Groveland Historical Society and Museum

08/28/2026

Groveland’s Historical Exploration Series:
“Citrus, Turpentine, & Founding Families”

FREE Event

Discover the Stories Behind Your Hometown at the Groveland Exchange – No Textbooks Required

Have you ever driven past an old grove, catch a whiff of pine, or wonder how Groveland even got its name? You don’t need to be a history nerd to enjoy the answers.
Leave knowing the real people and decisions that turned open land into the community you call home.

The Groveland Historical Society is kicking off Groveland’s Historical Exploration Series — three relaxed Saturday mornings that dig into the real and surprising stories that shaped this part of Florida. Journey back in time and across oceans to discover early origins of the people and industries that led to the founding of Groveland.
Think of them as friendly chats with a local whose family has been here since the very beginning.

Your Guide: Jason Brown - Curator of the Groveland Historical Museum and a 6th-generation descendant of the original founders of both Groveland and Mascotte. He provides these histories and tells these stories in an interesting and informal way - full of the kinds of details that stick with you.

When:
Each starts at 11 AM and lasts about an hour followed by Q&A afterward.

Saturday, September 5 – The Origins of Citrus Discover the mostly untold origins of Citrus, how orange groves became the defining landscape of this area, and what it meant for the people who planted them.

Saturday, October 3 – The History of Turpentine Explore how the sticky and hardworking industry once covered Central Florida in “catfaces” and camps.

Saturday, November 7 – The Founding of Groveland Find out about the people and decisions that turned open land into the towns we know today. Listen as Jason recounts personal stories of the early families, including his own.

Where: Groveland Exchange 132 W Broad St, Downtown Groveland

So come, grab a coffee or bite to eat (food, drinks, and coffees available for purchase), settle in, and leave knowing a little more about the place you call home. No homework, no quizzes — just good local stories on a Saturday morning.

Mark your calendar for the first Saturday of September, October, and November 2026.
See you downtown!

08/16/2026

Support the Groveland Four Case Exhibit

FUNDRAISING GOAL: $16,000 To purchase the Gary Corsair Research Collection - the most comprehensive private archive documenting the 1949 Groveland Four Case.
• Professional archival storage • Interactive public kiosk exhibit.
We have currently raised $2,210 towards our goal!
!Donate Now!
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/donate-to-the-groveland-four-collection-and-display

Preserving the Past for the Future.
This definitive collection of original case records, rare interviews, photographs, and research materials will be professionally preserved and made publicly accessible through a new interactive kiosk at the Museum.
Compiled over more than a decade by author and researcher Gary Corsair for his groundbreaking book The Groveland Four: The Sad Saga of a Legal Lynching. A 12-year investigation led him across the country to locate surviving participants, family members, and previously inaccessible records.
Recordings: Audio and video interviews with Willis McCall, Attorney Horace Hill, Law Professor Jack Greenberg, and Henrietta Irving (sister of Walter Irvin), plus a rare 12-inch disc recording of Charles Greenlee’s confession — only five original LPs are known to exist.
Files & Documents: Extensive correspondence from defense attorneys, affidavits, trial transcripts, over 300 pages of FBI files, press clippings spanning decades, NAACP materials, and personal statements from defendants and families.
Photographs: Original and reprinted images of the defendants, defense teams, Sheriff Willis McCall, National Guard presence, crime scenes, and more — many never before seen by the public.
Research Notes & Manuscripts: Author interviews, detailed timelines, analyses of key events, and supporting materials on related figures.
These materials offer unparalleled insight into the arrests and trials.
WHY THIS ACQUISITION MATTERS
This collection provides primary-sources for understanding a pivotal chapter in Lake County history. It will enable enhanced educational programming, research access for scholars, students, and journalists, and community education that goes beyond headlines and rumors.
Importantly, the exhibit will also illuminate lesser-known aspects of the community’s response. The exhibit aims to present the full, nuanced story of a community that has lived under the shadow of this case — educating without assigning blame, and letting visitors examine the facts and form their own conclusions.
The collection will be professionally stored under archival conditions and made publicly accessible via a new interactive kiosk at the Museum.

08/10/2026

FUNDRAISING GOAL: $16,000 To purchase the Gary Corsair Research Collection • Professional archival storage • Interactive public kiosk exhibit.
We have currently raised $1,710 towards our goal!
!Donate Now!
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/donate-to-the-groveland-four-collection-and-display

Preserving the Past for the Future.
The Gary Corsair Collection — the most comprehensive private archive documenting the 1949 Groveland Four Case. This definitive collection of original case records, rare interviews, photographs, and research materials will be professionally preserved and made publicly accessible through a new interactive kiosk at the Museum.
Compiled over more than a decade by author and researcher Gary Corsair for his groundbreaking book The Groveland Four: The Sad Saga of a Legal Lynching. A 12-year investigation led him across the country to locate surviving participants, family members, and previously inaccessible records.
Recordings: Audio and video interviews with Willis McCall), Attorney Horace Hill, Law Professor Jack Greenberg, and Henrietta Irving (sister of Walter Irvin), plus a rare 12-inch disc recording of Charles Greenlee’s confession — only five original LPs are known to exist.
Files & Documents: Extensive correspondence from defense attorneys, affidavits, trial transcripts, over 300 pages of FBI files, press clippings spanning decades, NAACP materials, and personal statements from defendants and families.
Photographs: Original and reprinted images of the defendants, defense teams, Sheriff Willis McCall, National Guard presence, crime scenes, and more — many never before seen by the public.
Research Notes & Manuscripts: Author interviews, detailed timelines, analyses of key events, and supporting materials on related figures.
These materials offer unparalleled insight into the arrests and trials.
WHY THIS ACQUISITION MATTERS
This collection provides primary-sources for understanding a pivotal chapter in Lake County history. It will enable enhanced educational programming, research access for scholars, students, and journalists, and community education that goes beyond headlines and rumors.
Importantly, the exhibit will also illuminate lesser-known aspects of the community’s response. The exhibit aims to present the full, nuanced story of a community that has lived under the shadow of this case — educating without assigning blame, and letting visitors examine the facts and form their own conclusions.
The collection will be professionally stored under archival conditions and made publicly accessible via a new interactive kiosk at the Museum.

08/06/2026

Thank You For Helping Us Reach
$1,010 in Donations!

Support the Acquisition of the Gary Corsair Collection
FUNDRAISING GOAL: $16,000 To purchase the collection • Professional archival storage • Interactive public kiosk exhibit.
!Donate Now!
Preserving the Past for the Future.
The Gary Corsair Collection — the most comprehensive private archive documenting the 1949 Groveland Four Case. This definitive collection of original case records, rare interviews, photographs, and research materials will be professionally preserved and made publicly accessible through a new interactive kiosk at the Museum.
Compiled over more than a decade by author and researcher Gary Corsair for his groundbreaking book The Groveland Four: The Sad Saga of a Legal Lynching. A 12-year investigation led him across the country to locate surviving participants, family members, and previously inaccessible records.
Recordings: Audio and video interviews with Willis McCall), Attorney Horace Hill, Law Professor Jack Greenberg, and Henrietta Irving (sister of Walter Irvin), plus a rare 12-inch disc recording of Charles Greenlee’s confession — only five original LPs are known to exist.
Files & Documents: Extensive correspondence from defense attorneys, affidavits, trial transcripts, over 300 pages of FBI files, press clippings spanning decades, NAACP materials, and personal statements from defendants and families.
Photographs: Original and reprinted images of the defendants, defense teams, Sheriff Willis McCall, National Guard presence, crime scenes, and more — many never before seen by the public.
Research Notes & Manuscripts: Author interviews, detailed timelines, analyses of key events, and supporting materials on related figures.
These materials offer unparalleled insight into the arrests and trials.
WHY THIS ACQUISITION MATTERS
This collection provides primary-sources for understanding a pivotal chapter in Lake County history. It will enable enhanced educational programming, research access for scholars, students, and journalists, and community education that goes beyond headlines and rumors.
Importantly, the exhibit will also illuminate lesser-known aspects of the community’s response. The exhibit aims to present the full, nuanced story of a community that has lived under the shadow of this case — educating without assigning blame, and letting visitors examine the facts and form their own conclusions.
The collection will be professionally stored under archival conditions and made publicly accessible via a new interactive kiosk at the Museum.
Read more about it in the recent article from The Groveland Sun:
Beyond the Headlines

08/02/2026

Many of us have memories of fishing in the local lakes or backyard ponds.
While we each have our own tales of "the one that got away", here are some of the ones that got caught by the old-timers, back on this day.
Article from the 1920's

08/01/2026

On this day, August 01, back in 1949, it was announced that Paul and Mabel Reese purchased the Clermont News and Groveland News.
In just a few weeks, Mabel would soon begin a deep investigation into The Groveland Four Case and corruption in Lake County.

08/01/2026

Today we celebrate the birthday of George Myers:
Mascotte Mayor, Groveland Town Marshal, and Myers Boulevard namesake.

Born August 1st, 1869

Learn more about him at:
https://www.grovelandhistory.org/2021/07/1912-mayor-and-marshall-george-myers.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLNmVGQAh4A&list=PLZ3AkEMKVUcz1FRc2e6uVgNpxL62lnxQW&index=7

07/31/2026

Those of us who have been around for more than a New York minute, will remember a time when communities did not stop at the city limit sign. In this video, we explore those earlier times when family and friendships knew no boundaries.
Learn about the connection between Mascotte's early Post Office and Masonic Lodge that later became The Groveland Masonic Lodge #190 that continues today, over 100 years later.
What early resident delivered the mail on horseback?
Why did railroad workers decide to just stop the train in Mascotte?
Find out in This Month in History video!

Those of us who have been around for more than a New York minute, w...

07/31/2026

!Support the Acquisition of the Gary Corsair Collection!
FUNDRAISING GOAL: We have raised $955 of the $16,000 To purchase the collection • Professional archival storage • Interactive public kiosk exhibit.
Donate Now:
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/donate-to-the-groveland-four-collection-and-display

Preserving the Past for the Future.

THE GARY CORSAIR COLLECTION
Compiled over more than a decade by author and researcher Gary Corsair for his groundbreaking book The Groveland Four: The Sad Saga of a Legal Lynching. A 12-year investigation led him across the country to locate surviving participants, family members, and previously inaccessible records.
Recordings: Audio and video interviews with Willis McCall), Attorney Horace Hill, Law Professor Jack Greenberg, and Henrietta Irving (sister of Walter Irvin), plus a rare 12-inch disc recording of Charles Greenlee’s confession — only five original LPs are known to exist.
Files & Documents: Extensive correspondence from defense attorneys, affidavits, trial transcripts, over 300 pages of FBI files, press clippings spanning decades, NAACP materials, and personal statements from defendants and families.
Photographs: Original and reprinted images of the defendants, defense teams, Sheriff Willis McCall, National Guard presence, crime scenes, and more — many never before seen by the public.
Research Notes & Manuscripts: Author interviews, detailed timelines, analyses of key events, and supporting materials on related figures.
These materials offer unparalleled insight into the arrests and trials.

WHY THIS ACQUISITION MATTERS
This collection provides primary-sources for understanding a pivotal chapter in Lake County history. It will enable enhanced educational programming, research access for scholars, students, and journalists, and community education that goes beyond headlines and rumors.
Importantly, the exhibit will also illuminate lesser-known aspects of the community’s response. The exhibit aims to present the full, nuanced story of a community that has lived under the shadow of this case — educating without assigning blame, and letting visitors examine the facts and form their own conclusions.
The collection will be professionally stored under archival conditions and made publicly accessible via a new interactive kiosk at the Museum.
Read more about it in the recent article from The Groveland-Clermont Sun:
https://www.midfloridanewspapers.com/clermont_sun/beyond-the-headlines-museum-plans-powerful-new-groveland-four-exhibit/article_80671b24-5a58-4868-a474-e6abe897425b.html?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Top%20Story%3A%20

07/24/2026

Be sure to tune in to "Happenings and History with Kelly Manke"
Friday, July 24th at 1-2 PM!
1410 AM or 95.1 FM
https://wqbqradio.com/listen-live-to-wqbq-popup-player/ #
Our president, Jason Brown, will be on to discuss Groveland History and our new fundraising campaign for Gary Corsair's collection about the Groveland Four Case.