History
In 1971 a letter to the editor appeared in the New Port Richey Press in which Janet Lewis, librarian of the New Port Richey Library, recommended that a local historical society should be formed. The suggestion had been made to her by Roscoe Henderson (1906-1998), a lifelong resident of western Pasco County. In 1973, the West Pasco Historical Society was formed. Julie Obenreder was the first President. In 1974-1975 the society published West Pasco's Heritage. In 1981, Alex Acey donated to the WPHS the building which became our museum and library.
The Building
The museum is housed in a building which originally served as the Seven Springs school house, which apparently operated from 1913 to 1925. The building subsequently became a private residence. It was moved to Sims Park over several days in October 1981 and dedicated on January 16, 1983. The Library addition was added in 1992. The Museum is handicapped accessible.
(
visit link)
The exact date on which the Seven Springs School opened is not known. In June 1913, school board minutes apparently show Grace Gaskins appointed as the teacher at the Seven Springs School.
School board minutes of Jan. 4, 1915, show that the board voted to have W. I. Porter & Co. insure the Seven Springs building for $1500 for a period of five years. Perhaps the school operated in 1913-14 in some other building, and the current building was completed in 1915. It was located south of the Anclote River on the east side of State Road 54.
According to Florida Cracker Days in West Pasco County, in 1916 a new Seven Springs school was built inadvertently on property owned by T. J. Witt and was in use until 1922.
School board minutes of Feb. 3, 1916, show that the board refused to allow the McNeal children to attend the Seven Springs School and live in the Elfers district.
A directory for 1915-1916 shows Mrs. B. O. Baker as the teacher, with a Sumter Co. certificate.
School board minutes of July 3-5, 1916, show Cephas Geiger as the teacher at Seven Springs.
School board minutes show from April 1920 show payment to teacher Inez Roseborough at Seven Springs School no. 38.
The school apparently closed in 1925.
In 1925 the school building became the residence of Thomas J. Witt (1871-1943). (The photo at right shows Annie and Sweetie Witt. The parents of the Witt students are shown as Henry Witt, and later, Mr. and Mrs. J. Bosely.)
In 1927 Ed Frierson bought the property from his mother and it became the home for Frierson and his second wife, Willie Maude Frierson, according to Cracker Days. Their children had attended the school.
In 1980, Mrs. Frierson sold the building to Alex and Dorothy Acey.
According to Patrick Eddie Russ, the school was located about two or three lots north of the Seven Springs Villas entrance.
In May 1981, the Aceys donated the building to the West Pasco Historical Society and in October 1981 it was moved to Sims Park, where it now serves as the historical society's museum. A library addition was built in 1992
(
visit link)