Preserving North Okaloosa history — one photo at a time

The North Okaloosa Historical Association's Baker Block Museum includes a mercantile where the public can purchase foods and items associated with North Okaloosa's history. File Photo | News Bulletin

Editor’s Note: This continues our Celebrate Community series on North Okaloosa County nonprofit organizations improving our quality of life.

CRESTVIEW — The North Okaloosa Historical Association Inc., is a nonprofit organization focused on preserving Northwest Florida and its residents’ history and accomplishments.

One of its most visible accomplishments is the creation of the Baker Block Museum, located at 1307 Georgia Ave., Baker.

Founded by Jeanette Henderson and her husband, the late Charles Henderson, the museum includes newspaper archives and a mercantile where visitors can purchase foods and merchandise.

The museum also houses several documents useful to genealogy enthusiasts. They include several cemetery books, obituaries and Native American and family name files.

The association also sells books and calendars based on North Okaloosa history and photos.

While proceeds support the museum, people can help others ways, too.

"They can help obviously through monetary donations and volunteering their time,” association member Tracy Curenton said.

She said area residents who have articles such as “old photographs and stuff they'd like to donate to the museum and have preserved for other people to see, we'd be interested in talking to them about that.”

Contact the museum, 537-5714, Tuesday though Friday to learn more about the association or become a member.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Preserving North Okaloosa history — one photo at a time