The Old Courthouse Heritage Museum, standing proudly at the center of downtown Inverness,
Florida, is a beautifully preserved architectural landmark and the cultural anchor
of Citrus County. Built in 1912, this Neo-Classical style building served as the
county’s active courthouse for nearly 70 years. Today, it is operated by the Citrus
County Historical Society and functions as a dynamic local history museum.
The museum holds a unique spot in pop-culture history. In 1961, the courthouse's
second-floor courtroom was used as a prominent filming location for the Elvis Presley
movie "Follow That Dream". Decades later, after the county government
vacated the building, it fell into a state of remodeling confusion. When historians
set out to restore the structure back to its original 1912 glory, they discovered
that all the original blueprints and historical photographs of the courtroom interior
were completely missing. To solve the mystery, restorers turned to MGM Studios and
used detailed film stills from Elvis’s movie to meticulously reconstruct the judge's
bench, the witness box, and the spectator gallery. The fully restored courtroom
opened as a public museum in 2000, and it remains a massive draw for Elvis fans
from all over the world.
The museum features three main galleries on the first floor that span roughly 12,000
years of Florida history: The pre-history & archaeology exhibit explores the
region's ancient roots, showcasing pre-Columbian Native American tools, pottery
shards, and fossils unearthed from local springs and mounds. The pioneer days gallery
tells the story of early European settlers, tracing the development of the local
timber, citrus, and phosphate mining industries that originally put Citrus County
on the map. Rotating Galleries feature temporary displays, traveling history exhibits,
and showcase rooms spotlighting local visual artists or specific monthly themes.
The Old Courthouse is far from a static museum. It is a lively hub for community
entertainment, and also hosts a seasonal concert series. Also offered are lectures
by visiting historians, archaeologists, and scholars. Craft workshops are another
featured activity provided at the museum.
Visitors regularly praise the museum's striking marble details, its friendly
and knowledgeable volunteer staff, and its cozy, air-conditioned step back in time.
It generally takes 1 to 2 hours to fully explore the exhibits and the historic second-floor
courtroom. Admission to the museum is free, although donations are appreciated.
Activities & Facilities
Museum or Visitor Center
Short hiking trails