Lecture Series
Lectures will be held in the Wiggins Store Conference Room starting at 2 PM on the 4th Saturday,
February to October, unless otherwise noted. Seating is limited, and filled on a first come basis.
Admission is free; check in at the Wiggins Store!
Mayhem in Manatee
Saturday, June 24, 2 PM
Explore the murders that put small-town Sarasota on the national map through a lecture by MVHP staff. From murders to prison escapes, the Sarasota Vigilance Committee left the nation in awe when a group of men in Sarasota (then part of Manatee County) came together in 1884 to form a group with the sole purpose of eliminating “obnoxious” people. By summer they would have committed their first murder and gotten away with it. In December, they murdered postmaster Charles Abbe in broad daylight but they wouldn’t be so lucky.
Image: Main Street in Sarasota, Circa 1885-1886. Courtesy of Manatee County Public Library Historical Digital Collection
Lecture: How did they do it Without A/C?
Saturday, July 22, 2 PM
A rambling look at the cultural history and ecology that shaped Manatee County into one of Florida's most significant areas; discussing Alternating Current, Automobiles and Cars, and Air Conditioning.
Outreach Lectures
If you are interested in one of our lectures, but have a group or organization that can't attend, we offer Outreach Lectures. Let us come to you to present the topic to you and your group! Click Here for more details.