Click or tap here for a quick look at RECENT ADDITIONS to the Research Library; as well as other popular mini-archive collections.
“E.J. Willingham’s Forgotten Castle” Winter 2024/2025 Town Crier. A brief history of the Entrance Gateway, Observation Tower and Administration Building of his Wilton Manors development.
1955 “The Wilton Manors Story, as told in 1955 …” by Leslie Bagwell, editor/publisher of the Wilton Sunrise News. 9-page booklet, first published in the May 7, 1955 “Wilton Manors Birthday” issue of the Wilton Sunrise News weekly newspaper . Includes first-person accounts summarized from Norman Malcolm’s 1948 “Wilton Manors Early History”; as well as later/additional information from pioneers Perry Mickel, Dave Turner, and Alvar Hagen. (note: document known to contain some factual errors-contact WMHS before quoting)
1948-2024 “Covenant Presbyterian-Wilton Manors first church” – 111-page compilation of Historical Notes, Fall 2024 Town Crier “executive summary” article, the church’s 50th Anniversary scrapbook and related materials from Jean French Collection (photos, news clippings, newsletters/bulletins, financial statements, etc.), and other more recently acquired and/or edited documents or photographs.
1919-1960 “History of the Tropical Manors subdivision” mini-archive-featuring WM pioneer resident Merle Slagle – Including a summary of the property’s owners/developers/builders, maps/plats, and newspaper ad/articles with photos and prices.
1950-2024 “74+ Years of Kiwanis Service in Wilton Manors-and the legacy lives on through scholarships” – Traces the history of the Kiwanis Club of Wilton Manors through narrative, photographs and newspaper clippings. From organization, fund-raising, and services delivered; through liquidation and establishing a legacy with endowed scholarships.
“South Wilton Drive—social and economic center of early Wilton Manors (Images from the 1940/50s)” – WMHS 2024 Annual Meeting PowerPoint presentation converted to PDF. Chronicles the development of South Wilton Drive from the 1940s thorough 1950s — through narrative and images (many previously unpublished).
1960-1993 “Louis W. Parker – Inventor, Philanthropist and Founder of Parker Electronics” – Includes Town Crier article “South End of Dixie at the River-what preceded the Pride Center”, and newspaper clippings detailing Parker’s early years, accomplishments and inventions, and philanthropic contributions.
1981-1997 “The Story of JJ’s Den/The Otherside” – the history, ads and images of Wilton Manors’ first LGBTQ+ business–a women-focused club that opened in 1981.
1970s ca “Early Wilton Manors Structures” – annotated map with descriptions of early structures and owners.
1910-1989 “Louis and Maude Smith Family & the Old Smith House” – Background materials re: the pioneering Smith Family; which arrived in Colohatchee in 1910 as some of the first White settlers.
1947-2011 “The Stafford Family Scrapbook” – selected photographs, documents and newspaper clippings capturing a “slice-of-life” of the pioneer Stafford family of Wilton Manors. [See also Marcia Stafford oral history]
1926 “E.J. Willingham’s ‘Wilton Manors’ – sales brochure and newspaper ads” – from original documents in the Broward County Historical Commission collection.
1940 & 1945 “Pedersen Family Progresso Deed Records” – Plat and background of the Progresso subdivision; and deed records, including prices, for the 750 lots the family purchased at auction in 1940 and 1945. [See also 1940s+ “Pedersen Family” – Ads (including chicken farm at Wilton Dr and 21st Ct), photographs and history of WM pioneer/entrepreneur John Pedersen and his family.]
1990/2023 “What’s Bedeviling Wilton Manors“ – a Wilton Manors Elementary school play, meant to teach geographic diversity and cultural inclusion, was construed by a particular set of parents as an attempt to turn the children of Wilton Manors to Satan!
1947 “Images of the Ft. Lauderdale area after the 1947 Hurricane” – Collection of 3″x3″ photographs donated to WMHS by Bruce and Barbara Potter. Some with descriptions on back.
1935 “Middle River Boy Scout Camp” – Collection of photographs from the Florida Memory Project of Boy Scout camp on the Middle River—likely in or adjacent to Wilton Manors.
1954-1979 “Wilton Manors National Bank/Sun Bank”– collection of newspaper clippings, images, documents and memorabilia related to the bank. And research the cost-of-living and area businesses serving Wilton Manors through the “1958-1960 & 1970 Borkenhagen family checkbooks” at WMNB [Morales Collection].
1960s-2007 “Robinson Beauty School/Schuster Design“– images of the Robinson Beauty School–from its beginning at 2201 Wilton Drive; interior/exterior images, full-color brochures and documents from the renowned architect Dan Duckham-designed location on NE 26th Street; and transition of the building into the Schuster Design Studio.
Much of our collection is digitized, but not yet ready for posting on-line (cataloging and adding metadata is tedious and time-consuming).
So if you cannot find information in the Research Library about a Wilton Manors history-related question, feel free to submit a Contact Us form and we will try to respond to your inquiry. [Note particularly that the majority of our extensive Colohatchee/Floranada collection is not yet available on-line]
And if you have found this site useful, or just entertaining, please consider supporting our efforts by becoming a Member or making a Donation.
