submitted by Donna Digennaro
Memorial Day weekend is just around the corner. Before you know it, May 25th, 26th and 27th will be upon us. This is the day, more than any other, when we should set aside time to remember, to memorialize those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. The Historic Village in Clermont offers a unique way to honor these individuals as well as all the men and woman who served in World War II. A Wall of Honor is dedicated to those who served in the war and have lived (at any time in their lives) in Lake County. Dog tag shaped disks contain information pertaining to the service of each individual. The wall is one of the dominant features in the Village’s Quonset Hut.
The Hut was built on its current location in 1943 and a small unit was actually stationed here during the war. Come by the Village Friday between 1:00 and 3:00 pm or Saturday or Sunday between 1:00 and 4:00 pm to spend some time looking at the Wall of Honor and all the artifacts from the war. Check out authentic uniforms, military patches, photographs, books, shell casings, and various other items donated by veterans and their families.
While you are at the Village you can also tour the original Cooper Memorial Library, two homes that are more than 100 years old, an early train depot, and a replica of Clermont’s first one-room schoolhouse. All the buildings are full of interesting artifacts just like the Quonset Hut and give you the opportunity to peek back at what life was like for our pioneer ancestors.
The Village is conveniently located at 490 West Ave., not far from Clermont’s historic downtown shopping district, on the shores of beautiful Lake Minneola. Admission to the Village is always free but a donation of $3.00 per person is requested. Volunteers are on hand to walk you through any or all of the buildings or you can wonder at your own pace and listen to recorded information about each structure.
If you are interested in history in general or the history of Lake County in particular, contact the South Lake County Historical Society by going to our website, ClermontVillage.org; by calling our manager, Roxanne Brown, at 352-432-3496 or by attending our membership meetings which are held on the second Monday of every month (except July and August) at 7:00 pm in the Train Depot in the Historic Village. The next meeting on June 10 will be the last meeting until September.
