TMP Origins – Florida

The early roads we traveled before the cameras rolled—exploring Florida’s roots through personal memory and early adventures.

The Florida Museum That Sparked My Love of Florida History

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Front entrance of the Brevard Museum of History and Natural Science in Cocoa, Florida, with the museum sign displayed above the glass entrance doors.

Some field trips teach you something new. Others quietly change the direction of your life. When I decided to homeschool my son, one of the things I looked forward to most was getting out of the classroom. Instead of simply reading about history and science, we could experience them together. That’s exactly how trips like … Read more

The Interesting History of Lake Eola: The Heart of Orlando Began with a Collapse

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The iconic Lake Eola fountain stands before the downtown Orlando skyline, with the Walt Disney Amphitheater visible along the shoreline of Lake Eola Park.

Some places become part of your story before you ever learn theirs. For me, Lake Eola has always been one of those places. Long before I knew anything about sinkholes, cattle barons, mysterious names, or iconic fountains, I simply knew it as somewhere my mom liked to take me. We’d walk laps around the lake … Read more

Kingsley Plantation: The History They Buried

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Some places don’t announce themselves.They wait. Kingsley Plantation sits quietly on Fort George Island near Jacksonville, Florida—white walls softened by time, palm trees standing like sentinels, the river moving along as if nothing ever happened here. At first glance, it feels calm. Preserved. Almost peaceful. But peace can be deceptive. This stop came during my … Read more

Mission Nombre de Dios: Where America’s First Thanksgiving Began

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Still pond near the Mission Nombre de Dios in St. Augustine, Florida, with trees mirrored on the water in the quiet morning light.

Some places announce themselves with open doors, guided tours, and gift shops buzzing with voices.Others ask you to slow down, stand outside the gate, and listen harder. The Mission Nombre de Dios is one of those places. We arrived early—too early, as it turned out. The gates were still closed, the gift shop locked, and … Read more

Before the World Woke Up: Sunrise at Crescent Beach Park

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Sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean at Crescent Beach Park in Florida, with soft purple and gold light reflecting across the waves and shoreline.

We didn’t leave early because we planned it that way.We left early because excitement wouldn’t let us sleep. By 4:19 a.m., the TV was still glowing, my son hadn’t slept at all, and I’d only managed a few half-dreams. We looked at each other, shrugged, and silently agreed: Let’s just go. A rental car waited … Read more

Potter’s Wax Museum — St. Augustine, FL

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Dim hallway inside the Chamber of Horrors.

Where Legends Live… and Sometimes Look Back There’s a quiet corner of St. Augustine where the past doesn’t just linger —it stares right at you.Unblinking.Perfectly still. Or so they say. Tucked into the old village is Potter’s Wax Museum, the first wax museum in the United States. From the outside, it looks harmless enough — … Read more