CRESTVIEW, Fla. (WKRG) — The Crestview History Museum is celebrating its first year in operation since holding its ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 8, 2022.

The museum has had 1,350 visitors, including homeschooled student groups, women’s church groups, community organizations, church senior clubs and special-needs groups.

Its monthly Second Saturday program has featured holiday or cultural themes such as Oktoberfest, Christmas, Mardi Gras, Cinco de Mayo, Italy’s Festa della Repubblica and France’s Bastille Day.

One of the museum’s biggest days of the year was “Swingin’ on the Porch,” which featured Crestview High School students who are in the New Age Big Band.

While creating the museum, the staff revived L&N Railroad track supervisor Lorenza Bush’s 1926 home without interior photos or floorplans.

The work isn’t done, though, with an Alatex quilt display soon to be completed. Other future displays include “Crestview Businesses and Commerce,” “Healthcare in Crestview,” “Crestview Goes to War” and “My, How the Bush House has Grown.”

The museum has received multiple gifts over the past year, including a 19th-century melodeum or pump organ from Jimmy Lundy and a swing custom-crafted at the Bush House porch by local woodworker David Liddell from Mayor Pro Tem Andrew Rencich.

The most recent donation was four wooden front porch rocking chairs from City Councilman Doug Capps.

The museum is located at 198 S. Wilson St. in Crestview. It is open weekly, Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and most second Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Admission is free except for occasional special exhibit fundraisers.

For more information, call 850-398-5459 or reach out to hughesb@cityofcrestview.org.

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