Monday, February 1, 2010 - Seminoles Visit St. Lucie County Regional History Center

Members of the Seminole Tribe of Florida recently made a special visit to the St. Lucie County Regional History Center to explore the museum's permanent Seminole exhibit and provide input for future upgrades to the display.

The tribal members also had the opportunity to view the Center's special Seminole Collection that is normally housed behind the scenes. Among those in attendance were members of the Tommie family. In the early 1970s, members of the family helped to build the centerpiece of the Center’s Seminole exhibit, a full-size Seminole Chickee. The Chickee was the traditional structure used by the Seminoles to live in during the 19th and early 20th centuries. The Tommie families are also the descendents of Polly Parker, a Seminole famous for her escape from forced resettlement to the western United States during the Indian Removal Act in the 19th century. Family members got the chance to view and touch a watch fob made by Parker. The beaded fob is the only known item made by Parker that survives today.

Also in attendance with the tribal members were staff members from the Florida Seminole Tribal museum, the AH-TAH-THI-KI. The museum's staff is working in a partnership with the St. Lucie County Regional History Center to create a plan for better preservation and interpretation of the Center's unique Seminole collection which features rare artifacts such as hair boards made from cypress bark and male Seminole dolls.

Visit the St. Lucie County Regional History Center and discover the history of the Seminoles as well as many other time periods of St. Lucie County's history. The St. Lucie County Regional History Center is located at 414 Seaway Drive, under the South Bridge on Museum Pointe Park in Fort Pierce.  Since its opening in 1968, the Center has provided educational programming and permanent and special exhibits that explore the St. Lucie County area's rich and colorful heritage. Center hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Admission is: $4 for adults, $3.50 for seniors over 55, and $1.50 for children 6-17 years and college students.  Children under 6 are free. Group rates, guided tours and outreach programs are available by registration.  For further information, please contact Brynn Batsche at (772) 462-1891 or by email at batscheb@stlucieco.org. Visit the Center on the web at www.stlucieco.gov/history.