Ponce Inlet Museum Summary and Analysis

Summary

   Colonized as early as the 16th century by the Spanish, Ponce Inlet was once known as Los Mosquitos or Mosquito County. Surrendered from the Spanish to the British in 1763, 20,000 acres of Los Mosquitos fell under the control of Dr. Andrew Turnbull to, at the time, become the largest British colony of the New World. During the Civil War, Mosquito County became known as Ponce Inlet as its inhabitants and law makers feared Mosquito County would have negatively influenced tourism. Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1998, the Ponce Inlet Historical Museum consists of the Meyer-Davis house, a turn of the century Cracker style home built in the 1880s, and the Hasty Cottage which also served as a post office from 1887 to 1943. Restorations to the Hasty cottage began in 2007 to restore the building to its original specifications.

Analysis

   New Information: In order for a landmark to be recognized as a National Historic Landmark, the landmark must as closely resemble it's original specifications as possible. Ponce de Leon Inlet Light Station was revolutionary in design as it allowed for light keepers to maintain their normal family life in place of solitary existence.

   Missing from natural/human history: I would have enjoyed learning more about what influenced the growth in tourism and when it occurred, how the economy changed over time i.e.: agriculture, trade, and industry. In addition, I feel as more historic perspective of native history and what remains of those cultures today would have been a great addition to creating a more complete human history of not only Ponce Inlet, but Florida as well.