Click or tap here for a quick look at RECENT ADDITIONS to the Research Library; as well as other popular mini-archive collections.
1953-1958 “Coral Estates subdivision” mini-archive – Including a summary of the property’s owners/developers/builders, plat, and newspaper ad/articles with photos and prices.
1953-1958 “Coral Point subdivision” mini-archive – Including plat, sales plat with lot prices, and newspaper ads/articles with photos and prices. Also, Ivy Stranahan reminiscences of the family farm previously located on the site of Coral Point.
2002-2006 “Renaming of the Richard C. Sullivan Public Library of Wilton Manors” – mini-archive documenting the biography of Richard C. Sullivan, and the renaming of our library in recognition of his philanthropic legacy.
1954-2007/2008 “History of 2301 Wilton Drive”-including Wilton Manors first funeral home– 2021 Town Crier article and collection of newspaper clippings and documents tracing the history of the property. …From James Dean’s private residence to Seacord Funeral Home to Spectrum House drug rehab center to Island City Lofts.
“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.
