The Florida Agricultural Museum is state’s official agricultural museum showcasing centuries of Florida Cracker and agricultural history. Read on for five things you may not know about the museum based in Palm Coast, Florida.
What is a Cracker house you may ask?
If you’re a Florida native you probably know and understand the long history behind it. It’s not the derogatory term sometimes used today. In its’ simplest form, a Cracker house is a wooden shelter built by the early Florida and Georgia settlers. Lured to Florida by cheap and plentiful land, these pioneers arrived with few provisions and needed to erect shelter quickly and cheaply.
A true Florida Cracker was an early settler that used a whip to wrangle Cracker cattle in the scrub. The sound of the whip gave them the name Crackers. Cracker today has several different meanings but if you’re a Florida native then you are probably proud of your Cracker heritage. See an authentic Florida Cracker Homestead built in 1880 on our Historic Buildings Tour.
What is the Historic Buildings Tour and who can go?
HISTORIC BUILDINGS TOUR:
$12 Adult | $10 Children Under 12yrs | Under 3yrs free!
Friday to Sunday from 10:00 am – 2:30 pm (approximately 1 ½ hour)
The tour is led by one of our educated, energetic tour guides through buildings dating from 1880 to 1920 which all have been relocated to the Museum from areas across the state. The buildings include a fully stocked 1800’s general store, five buildings from a citrus complex, a 1920’s dairy barn and a brief wagon ride to an authentic Florida Cracker Homestead built in 1880. Along the tour you will encounter several animals such as rabbits, chickens, horses, cows, a donkey, goats and sheep, including rare heritage Florida Cracker Livestock.
What else to do at the Florida Agricultural Museum?
ANIMAL TOUR:
$8 FOR Adults and Children Under 12yrs | Under 3yrs free!
Friday to Sunday from 10:00 am – 2:30 pm (approximately 1 ½ hour)
Friday, Saturday and Sunday: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
We have 5 NEW CRACKER COWS! Four heifers and one bull and that’s no bull! Hopefully in 9-10 months, we’ll have a cracker calf announcement. We are developing our own brand through the Florida Department of Agriculture. Our cracker cows will be identified with the ~ 1521 ~ brand tags on their ears. Stay tuned for more information our own cracker cow brand!
Other New Animal News: THREE NEW BABY GOATS (Hershey’s, Twix & Oreo) and TWO NEW ROOSTERS! Come see them this weekend!
I’m a teacher or homeschool parent. Are there any programs for us during the week?
Yes! The Old Florida Museum is now booking field trips for March, April and May. It’s also the perfect experience for summer camp field trips.
Get more info: School Tours – Florida Agricultural Musem (floridaagmuseum.org)
We offers five unique “HANDS-ON” programs designed to be entertaining as well as educational. Students experience life in Florida through the struggles and successes of its people during distinct time periods of Florida’s history. All programs follow the Sunshine State Standards.
Each program runs for 45 to 55 minutes. Groups may choose to do 1, 2 or all the programs. The program areas fit up to 30 participants comfortably. Multiple classes can be accommodated in the facility at one time.
Contact: Daniel Carignan, Educational Director atHomeschool@oldfloridamuseum.com
What else takes place at the Florida Agricultural Museum?
There is the option to take individual or group horseback riding lessons, volunteer on the farm, or even hold a wedding reception or other event in the Caldwell Dairy Barn. There’s so much to do and explore at Florida Agricultural Museum. Spend the day discovering the history of Old Florida and the real Cracker Cowboys, and role agriculture has played in hundreds of years of Florida history, even today!
Save the Date:
4/1 – Family Farm Festival
4/15 – 4/16 Pellicer Creek Raid
