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Friends of Manatee Village
A 501(c)3 Nonprofit
Manatee Village Historical Park operates thanks to a unique public-private partnership. This partnership exists through the support of the Historical Resources Department of the Manatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller, and the Manatee County Historical Commission, Inc (also known as the Friends of Manatee Village), a 501(c)3 nonprofit community benefit organization.
The funding received through the Manatee County Clerk's Office provides a modest operating budget for administrative support, regular maintenance, and educational programming, exhibits, and events that are produced for the public benefit. But that does not pay the full extent of all that we do here!
The Friends of Manatee Village conducts fundraising to help further their mission of preserving Manatee County's pioneer history. The Friends of Manatee Village achieves this through advocacy, preservation, and education. Initiatives supported by FMV include restoration efforts at the museum, care and maintenance of objects in the museum's collections, and educational programming, exhibits, and events.
For example, the latest project spearheaded by FMV is to save Old Cabbage Head. FMV successfully raised the funds to build a cover over the 1913 locomotive. The next step is to raise the additional money to hire a professional conservator to conserve the train.
Old Cabbage Head, 2017
Old Cabbage Head under newly constructed pavilion
For more information about the Friends of Manatee Village or to receive an application to join, contact us via email at oldcabbagehead@gmail.com or
call 941-749-7165.
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