Educational Programs

Educational programs offered at Naples Historical Society’s Historic Palm Cottage!

Our Tours

Our Events

Pupils at Palm Cottage

Naples Historical Society has partnered with the Collier County Public School district in a first-ever video production on Florida and local history for in-classroom presentation. The video, shown exclusively in fourth or fifth grade Collier County public school classrooms, ends with a live Q&A and has been very well received!

Of course, the Society continues to provide FREE field trips to Historic Palm Cottage for Collier County students as well. Teachers: we reimburse CCPS for yellow bus service!

We want every 4th and 5th grade student in Collier County to know the history of their own community because when children learn about the past, they understand the present, and enjoy thinking about the future…their own future!

Students…aka pupils…at Naples Historical Society’s Historic Palm Cottage having post-field trip fun in The Norris Gardens at Palm Cottage! (2020)

Archival Repository Project

The Archival Repository Project is on the Society’s long-range planning docket. This vast effort is what many libraries, governments, museums, municipalities, insurance companies, or any other industry or company that wants to protect its documents are doing or planning to do.

The Society has always had, in some form, a storeroom of sundry archival material. Over the last several years, it grew without effort. The relatively vast collection in the Society’s possession now are from those who donated their precious materials to the Society for safekeeping, or from those the Society sought out of a concern that the material would otherwise be tossed aside.

The current collection of historical materials comprises the Society’s archives, and its burgeoning existence presents an opportunity to craft a project, a major initiative, that will ultimately serve the Society and, more importantly, the community.

The material in the Society’s possession, and yet to be collected, includes any and all Naples history-based documents, newspaper articles, photos, artwork, images, objects, furniture, audio and video oral histories, printed memoirs, textiles, ephemera, postcards, books, published materials, reports, and other collectibles. Having and properly utilizing this amalgamated archival collection supports the Society’s vision to Be the Central Voice of Naples History.

Moving this project forward requires significant financial support–and time–to digitize and make it accessible to the public.

If you’re interested in knowing more about this project and how to help propel this forward, please call us. Thank you.

Call us to see how you can help move this forward!

Council of Longtime Friends

Join a rare group of local residents. The Council of Longtime Friends is a treasured group of old-timers and old-timer family members who are the final arbiter of Naples’ past and who help build the Society’s archives by providing identification information on many archival photos.

Remember the old water tower? Maybe you spent some time at the Paw Paw Patch! We need help from our Longtime Friends to ensure our understanding of the past is accurate.

We have many photographs that need to be identified, and we know there are stories that need to be told.

The Council of Longtime Friends meets once annually (in October) to enjoy each other’s company, learn more about the past from those who lived it, make new friends and connect with Naples’ history in a very special way. Call the Society to learn more or ask about our annual event!

This photo was taken in 1915 in front of what was once “Bamboo Cottage.” Take a Walking Tour of the Naples Historic District to learn where that once stood!

Speaker’s Bureau

Naples Historical Society’s speaker’s bureau, or Talk of the Town!, provides lectures to all interested parties. We present on Naples history by bringing Historic Palm Cottage to you OR you may want to know about historic rehabilitation in Naples. Choose your topical preference! Naples history presentations are $150 and historic rehabilitation presentations are free of charge. Call to learn more!

Elaine Reed speaking at Pelican Bay Men’s Coffee event.

Naples Oral Histories

Naples Historical Society works to preserve the history of Naples in many ways. One area is to record old-timers and others who know about the community’s past. We have filmed, recorded, and acquired many films, videos, and audio tapes over the last many decades, all of which will someday soon be embedded on a Naples Historical Society You Tube channel for the enjoyment of the community. Stick with us to learn when this special A/V project will be finished!

Preservation & Rehabilitation

Naples Historical Society took the lead for historic preservation and rehabilitation in Naples long ago. Our work culminated in legislation that enables homeowners of recognized historic houses to rehabilitate their houses without the challenge of Florida Building Code’s 50% Rule.

There are two videos available for your review and consideration. One on the background of rehabilitation in Naples, and another featuring interviews with historic homeowners and building professionals who have a thing or two to say about Naples’ rehabilitation…a MUST-SEE!

Educational Programs