About Our Society

The Society for Historic Casselberry is a non-profit 501-c3 membership organization founded in January 2021 to help preserve and protect the historical and cultural resources of the city of Casselberry and Seminole County. It hopes to help educate the public about the history of the city and its connections to the larger historical narratives of Seminole County and beyond. The society will raise funds, conduct public programing, and support efforts to promote the historical past of the city of Casselberry. Membership in the society is open to the public.

Out of Seminole County’s seven municipalities, five cities have historical societies. Prior to the creation of Historic Casselberry, only the cities of Casselberry and Winter Springs did not. The society joins an active local historical community, which includes the Seminole County Historical Society, historical societies in the cities of Altamonte Springs, Lake Mary, Longwood, Oviedo, and Sanford, and unincorporated communities like Geneva and Goldsboro.

Dr. Deborah L. Bauer, founder and president of the Society for Historic Casselberry, said, “The history of Casselberry goes back far beyond its incorporation in 1940. It can trace its roots to the historic Concord Settlement of the Third Seminole War period of the 1850s and the homesteading of early Seminole County pioneers like Stephen J.L. Hooker. In fact, the oldest building in Casselberry is the former Hooker Homestead on the shores of Lake Griffin. It dates to 1887,” Bauer said. “I felt it was time to help form an organization that would work to preserve and protect the history of the southwestern portion of Seminole County. That’s why the motto of Historic Casselberry is ‘protecting our history today for the benefit of tomorrow.’”

The society anticipates being able to serve the residents of Casselberry and Seminole County for many years to come. "I'm very pleased to see the creation of the Society for Historic Casselberry. Our family has been long time supporters of historical projects in the city and the county. This was a long time in coming," said Lilian Casselberry, the daughter of Hibbard Casselberry and the city's founder and first mayor. "We fully support the new historical society and look forward to seeing what it is going to achieve!" The society is governed by a Board of Directors. On the creation of the society, former Seminole County Commissioner Barbara Christensen said,  "When I was asked to serve as a member of the society's Board of Directors, I was honored to agree to be associated with their organization. I believe they'll work hard to help support and protect historical projects within the City of Casselberry and Seminole County."