Citrus County: World War II On the Homefront By Ken Marotte, Citrus County Historical Society The advent of World War II meant that Citrus County residents would have to make unprecedented sacrifices to achieve total victory. Many men and women were called to...
The First Citrus County Commissioners By: Ken Marotte, Citrus County Historical Society The creation of Citrus County in 1887 required a unique team of leaders to establish a brand-new local government. Along the way, they had to contend with untangling the finances...
Citrus County’s Famous Contestants By: Ken Marotte, Citrus County Historical Society Would YOU like to be Queen for a Day? Or maybe you’d like to impress the nation with your extensive mathematical knowledge? How about winning a nation-wide journalism competition...
Thanksgiving with a Citrus County Flavor By: Ken Marotte, Citrus County Historical Society We’ve all heard the stories about the first Thanksgiving in Plymouth. While today’s historians discount that tale, thanksgiving feasts certainly took place in many areas...
Remembering the Sacrifice of Lt. James F. Izard By: Ken Marotte, Citrus County Historical Society It’s difficult to imagine that the lands around Citrus County were once a battleground. You may be familiar with the siege of Fort Cooper since it’s...
The Last Will and Testament documents of past residents provide a window into the beliefs, customs and assets of the people who built Citrus County. The status of women, in particular, evolved over time from mere appendages of their husbands to become independent and...
Bringing Power to Citrus County By: Ken Marotte, Citrus County Historical Society Power outages brought by recent storms caused major disruption for many Citrus County residents. How did we become so dependent on electrical power? How did our ancestors live without...
The Pheils of Floral City By: Ken Marotte, Citrus County Historical Society If you’ve ever flown on an airliner then you’ve followed in the footsteps of a former Citrus County man who made national headlines by becoming the world’s first passenger on a scheduled...
Ethel Carrington Spires – Hernando’s Ace Reporter By: Ken Marotte, Citrus County Historical Society Forget about drones, cameras and phone taps. Who needs the CIA? For over 40 years, Ethel Carrington Spires (aka “Mrs. R.M. Spires”) kept a watchful eye on everyday...
The Legacy of Dixon Pencil Manufacturing in Crystal River BY: Ken Marotte, Citrus County Historical Society If you go into a cold sweat remembering Dixon Ticonderoga Number 2 pencils used for standardized school tests, you can thank the people of Crystal River for...
