Kissengen Spring Historical Marker Dedication Ceremony, August 25
Author and speaker Cynthia Barnett will headline the Kissengen Spring Historical Marker dedication ceremony at 5 p.m. on August 25 at the Polk County Historical Museum. “The St. Petersburg Times” named Barnett’s first book, “Mirage: Florida and the Vanishing Water of the Eastern U.S.,” as one of the top 10 books that every Floridian should read. Beacon Press will release her second book, “Blue Revolution: Unmaking America’s Water Crisis” in September.

A once-popular tourist attraction that bubbled up 30 cubic feet of water per second, Kissengen Spring ceased flowing February 19, 1950. Polk Government Television is helping preserve the spring’s legacy through a documentary that includes photos and oral histories collected from community members sharing their memories. The documentary will debut at the August 25 dedication ceremony. The historical marker will be permanently installed at Mosaic Peace River Park at a later date.

The Kissengen Spring commemoration is supported by the Florida Humanities Council, with funding from the Florida Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs. FHC is the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities and funds and coordinates statewide public humanities programs and publications that explore the people, places and ideas that shape the state of Florida.

In addition to their speakers bureau program, FHC awards grants for humanities projects, provides seminars for Florida teachers, organizes statewide cultural tourism events around the state, and publishes “FORUM,” an award-winning magazine.

Admission to the Polk County Historical Museum is free. The museum is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. The museum is located at 100 E. Main Street, Bartow.

Celebrate Polk’s County’s sesquicentennial, www.PolkProud150.com. For more information, call Myrtice Young at (863) 534-4386. Visit Polk County on the web, www.polk-county.net.