Preserving Our Past...Inspiring Our Future
Programs This Spring
S P R I N G PROGRAMS – 2 0 2 5
Programs at the Center held on Tuesday or Wednesday at 1 p.m. most weeks:
Wednesday, April 23 - Postcards of Punta Gorda through time—from the
Linda Wilson, Vernon Peeples and Janice Brown Collections
Tuesday, April 29 - The History of the Bridges to Punta Gorda
Tuesday, May 6 — On the Week WW 2 ended in Europe 80 years ago “Life
and Death in the Air—Story of a World War II Hero from local family albums
presented by Stephen Valdez
Tuesday, May 20 - History of Port Charlotte with postcards and photos of
places through time—Come help identify unidentified structures
Tuesday, May 27 — Early History of Churches in Punta Gorda
Wednesday, June 11 — Settling of Charlotte Harbor town on the Peace
Tuesday, June 17 — The impact of the railroad on development of Florida and
Punta Gorda
Tuesday, June 24– The Gilded Age and Grand Hotels in Florida including the
Hotel Punta Gorda
Join walk through of exhibits with Center Docent Wednesdays at 1 p.m.
2025 Exhibit - Punta Gorda Through the Lens of Old Postcards
From the earliest days of the town, postcards, which blossomed in the late 1880s, were an integral part of communications with friends and family in distant places. As time went on and Punta Gorda became in part a tourist destination, visitors sent them as mementos of their travels through Florida. Now these old postcards represent an important visual and written link to Punta Gorda’s past. In this exhibit their importance to the historical record of the town will be illustrated and the role of postcards will be discussed in programs throughout the year.
History Talks
History talks are usually presented on Tuesday or Wednesday at 1 p.m. at the center. Follow our Facebook page at or join our email list to learn about upcoming programs. You can also inquire at 1-941-916-8800 for information on programs at the Center or to schedule a talk at your organization’s meeting.