The Blanchard House Museum offers various educational events throughout the year. 

These events include lectures, talks, and classes.  Information on scheduled events can be found on the museum’s calendar on this website.

School students: Need to write a report? Need a subject and some research material, the Blanchard House can help.  To request assistance, just use the Contact Us page to contact the staff with your project details.   

Homeschoolers: The museum can also offer educational programs for homeschooling groups. To coordinate a visit or special tour, use the Contact Us page to contact the staff with your request.

DVD programs available to view at the museum:

WGCU’s Untold Stories of Southwest Florida.  The following DVD videos are available to watch at the museum:
* African Americans in SW Florida        (25 minutes)
In order for African Americans to build a community they had to overcome slavery, segregation and prejudice. Because of local heroes in the early years, doors were opened for local African Americans to flourish. Now, a special group of people have untold stories to tell about endurance, motivation, determination and inspiration to teach us what life was like before the time of integration.

* Punta Gorda: Florida Frontier Town        (25 minutes)
Punta Gorda in Charlotte County has a wild and colorful past. Once the southernmost stop on the railroad, the frontier town attracted settlers, wealthy winter guests, desperados fleeing justice, opportunists, and others.

* Punta Gorda (Part 1)                (25 minutes)
Untold Stories of Punta Gorda. This episode will introduce the town, once called Trabue, that is nestled along the shores of the Peace River and Charlotte Harbor. Meet some of the town’s pioneer families and learn why fishing became the livelihood of this seaport community.

* Silver King: The Birth of Big Game Fishing    (55 minutes)
In 1885, a single, sensational catch at Sanibel Island’s Tarpon Bay made international news -- and revolutionized sport fishing. For the first time on record, a mighty, silver-sided tarpon was taken on a rod and reel, a feat that created a frenzy for the fierce-fighting fish -- and made southwest Florida the epicenter of a brand-new sport. The newly crowned Silver King of fish lured celebrities and presidents, and transformed Southwest Florida into the birthplace of big game fishing.

Outreach Program

The Punta Gorda Train Depot 

The Punta Gorda Train Depot was built in 1928 and was the southernmost in the United States at that time. It is the only surviving depot of the 6 Mediterranean Revival Style depots built by the Atlantic Coast Line.
 
The depot was designed to mainly handle freight. The passenger areas occupy a small portion of the northern end of the building.
 
The racially separate ticket windows, waiting rooms and bathrooms reflect the segregation practices of the time of its construction.
 
By 1971 the depot was closed. The building was eventually purchased by local landowner Fred Babcock, who donated it to the Punta Gorda Historical Society in 1996. Two years later volunteers began restoration of the building.
 
The “Colored” waiting room has been restored to its original condition. It is now exhibit space for the Blanchard House Museum of African American History and Culture of Charlotte County. The Blanchard House Museum is located at 406 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. BLVD. in Punta Gorda (the corner of MLK and E. Virginia).

Punta Gorda Charlotte County Library

During its closure, the Punta Gorda Charlotte Library generously hosted Blanchard House Museum’s exhibits and community educational programming.