Tag: Highlands

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Blogging Driving Geography History Travel

Sebring Historical Society

Welcome back to #TravelThursday. Anniversary Week continues here on my blog. Last week I wrote about my first visit to the historic Avon Park Depot Museum – operated by the Avon Park Historical Society. It was a disappointment, as it was unexpectedly closed due to COVID. (That was exactly 5 years ago this week.)

I immediately got back in my car on that cloudy and drizzly Wednesday morning in February of 2021, and I drove southward to downtown Sebring. I went to the city pier on Lake Jackson – a place I had visited before – to sightsee and determine my next move. (I had planned to visit the Military Sea Services Museum a few miles away, but they wouldn’t open until 12 Noon.)

As I was walking off the pier – I saw a sign nearby and a canopy over an entrance that read Sebring Historical Society. I was intrigued. I knew about the Avon Park Historical Society (because of their Internet presence), but I had no idea of the Sebring Historical Society. I walked up to the door to open it, and it was locked shut with no lights on inside even though they were supposed to be open based on the operating hours posted on the door. Well – the disappointment of the morning continued.

I wasn’t about to give up so quickly. I actually drove around the building, parked my car again, and noticed an entrance on the 2ND floor of that same building (from the parking lot on the hill). I walked-in, and within about 10 seconds I realized that I had unknowingly walked-in to the Sebring Public Library. #LOL

I looked around the library for a little while – pretending I was interested in what I was looking at. (I wasn’t.) After a few minutes of that I walked up to the front counter, and I inquired about the museum downstairs. The librarian actually called downstairs for me to find out if (or when) they would be open. I didn’t hear the other end of the conversation, but after the librarian got off the phone she told me that YES – they were open – but head for the “yellow house” (across the parking lot) instead, and walk-in. I thanked the librarian for going out of her way in doing that, and I headed for the “yellow house”.

A nice older woman greeted me at the front door as I walked-in, and she gave me an extensive guided tour of the historic house that less than 2 months earlier became a public museum after restoration. I loved every minute of her tour which lasted perhaps 45 minutes (if that). For the next 45 minutes we just chatted back-and-forth as if we knew each other for years. She lived much of her life in Miami-Dade County, and then she retired to Sebring where she served as a docent for the Sebring Historical Society. It sounded like an interesting plan. It sounded like a potential vision for my own future. She urged me to return to that first place that I tried to enter earlier but encountered a locked door. She said that I should talk to the guy that was working in there at that moment. He was a Director at the Sebring Historical Society. I did just that, and we talked for almost 90 minutes. (I also got to tour the premises which serves as a library of historical archives for the city and region.)

I was pretty sure what I was going to do once I moved up to Sebring a couple of years later (in 2023). I was going to be an active volunteer – physically serving and financially supporting the Sebring Historical Society.

I felt rejuvenated after that unexpected 3-hour experience. It was the highlight of my entire 5-day / 624-mile road-trip vacation. That was on Wednesday February 17TH 2021. This week marks my 5-year relationship with the Sebring Historical Society.

I kept my promise. I became a dues-paying member a month before I actually moved to Sebring in 2023. I immediately began actively participating and volunteering in various scheduled events. During most of 2024 I served as the Tuesday docent of that “yellow house” – now officially known as the Charles F. Weigle House Museum & Gift Shop. Later in 2024 I became the Social Media Director – in charge of our Facebook page. It’s now one of the most consistent and interactive Facebook pages in all of Highlands County. I was also nominated into our Board Of Directors where I’m currently serving a 3-year term.

Next #TravelThursday – I’ll write about our historic house that is the Charles F. Weigle House Museum & Gift Shop. Let’s keep traveling together.

All rights reserved (c) 2026 Christopher M. Day, CountUp

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Blogging Driving Food Geography History Travel

Avon Park Depot Museum

Welcome back to #TravelThursday. I’ve written about the historic Avon Park Depot Museum – operated by the Avon Park Historical Society – a few times here on my blog. It’s located about 4½ miles from my neighborhood on Main Street in downtown Avon Park Florida. I studied the place online during COVID, and I was very intrigued by its history. I decided that once I move to the area and retire from the USAF – I wanted to volunteer at the museum full-time.

My first visit to the museum was 5 years ago next week during a fun road-trip vacation through the area. I arrived at the museum. I took a couple of exterior photos. I walked-up to the front door, and it was locked shut with a note on the door. They were closed due to COVID.

What a disappointment. I immediately got back in my car and drove southward to downtown Sebring. That disappointment actually led me to my discovery of the Sebring Historical Society. My relationship with them began that morning, and it continues to this day. I’ll write about that – next #TravelThursday.

I’ve been visiting the Depot Museum in downtown Avon Park on a fairly regular basis over the past few years. Every time I visit – I wonder what could’ve been had they been open on that Wednesday in February in 2021. What would I be doing at that museum ? Would I be giving tours ? Would I be doing Accounting & Finance ? Would I be in charge of their Social Media and Internet presence ? Would the museum look any differently because of me ?

The museum is well run. My friend Elaine is the Museum Curator, and she frequently updates the museum with new displays – both temporary and permanent. It’s a very nice museum to visit set in a historic train depot, and the trains keep on rolling by. (They just don’t stop.)

On some days you may even be able to get a bonus exclusive behind-the-scenes tour inside this railroad dining car (acquired in 1986) that last saw action as part of Amtrak’s Auto Train between Lorton Virginia and Sanford Florida. It’s now used for special catered dining events by groups of 16 to 36 (by reservation only).

And I finally got to do just that this past December. A group of us from the Sebring Historical Society joined forces with another small group to meet the minimum of 16, and we enjoyed a very nice multi-course lunch on the train car. The food was delicious, and the service was wonderful (provided by volunteers of the Avon Park Historical Society). It was an excellent experience, and I suggested right then and there that we need to do this again next year (as in 2026). Several trains (passenger and freight) sped by us on the track as we were enjoying lunch – and also during our guided tour of the museum before lunch.

The museum is a traditional historical museum for the city of Avon Park. You can easily spend an hour or two checking it all out and allowing the docent(s) to share history with you. It’s currently open from 10 AM to 3 PM on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. It’s located at 3 North Museum Avenue – right after the first set of railroad tracks if you’re driving east on Main Street from U.S. 27. Make a left at Museum Avenue, and you’ll see the museum and the dining car on the left-hand side. Admission is free. Donations are appreciated.

Let’s keep traveling together.

All rights reserved (c) 2026 Christopher M. Day, CountUp

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Animals Blogging Bugs Driving Geography Holidays Home Nature Travel

Archbold Biological Station

Welcome back to #TravelThursday. There’s a large tract of land directly to the north of my neighborhood that’s unspoiled raw Florida scrub. I have a great view of it out my second-floor side and front windows. I bet it looks exactly the same now as it did 25 – even 50 years ago – probably even more than that. It’s what my neighborhood probably looked like before 1985 – when the land was cleared, and construction began. I love living on the other side of our perimeter fence from that scrub. I often stare at it for minutes – watching the nature and the wildlife that prospers there. It’s like living right next door to a nature preserve. I hope it stays like that for the rest of my life.

A couple of Wednesdays ago on New Year’s Day Morning I had the opportunity to finally visit the Archbold Biological Station 30 miles away down in the southern end of my home county – Highlands. It’s about a mile-and-a-half west of U.S. 27, so I’ve driven by it dozens of times. It was my first time there. For several years I thought that it was closed to the general public, but then I realized that they actually have a small Learning Center there along with public nature trails nearby.

They hosted a “First Day Hike” along some of the private (unmarked) nature trails (for research use only). I figured I’d be 1 of 5 visitors to participate early on the first morning of 2025, but surprisingly there were at least 25 of us (several families with children) along for the hike through the protected Florida scrub. Our tour guide pointed out various insects, birds, animal tracks, and vegetation along the sandy trails. We walked through prescribed burn areas, as well as non-burn areas.

Our part of South-Central Florida is the oldest land south of the Florida Panhandle. A long time ago – back when sea levels were as much as 150 feet higher than they are now – only this area – the narrow high spine of Florida – was above water – as a series of islands – resembling today’s Florida Keys. Everything to the south, east, and west was the sea. The sand that dominates our landscape – visible from space – is ancient sand leftover from that era. Some of our vegetation can be found nowhere else in Florida. I guess I don’t need to explain how Highlands County got its name.

It was a fun “First Day Hike” through the scrub. We walked about a mile-and-a-half total during the informative 2-hour tour. It was a great way to start the new year in an educational and physical way.

Next #TravelThursday – It’s a change-of-pace. I’ll do a little bit of reminiscing. I’ll write about me and my family getting ready to make a move 50 years ago. Let’s keep traveling together.

All rights reserved (c) 2025 Christopher M. Day, CountUp

Categories
Blogging Driving Geography Home Travel

Driving In 2024

Welcome back to #TravelThursday, and the first edition of 2025, and my first blog post of 2025. I posted on 173 days in 2024. That’s every Thursday, Sunday, and Monday in 2024 as well as 16 special posts on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. I’ll do it again in 2025 – starting with this one.

Less travel is my theme (and goal) for 2025. That’s less road-trips to and from Homestead Florida. That’s no retirement road-trip like last year. Just a low-key year, as I enter my 3RD year here in my dream home in my dream neighborhood in my dream part of Florida – and 2ND year of retirement. The priority this year is neighborhood, museum, and church, and my duties, responsibilities, and relationships at each.

I drove 11,954 miles in 2024. That’s up from 11,721 miles in 2023. That’s the most number of miles driven since 2004. I exceeded 1,000 miles in a month just twice, but one of those months was April – when I drove 3,290 miles. That included 2,807 miles to and from North Texas during the first 18 days of April. From May to December my monthly average was 784 miles.

I’ll likely have no 1,000-mile months in 2025, and I’m projecting about 9,000 miles total for the year. I do plan a few road-trips to and from South Florida and Southwest Florida, but I’d like to explore more of the Heartland of Florida. That’s the name given to the rural inland region in and around my dream part of Florida.

Next #TravelThursday – I’ll write about my first such local exploration. It’s a fun New Year’s Day morning and hike through the ancient scrub out at Archbold Biological Station in southern Highlands County Florida. Let’s keep traveling together.

All rights reserved (c) 2025 Christopher M. Day, CountUp