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Manatee Village Historical Park's Blacksmith Shop is a replica of those that Florida pioneers would have used in the late 1800s and early 1900s.The Blacksmith Shop is functioning and volunteer Blacksmiths perform demonstrations for special events and field trips.Blacksmith shops contain a forge used to heat the metal so that it can be shaped over the anvil. Some Blacksmiths had bellows to get the fire very hot by blowing air over the coals. It was then dipped into a quenching bucket, which contained a liquid to cool the steel. Three basic liquids were used: plain water, salt water, and oil. The liquid was chosen for its boiling point and its ability to either cool slowly or quickly, depending on the strength of the metal being used. If it was cooled too quickly, it would crack.

Blacksmith Demonstration for School Fieldtrip

Manatee County Clerk of Court Historical Resources Department

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Blacksmiths were important to the settlement of our area. The pioneer Blacksmith made settlement possible in any new area by providing farm tools and various architectural and functional objects. Even settlers who already owned these items brought them to the Blacksmith for repairs or sharpening.  
This Blacksmith shop is a reproduction of the type that might have been used in this area. 


Blacksmith Shop

Step back in time at Manatee Village Historical Park. Visit this collection of restored buildings from Manatee County's settlement history and experience life in Manatee County before the arrival of modern conveniences such as automobiles and electricity. Manatee Village Historical Park's mission is to preserve and share the heritage of Manatee County's founding period (1840-1918). The museum does this through a collection of historical buildings including the: 1908 Bunker Hill Schoolhouse; Manatee County's First Courthouse (1860); 1887 Old Meeting House Church; 1903 Wiggins General Store; and more! The museum also offers exhibits and educational programs. Visit www.manateevillage.org to learn more.

Manatee Village Historical Park

Manatee Village Historical Park is comprised of historical buildings and replicas that represent Manatee County's founding period. Manatee County was created in 1855 and consisted of 5,000 square miles. Manatee Village Historical Park is the site of what was once the Village of Manatee, which briefly served as the county seat from 1860-1866.Historical structures at the museum include:Old Cabbage Head TrainBuilt by Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelphia, PA in 1913, “Old Cabbage Head” gets its name from the shape of its smoke stack. The train hauled lumber for Manatee Nocatee Crate Mill Company. It was retired in 1952 and residents raised money to preserve the train.1903 Wiggins General StoreKing Wiggins, an entrepreneur in business and agriculture, built his store on this spot in 1903. It is five blocks from the Manatee River, the village’s lifeline for transporting goods. Wiggins designed the building for several uses. His general store and a large storage area occupied the ground floor. The second floor provided overnight rooms for customers who traveled from remote parts of the county to buy his goods. The Wiggins Store became a gathering spot for the Manatee community. Customers lingered to catch up on village news, listen to Wiggins’s phonograph, or play a game of checkers.1860 CourthouseManatee County’s first Courthouse was built in 1860, making this the oldest structure in our museum. It is also the oldest remaining wood structure built as a courthouse in the entire state of Florida. Old Meeting House ChurchThis lovely church symbolizes the tenacity of the Village of Manatee pioneers. Construction was begun in 1887, then halted when a yellow fever epidemic claimed the lives of the pastor and many in the congregation. But they persevered. Two years later, the church opened to house the first Christian congregation south of Tampa on the Florida mainland.

Step back in time at Manatee Village Historical Park. Visit this collection of restored buildings from Manatee County's settlement history and experience life in Manatee County before the arrival of modern conveniences such as automobiles and electricity. Manatee Village Historical Park's mission is to preserve and share the heritage of Manatee County's founding period (1840-1918). The museum does this through a collection of historical buildings including the: Bunker Hill Schoolhouse (1908); Manatee County's First Courthouse (1860); Old Meeting House Church (1887); Wiggins General Store (1903); and more! The museum also offers exhibits and educational programs. Visit www.manateevillage.org to learn more.

The Wiggins General Store is the only building in Manatee Village Historical Park that was built in this exact spot. While the other buildings were moved here to preserve them, the Wiggins Store still stands on its original foundation.The Village of Manatee was a small enclave in the huge, rugged Manatee County. The county was created in 1855 and consisted of 5,000 square miles (not much smaller than Connecticut!). It was eventually divided into the counties of Manatee, Sarasota, Hardee, Highlands, DeSoto, Charlotte, Glades, and part of Lee. Residents in these new counties would later patronize cities within their own boundaries. But, in the early 1900s, the Wiggins General Store was one of the few stores of its kind in the area.King Wiggins picked this location for a number reasons. It was located on the main street at the time. The brick path that runs in front of the Wiggins Store on the museum campus was once Manatee Avenue, a main thoroughfare which now runs just to the north of the building. This meant that any wagons or carts had to travel directly in front of this store before getting into the main part of the Village of Manatee, Braidentown (as Bradenton was known then) or traveling to Palmetto. This included people bringing items into town to barter or trade. Wiggins, being the first store they passed, would often have the first or best selection of that merchandise. This building is also close to the Manatee River which is how most merchandise would be shipped to Manatee Village at the time. This is because outside of established towns, Florida didn’t have paved roads, street lights, or easy ways to travel across the land. Most “roads” were just narrows paths cut through the wilderness so water travel was much easier. Being near the river, Wiggins had his own dock for merchandise ships to deliver to and, again, he had the best selection of what was available.Another reason is that when Wiggins selected this place for his store, there were already plans in place to bring a railroad through town. Wiggins thought that the railroad would come through at 15th Street East. But this is where Mr. Wiggins was wrong. The railroad ended up being built on 9th Street West, running between the Village of Manatee and Braidentown. When the railroad was completed, Wiggins moved his business to a new site on 9th Street West in 1909. This building was then used for a barbershop, another general store, hotel, apartments, and finally migrant housing before it was condemned and boarded up in 1983.The Manatee County Historical Commission acquired the building in 1985 and, after a lengthy fundraising campaign, the building was carefully renovated and reopened to the public in 1990.

Imagine this spot over a century ago. You’re in the Village of Manatee. Remember, before electricity, cars, and busy roads, Florida was a frontier. The pioneers in this small but growing settlement on the Manatee River, had to carve out a center of commerce in the Florida wilds. At the turn of the century, if you wanted the best selection of groceries and gadgets in Manatee County, you made the trek to the Wiggins Store in the village. Unlike today, a trip to the store could mean a journey of several days. King Wiggins, an entrepreneur in business and agriculture, built his store on this spot in 1903. It’s five blocks from the Manatee River, the village’s lifeline before the railroad came to town. Wiggins' store stood on the main street--easy to spot as you entered the town. Doubtless it would have caught your eye, as it was one of the first brick buildings in the area. Brick was expensive and King Wiggins used it to make a grand impression on arriving travelers. But brick could also be hot, so Wiggins built the walls with two layers of brick and an air pocket in between to keep the building cool. As weary travelers walked into town, the store’s large windows and spacious porches, invited them to enter. Wiggins designed his store for several uses. Customers would enter the general store on the ground floor, which also housed a large storage area. If you traveled far, you might choose to spend the night on the store’s second floor, where Wiggins rented out rooms. As you can imagine, the Wiggins Store soon became a gathering spot for the Manatee community. Customers lingered there to catch up on village news, listen to Wiggins’s phonograph, or play a friendly game of checkers.

1903 Wiggins General Store

The Fogarty Boat Works is one of several historical structures preserved at Manatee Village Historical Park. In 1865, a storm blew the fishing vessel Grover G. King off its northbound course from Key West.Captain John Fogarty sailed into the mouth of the Manatee River for protection. When the storm lifted, Fogarty liked what he saw. The wide river, natural harbor, abundant wildlife, large schools of fish, and woods thick with oak and cedar convinced him this was the place to live and launch his business. A year later, John and his brothers, William and Bartholomew (also known as “Tole”), moved from Key West to settle in Manatee County. That marked the start of the boat-building industry in Manatee County. The Fogartys claimed land grants totaling 135 acres between what is today Manatee Avenue and the Manatee River, between 26th and 37th streets west. The area became known as Fogartyville and included homes, a general store, bakery, small dairy, two churches, cemetery, warehouses, wharves and buildings for the construction of ships and boats. In all, seven Fogartys became ship captains and sailed ships from the Manatee River and Tampa Bay throughout the world. At the age of 19, Tole’s son, also named Bartholomew and later as Captain Bat, built his first ship. For the next 60 years, Capt. Bat constructed hundreds of sailing ships, power vessels, small boats and skiffs the way his father and uncles taught him. When Capt. Bat died in 1944, his family closed his boat yard. In 1993, the family willed the boat yard to the public. Restorers opened the building you see today to find its contents preserved as if in a time capsule: half-hull models, wooden patterns and molds, tools, equipment and belt-driven machinery, just as Capt. Bat left them.

The Fogarty Brothers, fisherman from Key West, settled in Manatee County in 1866, marking the start of Manatee County's boat-building industry. The brothers established Fogartyville on the banks of the Manatee River. It was a small town with a general store, churches, cemetery, bakery, and more. The heart of the town were wharves and buildings for the construction of boats.
Bat Fogarty was the son of one of the Fogarty Brothers. This building once housed Captain Bat Fogarty’s last boat works (boat-building workshop). This boat works was originally constructed on the bank of the Manatee River. Capt. Bat built vessels for many years after the close of the Fogarty Shipyards. 
His boat works closed with his death in 1944. In 1993 his grandson, Charles Fogarty died and the family gave the building to the South Florida Museum (now the Bishop Museum). 
Inside was a time capsule: wood patterns and molds, tools, and belt driven machinery were all left where Capt. Bat last placed them. Through the efforts of the Manatee County Historical Commission, the Florida Historical Society, and the Fogarty Family, the boat works was preserved, moved to Manatee Village Historical Park, restored and opened to the public in 1995. Additional equipment from the boat works is on display at The Bishop.

Bat Fogarty Boat Works

Manatee Village Historical Park's Blacksmith Shop is a replica of those that Florida pioneers would have used in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The Blacksmith Shop is functioning and volunteer Blacksmiths perform demonstrations for special events and field trips. Blacksmith shops contain a forge used to heat the metal so that it can be shaped over the anvil. Some Blacksmiths had bellows to get the fire very hot by blowing air over the coals. It was then dipped into a quenching bucket, which contained a liquid to cool the steel. Three basic liquids were used: plain water, salt water, and oil. The liquid was chosen for its boiling point and its ability to either cool slowly or quickly, depending on the strength of the metal being used. If it was cooled too quickly, it would crack.

The turpentine industry, also called the naval stores industry, has been an important part of the United States economy since the settling of Jamestown. This industry dominated many regions of the South throughout the 1800s. Turpentine is distilled pine oil collected from long leaf and slash pine trees. These trees are only found in the coastal areas of the South Eastern United States. The turpentine industry produced pine tar, which was used to seal wooden sailing ships. Eventually, many other uses were found for turpentine, including as an ingredient in: kerosene lamps, shoe polish, Vicks VapoRub, and crayons. Turpentine production started primarily in North and South Carolina. In the early days, collection methods were destructive to trees so the industry continued to move further and further south in search of more trees. By the late 1800s and early 1900s, Florida had become a major player in the United States turpentine industry. The arrival of the turpentine industry in Florida helped develop many of the small rural towns in Florida today. Turpentine camps grew in small populated areas, bringing railroad lines, churches, schools, and homes. Prior to 1865, many turpentine workers were enslaved African-Americans. After the Civil War (1861-1865) and the Emancipation Proclamation (1863), many African-Americans took jobs in turpentine camps as a source of income. However, a system of labor called "peonage" allowed employers to exercise control over their workers, essentially continuing slavery past emancipation. Peonage became known as debt slavery. Workers had to buy equipment and supplies from the camp for such a high price that they become hopelessly indebted to the company and could not leave. Peonage was made illegal by Congress in 1867, but in practice it continued until the 1940s. Many workers lived in houses supplied by the camps and close knit African-American communities were formed. After Manatee County's Sidell and Bee Ridge turpentine camps closed, many of the workers moved to Sarasota’s Newtown community. The culture and music created by these communities were recorded by the Works Progress Administration and anthropologists like Zora Neale Hurston. In addition to the peonage system, turpentine camps also resorted to the convict-lease system. Between 1860 and 1870, Southern states including Florida had a growing prison population. Florida struggled with maintaining the large amount of prisoners and the upkeep of maintaining prisons, so the state started the convict-lease system. Turpentine was a dangerous industry and finding workers who were willing to work in the camps was difficult. Florida’s turpentine operators often turned to leasing convicts for fixed periods of time for a fee. Early on, there were no regulations for care and treatment of these convicts was often cruel. By the late 1800s, the Florida Commissioner of Agriculture had taken over overseeing the convict leasing program,establishing care guidelines. The program ended in 1919.

During the 1800s, naval stores were Florida's second largest industry.  Pine tar and oil of turpentine were vital to the caulking of sailing vessels. Turpentine camps were abundant across Florida, including Manatee County. Smaller turpentine stills such as this one once were scattered throughout Florida’s pinewood forests. These turpentine stills processed the rosin or gum, which had been extracted from the trees.  

A turpentine still included a kettle like the one seen here and a condenser, as well as troughs which would have been used for refining the resin. The kettle seen here was part of a larger process.  When in use, it would have been surrounded by a brick wall.  Fire did not touch the kettle, but instead, heated the air in the cavity around it.  


Turpentine Still

How did early Florida settlers survive the long summers without fans or air conditioning? They built their homes to take advantage of shade, insulation and air circulation. This “Cracker Gothic” (Classic Cracker) style settler’s home shows off several of these techniques. The heart pine blocks elevate the house 2 1/2 feet off the ground to allow air flow under the house. The large front porch shades and cools the breeze before it enters the house. The large central hallway with a high ceiling funnels the cooled air through the house. The house is divided into separate rooms that can be opened or closed according to the needs of the family and the seasons of the year. Here in the museum, the home is shaded by live oaks. The Will Stephens family built this home in 1912 from pine trees on the family homestead, established in 1894 in what is now Hardee County. The home is an excellent example of rural frame dwellings in Florida between 1870 and World War I. When the homestead was purchased for mining, the Stephens House became the property of the International Mineral Corporation. The company donated the house to the Manatee County Historical Commission. It was cut into five parts and moved here in 1982. As with most of the museum structures, the Stephens House was restored by volunteer labor and funds contributed by Historical Commission members, individuals, organizations, and foundations. The flooring throughout the home is original. The fireplace is made of the original bricks. The furnishings are not the ones used by the family but were in popular use at the time. The home’s exterior is painted rather than whitewashed. The Stephens family decided, when they built this house, it would receive the best white paint that money could buy.

Will and Roxie Stephens built this home in 1912 from pine trees on the family homestead in what was then eastern Manatee County (now Hardee County). This house shows off how early Floridians lived without air-conditioning. The high ceilings and open air hallways allowed for a nice breeze to blow through the house, while the large porches provided breezy, shady places to sit.
This house was moved here in 1982. While renovations were made, the flooring is original and the fireplace is made of the original bricks. The furnishings were not the ones used by the family, but are representative of the time period.

1912 Stephens Family Home

Neither the Potter Barn nor the Maintenance Shop are open to the public. The Potter Barn houses Manatee Village Historical Park's chickens, and staff uses the maintenance shop for repairs on the historical buildings. The Potter Barn is an example of a typical Florida barn, while the Maintenance Shop represents a northern barn style. You will notice that the Maintenance Shop is completely closed in and is larger. In snowy climates, a porch would not have been practical. Also, barns often sheltered animals during freezing weather. With a warm climate, Florida barns sheltered supplies, not animals. Livestock stayed outdoors year round. Inside a Florida barn, you would find seed, fertilizer, hay, and farm tools. The porch provided cover for farm machinery. The size of the barn was determined by the financial means of the farmer and the size of their operation. Captain John Wardell Harllee was born in South Carolina in 1837. He served as a Haygood Brigadier C.S.A in the Civil War. He moved to Manatee County and started a mercantile store selling horses, mules, and supplies to farmers on both sides of the Manatee River. He became the Village of Manatee's leading merchant. John's brother, Peter Stuart Harllee, came to join him in 1871. He bought property north of Palmetto to farm. The Harllee farm became known as the Harllee Hundred Farm because it was 100 acres. At that location, the family grew vegetables and citrus. Peter built a two-story pole barn on the property. Mules were kept in stalls on the porches. On the inside, the first story was used to store feed and livestock supplies. The second story was used to store seed and fertilizer. Over many years, this building became known locally as “the Harllee Barn,” and became a much-loved subject for photographers and artists. Peter went on to become one of Florida's first commercial tomato growers. He was successful and well respected, which led to him being elected the first mayor of Palmetto in 1894. Peter and his wife, Alice, had eight children. Their only surviving son, John Pope Harllee, Sr. also became a farmer. He formed Harllee Packing House with his two sons in 1932. The family-run business thrived. The Harllees sold the Harllee Packing House in February 2020. Peter's brother, J.W. Harllee died in 1887 of yellow fever and is buried across the street from Manatee Village in the 1850 Manatee Burying Grounds. The Harllee Barn was still standing on the Harllee Hundred Farm until several years ago. It had fallen into a state of disrepair, so it was dismantled and rebuilt on the Manatee County Fairgrounds.

The Potter Barn and the Maintenance Shop sit side-by-side at Manatee Village Historical Park. One demonstrates the closed-in architectural style of a northern barn, while the other demonstrates the open porches of a Florida barn.

The Potter Barn is a rough-cut pine barn typical of those built by Florida farmers in the late 1800s and early 1900s. It is a copy of Peter S. Harllee's barn, built ca. 1885, which once stood a few miles north of Palmetto. The Harllee Barn is now located at the Manatee River Fair Grounds in Palmetto and can be visited during public events such as the Manatee County Fair. 

The Harllee barn was used as a model for Manatee Village's barn not only because of its classic style, but also because the Harllee family has ties to the Village of Manatee. Peter's brother J.W. Harllee was the Village's leading merchant. Peter's son John was born in the Village and took over the family farming business. The name Potter Barn honors Rodney Potter, an avid supporter of preservation at Manatee Village Historical Park.

Potter Barn and Maintenance Shop

The idea for Manatee Village Historical Park sprouted in 1974. After a business meeting at Manatee United Methodist Church (located across the street), two women stood beneath the steeple of the sanctuary built in 1887. Tears welled up in their eyes as they thought about what they had just heard. The church building, along with a smaller building owned by the congregation, once Manatee County’s first courthouse, were to be torn down to make room for a new sanctuary and parking lot.   That night, these two women, Norma Carter and Willa Mae Gaines, vowed to do all that they could to save the two historical buildings. The idea for the Manatee Village Historical Park was born. They created the Manatee County Historical Commission, with a HOME (heritage of Manatee's environment) Committee, and they partnered with the Manatee County Clerk of Court. Now standing ready to take on the task of saving the 1887 church and the 1860 courthouse, they worked with the City of Bradenton to find land. City of Bradenton offered the Commission a parcel that had been the site of a park and the Manatee County Nursery School. That parcel of land became known as Manatee Village Historical Park. This museum was truly a community effort. The City, the County, and the Clerk of Court all worked with the Historical Commission to make this possible. Both buildings were moved to Manatee Village Historical Park in December of 1975. At this time, Manatee County was preparing for a large Bicentennial celebration of the founding of the United States. Organizations all around the county were developing programs and planning celebrations. HOME Committee tied the restoration effort for these buildings into Manatee County’s bicentennial celebration. Manatee Village Historical Park officially opened to the public on July 4, 1976. Staff offices were located in the church. The museum comprised the church, gazebo, and courthouse.

This lovely church symbolizes the tenacity of the pioneers in the old Village of Manatee. 

The congregation that built this church was the first Christian congregation south of Tampa on the Florida mainland. The church, called a meeting house at the time, was the third building occupied by the congregation. Due to the small population, it was bi-denominational: Methodist and Episcopalian.

Before building the meeting house, the congregation used the 1860 courthouse now also preserved at Manatee Village Historical Park.

Construction began on the meeting house in 1887, but was halted when a yellow fever epidemic claimed the lives of the pastor and a large portion of the congregation. Those remaining persevered, however, and construction was completed in 1889. 
Manatee United Methodist Church donated the building to Manatee Village in 1974 . The building had been renovated and so volunteers restored the Church to as close to its original layout and appearance as possible while maintaining modern conveniences like electricity and air conditioning. 
Many elements of the Church are original, like the pews. The brass plates on the pews name the donors and volunteers who contributed to restoring the Church. 
The turnbuckles in the ceiling were added in 1889. They were required to keep the walls from spreading due to the height and weight of the vaulted ceiling.
Many elements are also handmade replicas. The stained glass windows at the altar, for example, are replicas. The originals were retained by Manatee United Methodist. The altar rails, the flower tables, the pulpit and the altar table are all replicas handcrafted by a volunteer named George Fincken. 

1887 Church

The 1860 Courthouse is a great example of what Historic Preservationists refer to as restoration. Restoration depicts a property at a particular period of time in its history, while removing evidence of other periods. The courthouse has lived many lives and undergone many renovations over the years. The Manatee County Historical Commission decided to take the building back to what it would have looked like in 1860. Several additions were removed, including partitions, casement windows, two extra layers of flooring, and most of the exterior siding. The sturdy old frame had not been changed and it revealed window sizes, door placements, and the location and size of the Judge’s chambers and jury room. Volunteers doing the restoration noted openings, nail holes, and lumber sizes, in order to make the restorations as close as possible to the original. Much of the interior had to be replaced and wood was milled to specifications for the restoration work. The yellow pine lumber came from sawmills in Perry, Florida. Windows with narrow mullions, the same as the originals, were secured from a Jacksonville firm. The courthouse is now filled with hand crafted replicas, with the exception of the two judges’ chairs, the witness chair, the desk in the judge’s chambers and the bookcases which are artifacts.

This courthouse was built in 1860. It is the oldest courthouse specifically built as a courthouse still standing in the state of Florida. 
Josiah and Mary Gates, the first white settlers in the Village of Manatee, donated the land to build it. At the time, the Village of Manatee was the seat of Manatee County. 
The 1860 courthouse only served as a courthouse for a few years. It was sold to the Methodist-Episcopal Church (now Manatee United Methodist) in 1866 when the county seat was moved to Pine Level.
The courthouse served as a sanctuary for the church until the new building was completed in 1889. A tower and bell were added to the courthouse while it was serving as a church.
After the new meeting house was completed in 1889, the courthouse briefly served as the Church’s social hall. The courthouse was then renovated around 1890 and served as a parsonage from 1891-1906. Then it became a private residence. 
In 1975, the courthouse was donated along with the church by Manatee United Methodist to create Manatee Village Historical Park. The two buildings were moved from their original location across the street to what is now the museum.


1860 Courthouse

This schoolhouse served the Bunker Hill area from 1908-1929. The first year the school was open, there were 10 students. From then on, there were usually there were 10-25 students attending during the school year. School was typically held Monday-Friday, 8am-4:30pm. In the first few years, the school year ran August to December. Eventually it was increased to 7 months and then 10 months. The shortened school years were in part to allow students to help their families, usually on the farm. Student’s excused absences for missing class included being sick, of course, but they also would have skipped class to help their family’s business and they might miss class in the event of bad weather. It was difficult for students to get to the schoolhouse. Many had to walk several miles barefoot. Some students also had to cross a river or creek that might become impassable after heavy rain. So in the event of bad weather, attendance tended to be low. Going to school in 1908 was different from school today. Some things were similar: children played games, had chores, and worked on reading, writing, and math. One of the biggest differences, though, is that this one-room schoolhouse was the only school in the community, serving first grade through eighth grade. And because students often had to take time off to help their family, ages ranged from 6 years old to 26 years old. The younger children worked largely independently using charts. The older students had books. Some of the oldest children had up to three books. Schooling was largely based in memorization and recitation. Students would recite their lessons in front of the class. The one-room school house did not have electricity or running water. You’ll notice there were no indoor bathrooms. At the time, there was only one outdoor bathroom, reserved for the girls. The boys followed a path into the palmetto bushes. Teachers' responsibilities included filling the lamps and cleaning the chimney; bringing a bucket of water and a scuttle of coal (if needed for the fireplace) to the school; and whittling each child's feather quill pen before the day's lessons. Teachers would have graduated a Normal School, which was a college specifically designed for becoming a teacher. Pay for teachers was poor and there was a high turnover. In 1913, Bunker Hill teachers were paid $45 a month (about $1,200 in today's dollars), plus $10 for room and board.

This one-room schoolhouse was originally located in Bunker Hill in the northeast corner of Manatee County.
The building served as a one room schoolhouse from 1908-1929. In 1929, B.D. Gullet bought the building and moved it to his property near Duette (a little further east than Bunker Hill). Mr. Gullet was a teacher and Supervisor of Education for a total of thirty-seven years. 
He and his wife, and then later his daughter, Sallie Gullet Bradley, lived in the house for 60 years.
The Manatee County Historical Commission accepted the offer to move the former schoolhouse to Manatee Village Historical Park in 1989. Volunteers worked tirelessly to restore the building to its original condition. This meant removing additions and modern plumbing. 
The building was completed and dedicated in 1990.

1908 Bunker Hill Schoolhouse

In early Manatee County, it was not unusual to see a cow wandering down Main Street. Florida was an open range state, meaning ranchers did not have to fence in their cattle. They roamed free across the state.Ranchers paid cow hunters to hunt down their cattle for market in Florida’s thick scrub woods."The Fence Law" (Senate Bill 34) passed in 1949, requiring ranchers to fence their property. In the late 1800s, cow hunters on the coasts of Florida needed a route between settlements in the East and ports in the West to ship cattle. A straight path through central Florida proved to be the only one not blocked by swamps or rivers. As the cattle industry boomed, Florida Crackers, cattle, horses, and wagons traveled between destinations on each coast. Over time, the route developed into a series of unmarked highways surrounded by miles of brush and plains. The Florida Cracker Trail Association formed in 1986. They worked to get the route marked to honor history and raise awareness. In 1987, the Florida State Legislature designated a group of highways from Bradenton to Fort Pierce as the “Florida Cracker Trail.” Manatee Village Historical Park marks the western end, while P. P. Cobb’s General Store in Fort Pierce marks the eastern end. Every year, the Florida Cracker Trail Association hosts an annual ride in which participants on horseback retrace the 120 mile trail.

The Cow Hunter's Bunkhouse is a part of Manatee Village Historical Park, but it is not currently open to the public. 
The bunkhouse serves as a reminder of the days when “Cattle was King” in Florida. Florida’s cattlemen preferred to be called “cow hunters” rather than cowboys because of the amount of work that went into tending cattle while Florida was a still a free-range state. This bunkhouse is typical of the small shelters once scattered throughout the Florida wilderness. It provided lodging for the cow hunters as they crossed the state rounding up cattle. 

Manatee Village Historical Park

Blacksmith Shop

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