Museum of Geneva History

The town was originally called Harney Cove. According to one story, a lady from New York thought that the town looked like her home. Specifically, a lake in Geneva, New York that resembled a lake in Geneva, Florida. There are two pictures on the Geneva Museum website, one taken of the west coast of Geneva, NY and one taken of what is now known as Lake Harney Geneva Florida. They look almost identical but there is an answer key on the website for you to guess and check if you can tell the two apart. This is said to be how the town of Geneva was named (Martin).

 Geneva was originally made up of three towns, one located at Old Mims Road and Snow Hill Road existing during the 1800’s and early 1900’s. There was a post office, store and school located here, the town was called Buda. The second town was called Kolokee and this town consisted of a railroad, sawmill and turpentine. There was a Kolokee school located on Snow hill Road first called Kolokee and then later the name was changed to Snow Hill, it was a school for African American children in the area. This was a one room school and was closed when Geneva Elementary school opened. The third town became known as King Philip’s Town after the Seminole Indian’s chief settled into the area. After the death of King Philip and his son, a man named Samuel J. Cook began a ferry service across from the St. Johns River, this became known as Cooks Ferry and this was the first white settlement in Geneva. These towns are now extinct (” Extinct Towns in The Geneva Area”).

The Museum of Geneva History was originally just land that was donated by Mr. and Mrs. W. G. Kilbee about 55 years ago in 1965. This couple participated in the ribbon cutting ceremony when the museum first opened. Thus, after there was a small loan obtained to construct the building. The building was dedicated at the Ribbon cutting ceremony in 1966 and the museum was then opened to the public. Since then, the museum has had a second room added onto the building to expand the size and then re-opened.

There are many artifacts and cool pieces of history that live in this museum that were originally found by many of Geneva Florida’s first settlers and families. According to the museum’s website, everything in the museum was donated or loaned to the museum by past or current residents of the town.

These artifacts in the museum paint a picture of what life looked like back in the 60’s and even prehistoric Geneva. There are many different tools, uniforms, and even pieces of old kitchens in the museum which show what families dressed like, how they farmed citrus groves and how they cooked before today’s newer technology came along.

There are even prehistoric mounds and mittens that you can see in the museum that were actually found right there in the town of Geneva Florida, originating from prehistoric Florida tribes that make up a huge part of the history known about Florida today.

The museum is right next to Geneva’s community center on first street. With the town being so small even today the museum is not hard to find and is passed by when entering town. Admission is free although the website states that donations are accepted and greatly appreciated.

As a young kid at Geneva Elementary, classes take field trips to the museum and learn about the first family settlers in the town. This museum is not only a great learning tool to the young kids attending school in the town of Geneva but it tells a great story of the towns people of a different time to any new residents moving, or thinking of moving to this small rural town.

 The Museum has a small store inside that sells paper back history books, t-shirts, old fashioned toys and more. The small history books range in prices and they tell stories of the steamboat days in Geneva Florida, the churches and the religious heritage in early Geneva, including books of watercolor prints of the citrus groves in the early days of this town.

The museum has over 1200 artifacts that live inside and play such a huge part in telling and educating the history of this little vibrant town. Artifacts ranging from as small as a lantern to as big as a square grand piano they all play their role in making the museum a great experience to learn about the town many call home (” The museum of Geneva History).

Martin, Mal “How Geneva Got its Name.” How Geneva Got its name, 2002, http://www.usgennet.org/usa/fl/county/seminole/Geneva/how_geneva_got_its_name.htm

“Extinct Towns in The Geneva Area.” Extinct Towns in The Geneva Area, http://www.usgennet.org/usa/fl/county/seminole/Geneva/extinct_towns_.htm

“The Museum of Geneva History.” The museum of Geneva History, http://www.usgennet.org/usa/fl/county/seminole/Geneva/museum.htm