Osceola History

05/31/2026

From our archives: Mrs. Annie Barrington, one of Kissimmee's first black teachers.

05/30/2026

In just ONE week, join us for a Kick Off to Summer! 😎

🔎Step inside the museum to:
🌿 Explore exhibits on Osceola County’s history
🕵️‍♂️ Complete a fun scavenger hunt
🎨 Create crafts
🚂 Play in our kids' corner with our train table and Early LearnHub barn
🌟 Meet Xavier Riddle from the hit PBS KIDS series Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum! Snap a photo and learn more about WUCF’s free educational resources designed to support learning at home and beyond.

🚐 Visit the OLLie van to:
✔️ Pick up your library holds
✔️ Browse & check out books from the mobile collection
✔️ Drop off your returns
✔️ Access FREE Wi-Fi
✔️ Sign up or renew your library card

🍦Purchase Italian ice from Deborah's Italian ice!

05/29/2026

It's ! 🐊

To celebrate, here is an image from our archives of a congregation of alligators. Date unknown.

05/29/2026

Pictured here is the Hart Memorial Public Library, circa 1914. The library was founded by a group of women in Kissimmee who all donated $52 each towards its construction. These women also spent time collecting additional funds from citizens. The library was located on land that was donated by Carrie S. Hart, the widow of a former Governor of Florida, Ossian B. Hart. Books and furnishings were donated by the community to get the library started.

05/27/2026

Join us on Saturday, June 6th, from 10am-2pm, at the Welcome Center & History Museum for our Kick-Off to Summer event! 😎

🔎Step inside the museum to:
🌿 Explore exhibits on Osceola County’s history
🕵️‍♂️ Complete a fun scavenger hunt
🎨 Create crafts
🚂 Play in our kids' corner with our train table and Early LearnHub barn
🌟 Meet Xavier Riddle from the hit PBS KIDS series Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum! Snap a photo and learn more about WUCF’s free educational resources designed to support learning at home and beyond.

🚐 Visit the OLLie van to:
✔️ Pick up your library holds
✔️ Browse & check out books from the mobile collection
✔️ Drop off your returns
✔️ Access FREE Wi-Fi
✔️ Sign up or renew your library card

05/26/2026

NEW in our temporary, "Sounds of Osceola" exhibit at the Welcome Center & History Museum! 🚨

The document shown at the top of this photo was generously gifted to us recently by Juanita Lesesne. It says, "The Kissimmee High School is fostering a financial drive to purchase uniforms for the Band. Mr. William (Buster) Lesesne has been authorized to solicit funds for the same. Thanks for your liberal contribution."

The document then lists community members and their contributions to the fundraiser.

See this and other artifacts from the history of music in Osceola County at the Welcome Center & History Museum today! Admission is FREE, and the museum is open seven days a week from 10am- 4pm.

05/25/2026

This , we pause to honor and remember the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country.

The Welcome Center & History Museum and Pioneer Village at Shingle Creek are open today from 10am - 4pm. We welcome you to visit, reflect, and explore the history that connects us all.

05/25/2026

Courtesy of the David Snedeker Collection, pictured here is a postcard of the Sugar Belt Railroad, which once connected Kissimmee to St. Cloud to Narcoossee.

05/23/2026

🚨NEW BLOG ALERT🚨

Pictured here are Joe Tracy and Dan Mann. Born in St. Cloud with ties to the old sawmill town of Holopaw, Joe Tracy lived a life full of mystery and crime. From bank robberies and murder to rumors of buried treasure in Osceola County, Tracy’s story reads like something out of a movie.

Read the full story in our latest blog here: https://osceolahistory.org/local-outlaw-or-misunderstood-country-boy/

05/22/2026

Meet Xavier Riddle during our Kick-Off to Summer event at the Welcome Center & History Museum on Saturday, June 6th, from 10am - 2pm!

Explore events around Orlando, Sanford, Daytona Beach, Melbourne, The Villages and more!