Historic preservation is making headlines in Florida. Here’s a roundup of news items to watch, and updates on stories we’ve been following: Do you have preservation news to share? Let us know!

St. Johns County’s historic Magic Beach Motel
Florida Trust News:
- Our April 29th Lunch & Learn: Materials Conservation with Rosa Lowinger is now available to watch on YouTube!
Ongoing Education:
- #POMS25 registration is now live! Click here for more information and don’t miss out on another amazing conference – this year in Fernandina Beach!
Other News:
- New state law means Miami Beach can’t stop demolition of two historic hotels.
- Historic Matheson House in Gainesville to undergo three-year rehabilitation project.
- St. Johns County board pushes the pause button on demo decision of Magic Beach Motel.
- Miami-Dade County moves ahead with plans to partially demolish historic Coconut Grove Playhouse, a former 11 to Save location.
- The Okahumpka Community Club held a ceremonial ground-breaking to symbolize the start of a total restoration of the Okahumpka Rosenwald School, a former segregation era school for black children.
Upcoming Events:
- Come join the Florida Public Archaeology Network and the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation for a relaxing and creative afternoon of nature journaling at Tallahassee’s beautiful Old City Cemetery.
- Here ye, here ye! May is historic preservation month, and a nationally significant announcement at the Cedar Key Historical Society & Museum will be the center of this year’s celebration in Florida on Wed, May 7th at 10AM (ET)! Don’t miss it!
- Join us in Stuart for a Historic Preservation Workshop where we talk about how to make preservation happen in your community and how you can make preservation proactive.
Grants:
The Division of Historical Resources application cycle for Small Matching, Abandoned African-American Cemetery, and Special Category will close on June 2, 2025 at 5pm (ET). In order to apply, visit the Department’s online grant system at dosgrants.com.
Do you have preservation news to share? Let us know! Send your story to Larry Crumbie at lcrumbie@floridatrust.org.