An Afternoon with Florida History

Event Description

Join us in the Root Family Auditorium for an afternoon with Florida history!

The History of John F. Kennedy Space Center with Curator of Science Seth Mayo

On July 29, 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed Public Law 85-568 that established the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Dr. T. Keith Glennan was sworn in as the first administrator of NASA on Aug. 19, and on Oct. 1, the new agency began operation with the mission to perform civilian research related to space flight and aeronautics. On Sept. 1, 1961, NASA requested appropriations for initial land purchases on Merritt Island to support the Apollo Lunar Landing Program. This land would eventually become the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) we know today. Learn about the fascinating history of this unique government space complex.

Hamilton Disston's Draining of South Florida: The Frontier of Land Development

Join Senior Curator of History J. Zach Zacharias and learn about this little known important failed real estate developer in Florida’s History. Disston had an immense impact on the state reportedly he purchased the most land by a single person in world history all of it in Florida. Discover the legacy of Hamilton Disston and his business operations in Gilded Age Florida.

Free for members or with paid museum admission.