Have you ever wondered what celebrating the Holidays was like when Florida was first settled? Well, at Pioneer Village, you can do just that! Pioneer Village is a collection of buildings that tell the story of Osceola County’s early settlers from the 1880s to the early 1900s. In addition to three-family homes, the village includes a schoolhouse, church, general store, train depot, citrus packing plant, Seminole camp, and cow camp. Stop by and experience Christmas at Pioneer Village.
An Old-Fashioned Christmas
To celebrate the holidays, the buildings are decorated with Christmas trees, handmade ornaments, wreaths and seasonal greenery and fruits that were often used as decorations during the pioneer period. Christmas trees during that time were not like the big spruce or fir trees like we use today; the Osceola County pioneer families would have used what was available at the time – a scraggly Florida scrub pine.
Osceola History will present Christmas at Pioneer Village on December 15 from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Guests can enjoy Christmas music, carols, and refreshments in the church, which is a replica of the St. Peter’s Episcopal Church originally built in Narcoossee in the 1890s. On Dec. 15 there will be a reading of the Christmas story, and Santa and Mrs. Claus will be at the train depot. Admission is free after 4 p.m. (donations are appreciated).
Pioneer Village is located at 2491 Babb Road, Kissimmee, FL 34746. The village is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Shingle Creek Regional Park surrounds the village and offers walking and biking trails, kayaking, picnic areas, and a playground.
For more information about Christmas at Pioneer Village, email mia@osceolahistory.org or call 407-396-8644, ext. 3. More information about Pioneer Village and Osceola History CLICK HERE.
Gingerbread Workshop
Osceola History presented a Gingerbread Workshop on Wednesday, Dec. 11 at the history museum. Florida Technical College baking and culinary students offered instruction on making gingerbread dough and decorating cookies. Participants can take an after-hours tour of the museum. Be sure to plan on checking this amazing event out next season!
The Osceola County Welcome Center & History Museum is located at 4155 W. Vine Street, Kissimmee.