The Ruskin Commongood Society platted Ruskin on Feb. 19, 1910, and filed the plat on March 9, 1910, in the Hillsborough County Courthouse with land lots for the college, parks and founding families. Map courtesy of the Ruskin Historical Society.
Living in South Shore and not knowing some of the area’s unique history is a little like living with blinders on. The Firehouse Cultural Center, 101 1st Ave. NE, Ruskin, will help you remove those blinders this weekend when it offers a program on the area’s unique past.
The free celebration is slated for 3 to 7 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 15, and will feature local history about Ruskin, Sun City, Wimauma, Riverview, Gibsonton, Sun City Center and Apollo Beach along with photos, videos and presentations by longstanding residents.
“I think everyone needs to know what was here, what is here and what the future may hold,” said Frances Hereford-Griffin of Ruskin, the facilities coordinator at the Cultural Center. “If you have not lived here a long time, you don’t know that Ruskin used to go all the way to Big Bend Road and out to [U.S.] 301.”
The event is being held in conjunction with a 50th anniversary celebration at the Ruskin Library on Nov. 12.
Among the events planned for the program are videos of local farmers and local sites such as The Showman’s Museum, the Gulfside beach in Apollo Beach, Little Harbor, the original electric power building in Sun City and more historical locations.
Dr. Mac Miller, a retired professor from New College of Florida in Sarasota who is descended from one of South Shore’s original families, will be giving a presentation of the original history of Ruskin starting in 1906, which included the Commongood Society.
Dr. Tina Trent and Kathy Wiles will be speaking on the history of the first library, located in the site of the Ruskin Woman’s Club, a longtime repository of much of the area’s historical documents and the original residence for the presidents of the historic Ruskin College.
Ron Weaver, an attorney who has worked with local farmers, will also speak on “Where we were, Where we are and Where we are going.”
The event will also feature a question-and-answer session as well as a scale model of farm quarters from the past.
For more information, call 813-645-7651.
Complimentary refreshments will also be served.
The Firehouse Cultural Center, a nonprofit visual and performing cultural center serving the south region of Hillsborough County, provides quality programming in arts and education for all ages. The Center’s programs encourage participation, engagement, discovery and learning while offering connections to our unique history, culture and natural environment.
Visit www.firehouseculturalcenter.org for more information on the Center and upcoming events, programs and classes.