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:  

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 Dr. Stephen Valdez

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. 

Help Provide History

Often an incidental factor in a diary, photograph, map or other document can reveal more about the story of our town.  Before these important clues to our past are lost