With over 100 years worth of educating men and women across all walks of life, Stetson’s history is something that runs deep with political controversies and spooky stories of spirits beyond the mortal plane. Join Sims Kline, associate professor and Research Librarian, on Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 6 p.m. in the Rinker Environmental Learning Center, on a journey through the rich 130+ years of Stetson University.

Titled “Legends and Lore of Stetson,” the lecture is a presentation in the “Learn Local” series and will feature stories about the Count and Countess of Eulalia, the “Ghost of Elizabeth Hall,” luminaries who dined at the John B. Stetson Mansion, Stetson’s Egyptian connection, the oldest printed book in the duPont-Ball Library, the scandal which ended the administration of the first president of Stetson, John Forbes, the Hulley Mausoleum, marriage proposals in the Cupola of Elizabeth Hall and more. Additionally, gifts will be given to those who attend and participate in a quiz about Stetson’s history.

The purpose of the Learn Local series is to highlight the research of Stetson community members about DeLand and Florida in order to show how a local focus can promote a better understanding of national and global issues. From restoring an ecosystem, to analyzing small-town tourism, to revisiting Stetson’s fight for civil rights, the series offers new ways to understand our local community.

Highlighting the fact that multiple Stetson faculty members and students are engaged in research embedded in and informed by the life of our local community, the Learn Local series enhances Stetson University’s reputation for being connected to and feeling a sense of responsibility for our institution’s home in DeLand, Volusia County and Central Florida.

Learn Local is a series of events over the course of the academic year, drawing on different disciplines to highlight the significant work that our faculty and students—as well as other local luminaries including authors, artists, and entrepreneurs—are doing that both interprets and contributes to the vibrant culture, history and environment of Central Florida.

For more information, contact the Learn Local series coordinators: Emily Mieras, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of History and American Studies, [email protected]; and Rebecca Watts, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of Communication and Media Studies, [email protected].

by Anna Chun