PHOTO BY MARY CANNADAY


Larry Madrid, whose engineering firm co-sponsored the Spanish Pathways exhibit at the Polk County History Center, greeted visitors to the opening reception Friday night in the character of Ponce de Leon, who brought the Spanish presence to Florida 500 years ago. With Madrid is his assistant, Erica Benavidez. The exhibit is also sponsored by the Polk County Board of County Comissioners.

PHOTO BY MARY CANNADAY


Spanish Pathways exhibit co-sponsor Larry Madrid, dressed as Ponce de Leon, shakes hands with Polk County History Museum curator Tom Muir, prior to the reception and lecture Friday night marking the exhibit's opening. The exhibit is free of charge and will be on display until May, 2013. The Polk County Board of County Commissioners are sponsors as well.

PHOTO BY MARY CANNADAY


The Spanish Pathways exhibit opened Friday at the Polk County History Center, with a reception and a lecture by Rosalyn Howard, Director of North American Indian Studies at the University of Central Florida. The exhibit is co-sponsored by the Polk County Commission and Madrid Engineering Group. Shown here are Polk Historic Museum assistant Maria Trippe, Larry Madrid as Ponce de Leon, and History Center Historic Preservation Manager Myrtice Young.

PHOTO BY MARY CANNADAY


Rosalyn Howard, Ph.D., Director of North American Indian Studies at the University of Central Florida, presented a lecture on "The African Presence in Spanish Florida" at the opening of the Spanish Pathways exhibit Friday night at the Polk County History Center. The exhibit is part of the "Viva Florida" celebration this year of 500 years since Ponce de Leon's arrival in Florida.