Pioneer Days Festival

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About Lake Wales Museum

Location:

325 S Scenic Highway, Lake Wales, FL 33853, US

Mission Statement

The Lake Wales Museum's mission is to preserve, interpret and share the rich history of the Lake Wales community.

Description

The Lake Wales Museum is a historical museum located in Lake Wales, Florida. The organization began as a project of the 1974 Lake Wales Bicentennial Commission, and the museum was established in 1976. Long vacant and in need of historic preservation, the organization converted the 1928 Atlantic Coast Line Railroad station into the area’s historical museum. The Mediterranean-style train station is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is still home to the museum today.

Since the Museum opened in 1976, it evolved into a resource center for the public, formed an annual heritage festival called Pioneer Days, saved three additional historic properties and three train cars. In 2015, the museum was officially reorganized under the City of Lake Wales, who now own, operate and manage all aspects of the museum buildings and collections.

Today, the museum is working hard to revitalize the museum as a vibrant center for Florida and local history. The museum hosts about 7,500 visitors per year, and offers visitors a self-guided historical and changing exhibits, train cars, model railway dioramas, speaker series, special tours and events. Guests may visit our newly restored 1926 Seaboard Air Line Railroad caboose, the 1916 Pullman passenger car and 1944 US Army locomotive engine.