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July 2025 Focus: Looking at Old Florida Nancy Wallace and grandson, Stanley K. Wallace standing in front of Ocala house, with unidentified woman standing on stairs: Ocala, Fla., 1893 Burgert Brothers Photographic Collection PA 6556 |
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FEATURED BOOKS FROM THE FLORIDA COLLECTION: |
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by Paul M. Franklin Discover the hidden treasures of the Sunshine State with the second edition of this illustrated road trip guide featuring thirty-one new routes to explore! Apart from its world-famous attractions, Florida is full of natural splendor and historic charm that can't be found unless you know where to look. The second edition of Backroads of Florida contains all-new routes along timeless backroads with new, vibrant photography and pithy stories of what can be found on your drive. As you explore the roads less traveled, you'll follow in the footsteps of the Spanish explorers, pirates, and cowboys who shaped Florida's early history. Whether it's skimming across the Everglades in an airboat, snorkeling with manatees in a crystalline river, or paddling your kayak through a cypress swamp teeming with alligators, orchids, and tropical birds, there's a world of excitement and beauty waiting for you. Leave Disney World and the hectic bustle of Miami Beach to the tourists. With this book, you've got a one-of-a-kind trip in store. |
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by Cathy Salustri In the 1930s, the Federal Writers' Project sent mostly anonymous writers, but also Zora Neale Hurston and Stetson Kennedy, into the depths of Florida to reveal its splendor to the world. The FWP and the State of Florida jointly published the results as Florida: A Guide to the Southernmost State , which included twenty-two driving tours of the state's main roads. Eventually, after Eisenhower built the interstates, drivers bypassed the small towns that thrived along these roads in favor of making better time. Those main roads are now the state's backroads, forgotten by all but local residents, a few commuters, and dedicated road-trippers. Retracing the original routes in the Guide, Cathy Salustri rekindles our notions of paradise by bringing a modern eye to the historic travelogues. Salustri's 5,000-mile road trip reveals a patchwork quilt of Florida cultures: startling pockets of history and environmental bliss stitched against the blight of strip malls and franchise restaurants. The journey begins on US 98, heading west toward the Florida/Alabama state line, where coastal towns dot the roadway. |
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by Cathy Salustri Discover Florida in a new light through little-known moments from its fascinating history. If when you think "Florida" you don't think "spectacular," Cathy Salustri is determined to change your mind. Explaining why the state is more than the "Florida Man" stories and the politics that so often make national news, and looking beyond the crowded beaches and theme parks, Salustri celebrates what makes the state worth a deeper understanding in this lively trip through its natural beauty and fascinating history. Journey with Salustri through centuries of forgotten Florida lore, into the Everglades and through the springs and over ranchlands and scrub habitats to discover a state rich in environmental wonders and unique human stories. |
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by James F. Williams A narrative of four iconic Florida roads becomes an eccentric history of the state: Bellamy-Burch Road, The Tamiami Trail, U.S. 301 and Interstate-95. It was not the facts and figures of roads that interested the author. It was the narrative of people and the stories of how hese four particular roads were conceived; how they got planned; who built them; and how the roads shaped Florida. |
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by Amos Jay Cummings Reporting back to his cosmopolitan readership, a New York City, a journalist discovers the beautiful, the odd, and the dangerous in a Florida now long forgotten. Before he was a New York congressman and winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor, Amos Jay Cummings covered bruins and buzzards, rednecks and racists, murderers and mosquitoes, rich soils and poor souls, for the New York Sun. In 1874, journalist Cummings was among only a handful of white people to make their way down through the Florida wilderness to stand on the sunset-drenched shores of Lake Worth, today among the most expensive properties in the state. The Sun-- famous for its editorial titled "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus"--published a series of articles about his explorations. As New Yorkers marveled at the contrast between the barely explored Florida frontier and their own city, Cummings stripped the veneer off the paradise touted in brochures to reveal an untamed wilderness. |
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by Rodney P. Carlisle This unusual, richly illustrated guidebook details Florida's historic pioneer and cracker villages, describing the homes, work-ways and folk-ways of the states early settlers, through preserved and tangible objects and structures. Across the state, dedicated local historians and community groups have carefully preserved and moved 19th- and early 20th-century structures, including both homes and workplaces, to specially created villages in order to display the lives of Florida pioneers. The tools, houses, farms, gardens, barns, sugar and turpentine mills, churches and schools that are gathered into twenty separate sites are described here, for the first time in a single volume. Through the rich collections of household utensils, mills, and structures, the visitor can appreciate the details of the everyday life, work, hardships, and recreation of past generations of Floridians. The book is an indispensable handbook and guide for the casual or dedicated historic tourist as well as for parents and teachers seeking to expose young people to the vanishing lifestyles of Florida's pioneers. |
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by Eliot Klelnberg From Fort Pickens in the Panhandle to Fort Jefferson in the ocean 40 miles beyond Key West, historical travelers will find many adventures waiting for them in Florida. In this new updated edition the author presents 74 of his favorites--17 of them are new to this edition, and the rest have been completely updated. Along the Gulf Coast, see Henry Plant's Moorish jewel of a hotel in Tampa; John Ringling's home and art and circus museums in Sarasota; and the humble homes of Cuban and Italian cigar workers in legendary Ybor City. Up in north Florida visit Civil War battlefields; stroll the University of Florida campus; and see buffalo and wild Spanish horses on Paynes Prairie. In central Florida explore Eatonville, home of writer Zora Neale Hurston, and listen to carillon music as you stroll the gardens around Bok Tower. Down in the keys find the 250-year-old wreck of the San Pedro, a "living museum in the sea" and the Key West home of famous author Ernest Hemingway.
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by Steve Gross The first book to capture the full range of styles, from opulent, and spectacular, to charming and country. An exploration of the great architecture, homes, and gardens of late nineteenth-century Florida captures a diverse array of styles, ranging from the opulent and ornate mansions of the very rich to charming, country-style cottages, including Thomas Edison's winter home, the Italian villa Vizcaya, and Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings's simple cottage. |
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Pioneer Floridaby Donald Brenham McKay
D.B. McKay, who owned the Tampa Times in the 1930s, served two terms as mayor of Tampa, and helped establish the University of Tampa, used to publish a feature in the Tampa Tribune on Sundays called Pioneer Florida. It was a collection of stories, anecdotes, and vintage photographs about Florida in the early days, and it began in 1948. In 1959, the Pioneer Florida pages were collected and published as an illustrated three-volume set. It is a must-have for a dedicated Florida history enthusiast.
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by David T. Warner There's a sense of mystery in David Warner's Vanishing Florida. For most people, today's Florida means palm trees, beaches, and Mickey Mouse. But there's another, more timeless, Florida, of black people and white people fishing together with cane poles; of century-old inns with winding stair-wells and elaborate gardens; of forests of live oak, pine, and palmetto, where the only sounds to be heard are the crickets and the wind. Come travel the back roads of the Sunshine State with David Warner. You'll find, in the pages of this book, wonderful new places to see and important new events to understand. Visit Cross Creek, where the film of the same name was made, and where Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings wrote The Yearling. Spend a chapter with legendary African American writer Zora Neale Hurston as she grows up in the all-black community of Eatonville. Get to know Leicester Hemingway, who, some people say, was twice the man his brother Ernest was. And your visit is just beginning . . . |
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This new edition of Bruce Hunt's popular guide reveals the real, old-time Florida still to be found on the back roads of the Sunshine state in little towns that lure you in with their quaintness and keep you there for a spell with their friendly occupants. The towns featured all have a population of less than 10,000. The author revisited all the towns in the book for this update. He chatted with the inhabitants to get the inside story on how things have changed--and how they haven't. He introduces each town's history, museums, galleries, antiques shops, local eateries, and anything else he could find, including fishing holes and unusual and endearing local characters. This travelogue and guidebook lets you experience the flavor of Florida's back-road burgs and provides directions, addresses, phone numbers, and websites. Illustrated with the authors photographs. Includes maps. |
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Mike Miller created Florida Backroads Travel as a way to share his extensive knowledge of Florida, especially his travels in those less developed regions we call Old Florida. The website has information on several hundred towns and attractions, including a bit of their history. Miller looks for interesting restaurants and lodging opportunities in the quieter areas of Florida. You will also find dozens of maps describing day trips in all of the major regions of Florida. The website has hundreds of informative articles on wineries, museums, state parks and other attractions around the state. The website also has listings of major Florida annual events, art festivals and craft shows. In addition, Mike Miller hosts a Facebook page and publishes a free newsletter. |
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Established in 1856, the Florida Historical Society is dedicated to preserving Florida's past through the collection and archival maintenance of historical documents and photographs, the publication of scholarly research on Florida history, and educating the public about Florida history through a variety of public history projects and programs, including: - Maintain an extensive archive at the Library of Florida History
- Publish the Florida Historical Quarterly and books, fiction and nonfiction, through the Florida Historical Society Press
- Manage the Historic Rossetter House Museum and Gardens
- Operate the Florida Historical Society Archaeological Institute
- Produce "Florida Frontiers: The Weekly Radio Magazine of the Florida Historical Society" which airs on NPR stations throughout the state
- Produce "Florida Frontiers Television" which airs on public television stations throughout the state
- Publish Florida Frontiers Blog, which appears in Florida Today newspaper each week
- Present the Florida Frontiers Festival, a celebration of Florida's diverse history & culture
- Maintain a content rich web site at myfloridahistory.org, and a dynamic Facebook page at "Florida Historical Society."
- Present the Annual Meeting and Symposium, held in a different Florida location in May each year featuring paper presentations, round table discussions, tours of historic sites, an awards luncheon, banquet, picnic, and more.
- Our educational outreach projects and programs include active participation in events and festivals throughout the state, frequent public talks on a variety of subjects, workshops for teachers and students, history-based theatrical presentations, exhibits, and much more.
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The State Archives of Florida is the central repository for the records of Florida state government. The Archives is mandated by law to collect, preserve, and make available for research the records of the State of Florida, as well as private manuscripts, local government records, photographs, and other materials that complement official state records.
The Archives is part of the Division of Library and Information Services (DLIS), which in addition to archival and records management services, provides a framework for statewide library initiatives and makes available the published and unpublished history of the state. DLIS is one of seven divisions within the Florida Department of State. The primary components of Florida Memory are: Photographs: More than 200,000 digitized photographs and illustrations from the Florida Photographic Collection. Historical Records: More than 300,000 records from select collections housed at the State Library and Archives of Florida. Maps: Hundreds of maps of Florida dating from the 16th to the 20th century. Audio: Thousands of audio recordings from the State Archives. Video: Hundreds of videos of Florida from the State Archives. |
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LIBRARY AND TAMPA BAY AREA EVENTS: |
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Kotler Gallery Presents - American Pickers by Tony Rosa June 14 - July 30, 2025 John F. Germany Library, 900 N. Ashley Dr., 2nd floor. American Pickers is a powerful art exhibition by self-taught Florida artist Tony Rosa, celebrating the labor and spirit of orange grove workers in Florida's heartland. |
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Cecil Beach Conference Room - 4th floor Paleography: Handwriting Studies for Genealogy Meeting is a hybrid meeting. Shannon Combs-Bennett will be presenting via webinar in the Beach Conference Room. Alternately, you can attend via Zoom webinar. Many of us have come across handwritten materials that were difficult to read. Sometimes, nearly impossible. This is why the study of paleography is so important. What is paleography? Simply, it is the study and translation of old handwriting. In the resources section of this handout, you will find an extensive list of resources to help you refine your skills in this subject. Shannon Combs-Bennett, QG (qualified genealogist), MSc, FSAScot, is an award-winning author located in northern Virginia who presents on topics from methodology to DNA. She earned her MSc in Genealogical, Heraldic, and Paleographic studies from the University of Strathclyde and holds a Professional Learning Certificate in Genealogical Studies (PLCGS) in American Records from the National Institute for Genealogical Studies. Shannon is a doctoral student in History with Genealogical Studies at the University of Strathclyde. |
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Friday, July 11, 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
C. Blythe Andrews, Jr. Public Library - Community Room A & B
Unlock the secrets of your past! Join an engaging introduction to genealogy. Learn how to trace your ancestry, uncover your family's social history, and even use new technologies for your research. Registration recommended |
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John F. Germany Library - Cecil Beach Conference Room Learn how to read the historical maps in the library’s collection and the abbreviations that are written on them. This lecture will help you delve into cartography and Florida’s history. This program is a part of the City Of Tampa's Archive Awareness Week. |
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Tuesday, July 22, 3:00 - 4:00 pm Egypt Lake Partnership Library - Programming Room Unlock the secrets of your past! Join an engaging introduction to genealogy. Learn how to trace your ancestry, uncover your family's social history, and even use new technologies for your research. From organizing your findings to leveraging DNA tools, this beginner-friendly session will equip you with strategies and resources to expand your family tree and add depth to your family history. |
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Friday, July 25, 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm Robert W. Saunders, Sr. Public Library - Gallery on the Avenue Many people know the story of immigrant ancestors coming to America through Ellis Island. People don't realize that is just a small part of the larger history of immigration to the United States. Learn how to use passenger lists, border crossings, and naturalization records to discover your family’s origin and how they came to America. Recommended for adults. Registration recommended. |
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Be able to access, search and explore the library's African American collections. Learn the scope of the African American History & Genealogy Library, the Florida Sentinel Bulletin, and materials related to the African American History of Tampa. |
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by Peggy M. Peterman Dr. Lowry was a civil rights leader, minister, and educator who dedicated his life to equality and justice. He taught Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at Morehouse College before becoming a key figure in the fight for civil rights in Tampa. As president of Florida’s NAACP, he led efforts to desegregate schools, lunch counters, and public transportation, facing threats but never backing down. He later became the first African American elected to countywide office in Hillsborough County, serving on the School Board for 16 years. His impact on education, justice, and our community is profound, and we are honored to have his legacy with us. |
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In Benchmarked, Justice James Perry invites readers on a remarkable journey from the segregated South to the halls of Florida’s highest court. With elegance and honesty, this memoir intertwines the personal and the professional, delivering a rich tapestry of Florida history, transformative legal battles, and the unique challenges faced by an African American lawyer breaking barriers. A masterfully written account, this book is essential reading for anyone passionate about justice, history, and the human spirit. |
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The history and enduring legacy of a breakthrough case in criminal justice reform In 1940, the United States Supreme Court decided in Chambers v. Florida to ban confessions obtained through mental or physical coercion in criminal trials. This landmark ruling laid the groundwork for many later protections for those in the custody of law enforcement. This book shows how the case contributed to what is now known as the "criminal procedure revolution," a series of Supreme Court rulings that found protections in the Bill of Rights applied not only to defendants in federal cases but also to those in state legal systems. |
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Featuring Florida: the Sunshine State in Fiction, Film & TVby Caren S. Neile Author Caren Schnur Neile offers a whole new way to explore Florida. Dexter, Key Largo, The Yearling--all famous works of popular culture created by masters in their fields. What's more, all three take place in Florida. This plunge into Florida-based TV, movies and fiction from the nineteenth century to the present both entertains and educates about the Sunshine State and the stories themselves. Did you know who producers originally wanted to star in Bad Boys or which product saw skyrocketing sales thanks to Miami Vice? Florida enthusiasts will also find a good, long list of enticing shows and books to enjoy, from old favorites like Their Eyes Were Watching God, Scarface and The Golden Girls to newer masterpieces like The Florida Project and Moonlight.
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Discover the breathtaking beauty of Florida’s state parks like never before! The Florida State Parks Adventure Book 2025 is your ultimate guide to exploring the Sunshine State’s most stunning landscapes, diverse wildlife, and thrilling outdoor activities. Whether you're a hiker, camper, paddler, or nature lover, this book is your go-to resource for planning unforgettable adventures. |
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by Stewart E. Dunaway
This book contains B&W images of the original survey plats for the State of Florida. Sometimes the surveyor will include a key road on the plat, as it meanders across it. The three major roads in this book are Kings Highway, Bellamy Road (sometimes known as Federal Road), and Spring Garden Trail. The intent of this book is to provide all the information possible from the BLM survey plats across the state. Sometimes the road is well marked and other times not so much. When the road is visible – modern maps will be overlaid in order to see how the old road aligns to modern routes – as well as – how close some of these well-known roads align to the same named road today. The famous N-S route – Kings Highway – is so named today on many sections of the old road – are they correct? Is the old road where the modern road is? Also included are many histories, such as Spanish Land Grantees, Fort Picolata and Fort Poppa, and other historical sites along the way. |
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by E. Lynne Wright
From Ponce de Leon's discovery of the 'Land of Flowers' in 1513 to the suspense of the 2000 presidential election, It Happened in Florida takes readers on a behind-the-scenes tour of thirty of the most compelling episodes from the Sunshine State's vibrant past. This revised edition includes brand new glimpses into Florida history, a map, and a thorough index. |
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A high-speed glide through Florida surf culture and a deep dive into the lore of a classic surfing destination.
Not far from where the Apollo 11 rocket launched to the moon, surfers make their way to the shore in the night. Clutching their surfboards, they chase a familiar dream: more speed, more altitude, and going beyond the limits of what has been done before. For that, they want to be the first ones to catch the early morning waves. In this book, Dan Reiter chronicles stories of the sport on Florida's Space Coast, a region that has produced some of the world's finest surf champions, Pipe masters, and surfboard builders. On this stretch of sand between Cape Canaveral and Sebastian Inlet, Florida's surf history reaches back to the native Ais people of the Atlantic Coast and continues to the elites of today, including Kelly Slater, Caroline Marks, and CJ Hobgood. Reiter offers insights into the evolution of surfboard shaping and design, the distinctive culture of the East Coast surfboard industry, and the traits and traditions that make Florida surfing unique. |
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Our Sea Turtles : A Practical Guide for the Atlantic and Gulf, from Canada to Mexico by Blair WitheringtonOur Sea Turtles is the story of understanding, experiencing, and saving the sea turtle and helping them thrive in our oceans. Now in its second edition, Blair and Dawn Witherington's iconic book includes updated facts and figures, new photos, and new calls to action for saving the turtles. Well-organized sections that are full of photos, maps, and figures help readers get a sense of the various types of sea turtles and how they might be similar or different from one another. Those who are interested in not only learning about the marine animal but also in helping it benefit from the authors' precise knowledge and understanding of sea turtles.
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The Proof is in the Dough: Rural Southern Women, Extension, and Making Moneyby Kathryn L. BeasleyThe Proof Is in the Dough examines how rural white and African American women in Alabama and Florida used the Cooperative Extension Service's home demonstration programming between 1914 and 1929 as a means to earn extra income. Kathryn L. Beasley explores an area of rural women's history that has not been closely examined-that is, how rural American women involved with home demonstration used the skills they learned as a way to better themselves economically. Furthermore, Beasley traces how this extra income allowed these women to shape their own producing and consuming habits.
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Record Man: the Story of Phil Gernhard, Florida's No 1 Hit Producer by Bill DeYoung Phil Gernhard was not only the most successful record producer to come out of Florida, he introduced many of the state’s homegrown artists to the world stage – including Jim Stafford (“Spiders & Snakes”), Lobo (“Me and You and a Dog Named Boo”) the Bellamy Brothers (“Let Your Love Flow”) and the Royal Guardsmen (“Snoopy vs. the Red Baron,” which he also co-authored). Gernhard started young. He was just 19 when he produced “Stay,” a worldwide No. 1 by South Carolina’s doo-wop group Maurice Williams & the Zodiacs. After a decade of making hits back in Florida – including Dion’s original version of “Abraham, Martin and John,” one of the most-recorded songs in history – he worked his magic first in Los Angeles and then in Nashville, where as head of Artists & Repertoire for Curb Records, he engineered the careers of Tim McGraw, Rodney Atkins and others. Yet for all his success, Gernhard was a deeply troubled man whose personal life was ravaged by alcoholism and drug abuse, four failed marriages and a simmering hatred towards his abusive father.
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There Is No Place Like Dome : A Fan Host's Unofficial View from the Top of the Trop to the Stands With the Fansby Bruce ReynoldsFrom beers to tears, a unique look at major league baseball games through the eyes of an usher at his beloved stadium. Follow Bruce, a 16-year veteran Tropicana Field Fan Host, as he leads you to your seat and navigates the world of the stands and the fans. A humorous and heartwarming insight into baseball, the stadium, the games, and the fans, from their cheers to crying in their beers. You will discover that there really is No Place Like Dome.
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Trip Through Florida 2025/2026: Exploring Florida Hidden Gems and Local Secrets (Unmissable Attractions, Ancient Towns, Where to Eat, Stay, and Planning Tips)by Lily Noah Roamer Whether you’re dreaming of the magic of Disney World, the nightlife of Miami, the beauty of the Florida Keys, or the untamed wilderness of the Everglades, Trip Through Florida 2025/2026 is your must-have guide. Packed with expert recommendations, insider tips, and curated itineraries, this book ensures you experience Florida beyond the typical tourist spots. Florida is more than just a vacation spot—it’s a diverse destination filled with adventure, history, and breathtaking scenery. Whether you’re soaking up the sun on white-sand beaches, exploring world-class theme parks, tasting fresh seafood, or diving into rich cultural experiences, Florida offers an unforgettable trip for every type of traveler.
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Vintage St. Pete and Pinellas. Volume 3by Bill DeYoungThe third volume in the Vintage St. Pete series takes another long, loving, deeply nostalgic look at life in Florida’s fastest-growing city before the dawn of the twenty-first century. These lavishly-illustrated stories will strike a chord with anyone who’s ever called St. Petersburg, or Pinellas County, home. Here are the cherished traditions and legends: The annual Festival of States parade, fancy dinners at the world-famous Kapok Tree Inn and one-of-a-kind casual restaurants The Penguin and Ted Peters Famous Smoked Fish. Hometown heroes like organ-playing comedian Lenny Dee, beloved newspaper columnist Dick Bothwell and Tom Reese, the eccentric master of ceremonies at the uber-bohemian Beaux Arts Gallery; media icons Salty Sol, Ernie Lee, Shock Armstrong and the rest of the “WTVT Big 13” gang (the top-rated local TV station for 25 years). The whole historic saga of Tarpon Springs, once the world’s sponge-diving capital; behind the scenes of Dolphin Tale, Spring Breakers, The Strange One and other Hollywood movies filmed in town … so much rich, entertaining local history you won’t read about anywhere else, in 25 all-new chapters!
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ON DISPLAY IN THE FLORIDA HISTORY & GENEALOGY LIBRARY, 4TH FLOOR OF THE JOHN F. GERMANY PUBLIC LIBRARY
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 Hillsborough State Bank |
Florida Banking Records Collection The Florida Banking Records give insight and context to the history of Florida's economy. They date from the late 19th century to the mid-20th century. The records come from several banks of historical significance and include Hillsboro State Bank, Bank of Dunedin, First Savings and Trust Co., and SunBank. The records were stored for several years in a warehouse and were scheduled to be destroyed. In 2014, a SunTrust bank employee asked the Florida History & Genealogy Library if they would accept the donation. In 2021 the library started an in-house preservation project. This includes cleaning, repairing, and cataloging the records.
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Fabulous Florida on Video Visit the sights and scenes of old Florida in our most recent video. It features photographs taken from 1919 to 1957, all around our beautiful state. |
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Fabulous Florida on Display Items in the Display Case include books and photographs, and other memorabilia about Florida attractions from the past.
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