Historical Society to dedicate Blaha library with Saturday reception
Almost ten years ago, James Blaha joined the Board of Directors of the Boca Grande Historical Society, and he and Rose Marie Blaha began to volunteer at the History Center. Their combined backgrounds include teaching, chairing humanities departments, museum administration, library resource centers and consulting. Jim notes that he spent several summers on archeology projects at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello home and the Robert E Lee home.
The Blahas used the skills and backgrounds they had acquired to develop the History Center archives, which had been originated by Robert Edic, Kim Kyle and Ted/Sallie Van Itallie. Rose Marie used her library resource skills to organize the archives and their computerized information. Jim’s love of research resulted in more than 60 notebooks on subjects such as biographies, boating/maritime history, island business, African-Americans on Gasparilla Island, hurricanes, phosphate, railroads, hotels and World Wars I and II.
The Blahas also headed the Society’s acquisition, conservation and display of the collection of documents covering the 1902 to 1942 records of the Boca Grande Land Company, which created the three towns – Gasparilla Village, Boca Grande and Port Boca Grande – that once existed separately on Gasparilla Island. With a grant from the Boca Grande Woman’s Club, these documents are now housed in an environmentally correct display at the History Center and are frequently referred to as the Island’s “Magna Carta.”
In recognition of the Blaha’s contributions to the History Center, the Board of Directors has named its archives and research facilities the “James and Rose Marie Blaha Research Library.”
The Museum will dedicate the new library and honor the Blahas on Saturday, December 2, with a reception from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It invites the community to come to the event to see the research facilities as well as the recently installed exhibit, “One Island, Three Hometowns.” The new exhibit recognizes the contributions to Boca Grande history by the early families of the Island. The exhibit is also sponsored by the Boca Grande Woman’s Club.
