptroller, Friends of Manatee Village, Manatee County Public Library System, Manatee County Agricultural Museum, Florida Maritime Museum, Reflections of Manatee , and the Manatee Chapter, DAR to be joining us and offering a variety of fun at their booths.

They will all be joining us for the full day from 10 AM–2 PM.
Be sure to stop by for crafts, hands-on activities, and information on their organizations!

Stay tuned as we continue to share more exciting features and activities coming to our special event!

Address

1404 Manatee Avenue E
Bradenton, FL
34208

Telephone

+19417497165

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Manatee Village Historical Park posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category