The Marco Island Historical Society (MIHS) and Collier County Museums invite the public to join them in celebrating Pineapple Day on Saturday, February 19 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on the campus of the Marco Island Historical Museum (MIHM).
The event is free and will include fun games and activities for kids and families, pineapple growing tips from master gardeners, tasty and refreshing historic pineapple recipes, and demonstrations. Recipes for pineapple dishes will be taken from the MIHS cookbook, “Marco’s Treasures”, which is available for sale in the MIHS Gift Shop.
An original artwork, “The Pineapple King”, by well-known Marco Island native artist, Jarrett Stinchcomb, captures the spirit of Marco Island’s pioneer families and the history of pineapple cultivation. It can be seen in the open-air gallery of the Museum, Windows & Doors to History.
A look at the legacy of pineapple cultivation on Marco Island reveals how important the pineapple was in the early development of Marco Island. There were two pineapple plantations in the early 1900s named Ludlow’s and Captain Horr’s which fueled the local economy. An estimated 50,000 pineapples were shipped from Marco Island in 1909 alone.
The Marco Island Historical Museum is located at 180 S. Heathwood Drive. The Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission is free and the site is accessible to people with reduced mobility. For general information, visit www.themihs.org or call 239-642-1440.
