There will be free admission to the museum on Sunday (Oct. 6). For the first 40 visitors that day, the usual $3 admission fee will be waived and paid for Center State Bank, as part of their Random Acts of Kindness program, to support the West Pasco Historical Society. So we hope to see you on Sunday, if not sooner!
New Port Richey Fire Chief Christopher Fitch was a visitor to the museum on Sept. 27, 2019. He talked to our curator, Brian Schmit (right), about donating some old fire department items to the museum.
Pasco Tax Collector Mike Fasano and staff presented a check to Bob Langford of the West Pasco Historical Society on Sept. 26. A check for the same amount was donated to the Pioneer Florida Museum in Dade City. The two museums were Charities of the Month in August at the Pasco County Tax Collector’s offices. Thanks to Mr. Fasano and the taxpayers who checked off a donation for us and the museum in Dade City.
Charlene (Baillie) Lassiter was a visitor the museum on Sept. 21, 2019. She brought some interesting old photos which she allowed us to scan, and we appreciate it!
Two distinguished visitors to the museum on Sept. 20, 2019, were Laura Quimby and her mother Brooke Morrison. Brooke, who was born at the Drew Field hospital in Tampa in 1944, is the daughter of Mary Jane Casey, who is considered the first baby born in New Port Richey, in the summer of 1915. Mary was the daughter of William Casey (1892-1946), who operated a barber shop in New Port Richey and later Casey’s Corner at Bayonet Point.
Brian Schmit, Jeff Miller, and Bob Langford of the West Pasco Historical Society will do a slide show presentation on the history of Pasco County Thursday (9/19) at 6:30 p.m. at the CARES of Hudson Activity Center at 12417 Clock Tower Parkway in Hudson. There is no charge for admission. The event should last about an hour. Come on out. We’d love to see you!
Left to right: WPHS board members Bob Langford and Ann James, and visitors to the museum on Sept. 14, 2019, representing the American Gold Star Mothers, Inc., Gulf Coast Chapter: Ernestine Nuñez, Yolanda Mercado (president), Tom Oakley (associate member), and Jim Beck. Also pictured is our mannequin dressed in a Gold Star outfit. A larger version of this photo is here.
Yolanda Mercado, president of the Gulf Coast chapter of Gold Star Mothers, will be our guest speaker at the museum on Saturday (Sept. 14) at 1 p.m. The museum will be open this weekend (Sept. 13-15) from 1 to 4 p.m.
WPHS Curator Brian Schmit talks with Herb Elliott, who has found a large number of ancient artifacts at a site in Hudson.
Museum Curator Brian Schmit shows the beautiful new West Pasco Historical Society 2020 calendar. This is our first full-color calendar on heavy glossy paper. Each month shows a photo of one our interesting old items at the museum and includes two historic dates during that month. We are giving them to WPHS current members, so if you’re a current member, please stop by the museum on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday by December 1 to get your free calendar. (We’d like to sell the remaining calendars to raise money for the WPHS.) We will mail calendars to non-local members. The museum re-opens tomorrow (Sept. 6) and should remain open on our regular Friday-Saturday-Sunday schedule henceforth, even though the redevelopment project continues through December. When you visit, you’ll see our new giant mural which fills an entire wall and which is made from a photo taken of New Port Richey Main Street in 1927.