Veterans are invited to celebrate Veteran’s Day with the Old Courthouse Heritage Museum this fall.

Museum Invites Veterans and Community to World War II Presentations This Fall

The museum will host two free “Coffee and Conversations” events on topics related to World War II this October and November which are open to the entire community, including veterans and their families.

On Thursday, October 6, 2022, at 7:00 pm, the museum will host Citrus County Historical Society’s Director-at-Large, researcher Ken Marotte. He will speak on the topic of “Codes and Codebreakers: The Role of Women in Winning World War II by Deciphering the Enemy’s Messages.” Join us for a discussion on how women contributed to victory in World War II by deciphering secret codes and improving the technology used by our armed forces. Ken has an M.A. in history from Providence College in Rhode Island and recently retired from a long career in IT with a specialization in cyber security.

Then, on Thursday, November 10, 2022 — the day before Veteran’s Day — at 7:00 pm, the museum will host Eliot Kleinberg, speaking on “War in Paradise: World War II in Florida.” In the first weeks after Pearl Harbor pulled America into a two-front war, Germany’s U-Boats worked with immunity. Off Florida alone, they sank 24 ships. Some of Florida’s very features that attracted tourists made it a logical place for soldiers as well. The state, a strategic asset for its geography and climate, became an armed camp. Hotels turned into barracks, and hospitals, bases and airfields increased from eight to 172 by the year 1943. The sleepy southern state became one of the nation’s hotspots, and Florida would never be the same. Eliot Kleinberg spent more than four decades as a reporter, including more than 33 years at The Palm Beach Post. In addition to covering local news, he wrote extensively about Florida and its history. He produced two history columns and more than a dozen books about the state.

While the programs are free, event goers should RSVP by calling the museum at (352) 341-6428 or registering online at www.cccourthouse.org/events. 

The Old Courthouse Heritage Museum is the historic courthouse building with the clock tower, located on the square in Downtown Inverness at 1 Courthouse Square, Inverness, FL. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, closed Sundays and Mondays.

For more information, please call the museum or e-mail museum@citrusbocc.com.