Two museums will receive a financial boost in Pasco County’s fiscal year 2018 budget.
The Pasco County Commission has agreed to give $25,000 each to the West Pasco Historical Society Museum and Library in New Port Richey and the Pioneer Florida Museum & Village in Dade City. The action came at the commission’s Aug. 29 meeting in Dade City.
The infusion of cash to the nonprofits stemmed from a request in July by Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley.
Before granting Oakley’s request, however, his colleagues on the commission wanted details on how the money would be spent.
“They struggle throughout the years to get funding to keep up with our records and history,” Oakley said.
County officials outlined each agency’s plans for the funds. Each agency sent a letter of explanation, as well.
Pioneer Florida Museum & Village wants to relocate a historical log cabin from Lacoochee to add to its collection of historical buildings at the 16-acre site in Dade City.
Museum officials are exploring the costs and suitability of moving the cabin, according to the letter from Melissa Lea, board president, and Stephanie Black, executive director.
“The museum is continually trying to preserve and improve,” the letter states.
Other potential projects could be attic fans and better lighting for the Blanton Packing House, or repairs to other buildings. The main building, with numerous displays and traveling exhibits, needs flooring.
Visitors to the museum already can tour its history center, as well as the Overstreet House, a one-room school house. They also can check out a church from Enterprise, the Trilby depot and a train engine.
West Pasco Historical Society will spend the money to expand storage. The museum is at capacity, according to the letter from Bob Langford, the society’s president.
“In the past few years, we have had to refuse items simply due to the fact that we don’t have room,” he stated.
A second potential project would be to digitize the museum’s collection of weekly newspapers – The New Port Richey Press, The Dade City Banner and The Zephyrhills Colonist/Zephyrhills News.
For more information about both of these organizations, visit PioneerFloridaMuseum.org and WestPascoHistoricalSociety.org.
Published September 13, 2017
