Manatee Village Historical Park

09/01/2026

08/31/2026

Attached are the student and teacher Manatee History Day schedules. Registration for both opened on August 10; however, students and teachers have different deadlines. Teacher registration closes on November 20 and student registration closes on December 18. Teachers must be registered before their sponsored student and are able to sponsor multiple students. 📚👨‍🏫

We cannot wait to see all of the amazing project submissions. If you have any questions regarding MHD, comment them below or reach out to [email protected]!

08/27/2026

This wine jelly recipe is simple and low ingredient! 🍷🍾 All you need is loaf sugar, isinglass, warm water, and wine. Comment below if you have made wine jelly or plan on making it!

Recipe Book is Hannah Widdifield's New Cook Book: Or, Practical Receipts for the Housewife from Manatee County Historical Society Collection. This book was originally owned by Elizabeth Atzeroth.

08/25/2026

If you have ever visited the 1850 Burial Ground next to Manatee Village Historical Park, you may have noticed a particular leaning headstone near the fence 🪦. This is the grave of Reverent J.R. Crowder who was integral in establishing the 1887 Church building. He is quoted telling the Methodist Conference to send him to "a place left that no one else wants, give me that place." Consequently, he joined the Manatee Conference in 1880 and ended up in Manatee County as the community was making plans for a new church building. Even though the building is called the 1887 Church, construction was not actually complete until 1889 due to a Yellow Fever outbreak. There are folkloric accounts that the construction of the church itself may have even contributed to the local Manatee outbreak after the Tampa quarantine was broken, though these are mere stories as Yellow Fever is transmitted by mosquitos and is not spread person-to-person. Unfortunately, Reverend Crowder also contracted the fever and died in 1887 before the church was complete. Visit Reverend Crowder's grave and others' anytime Manatee Village is open and stay tuned for guided cemetery tours coming up in October.

08/24/2026

To support students in preparing for Manatee History Day, we are introducing a new series designed to assist with their projects.

Researching history can be tricky and understanding the difference between primary and secondary sources is essential. Primary sources are materials created during the historical event you are studying. Examples include eyewitness accounts, letters, diaries, speeches, photographs, paintings, maps, and original documents found in reputable online sources. In contrast, secondary sources are created by individuals who were not present at the event. These include history textbooks, biographies, works by historians, and articles from credible websites.

Project Tip: When researching your Manatee History Day topic, prioritize using primary sources whenever possible.

If you would like to learn more about Manatee History Day or find out how your student can participate, please email [email protected] or visit manateevillage.org/manateehistoryday.

08/21/2026

Featured here is a popular accessory worn in the earth 19th century called pelerines or “capelets”. Women would wear this accessory over dresses to add elegance and uniqueness. The pelerine shown here is featured in our collection and is influenced by the “Gothic Revival” fashion era that came in the 1840s. The gothic influence is also prevalent in the architecture of the Stephens House in our village, which is expressed through sharp lines and edges.

08/19/2026

Notice anything different about this headstone compared to the others in the 1850 Manatee Burying Ground? 🪦

This headstone belongs to James H. Helveston and is made entirely out of zinc. Zinc headstones differ because of their blue-gray color, and they undergo a metal finishing process called "steam bluing". This process allows them to weather and age well. This explains why most headstones and monuments made from zinc look as good today, as the day they were made. Helveston’s headstone contains a sheaf of wheat on the back. This symbolizes living a long and productive life. It was common for headstones to contain symbols to represent different aspects of a person’s life. This headstone is marked as #21 on the burying ground map if you want to stop by and check it out!

08/18/2026

Last week we learned about Electa Lee and Manatee Academy as school came back in session. Edmund Lee was Electa's husband, and they both played major roles in the founding of Manatee County. The Lee family moved to Florida from Vermont in the early 1840s as part of the Armed Occupation Act. During this time Edmund and Electa had their first child, Sarah. Edmund held a variety of roles prior to the family's resettlement in Manatee: he ran a school, was an ordained minister, and was appointed a Circuit Court Judge in Hillsborough County. Once in Manatee, Edmund built his family's house and a small general store. As a man of many occupations, he was hired alongside Ezekiel Glazier to oversee the building of Braden Castle, joined the local militia during the Third Seminole War, and is believed to be the first Clerk of the Circuit Court in Manatee County and all within 5 years in the 1850s. In the 1860s he enlisted in the Confederate Army, and the Lee family adopted two young children whose parents died of Yellow Fever. Edmund and Electa's passion for education is most evident in their dedication to providing schooling for children in the county. In 1876, Edmund donated land to construct the schoolhouse that would become Manatee Academy, some 20 years after Electa began teaching on the second floor of their house.


Photo is of Edmund Lee, unknown date
Photo of Edmund Lee home at Manatee courtesy of Manatee Library Historical Digital Collections

08/18/2026

We are ecstatic to announce that Manatee Village has won Bronze for Best Attraction and GOLD for Best Museum in this year's Bradenton's Best Awards! Thank you everyone who voted for us!

Manatee Village Historical Park earns GOLD in this year's Bradenton's Best Awards!

The Village took home Gold for Best Museum and Bronze for Best Attraction — categories decided by more than 341,000 votes from residents and visitors across Manatee County.

View the full list of winners: https://www.bradentonsbest.com/categories/2026

Turns out the past has quite a fan club. Step into it yourself:
📍1404 Manatee Ave. E., Bradenton, FL 34208