Old Courthouse Heritage Museum

Movie on the Square: Follow that Dream
2022-01-28 18:30 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Old Courthouse Heritage Museum, 1 Courthouse Square, Inverness, FL, 34450, United States
Join us on the Square on Friday evening, January 28th at 6:30 p.m. for a free outdoor screening of our favorite film, Follow that Dream with Elvis Presley. As many locals will tell you, Presley filmed the majority of the movie right here in Citrus County and surrounding parts of central Florida in 1961. Spoiler Alert! The final scenes of the movie take place in a courtroom–OUR courtroom to be exact. Shortly after Presley and his Hollywood movie crew left, a growing Citrus County remodeled the interior of the courthouse. In the 1990s, the people of Citrus County had a dream to restore the 1912 Courthouse to its original glory. This film helped restore this amazing piece of our local history and we want to share it with you!
This free outdoor screening will be held right outside the Old Courthouse Heritage Museum on the square. Be sure to bring a blanket, a few lawn chairs, and a friend and join us for an unforgettable evening of fun.
A special thank you to the City of Inverness for sponsoring this event through their COVID Relief Event Program!

CCHS Monthly Board Meeting
2022-02-14 08:00 - 17:00
The Citrus County Historical Society is a non-profit 501(c)3 dedicated to the preservation and protection of the history of Citrus County.
Board meetings are held monthly on the second Monday of the month, starting at 5:30 p.m. at the Old Courthouse Heritage Museum unless otherwise specified.

Music at the Museum: Garth Brooks Tribute
2022-02-17 18:00 - 21:00
The Music at the Museum Concert Series is one of Citrus County’s best-kept secrets. Hosted in the gorgeous second-floor courtroom of the Old Courthouse Heritage Museum, where Elvis Presley was filmed in the courtroom scene of the movie Follow That Dream, these concerts will blow you away.
Kip Sweeney’s got “friends in low places” and he knows how to have a good time! With his live band, Kip performs all your favorite Garth Brooks songs on Thursday, February 17, 2022.
*Doors open at 6 PM and the concert starts at 7 PM*
All shows take place at the Old Courthouse Heritage Museum located at 1 Courthouse Square, Inverness, FL 34450

Celebrate Black History with Local Voices
2022-02-26 18:00 - 20:00
This community event will feature four panelists, Mr. Bailey Wise, Ray Joyner, Alida Langley, and Mable Sims Halloway with moderator Donna Lucas of the Afro-American Club of Citrus County. These pillars of the Citrus County Black Community will share their experiences, personal stories, and recollections of their lives in Florida. Please join us for this panel discussion on Saturday, February 26, 2022 from 6 – 8 p.m. at the Old Courthouse Heritage Museum located at 1 Courthouse Square Inverness, FL 34450.
This community event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served. Guests can join in-person at the museum or watch from the comfort of home on our YouTube channel. Sign up at www.cccourthouse.org or call 352-341-6428.

Kids' Corner and Crafternoons
2022-03-05 10:00 - 16:00
Join The Old Courthouse Heritage Museum as we host a Grand Kickoff of our brand, new Tuesday through Saturday hours. FREE EVENT! We’ll begin hosting activities for children at the museum on Saturdays twice a month beginning March 5th, and we’ll have a storyteller, vendors, live music and arts and crafts at this opening. After that, we’ll put on kids’ programs on the first and third Saturdays throughout the year (the same days as the Farmer’s Market at The Depot in Downtown Inverness). For more info, please call us at (352) 341-6428. Event schedule:

10:00 am– Museum opens. Live music outside with banjo player, Jaque Rasmussen, who will play historical tunes until 11:00 am. Crafting opens up for the day: Silly fish in the courtroom upstairs.

11:00 am-11:45 pm–”Stories from the Sea” Storytelling Show
Splash into aquatic fun with storyteller Katie Adams. Get your toes wet and participate with these folk tales from around the world: the hilarious Alligator and Hen, Dolphins and Shark, Bimwilli and the Zimwe, and Why the Sun and the Moon live in the Sky. These stories were originally performed at the Florida Aquarium. With colorful props, a beachscape background, and audience participation, this forty-five minute show is sure to be a refreshing dive into the imagination. For ages 3 to10.

12:00 pm– FREE Family Film screening of “Night at the Museum: Battle for the Smithsonian” at The Valerie Theatre (hosted by The City of Inverness). Crafting: Painting canvas bags upstairs in the historic courtroom.

2:00—2:45 pm– Storyteller Katie Adams from Make Believe Theatre tells “Stories from the Sea” once again with colorful props, a beachscape background, and audience participation

3:00– 3:45 pm– Crafting toy sail boats and racing them outside the museum

4:00 pm– Museum closes

Coffee and Conversations: Scribbling Women in Florida
2022-03-10 19:00 - 21:00
The Old Courthouse Heritage Museum presents Coffee and Conversations on Thursday, March 10, 2022. Free Events! Join the audience in person or online on YouTube at: tinyurl.com/courthousemuseum Please pre-register by phone at (352) 341-6428 or online at www.cccourthouse.org. Special thanks to our sponsor, The Citrus County Chronicle!

Thursday, March 10th at 7 pm: Betty Jean Steinshouer
“Scribbling Women in Florida”
A dozen women authors have put Florida on the map, between Reconstruction-era Harriet Beecher Stowe and Constance Fenimore Woolson, the Gilded Age’s Sarah Orne Jewett, the homesteading Laura Ingalls Wilder and her libertarian daughter, Rose Wilder Lane, environmentalists Marjory Stoneman Douglas and Rachel Carson, friends Zora Neale Hurston and Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, and poets Edna St. Vincent Millay, Elizabeth Bishop, and Anne Morrow Lindbergh. They all gravitated to the Land of Flowers, and here are the lessons they learned.

*SOLD OUT* Music at the Museum: Cool Corporate Cats Featuring Joe Donato
2022-03-17 18:00 - 21:00
The Music at the Museum Concert Series is one of Citrus County’s best-kept secrets. Hosted in the gorgeous second-floor courtroom of the Old Courthouse Heritage Museum, where Elvis Presley was filmed in the courtroom scene of the movie Follow That Dream, these concerts will blow you away.
The incredible local jazz and blues band, led by the magnanimous Jim “Bo” Anderson, will rock the courthouse in an unforgettable performance, with special guest Joe Donato! Joe Donato is a master saxophonist and jazz musician.
*Doors open at 6 PM and the concert starts at 7 PM*
All shows take place at the Old Courthouse Heritage Museum located at 1 Courthouse Square, Inverness, FL 34450

Kids' Corner and Crafternoons
2022-03-19 10:00 - 16:00
The Old Courthouse Heritage Museum presents Kids’ Corner and Crafternoons- part of our series of free events for children on the first and third Saturdays of each month. On Saturday, March 19th, kids of all ages can learn to draw manatees and alligators as part of our “Citrus County: Our Ways Our Waters” exhibit. Drawing sessions begin at 11 am, 1 pm, and 3 pm and will last between 45 minutes and an hour. Residents will also be able to enjoy a farmer’s market on the first and third Saturdays in Downtown Inverness at The Depot. For more info, call the museum between 8 am and 5 pm Tuesday through Saturday at (352) 341-6428.

Family Board Game Day
2022-04-02 10:00 - 16:00
The Old Courthouse Heritage Museum presents a Free Family Board Game Day on Saturday, April 2, 2022. We’ll offer Citrusopoly- the Citrus County Monopoly Game, Ticket to Ride, a game about trains, and some classics like checkers, chess, and more. We’ll have staff and volunteers to help support and teach games. Children must be supervised adult family members. The museum will be open from 10 am to 4 pm, and families are welcome to stop in all day to play games. For more info, call (352) 341-6428.

New Exhibit: artOasis presents Of Poems and Pieces: Haiku and Art to Open Your Heart
2022-04-02 16:00 - 2022-05-28 16:00
The newest rotating exhibit at the Old Courthouse Heritage Museum features the return of ArtOasis, a talented group of local artists using poetry and literature to inspire their work.
Opening to the public on Saturday, April 2, 2022 – May 28, 2022 at the Old Courthouse Heritage Museum, is our latest rotating exhibit Of Poems and Pieces: Haiku Art to Open Your Heart. Put together entirely by local artist group, ArtOasis, this exhibit will showcase a variety of artistic mediums, both 2D and 3D, inspired by the simple, but beautiful Japanese poetry form, haiku.
Haiku is a type of short-form Japanese poetry consisting of three phrases or lines, with a syllable pattern of 5 – 7 – 5. Traditionally, haiku focuses on the beauty of nature and often contains references to specific seasons or times of year. Modern haiku is written in many languages and has expanded the topics to cover many diverse experiences. Enjoy a contemplative walk through this gallery exhibition that will make you think about how you see the world around you.
Meet the artists themselves, Susan Strawbridge, Joi Sampsell, Brenda Spilios, Joy Livingston, Chris Randle, Jeanneine Cole, Ann Covington, Jim Davis, and Michele Wirt, at a special opening reception to be held on Saturday, April 2 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the museum. The reception is free, open to the public, and light refreshments will be served.
artOasis and the Old Courthouse Heritage Museum will also hold a special family activity for the museum’s new Kid’s Corner and Crafternoon program on Saturday, May 7, 2022, from 1:00 p.m to 3:00 p.m. These amazing local artists, many of them art educators, will lead children in a poetry-writing activity and then create paper lilies. Kids can make a single flower for someone special or create a whole spring bouquet! Materials will be provided. Please pre-register for this free program online at www.cccourthouse.org or by calling the museum at 352-341-6428.

Coffee and Conversations: Chucochatti, Conflict at the Red Town, 1836
2022-04-07 19:00 - 21:00
The Old Courthouse Heritage Museum presents Coffee and Conversations on Thursday, April 7, 2022. Free Events! Join the audience in person or online on YouTube at: tinyurl.com/courthousemuseum Please pre-register by phone at (352) 341-6428 or online at www.cccourthouse.org. Special thanks to our sponsor, The Citrus County Chronicle!

Thursday, April 7th at 7 pm: Sean Norman
“Chucochatti, Conflict at the Red Town, 1836” Established in 1767, Chucochatti was among the oldest Seminole villages located in Central Florida. Founded by Upper Creek migrants from Central Alabama, Chucochatti was unique for being a Muskogee-speaking village in predominantly Miccosukee-speaking region. Weakened by raids in the decades before the 2nd Seminole War (1835-1842), the residents largely conceded to removal to the Arkansas Territory. Despite the village’s abandonment, the Chucochatti area was a focal point of General Scott’s 1836 campaign and repeatedly reoccupied by Seminoles during the war. This presentation discusses the recent historical and archaeological investigations conducted by the Gulf Archaeology Research Institute to document evidence of the villages of Chucochatti and the U.S. military actions in the region.

CCHS Monthly Board Meeting
2022-04-12 17:30 - 19:00, 2022-05-10 17:30 - 19:00, 2022-06-14 17:30 - 19:00, 2022-07-12 17:30 - 19:00
The Citrus County Historical Society is a non-profit 501(c)3 dedicated to the preservation and protection of the history of Citrus County.
Board meetings are held monthly on the second Tuesday of the month, starting at 5:30 p.m. at the Old Courthouse Heritage Museum unless otherwise specified.

Kids' Scavenger Hunt in the Museum
2022-04-16 10:00 - 16:00
The Old Courthouse Heritage Museum presents a Free Kids’ Scavenger Hunt in the Museum. Hunts Begin at: 10:00 am 12:00 pm & 2:00 pm
at 1 Courthouse Square Inverness, FL 34450. Pre-register by April 13th. Each Team of 4 Needs a Smart Phone or Tablet. Teams That Finish Will Receive Trophies! For more info, or to sign up, call
the museum at (352) 341-6428.

Music at the Museum: Hits of the Decades with Craig Singleton
2022-04-21 18:00 - 21:00
The Music at the Museum Concert Series is one of Citrus County’s best-kept secrets. Hosted in the gorgeous second-floor courtroom of the Old Courthouse Heritage Museum, where Elvis Presley was filmed in the courtroom scene of the movie Follow That Dream, these concerts will blow you away.
Craig Singleton and his band are filling up the Historic Courthouse with all your favorite tunes from the 60s, 70s, and 80s.
*Doors open at 6 PM and the concert starts at 7 PM*
All shows take place at the Old Courthouse Heritage Museum located at 1 Courthouse Square, Inverness, FL 34450

FREE Kids' Corner and Crafternoons
2022-05-07 13:00 - 15:00
On Saturday, May 7th -the day before Mother’s Day- a group of local women artists by the name of artOasis will lead children ages 5 and up in a craft project as part of these ongoing Kids’ Corner and Crafternoons to write haiku poems and design paper lilies. Younger children are welcome, but they may require additional help from their grownups. The artOasis group currently has an exhibit in the museum showcasing their art entitled, “Of Poems and Pieces: Haiku and Art to Open Your Heart,” full of works inspired by the Japanese poetry. The children’s program will be hosted between 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm. Families should pre-register for this event by calling the museum at (352) 341-6428.

FREE "Games on Your Feet" for Kids
2022-05-21 13:00 - 15:00
On Saturday, May 21st, Kids’ Corner and Crafternoons will include “Games on Your Feet,” a 2-hour session between 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm when staff will facilitate kids playing interactive games inside the historic courtroom. Games will be accessible to all and will include Red Light/Green Light, Freeze Dance, and of course, Night at the Museum among others. Children must be supervised by their grownups for each of these programs. Please pre-register prior to the event as space may fill up. Call (352) 341-6428.

Masterpiece at the Museum: A Date Night is canceled
2022-05-28 18:30 - 21:30
Our guided painting date night planned for May 28th is canceled due to low attendance, but stay tuned- we will organize another one!

Saturday, May 28, 2022: You and your partner can create a masterpiece at the museum. The Old Courthouse Heritage Museum is hosting a date night with wine and a guided painting activity. Patrons will be able to follow along step by step with an instructor and a projector screen to create a picture of a hot air balloon in multiple colors. Some local history of hot air balloons will also be presented by museum staff.

Tickets for Masterpiece in the Museum are $50 per couple and include after-hours access to the Old Courthouse Heritage Museum exhibits between 6:30 and 7:30 pm, appetizers, and open tabled seating. A cash bar is available with $4.00 glasses of wine, which helps support fundraising efforts. Doors open at 6:30 pm and the painting activity will be held from 7:30 to 9:30 pm.

New Exhibit: Savoring the Sunshine State: Florida Cookbooks
2022-06-01 - 2022-07-31
Savoring the Sunshine State: Florida Cookbooks
Explore Florida food ways and our state’s rich culinary history this summer! Savoring the Sunshine State: Florida Cookbooks, will let guests explore an impressive collection of cookbooks from throughout Florida’s history, from famous classics such as Cross Creek Cookery by Florida’s beloved Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings to hand-written family recipe books that have been handed down over generations.

FREE Kids' Storytime at the Museum
2022-06-04 13:00 - 15:00
The Old Courthouse Heritage Museum presents a FREE Kids’ Corner and Crafternoons event, “Books and Bananas.” Saturday, June 4, 2022 from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. This is a Storytime about gardening, food, and chefs and kids will learn to prepare a banana snack. Check out our Florida cookbooks exhibit on your visit. Call (352) 341-6428 to pre-register.

Turtle Trek- A Kids' Nature Walk at Cooter Pond
2022-06-18 10:00 - 10:30
The Old Courthouse Heritage Museum presents “Turtle Trek”- a FREE Kids’ Nature Walk at Cooter Pond. Binoculars provided. Saturday, June 18, 2022. Meet at 10:00 am at the museum at 1 Courthouse Square Inverness, FL 34450. Please pre-register by calling the museum at (352) 341-6428.

Free Family Board Game Day
2022-07-02 13:00 - 16:00
The Old Courthouse Heritage Museum presents a FREE Family Board Game Day in the museum on Saturday, July 2, 2022 between 1:00 and 4:00 pm. Available games will include Chess, Checkers, Citrusopoly (the Citrus County Monopoly), Ticket to Ride (a strategic game about trains) and Timeline (a history game consisting of guessing and learning the order of events in history). Staff will be there to facilitate learning of games that are new to kids and families. Children must be supervised by adults they come with. The event will be held inside the historic courtroom. To sign up, call (352) 341-6428.

Coffee and Conversations: Gary Mormino on Foods That Define Florida with a Tasting
2022-07-07 18:00 - 20:30
The Old Courthouse Heritage Museum presents our free community lecture, Coffee and Conversations. This July, we’ll host Gary Mormino who will speak about Foods That Define Florida along with a tasting of related foods. What foods define the Sunshine State? Caldo Gallego, gazpacho, or black bean soup? Key Lime or sweet potato pie? Was the Cuban sandwich invented in Tampa but perfected in Miami? How does one explain the rise of the grouper sandwich? What has happened to our once vaunted oyster industry? Did Georgia, the Carolinas, and Texas simply export its barbecue here or does Florida have its own BBQ heritage? All these questions and more form the basis of a lively discussion on Florida Foodways. Gary R. Mormino is an American historian, author, frequent contributor to the Tampa Bay Times, the Frank E. Duckwall Professor of History Emeritus and past director of the Florida Studies Program at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg.

Free Kids' Storytime at the Museum: "Florida Animals"
2022-07-16 13:00 - 15:00
The Old Courthouse Heritage Museum presents a FREE Kids’ Corner and Crafternoons event, “Florida animals” Saturday, July 16, 2022 from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. This is a Storytime about animals that are ancient, native and nonnative to Florida. Kids will learn how to make related arts and crafts. Call (352) 341-6428 to pre-register.

Citrus County Historical Society's Members Only Mixer
2022-07-20 18:30 - 20:30
Join Citrus County Historical Society’s Members Only Mixer! Get tidbits on local history! Snacks and beverages!
Wednesday, July 20, 2022 at 6:30 pm The Old Courthouse Heritage Museum 1 Courthouse Square Inverness, FL 34450
For info, or to become a member: (352) 341-6428 www.cccourthouse.org

Free Kids' Corner and Crafternoons: "Fun with Fruit"
2022-07-23 10:00 - 13:00
The Old Courthouse Heritage Museum presents a FREE Kids’ Corner and Crafternoons event: “Fun with Fruit.” Our guest hosts from Citrus County Extensions Services will teach kids ages 5 and up how to make a locally sourced, healthy snack, and kids will learn the history and importance of citrus and other fruit in Citrus County. Choose between two sessions that each last one hour beginning at 10 am or 12 noon. Please pre-register by calling (352) 341-6428.

New Exhibit: Clyde Butcher America the Beautiful
2022-08-05 10:00 - 2022-10-31 16:00
This collection celebrates the beauty of the American landscape from the Redwood forests of California to the Everglade swamps of Florida. Clyde majestically captures the public natural lands set aside by the Federal and State governments for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.
Clyde’s images of these treasured landscapes document the changing environment, capturing what is there today and encouraging us to enjoy the beauty of nature. Clyde’s images speak for countless diverse places of wilderness and respite found throughout all of America, allowing us an appreciation of our land.
“Clyde represents what we hope all great artists of our country hold true in their work: the responsibility of communicating the goodness of our world through the arts. Moreover, he has used his photographs as learning tools to inspire others, sharing his concern for our limited resources and endangered habitats” –Jimmy Carter, Former President of the United States

Free Kids' Scavenger Hunt in the Museum
2022-08-06 10:00 - 16:00
It’s back by popular demand! The Old Courthouse Heritage Museum presents another FREE Kids’ Scavenger Hunt in the Museum! Saturday, August 6, 2022.
Hunts Begin at: 10:00 am, 12:00 pm & 2:00 pm
at 1 Courthouse Square Inverness, FL 34450
Free Event! Pre-register by August 3rd. Each Family Team Needs 1 Smart Phone or Tablet. Winning Teams Will Receive Trophies! For more info, or to sign up, call (352) 341-6428.
