Museum Monthly Meeting Featuring Tour Of Pioneer Aiken House

LABELLE, FL. -- Patricia Newell Johnson will present a short slide presentation at LaBelle Heritage Museum's 7 p.m. Thursday, December 3rd program meeting of moving and setting up the H A Rider House and Law Office from its location on the corner of Hickpochee Avenue and Lee Street when Clewiston National Bank now Seacoast National Bank first donated the buildings to the fledgling local museum to its move to a temporary location on South Lee Street made available by the Board of County Commissioners to their final home as an integral part of the LaBelle Heritage Museum Complex at 360 North Bridge Street in the Downtown LaBelle Historic District.

Following the short program, members and guests will be invited to take a short tour of the house built in 1905 by pioneer blacksmith George Aiken that also served as home to both Paul Eddy, editor of LaBelle's first weekly newspaper "The Caloosahatchee Current" as well as being Hendry County's first School Superintendent, and E. M. Cornette, one of Hendry County's early County Judges, before it became the longtime home of H. A. Rider and his family. Rider served as County Attorney, County Judge and Mayor of LaBelle during his 40-odd years in LaBelle and still has descendants living here.

Museum Vice-President Keitha Daniels has been instrumental in the current renovation and restoration project in the Aiken-Rider House along with decorating it for the Christmas Holidays and the December 12th Festivities in the Downtown LaBelle Historic District culminating with the Lighted Boat Parade sponsored by the museum.

Parking at LaBelle Heritage Museum itself is limited. However, Rene Curtis Pratt at Harold P. Curtis Honey Co. immediately across North Bridge Street from the museum has graciously volunteered the use of the Honey House's parking lot to LHM members and guests for its evening programs.