The Laker/Lutz News

Angelo Liranzo

Little Free Libraries coming to Lacoochee, Tommytown

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Hugh Embry Library has been awarded two Little Free Libraries (LFLs) through the Little Free Library’s Impact Program for November 2021, according to a Pasco County news release.

The program provides free Little Free Library book exchange stands to communities with members who face economic and social barriers, and find it difficult to reach the library.

Hugh Embry Library is closed for renovations, so the stands will provide books for people who are not able to travel to other libraries.

The stands will be set up in Lacoochee and Tommytown.

“The Little Free Libraries have been a special project of the Friends of Hugh Embry Library for years, already funding five LFLs,” Librarian Angelo Liranzo, said in the release. “Library team members are working with the Friends to reach our community partners in both winning communities as we await the soon-to-arrive LFLs.”

Friends of the Hugh Embry Library and library staff dedicated themselves to researching and applying for the grant opportunity to obtain the LFLs.

For more information about Pasco County Libraries, including the library catalog, E-content, programs, events and links to all Pasco County Library branches, visit PascoLibraries.org.

Published December 22, 2021

New River Library offers patrons a fresh look

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It’s not a brand new library — but it sure looks and feels like one.

The New River Library, at 34043 State Road 54 in Wesley Chapel, has reopened its doors after a massive overhaul that took longer than expected because of COVID-19 and material delays.

The red brick building, constructed in 1991, looks much the same. The inside, however, looks entirely new. (B.C. Manion)

The library officially reopened on April 30, but work is not completely finished yet on the outdoor garden spaces, and library staff is still awaiting the arrival of some furniture and materials.

Still, there’s an air of excitement as staff prepares to offer library patrons a more comfortable place to read, meet and take advantage of programming.

Most of the activities won’t kick into high gear until later this year, as the library continues to offer the vast majority of programming remotely.

Still, staff is eager for patrons to come in and take a look around.

“People are welcome to come in and they’re welcome to take our nickel tour, what we call a Sneak Preview,” said Angelo Liranzo, a regional manager for Pasco County Libraries.

The tour gives patrons a chance to see what’s there now and to hear about what’s coming.

Danielle Lee, branch manager at New River, is excited about the possibilities.

Those entering the library site now have two options. A driveway has been added on the east side of the library campus.

New landscaping has been added, too, with palm trees lining the sidewalk and flowering plants greeting visitors as they make their way to the front entryway.

Angelo Liranzo is a regional manager for Pasco County Libraries and Danielle Lee is the branch manager for the New River Branch Library, which was recently renovated.

“The outside is a lot more harmonious with Wesley Chapel, which has a lot new communities with beautiful entries into their subdivisions, and the library looks like it belongs in that area,” Liranzo said.

A giant mat at the front door gives patrons a chance to wipe off their feet before stepping onto the newly installed flooring in the library’s new lobby.

The space is much more open and brighter than the one it replaced, and there is seating available there. There are new restrooms, too, designed for individual or family use. Each restroom is ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)-compliant.

Inside the library, patron will find staffers at the service desk, ready to help people find what they need.

There’s a new children’s room, where children can play with toys. Future plans call for having story time there. Older kids can use the room’s computers.

The space has large windows looking out onto the library’s front yard, which is landscaped with trees and flowering plants. There’s also a view of busy State Road 54.

This is the library’s new children’s room. It offers comfortable seating, room to play, computers and a view, too.

“This is my favorite room,” said Danielle Lee, the branch manager. “It’s relaxing.”

There’s also an enclosed space for teens, which also has large windows.

“They’re going to have gaming computers in there, so if they’re playing on the computers they can have a good time and not disturb anyone else,” Liranzo said.

“We have study rooms that we never had before. Those are very nice,” Liranzo added.

Lee noted: “Study Room C is large enough — where a group can study.”

It can accommodate up to eight people, she added.

Liranzo also noted: “We still have our big open space that we can do programs in. We have enclosed spaces, where people don’t feel they’re being disturbed by noise. That’s something we never had before.”

The large space, which can be used for events, can become even larger because the furniture and bookshelves, are movable, Lee said.

There’s a community meeting room, too, which is equipped to facilitate Zoom sessions and big screen presentations.

The room can be reserved, but a priority system is used, with library programs getting first dibs, followed by government programs, and then, local organizations, Liranzo said.

The meeting room also is the space used by the Supervisor of Elections for a voting precinct.

There’s a new drive-thru book drop behind the New River Branch Library, giving patrons a chance to drop off books from the convenience of their car.

Outside, on the east side of the library, crews are hard at work installing garden spaces.

When finished, there will be community garden plots. There also will be a butterfly garden, a native plants garden, a seasonal plants garden and a sensory garden.

The library expects to partner with the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and Pasco County Extension to offer demonstrations and learning opportunities, Liranzo said.

Nearly everything at the library has been redone or replaced.

“The exterior brick is the same. The roof is the same. But everything else was gutted out,” Liranzo said.

“We’re very fortunate that the Go Bonds were approved by the public,” Liranzo said, noting the bond proceeds paid for the cost of renovations, furniture and materials.

The library is far more than a place to simply read and check out books, Lee and Liranzo said.

It’s also a place where people gather for story time, book clubs, knitting, card games and an assortment of other activities.

That all came to a halt because of the pandemic, but library staff can’t wait for the day when the library can come back to full life — as a place where people can gather, to learn and to socialize.

New River Library, 34043 State Road 54, Wesley Chapel
Hours
Monday and Wednesday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Tuesday and Thursday: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Friday and Saturday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Published June 02, 2021

Here’s an easy way to launch a book club, for free

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Maybe you’ve been interested in starting a book club, but didn’t know how.

Or, maybe it’s been a desire — but seemed to be too expensive.

Maybe you like the idea, but can’t decide what books to read.

Or, perhaps you already have a book club, but could benefit from a single source of books that you can borrow, instead of buying.

Book club readers have plenty of choices, with more than 200 titles to choose from for book club kits available to borrow from the Pasco County Library System. (Courtesy of Marie Gibson, Hudson Regional Library)

If any of those situations applies to you, you’re in luck. The Pasco County Library System has Book Club Kits designed to make it easy for people to run their own book clubs.

The Pasco County Library System has been operating book clubs at some of its branches for years and also works with community book clubs, said Angelo Liranzo, regional branch manager for the Hugh Embry Branch Library, in Dade City.

He explained how the system’s relatively new book club kit service works.

Patrons simply put in a request for a book club kit and use their library card to check it out, Liranzo said. Each kit has up to 15 books.

There are roughly 200 titles for book clubs to choose from — in all sorts of genres, and the kit can be checked out for eight weeks at a time.

The lengthy checkout period allows time to pick up the kit, distribute the books to club members, read the books, discuss them and return the kit back to the library.

Getting the kits is easy, too. A patron simply places an order and the kit is delivered to his or her  branch library — typically within three days.

The program was launched in June, during the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

But, the idea for the program hatched earlier.

He credited library system staffers Kathleen Rothstein and Catherine Seavey for being instrumental in getting the program rolling.

The library system’s branch-led book clubs typically are curated by the librarians at the various branches, Liranzo explained. The library system also is aware of about 20 community-led book clubs, he said.

Get lost in a book, then talk about it with friends — using one of the Pasco County Library System’s Book Club Kits. (Courtesy of Angelo Liranzo, Hugh Embry Branch Library)

The kits are assembled in bags, which some librarians, who are now retired, had ordered to use with the internal book clubs managed by the library system.

“They put the books in the bags and then they would send the bags around to the branches,” Liranzo said.

Discussions began internally, among the library system’s staff: “How can we get our book club kits into the hands of these book clubs? It would make it so much easier and organized, for them and for us,” Liranzo explained.

There’s no shortage of enthusiasm for book clubs, Liranzo said.

Some clubs like to stick with fiction. Others mix things up.

Some are into mysteries — but nothing too gory, please.

Book clubs have different personalities, too.

In some clubs, the attitude is: “Let’s sit down and talk about the book and not get distracted because we only have so much time,” he said.

Some clubs offer cupcakes and cookies.

There’s even one club that was meeting in a brewery, before the pandemic hit.

“I don’t think the people who go to the brewery necessarily get a beer. A lot of them are actually teetotalers They just get some iced tea,” he said.

In some places, the book clubs are seasonal.

“We have a heavy season and a lighter season,” Liranzo said. “Sometimes the winter brings some snowbirds, so the ones who go away for the summer, sometimes their book clubs go on hiatus.”

The book clubs can be energizing, as members share their thoughts.

And, they can be social, too, with people chatting before their session begins, and going out for some lunch, afterwards.

Even though the program began during the pandemic, Book Club Kits will continue to be offered, even after libraries open up again.

“This is now going to be a permanent service that we will have,” Liranzo said.

The program is well-stocked.

“Only about a third (of the kits) are in use at one time right now,” he said.

People who want to learn more about checking out a kit can call their local library branch for more information.

Or, they can visit PascoLibraries.org for details and to order a kit.

Published April 21, 2021

The Dade City Banner chronicled local news

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By the time Katharine Graham became publisher of the Washington Post in 1963, Margaret Bazzell had already been the publisher for The Dade City Banner for 20 years.

Both women became owners of their family owned newspapers upon the deaths of their husbands.

Succeeding in a male-dominated industry, Graham was the first female publisher of a major American newspaper. Her paper’s coverage of the Watergate scandal eventually led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon in 1974.

The National Guard was brought in to protect dozens of homes and businesses damaged by a tornado, as reported by The Dade City Banner on April 2, 1959. (Courtesy of the University of Florida Digital Collections)

Bazzell became the first female publisher in Pasco County during World War II. Her husband died when he was just 42.

The newspaper reported the death under the headline — “H. S. Bazzell died suddenly Sunday p.m.,” spelled out in all capital letters.

An account, published Jan. 22, 1943, said in part: “When an employee is called upon to chronicle the passing of his employer and intimate friend it borders on the impossible.”

Prior to the Banner’s first publication on July 25, 1913, it chose a name that was briefly considered for Pasco County in 1887.

Volume 1, number 1 of the Banner was a “well-edited and well-appearing paper,” observed its first editor John Tippen.

Published on the Banner’s front page was a picture of “the beautiful Edwinola Hotel.” It was completed the previous year at a cost of about $50,000.

The structure was described this way in the Banner: “It is a fire-proof concrete building of three stories, containing 32 guest rooms, all of which are located on the second and third floors, the first floor being used for office, parlor and a dining room.”

In a notice to its readers and advertisers in 1915, the Banner promised “to conduct a clean, wholesome newspaper, which will give in every instance a fair deal to all.”

For much of the Banner’s history, that public pledge was followed by Margaret Bazzell.

During her time as owner and publisher until 1968, Margaret Bazzell would see her son, Harley S. Bazzell Jr., become editor.

She also hired her daughter-in-law Roszlyn “Ro” Bazzell (who died earlier this year); Harold Taylor, as typesetter; and William R. Branas, as advertising manager.

Calling itself “Pasco County’s Leading Newspaper,” the Banner became a daily and would eventually cover all of East and Central Pasco County, including the towns of Blanton, Dade City, Land O’ Lakes, Richland, Ridge Manor, San Antonio, Trilby, Gator (Wesley Chapel) and Zephyrhills.

“We lived within walking distance of our jobs,” former reporter Nell Moody Woodcock recalls on the Pasco County history website Fivay.org.

This old post card shows the offices of The Dade City Banner sometime in the early 1920s. The newspaper’s staff is pictured on the front steps, while a company car is shown on the right. (Courtesy of David Ward)

Keeping a finger on the pulse on Pasco
“The Banner was the newspaper of record for legal advertisements. Hard news was generated at the Pasco County Courthouse or city hall,” Woodcock recalls.

It was convenient that the Coleman and Ferguson Funeral Home was located on the opposite side of Seventh Street from the Banner.

“Their ambulances were called to emergencies, and a check with the front office would reveal the location and severity of the incident,” explains Woodcock, who grew up in Lacoochee and later retired as a staff reporter with The Tampa Tribune.

Readers especially enjoyed the Society Page by editor Catherine H. McIntosh. This section of the Banner was filled with articles about children’s birthday parties, families entertaining out-of-town guests, and weddings that were not complete without full descriptions of the dresses worn by the brides.

Typical was the following published on June 30, 1952: “Given in marriage by her father, the bride (Miss Vivian Bailey) wore a gown of candlelight satin with the full skirt terminating in a cathedral train. An overskirt of princess lace was a feature of the gown, which was fashioned with a basque bodice, with jewel neckline and long fitted sleeves with points over the hands. Her fingertip veil of illusion fell from a Queen of Scots cap, caught with orange blossoms, and appliqued with princess lace. She carried a shower bouquet of lilies of the valley and stephanotis, centered with a white orchid.”

With no door-to-door delivery, “subscribers got the paper in the mail (and) those who were in the military could learn all about what was happening back home by having the paper mailed to them,” according to the Fivay.org website.

That included local sports coverage by Gerald Newton, who was hired by the Banner in 1965 while still a 23-year-old student at Southeastern Bible College in Lakeland.

“I was once warned about being too wordy with some of my articles,” Newton posted on his Facebook page for Feb. 23, 2020.

This undated photograph shows the new Edwinola Hotel near downtown Dade City. Opening on March 8, 1912, it made front page news published in the first edition of The Dade City Banner on July 25, 1913. (Courtesy of Fivay.org)

The 1979 Dade City Little League state championship and the 1992 Pasco Pirate state title were covered during his 47-year career that spanned three newspapers following the Banner, as well as sports director for radio station WDCF in Dade City, and as a coach and teacher for Pasco County Schools.

Nearly 3,000 issues of The Dade City Banner are part of the digital collections on file at the University of Florida.

Preserving the newspaper began with efforts by the Pasco County Genealogy Society in 2000.

“They thought it would be a good idea to start indexing the births, deaths and marriages in The Dade City Banner,” explains Glen Thompson, a member of the Friends of the Hugh Embry Library in Dade City.

Following seven years of work on issues printed from 1913 to 1923, these copies were sent to the University of Florida. Also shipped out were Banners found in a dumpster, and others stored in archival boxes at city hall.

According to Angelo Liranzo, the library’s manager, copies of The Dade City Banner were digitized from 1914 to 1971 at a cost of approximately $15,000.

While the digital files are all PDF, the original papers still survive.

They chronicle news including construction of the new Evans bulk orange juice concentrate facilities south of Dade City in 1957, and the closing of the Cummer & Sons Cypress Company in 1959.

But, the stories of generations of families are the primary history that is preserved, in part, on the pages of The Dade City Banner.

The records are not clear, but sometime between 1973 and 1974, The Dade City Banner changed its name to The Pasco News under new management.

Doug Sanders has a penchant for unearthing interesting stories about local history. His sleuthing skills have been developed through his experiences in newspaper and government work. If you have an idea for a future history column, contact Doug at .

Published October 07, 2020

Wesley Chapel library to be remodeled this fall

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Community locals gathered at the New River Branch Library to learn of Pasco County’s plans to renovate the building’s interior and exterior.

The April 25 meeting was also an opportunity for the public to voice any questions, concerns or ideas regarding the project.

The library is one of seven branches that will undergo makeovers with funding provided by a general obligation bond overwhelmingly supported by Pasco County voters in November 2018.

Angelo Liranzo explained to a crowd on April 25 the future plans to remodel the New River Branch Library. The library, located near the border of Wesley Chapel and Zephyrhills, is one of seven branches in Pasco County that will undergo renovations. (Brian Fernandes)

The New River library is situated at 34043 State Road 54, which is near the border of Wesley Chapel and Zephyrhills.

Much of the planning for the improvements was based on feedback received from library patrons, said Angelo Liranzo, regional branch manager for New River and the Hugh Embry Library in Dade City.

Those attending the community meeting saw aerial-view drawings of the library — which will be reconfigured but not expanded.

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is working along with the county to fulfill the project.

A second entry will be added with a right-turn lane for motorists who are heading west on Old State Road 54.

The entrance will lead to the existing parking lot and will have signage to direct drivers.

Guests inquired about a possible way to turn left onto Old State Road 54 when exiting the library. At present, only right turns can be made when leaving the premises.

“We were hoping for a left-hand turn median, [but] we don’t see that in FDOT’s plans right now,” the branch manager responded.

However, he encouraged the group to take the issue up with county officials.

Linda Harris was relieved when plans were mentioned to incorporate more seating between the parking lot and the entrance.

“My friend is physically challenged and she has a hard time getting from her car all the way into the building,” the Zephyrhills resident said.

She explained that with additional seating, her friend can stop to rest, if needed.

There also are plans to add a book drop-off site in the parking lot, making it more convenient to return books.

A sidewalk also will be added, leading from the parking lot to the library’s community garden on the building’s east side.

This will provide easy access to the garden for those with limited mobility, Liranzo said.

Within the garden, an outdoor classroom will be built and shaded by an aluminum roof.

Alexandra Kotzeva is receptive to the plan. The Wesley Chapel resident volunteers at the library after school hours.

“I’m really glad to hear that the outdoor class(room) is going to be a thing now,” the 17-year-old said.

Attendees also expressed interest when they learned that the outdoor classroom would also serve as a stage for live performances and seminars, and also be equipped with proper lighting.

When a question was raised about security, Liranzo noted that lighting and surveillance cameras around the library’s outer perimeter is a possibility.

Cameras may be placed inside as well, especially at the entrance, he added.

Plans also call for seating in the front lobby, to encourage a social atmosphere, and there will be an art gallery.

The existing meeting room, to the immediate left, also will be enlarged by moving the rear wall back several feet. That room will also have new lighting, that can be dimmed or brightened, depending on the nature of the activity.

In response to a question about the children’s room, Liranzo said that the area will be larger and will be designed as an activities area.

It will feature a variety of amenities for the children, and will be walled off by a glass window so kids can still be supervised from the adult room.

As the largest area in the library, the adult room will be open to all, with computer stations, as well as a reading and seating area.

There will be three new study rooms by patron request and a room for young adults.

Also, there will be new restrooms.

“There will be self-checkout,” Liranzo added. “We’re trying to create more self-service opportunities for people who just want to do something quick, and go.”

These book stations will be located at the front desk and in various areas of the library.

However, he noted, library staff will still be available to help patrons requiring assistance.

New River will be closed during construction, which is set to begin in October, and is expected to take six months to complete.

Staff will be working with community partners to provide library services at other locations.

Published May 08, 2019

Hugh Embry Branch Library now open again on Mondays

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A ribbon-cutting was held at Hugh Embry Branch Library on Oct. 29 to celebrate the fact that, once again, the library is open on Mondays.

The facility, at 14215 Fourth St., is one of four libraries across Pasco County where Monday hours have been restored.

Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley is joined by others during the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Oct. 29 to celebrate the restoration of Monday hours at Hugh Embry Branch Library. (Brian Fernandes)

The others are the Hudson Branch Library in Hudson, the Regency Park Branch in New Port Richey and the Land O’ Lakes Branch in Land O’ Lakes.

Pasco County Commissioners voted in 2010 to reduce library operating hours because of plummeting revenues during the Recession. Gradually, it has been adding hours back to libraries.

Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley, who represents District 1, did the honors of cutting the ribbon during the festivities at the Hugh Embry Branch.

He also shared his thoughts about the vital role that libraries play in community life.

“You see not only older people in there, but young people and families – that’s very important to me,” Oakley said.

Many people need the services the library offers, said Angelo Liranzo, the Hugh Embry Branch manager. People visit the library to check out books, but they also come to work on school assignments, conduct research for job searches, or join in the library’s recreational programs.

With the restoration of funding, the Hugh Embry Branch is now open on Mondays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The additional hours allow increased access to the amenities that the library provides.

For instance, patrons can use a program called Freegal — implemented this year — to stream and download music legally onto their personal devices.

Films and e-books also can be conveniently transferred to laptops, tablets and smartphones with software like Kanopy and Hoopla.

There are also launchpad tablets that kids can use to play games, which help teach subjects, such as math and science.

“One of the great things about libraries is that we try to find ways to make learning seem like fun,” Liranzo said.

After Oakley concluded his remarks, those attending the celebration were able to enjoy refreshments and live music.

Published November 7, 2018

Preserving stories of Wesley Chapel’s past

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Motorists passing through Wesley Chapel today are likely to see it as a place on the move.

Within the past decade or so, a landscape once characterized by cattle ranches and citrus groves, has become a place becoming more widely known for its shopping, medical, education and residential options.

Gwen Wells Ellerbee and Esther Burnside Boyette are washing clothes in this 1941 photo taken at a location off of Ellerbee Road. (Courtesy of Madonna Jervis Wise)
Gwen Wells Ellerbee and Esther Burnside Boyette are washing clothes in this 1941 photo taken at a location off of Ellerbee Road.
(Courtesy of Madonna Jervis Wise)

But, there are plenty of people who remember when the community was more closely associated with timber and turpentine operations, moonshine stills and gator hunts.

To help keep those memories alive, the Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch hosted a Wesley Chapel History Fair.

The college intends to have the event every year, said Dr. Bonnie Clark, vice president of distance education and provost of the Porter Campus.

Speakers at the event were:

  • Madonna Jervis Wise, author of “Images of America: Wesley Chapel,” who talked about details about the community she unearthed during her research
  • J. Thomas Touchton, founding chairman of the Tampa Bay History Center, who brought along an 1884 map of Hernando County, when it included Wesley Chapel, though not called that at the time
  • Quinn Porter Miller, who shared stories about the Porters’ history in Wesley Chapel
  • Stephanie Bracknell Black, director of the Pioneer Florida Museum & Village, who shared stories about her grandfather, Lonnie Tucker
  • Angelo Liranzo, a librarian who talked about a project involving the digitizing of more than 100 years of newspapers, and how to access the data

Because Wesley Chapel, unlike some communities, did not have a central downtown or a government, Wise relied on information she gleaned from homestead records, pension records and other public records, and interviews with families.

As she conducted her research, she learned about the close connections between families.

“I’ve rarely seen families that cared so much about each other,” Wise said.

She was surprised to learn about the important role that music played in Wesley Chapel.

“There’s something in Southern Culture that’s known as the fifth Sunday sing. Sometimes it is known as the singing convention,” Wise said, explaining people would gather for an entire day of singing and picnics.

Dr. Bonnie Clark, vice president of distance education and provost of Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, checks out a map of early Wesley Chapel homesteads. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Dr. Bonnie Clark, vice president of distance education and provost of Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, checks out a map of early Wesley Chapel homesteads.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

“The First Baptist Church of Wesley Chapel was the center. After the convention, they had something that was known as ‘Dinner on the Ground.’ This was an all-day thing.”

Wise also talked about the turpentine communities, truck patches, gator hunting and moonshining that were part of life in Wesley Chapel.

There aren’t many remaining historic houses in Wesley Chapel, and that’s mainly because most were constructed of wood, Wise said. “We actually only found about three or four homesteads that were still standing.”

Quinn Porter Miller, another speaker, applauded the idea of annual history fairs.

“My dad would talk about all of these stories. My brother and I would say, ‘We’ve just got to get them all in one room, give them some Scotch and hit record.’

“We didn’t get the chance before my dad passed and, thankfully, Madonna (Jervis Wise) was able to get these people together and really document all these wonderful stories and these things, otherwise, that would really go down with the people,” Miller said.

Miller told the crowd about her grandfather James Hatcher “Wiregrass” Porter, who moved into the area in 1946 with his wife, Martha.

Her dad, Don Porter, was 6 when the family moved to Wesley Chapel.

“Wiregrass’ father, J.B. Porter, or J.B. or Pop Porter, as he was called, bought the land in 1937 from the Rockefeller Land Trust, for somewhere around $3 an acre,” Miller said.

When Wiregrass moved to the area, he and his family lived in an old frame house.

“My grandma Martha would cook these three hot meals a day on a Coleman stove. No electricity, no running water up there until they built their red brick house on (State Road) 54 in 1960,” Miller said.

“I don’t know if anyone could have known how this area would grow,” Miller said.

But, the family has always known how important education is, and that’s what inspired the gift of 60 acres where Porter Campus now sits.

She recalled her father’s determination to help make that happen.

“He knew how important it was that a student could go from preschool through college without having to leave the Wesley Chapel community,” she said.

And, when Don Porter came to the college’s dedication ceremony shortly before his death, he was thrilled by the college, she said. She recalls him saying: “Can you believe this? Isn’t it wild?”

Touchton also recalled Don Porter’s vision for the area.

“I remember visiting with Don when he would show me the master plan, as it was being developed. He was willing to be patient, and he would point out different areas of the property – this will be residential, this will be shopping, this will be education, this will be sports. He was very, very proud of the vision, in conjunction with his brothers, of course, and I’m sure J.D. and Quinn,” Touchton said.

Black shared tales of the legendary Lonnie Tucker, known for his gator hunting abilities and his marksmanship.

To her, though, he was her grandpa.

She recalled asking him once to bring two big watermelons to share at school.

He did.

But, he also brought scores of small watermelons so all kinds of people got to take one home.

The annual history fair aims to prevent such memories from fading away.

Published April 6, 2016

History fair focuses on Wesley Chapel

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If you’re curious about the history of Wesley Chapel, there’s a new event designed to help you learn about the community’s past.

Pasco-Hernando State College is hosting the Wesley Chapel History Fair on March 31, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at the college’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, 2727 Mansfield Blvd. The event will be in the college’s conference center.

Pasco-Hernando State College is hosting a history fair on March 31, with speakers sharing stories about Wesley Chapel’s past. Madonna Wise will talk about her book, “Images of America: Wesley Chapel.” (Photos courtesy of Madonna Jervis Wise)
Pasco-Hernando State College is hosting a history fair on March 31, with speakers sharing stories about Wesley Chapel’s past. Madonna Wise will talk about her book, “Images of America: Wesley Chapel.”
(Photos courtesy of Madonna Jervis Wise)

The event will showcase stories and anecdotes about the area, as it has evolved from a rural community into a center for growth in Pasco County.

Madonna Jervis Wise will talk about her latest book, “Images of America: Wesley Chapel,” which recounts what Wesley Chapel was like when the community still had moonshiners, alligator hunters, turpentine and timber operations.

Wise also will be signing copies of her book, which will be available for purchase at the event.

Other highlights will include presentations from two women who will share stories about their family members.

Stephanie Black, director of the Pioneer Museum & Village, will recount tales of the legendary Lonnie Tucker, and Quinn Porter Miller will share vignettes about James H. “Wiregrass” Porter, and her family.

Thomas Touchton, founding Chairman of the Tampa Bay History Center, will share the J. Thomas and Lavinia W. Touchton Collection of Florida Cartography.

Angelo Liranzo, a librarian who spearheaded the digitizing of more than 100 years of area newspapers, will provide a hands-on demonstration regarding local historical resources.

There was a time when Wesley Chapel was widely known for its moonshining operations and its alligator hunting. The community has been transformed in recent years into a major growth center in Pasco County.
There was a time when Wesley Chapel was widely known for its moonshining operations and its alligator hunting. The community has been transformed in recent years into a major growth center in Pasco County.

Wise, who has also written local history books about Zephyrhills and Dade City, said it was harder to find a starting point in Wesley Chapel because the community did not have a city hall or established town center.

So, she relied on her knowledge of genealogy and tracked down people she could interview, which led to more interviews and documents to help tell the community’s story.

Putting together the book meant interviewing scores of pioneer descendants, culling through land records, visiting properties and even putting together a map to get a sense for what it used to be like.

As Wise did her research, she said one surprising discovery was that women in the community had long been acknowledged for their contributions.

“Pioneer women of Wesley Chapel were revered for their tireless days of toil, with a nurturing spirt and the skill to raise large families,” she wrote in her book.

Published March 23, 2016

Pasco historian publishing new book on Dade City

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The Historic Pasco County Courthouse will be the backdrop for a book-signing event featuring local writer Madonna Jervis Wise on Oct. 4.

Wise has released her latest book, “Images of America: Dade City,” which will be released by Arcadia Publishing in September. The book features more than 200 photos and images throughout the 150-year history of Dade City.

Several people and historians who helped Wise on the book will speak at the event, which starts at 1 p.m. at the courthouse, 37918 Meridian Ave., in Dade City. They include Pasco County commissioner Pat Mulieri, Dade City councilman Scott Black, Trilby historian Angelo Liranzo, and Tampa Bay History Center founding board chairman J. Thomas Touchton.

Those attending will then be invited inside the courthouse for the cook signing in the commission chambers on the second floor, which will last until 4 p.m.

“Dade City is the historical hub of Pasco County history,” Wise said, in a release. “Oh, the stories. The book provides glimpses of institutions that have shaped history. This project gave me an opportunity to connect and learn from some of my favorite people.”

Wise has authored several books, including a comprehensive historical book on Zephyrhills. She also wrote “Sam & Company” and co-authored “Kachina and the Bully.”

Her Dade City book has been endorsed by the Historic Preservation Advisory Board of Dade City.

“I think the historic Dade City courthouse is the perfect backdrop to hold this event,” Mulieri said, in a release. “Many of the people and history described in this book have walked through the halls of the historic Dade City courthouse, and to have a book-signing event there is a fitting way to remember Dade City and its great history.”

Arcadia Publishing specializes in publishing books dealing with local and regional history in the United States. Its mission is to make history accessible and meaningful through the publication of books on the heritage of America’s people and places, and have published more than 8,500 small towns and downtowns.