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| Moving Day: A Valentine for Robinson Preserve The historic Valentine House (circa 1895) takes a mid-day cruise on Tampa Bay en route to its new waterfront homestead on Manatee County’s Robinson Preserve. The 19th century beauty, a familiar sight to the residents of northwest Palmetto, comes to the County through a generous donation by the Preston family of the Manatee Fruit Company. The home was relocated to the Preserve via barge on September 27 by Brownie Moving and Heavy Hauling, off-loading at Perico Bayou and traveling the last leg of its journey by truck. After settling in and a bit of tender remodeling, the home will reopen as a Visitors Center and provide office space for staff. Plans for the site also include exhibit space for interpretive displays that highlight the area’s local and agricultural history. The 487-acre Robinson Preserve, undergoing restoration, is located across from the Palma Sola Botanical Park at the corner of 17th Avenue Northwest and 99th Street. Access to the preserve is currently only available during scheduled tours. For more information, visit www.mymanatee.org/conservation.html. |