Union County Historical Museum

08/04/2026

07/07/2026

Union County Historical Society Excited About Florida Freedom Tour
By Christy Hendricks

On Monday, June 8, 2026, the Florida Freedom Tour came to Lake Butler, Florida. This traveling exhibit was led by Governor Ron Desantis’ initiative to highlight Florida’s history. The board members of the Union County Historical Society (UCHS)were very excited to see these great mobile museums in town.

There were two tractor-trailers which had been transformed into mobile museums honoring Florida’s role in American history as part of the America 250 celebration. Inside, they had museum-style exhibits with artifacts, replicas and many displays. Museum exhibits included Florida’s role before and after 1776. There was a video set up to play on an old-fashioned television with old movies from Florida destinations, photos from locations throughout Florida and photo backdrops for selfies. Many signs were displayed explaining the history of locations throughout the state of Florida.

Several Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT)employees were onsite to welcome locals to the museum, answer questions and even help take photos. Guests were provided a history booklet with information about each county in Florida.

When asked what she thought about the exhibit, Union County Historical Society President Ann Hendricks said, "It was an amazing exhibit of Florida history. The arrangement of the exhibits and the information presented was very educational and brought back so many fantastic memories. Being a Lake Butler Woman's Club member since 1979, I was especially grateful for the tribute to the Florida
General Federation of Women's Clubs pertaining to the Everglades. Past President of GFWC and former First Lady of Governor Jennings, May Mann Jennings, helped save Paradise Key, which resulted in the creation of Royal Palm State Park, which served as the nucleus of the Everglades National Park
which was dedicated in 1947."

The traveling museums will be going to every single county in the state of Florida this year. According to FDOT Leslie Whiddon, 175 visitors attended the event in Union County.
America250FL Florida Department of Transportation City of Lake Butler, Florida

07/03/2026

Event by Lake Butler Rotary club:

07/02/2026

I have an update for y’all!

A new sign was installed Monday at the Union County Sheriff’s Office Law Enforcement & Correction Officer Memorial at Lakeside Park.

I can’t even explain how happy it made me to see this.

Over the past few weeks, I have spent countless hours researching the history of this memorial, learning about Deputy Hal Pearce Croft, Special Deputy Ronald McPhail Jackson, and Deputy Renee Danell Azure, and connecting with some of their family members. What started as a simple question about a missing memorial tree has become one of the most meaningful projects I have worked on.

The memorial tree has not been replaced yet, but seeing another piece of this memorial restored gives me so much hope for what’s to come.

If you’re celebrating the Fourth of July at Lakeside Park this weekend, I hope you’ll take a moment to stop by the memorial. Remember that it honors three Union County officers who gave their lives in the line of duty. Think about the young families they left behind, the loved ones who still carry their memory, and the sacrifices they made for our community. That’s why this memorial matters.

Thank y’all for following this journey with me, for sharing memories, answering questions, and helping make sure these officers are never forgotten. I will continue sharing updates as they happen.

We Shall Never Forget. 💙

Note: I did not place this sign. It had already been installed when I stopped by Lakeside Park today, and I wanted to share the update with everyone.