In 1960, Rudolph Rhode and his sister, Miss Annie Rhode, the children of a prominent farmer in San Antonio, gave 37 antique farm implements and tools to the Pasco County Fair Association. Such were the humble beginnings of the Pioneer Florida Museum. On April 28, 1961, the museum was chartered by the State of Florida as The Pioneer Florida Museum Association, Inc., with 87 charter members. The growing collections were housed at the Pasco County Fairgrounds for many years. In 1973, Emily Larkin donated 6.5 acres to the Museum Association in memory of her husband, William Larkin. This gift made it possible to accommodate the growing array of items depicting early life in West Central Florida. Source: Pioneer Village
On display are tools of the Florida Pioneer Man, showing how he built his house, made his furniture, plowed his fields, harvested his crops, and did his leather-work and blacksmithing. Also, the Trilby Depot, the Lacoochee one-room schoolhouse, is a 100-year-old building. Methodist Church from Enterprise and the two-story 1864 restored Overstreet House. We began our tour and saw several buildings and shops that provided a look back in history.