FGS will meet at 10:30 AM on Saturday, July 18, 2009, for a special private tour of the newly opened Currie B. and Lavinia Sparkman Witt Research Center at the Tampa Bay History Center (http://www.tampabayhistorycenter.org). The Tampa Bay History Center is located at 801 Old Water Street in the Channelside District of Tampa. (See driving directions below.) Parking is available for a flat rate of $5.00 at the lot diagonally across the street from the facility.
FGS has arranged the tour of the library, after which you can dine at eateries within a short walking distance, and then take an optional tour of the History Center exhibitions for an additional price.10:30 AM to Noon:
Savor a private tour of the Witt Research Center that focuses on Florida history and features a diverse collection of books, maps, periodicals, microfilm, photographs, subject files, and family histories. It provides a comprehensive collection of regional and state subject resources including:
Historical census records, newspapers and periodicals featuring catalogs and indexes, private papers such as personal journals and manuscripts, biographical resources, Hillsborough County church and cemetery records, subject and family files directed towards regional interest and a collection of contemporary and rare books relating to Florida. Genealogical materials and books number at 1,000 contain the southern states and the original 13 colonies.
Manuscript collections include correspondence, diaries, journals, maps, photographs, and the organizational papers of business, fraternal, professional, religious and social organizations.
This Library is the result of a partnership between the Tampa Bay History Center and the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library system. The goal of the partnership is to add the collection of the Witt Research Center to the public library system's online catalog and to encourage visitation to the Center.
1:00 PM:
Enjoy a leisurely tour of the Tampa Bay History Center and its wide array of permanent and special exhibitions. A full list of the exhibitions and their descriptions can be found at http://www.tampabayhistorycenter.org/exhibits.html.
The FGS Board will convene for its monthly meeting after lunch at 1:00 PM onsite. Members are welcome to attend.
The Tampa Bay History Center is a tremendous new asset for this area! The permanent collections encompass hundreds of years of history and living in this area.
You do NOT want to miss this unique opportunity to see the assets of the Tampa Bay History Center and the genealogical and historical materials available there.
See you there!
DRIVING DIRECTIONS:
FROM I-275 NORTH OR SOUTH - Traveling north on I-275, take the Ashley Street/West Tampa Exit #44 to downtown. Traveling south on I-275, take the Downtown East-West Exit #45A to downtown. Turn left on Jackson Street. Turn right on Morgan Street. Turn left on Channelside Drive. Turn right on Old Water Street.
FROM GANDY BLVD. & SOUTH TAMPA - Take Gandy Blvd. to Bayshore Blvd.; turn left. Take Bayshore Blvd. to the Platt Street Bridge. Merge right onto the bridge. (Go underneath the Tampa Convention Center.) Platt Street turns into Channelside Drive. Turn right on Old Water Street.
FROM I-275 & CROSSTOWN EXPRESSWAY - Take the Crosstown Expressway Exit 8 (Downtown East). Turn right on Kennedy Blvd. Turn left on Morgan Street. Turn left on Channelside Drive. Turn right on Old Water Street.
A MAP and these DIRECTIONS are available at http://www.tampabayhistorycenter.org/visit.html.
