Events 2016

Pioneer Day

February 11, 2017

Please continue to visit the website as we add information about the upcoming events.

Celebrating the early settlers of Merritt Island on “Pioneer Day” on two of their historic sites is a special treat for history, art, music, and nature lovers. The February 13th event is a partnership between Sams House at Pine Island and St. Luke’s Episcopal Church located on a narrow winding stretch of North Tropical Trail just north of the Barge Canal on North Merritt Island.   From 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. the Sams House and St. Luke’s will host a wide variety of activities, most of which are free.

Download Schedule of Events here.

Summary of Events at Sams House (ongoing from 10 am to 4 pm):

  • Living History Demonstrations and Educational Exhibits including: Florida History Display, Florida Public Archeology Network, the Florida Historical Society Archaeology Institute, Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge, and Tropical Fruit Display.
  • Historic House and Cabin Tours by guides in period clothing and Exhibits of Sams family artifacts.
  • Children’s Crafts and Games including: cow milking, rope tossing, making corn husk dolls, and much more…
  •  Crafts Fair and Farmer’s Market including: Pappas Backyard Honey, Nature’s Simple Remedies, Do TERRA Essential Oils, Adamson’s Orchids, Mango & Company, Coiled Vessels by Teresa Camarata,  Cook’s candles quilts dolls and handmade sandals, Sacred Space Arnica wreaths and dreamcatchers, Spade & Trowel Garden Club, Cape Canaveral Lighthouse Foundation, and Mendenhall Metal Sculptures.
  • Florida Folk Music by Chris Kahl, the Celery City String Band and Scott and Laura Clark
  • Photo ops with vintage tractors and cars.
  • Food by Steve’s Hot Dogs and Skinny’s BBQ

 Summary of Events at St. Luke’s (10 am to 4 pm):

Experience more of Old Florida at St. Luke’s. Go back in time and hear about
First Peoples; Windover, a local archaeological dig dating almost 7000 years ago to more recent times with interactive presentations on Native Americans of Florida.

  • On-going Self-guided Historic Chapel and Cemetery Tours
  • Display of Artifacts from the Brevard Museum of History and Natural Science, home of the FHS Archaeological Institute.
  • Policicchio Groves – Growing oranges on Merritt Island since 1920
  • Anna Lusk Friends in My Backyard has listeners of all ages singing along to her nature-inspired stories! 
  • 10:30 and 1:30 Ais,Timucuans and Seminoles – Their Lives and Culture with Jim Sawgrass
  • 12:00 Homemade soups ($5)
  • 12:00 Lessons from Windover: A Glimpse into Ancient Florida with Dr. Rachael Wentz, writer/archaeologist. Read about Dr. Wentz here.
  • 1:00 Trail of Tears – A brief history of the forced relocation of the Cherokee Nation in 1838-39. Johnny Kee will sing  Amazing Grace in Cherokee and play it on the Native American flute, a song that is said to have been sung many times along the Trail of Tears.
  • 1:00 to 4:00 Cemetery tours with Molly Thomas, Historic Preservation of Cemeteries
  • 3:00 Windover: Past, Present and Future with Patrisha Meyers, Director, Brevard Museum of History and Natural Science and The Florida Historical Society Archaeological Institute
  • Fish Fry Dinner at 4:30 and 5:30 seatings (advance ticket sale starts Jan. — by calling 321-452-5260)