Thelma Boltin Center
THELMA BOLTIN CENTER
The city bought this building for $12,500 in 1946 and retained Miss Boltin as Director. A 1928 graduate of Emerson College, she returned to Gainesville after teaching in Polk County 1930-32 and taught English, Speech and directed plays at Gainesville High School. The School Board employed her until 1956 when she moved to White Springs to direct the Florida Folk Festival. She was a founder, actor and director at the Gainesville Little Theater (Community Playhouse), chair of the Florida and National Federation of Music Clubs, received and award from the American Assoc. for State and Local History, was WGGG Radio's "Story Hour Lady," artist in residence at schools, and assisted folklife programs in Dade City, Apopka, Cocoa, and Fernandina. She was known as "Cousin Thelma," and "Queen of Floirda Folklore." In 1943 she organized teh teen club at the "Rec Center" which continued through the 1960s. Local bands with Stephen Stills, Don Felder and Bernie Leadon played at Friday night dances which Tom Petty attended. All four are now in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The building became a senior center in the 1970s and is also used for dances, wedding receptions and civic events. A $420,000 renovation took place in 2000.
A FLORIDA HERITAGE SITE
SPONSORED BY THE ALACHUA COUNTY HISTORICAL COMMISSION
AND THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF STATE
F-645
2008
Plaque found, photographed, uploaded, and transcribed by Bibliopapa.