Winter Haven History Museum Volunteer and Polk Pioneer Receives City Proclamation
by James Coulter
Thomas Robert Cooney has lived in Winter Haven for more than 50 years. Both his five decades of lived experience and his volunteer work at the local museum has allowed him to contribute to the preservation of local history.
For his life and legacy, not only was Cooney recognized as a Polk Pioneer by The Polk County Historical Association (PCHA), but he also received an official proclamation by the City of Winter Haven.
At their regular meeting on Mon. June 23, the Winter Haven City Commission presented Thomas Robert Cooney with a proclamation dedicating that day as “Thomas Robert Cooney Day.”
Cooney was honored for his volunteer work at the Museum of Winter Haven History, which, as the proclamation stated, allowed him to aid in the “furtherance of their mission to preserve the history of Winter Haven for future generations.”
“The Polk County Historical Association and the City of Winter Haven are forever indebted to Mr. Cooney for sharing his life story and memories of growing up in Winter Haven,” the proclamation stated.
Recently, he was recognized as a 2025 Polk County Pioneer by the Polk County Historical Association. He was presented the award at the Annual Meeting and Pioneer Luncheon on June 17, 2025 at Bonnet Springs Park in Lakeland, FL.
As the proclamation explained: “The Polk County Historical Association (PCHA) awards a ‘Polk Pioneer’ designation to selected citizens of Polk County on an annual basis and, since 1975, has sought to preserve and promote Polk County history through the organization’s on-going oral history program.”
“The eligibility requirements for the ‘Polk Pioneer’ status are for the citizen to have reached the age of 75 years or older; to have been a resident of Polk County for at least 50 years; and to complete an on-camera interview to share their memories and stories about life in Polk County,” the proclamation explained. “Mr. Cooney completed an on-camera, hour long interview on January 24, 2025.”
Cooney was present at the city commission meeting that evening to accept the proclamation and to share a few words on his behalf.
As he received his proclamation on the same day as local civil rights advocate Ernestine Davis, he humbly admitted that “I don’t feel like I have done that much compared to Ernestine.”
“We [at the museum] enjoy every Saturday showing some of our residents a few more things they do not know about their town,” he said. “I dearly love Winter Haven. I was not expecting this honor at all. And I thank you all.”
