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A Heritage Center was created in Geneva to share with the rest of Seminole County and Central Florida the rich and diverse lifestyle of rural living.

With family-oriented, hands-on educational activities, the citizens of Florida can experience first hand the unique importance of living in harmony with nature. This legacy of simple country living is a refreshing contrast to the spectacularly themed illusions of amusement parks that attract millions of international visitors. The Heritage Center is a community-driven organization that focuses on bringing families together and discovering how rural living can teach us lessons from the past, for use in the present and to prepare for the future. It becomes a stimulating outing for family members of all ages where we can learn important skills, build character, gain an appreciation of alternatives to suburban and urban living that has dominated and transformed the American image. As a center, it is able to connect people to the many organizations, facilities and activities throughout the region, state and nation.

The Rural Lifestyle has been a Florida legacy for hundreds of years from when it was the only lifestyle for the early pioneers. Now it is rapidly disappearing under the urban sprawl that has impacted coastal states across the entire United States. Geneva has survived and thrived through fires, hurricanes, economic booms and busts to grow into a strong social center as diverse as many urban centers. It is a part of a rural renaissance that is critical to help balance smart urban growth and buffer our natural wilderness areas. It goes beyond just agricultural trades and includes culture, arts, crafts, entertainment, education, and inspiration to support our social, economic, spiritual, and personal growth.

The Island of Geneva name was was first documented in an advertisement in the 19th Century to attract northerners to Central Florida. The island is formed by being surrounded by the St. Johns River, an American Heritage River, with Lakes Jesup to the west and Harney to the East, Econlochatchee River to the south with Salt Creek to the southwest closing the loop and creating the Island of Geneva. This unique geological formation has been supporting diverse cultures for thousands of years with fresh water springs and a prehistoric aquifer below called the Geneva Bubble (lens). This advantage has been enjoyed by cultures for thousands of years since the prehistoric tribes of the Timucuans who have left mounds along the river.

The Village of Geneva was named after Geneva, New York, by early residents based on its similarity to and relationship with the surrounding lakes. It was once the center of major commerce with the intersection of the railroads and steamboats, which were the major corridors of transportation before roadways were able to provide efficient travel for horses and cars. The history of Geneva has supported a diverse population made up of European immigrants, African Americans, and Native American Seminole. It now attracts new residents from the rest of the world, from the Far and Near East, as well as South America.

Black Hammock and Chuluota are surrounding rural areas that make up the East Seminole County Rural Boundary. They are significant partners of the Heritage Center to help promote the importance of preserving our rural heritage. It is also an important complement to the surrounding communities of Oviedo, Sanford and the Orlando region to showcase the Pre-Urban history and heritage of those communities.