Pioneer Village at Shingle Creek

   

Pioneer Village at Shingle Creek
2491 Babb Rd.
Kissimmee, FL  34746
407-396-8644

Hours:  10 am – 4 pm
closed major holidays

http://osceolahistory.org/pioneer-village/

AT A GLANCE:  Pioneer Village at Shingle Creek
Date of Visit:	Saturday, February 4, 2017
Parking	Plentiful and free, onsite parking.
Amount of time needed to peruse exhibits:	45 – 90 minutes
Amount of time needed for gift shop	10 – 20 minutes
Online shopping	None
Dress code	Dress Comfortably, and wear good walking shoes.
Be sure to…..	Give Lanier’s Historic Downtown Market a chance.  Go in and browse around.
Nearby/other establishments to visit	·         Airboat rides ·         Gatorland ·         See http://osceolahistory.org/listings/ochs_category/attractions/ for additional possibilities
Walkability, general downtown area / amount of traffic	Pioneer Village at Shingle Creek isn’t located close to other things.  You’ll need a car or other transportation to have lunch at Savion’s or to browse historic downtown Kissimmee.
Safety, in terms of type and number of crimes committed in general area	Generally safe, but stow your valuables out of sight and lock your car to keep the honest people honest.

Photo courtesy of http://fineartamerica.com

It was a bitterly cold January morning in 2012, at Michigan State University (MSU), located in East Lansing, Michigan.  It was the first day of another chapter in my education, as I had applied for graduate studies at MSU.  My first class had to do with tourism as regional development.  So far, I’m ok.  Toward the end of the class, the instructor dropped a bombshell:  a project and research paper was expected at the end of the semester, and would account for almost half of our final grade.  It was our choice as to what we wanted to research, as long as it had ties to tourism.  I momentarily froze out of fear.  I’ll be honest here:  I suck at selecting topics, and always appreciated help.  There you have it.  I don’t know why this is, because you can give me a topic and I’ll research and write about it ‘til the cows come home, but please don’t make me select my own topic.  At the end of class, the instructor mentioned that she was currently researching a project and had a few areas of research, if we so wished.  Bingo!  “Sign me up,” I told the instructor at the end of class, “I’ll work on part of your research.”

My instructor had been working on improving at Cambridge Junction Historic State Park in Brooklyn, Michigan.  Although the buildings had been since the 19^th century, it was a new heritage area for the State of Michigan.  I selected my specific research topic from several alternatives, focusing on the current gift shop.  Specifically, what items should the gift shop sell in an effort to support / increase tourism?  In essence, I was studying shopping.  How could that not be interesting, and better yet, it was something that I wouldn’t have thought of on my own.

I’ve held heritage areas and their gift shops close to my heart ever since then.  I wasn’t surprised that I got a bit sentimental when we visited Pioneer Village at Shingle Creek last Saturday.  I was fondly recalling my my MSU research, when I realized that my work with Cambridge Junction had set me toward my current path in life.  Analyzing gift shops was a skill that grew out of that original research paper, and visiting Pioneer Village was like going home.

The difference between the terms “heritage” and “culture” depends on our association with the time period in question.  “Heritage” refers to the past events and people who shaped who you are today.  For example, your heritage could be southern, catholic, or Jewish. “Culture,” on the other hand, relates to the period of time in your lifetime and is something you elect to be a part of.  Techno music, waterskiing, high school marching bands, and urban-Detroiter are illustrations of a culture that we choose for ourselves, and are an individual choice independent of your family members.  If you get these terms mixed up, here’s a way to remember the differences:

Heritage = History

Culture = Choice
(you can choose to be a member of different cultures)

With that said, let's get started.  Pioneer Village at Shingle Creek is located in Osceola County, Florida, located in the central part of the state.

Osceola County Heritage Society Mission Statement:

“The Osceola County Historical Society collects and preserves the county's history, and provides educational, research and recreational opportunities to foster an understanding and enjoyment of the area's cultural and natural heritage through museum displays, demonstrations, interpretive programs, and special events for residents and visitors.”

Plan your visit to Pioneer Village during Florida’s milder months.  I use July 4^th and my sister Denise’s birthday as the bookends.  Visit before the 4^th of July, or visit after De’s birthday.  There are no shade trees in Pioneer Village, and being outside during the middle part of the year for longer than the time that it would take to get to your car is utter hell, and you will feel miserable, thirsty, and cranky.  Why would you want to do that to yourself?  Children especially are vulnerable outside during the summer months.  By the way, De’s birthday is October 13.

As a matter of importance, you locate the restroom by walking through the gift shop and exiting the back door.  You’ll see the restroom placard on a wall to your right.  Hold on, not so fast.  The restroom is physically located on your left side.  The guy in the gift shop came out to explain.  Nope, not listening.  Sometimes you just can’t stand around listening to someone else’s logic.

There is a $7 admission fee.  Pay it.  Heritage parks usually don’t receive much general

funding to support or improve their situation, and the admission fee helps assuage that.  Pioneer Village gives us information on Florida’s heritage (history) back in the days of non-Native Americans immigrating to the State in search of a better way of life.  This was the time of the Crackers, a proud, rugged and self-sufficient pioneer.  “Crackers” are named after the sound their whips make when they are driving cattle (*crack*).  Like so many places in Florida, Pioneer is on flat and empty land.  You

may even find the landscape boring, but don’t let that stop you from wandering about.  You’ll find fine examples of Seminole chickees (community structures) interspersed among the wood houses of the Crackers, and the newly arrived British.  Pioneer Village exhibits the heritage of Florida through a 3-dimensional site.  

Pioneer Village is an excellent place to visit if you have children with you.  They can

Room to run

A shady play area

scamper through the village to burn off that extra energy that all children seem to have.  There's a shady play structure located near the entrance to the park, which is suitable for families with young ones.

Local honey

Come along, my dear traveler friend; let’s have our encounter with the Pioneer Village gift shop.  First, though, give some consideration to what you’re expecting to see there.  I like to do that after visiting the exhibits, as this is when my idea of their brand starts forming.  In general, I expected to see handmade items and books that related to the period of time or that area of Osceola County in central part of Florida.  That’s

Plush farm animals.  I love the second
one from the right.

what I saw, once in the Pioneer Village gift shop.  A main function of a gift shop is to reinforce the mission or focus of the site, and the Pioneer Village gift shop nailed it.

Take comfort in the fact that the Pioneer Village gift shop sells cold beverages, and the gift shop guy will chat you up.  He was the first to ask me why I was taking so many pictures of the gift shop.  When I told him I’m a blogger who reviews gift shops, he apologized for the smaller size of this particular one.  I’m not sure he believed me when I tried to reassure him that I found the gift shop appropriate for Pioneer Village.  I love heritage parks and their gift shops, because they always seem to stock the coolest and unique merchandise that specifically ties into the time period they are showcasing. 

Gator tooth necklaces and
Florida playing cards

 

Shot glasses and refrigerator magnets.
The small oranges in the wood crate are
salt and pepper shakers.

I feel very strongly that you, my fellow traveler, understand the distinction between Florida’s heritage and its culture.  If it happens that a family member, friend, or co-worker mentions that they went to Florida and absolutely loved the pristine sand and beautiful palm trees, you will know that they immersed themselves in Florida’s

This is what much of Florida looks like:
scrubby vegetation and flat land.

culture (choice).  There is unequivocally no problem with this, but you will know the truth and will help them understand that Florida’s heritage is different from the culture in which they found themselves.  Odds are that your friend arrived by way of the Orlando International Airport, located south of the city of Orlando.  They transported themselves to what local news anchors call “the Attractions,” referring to Disney World, Universal Studios, or SeaWorld, and stayed onsite for their entire visit.  Did they see beautiful sandy beaches?  You know that they did.  Did they have a chance to explore the parts

"Hug a Tourist"

of Florida away from the Attractions?  No, they sure didn’t.  They probably weren’t aware that such places existed.  It’s time to show your kind and benevolent side, which begins with you lightly laying your hand on their arm, somewhere between their wrist and their elbow.  Without question, this is a Southern thing to do which lets the other person know that your motives are sincere.  It’s polite and socially acceptable to do this as long as you remove your hand from their arm after four or five seconds.  Any longer than that may be perceived as creepy.  At this point, you say something to the effect of “Sweetie, let me tell you about the real Florida.  It goes like this…”  As you finish with your unique Florida familiarity, give them a soft and gentle smile.  Walk away if you need to.  This satisfies two challenges, with the first being that you education someone, and they are that much better for it.  The second is that it shores up your brand (image, personality) as a world traveler.  Score another one for you!

Savion's Place

It’s getting toward lunch time.  Are you hungry yet?  Head south on I-92, then go east (turn left) for approximately 15 minutes until you get to a cute downtown area in the eastern part of Kissimmee.  Savion’s Place is your destination http://savionsplace.com/. There’s a saying among environmental designers and urban planners:  people go where people are.  What that means to you, dear traveler, is that it’s possible for you to help out local restaurants by simply sitting outside.  Passerby’s see you, and assume that the restaurant is decent and safe for them to also stop in for lunch.  We had the day’s special of a pulled pork sandwich, and it was one of the best I ever ate.  Our waiter

This is a charming area

chatted with us about this and that, usually focusing on the different cuts and types of pork that the restaurant offered.  Settle into the outside seating area, order an adult beverage, and try the pork. 

Shore’s Town & Country sells both women’s and men’s clothing.  Regardless, enter

Pricey shop

through the entrance in the men’s section, cross the store, and you’re in the women’s section.  I have two reasons to keep bypass this store.  The first one is that an employee will follow you everywhere, which is something that annoys me both as a customer and as a sales associate.  The second reason is that I, without question, will never pay $98 for a black, stretchy tank top.  Shore’s Town & Country didn’t provide a quality shopping experience, so we left.

We thought that the Butterfly Impressions Gifts & Salon down the block looked

promising, based on their window display.  I went to enter the shop, and found that the door was locked.  They’re open from 9 am – 12 noon on Saturdays.  Honest, three hours.  Again, no quality shopping here.

Open for 3 hours on Saturdays

Lanier's Historic Downtown Marketplace

Lanier’s Historic Downtown Marketplace is a classic “antique” shop, but was one of the few places that might offer decent shopping.  It pleased me to see candles, vintage postcards, and Hummel figures.  Yes, of course you’re going to have to walk through Lanier’s to find them, but I felt we at last had uncovered a quality

What's better than candles?
Candles on sale, of course.

shopping opportunity in Kissimmee.  Go on in, for the heck of it.  I hope that you’ll also be pleasantly surprised, as I was.

 

A carousel horse

Complete set of "X Files"

Who says that elephants can't fly?

Local BBQ sauce

 

Now that this week’s journey is through, remember back to your friend or co-worker who was enamored with the culture of Florida yet knew little of its heritage?  Perhaps give them a jar of Pioneer Village’s local honey or homemade BBQ sauce.  I confess.  I'm guilty of providing you with the main reason of why I enjoy heritage villages.  If I hadn't done that, would you have judged this gift shop in a different way? Find a historic village near you and plan a visit.  Be like the cool people and pay the admission fee without complaint.  Meander through the village and  absorb its unique heritage. You’ll be a better person for it.