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“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the development of South Wilton Drive from the 1940s thorough 1950s — through narrative and images (many previously unpublished). 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]

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Image from 1925 Wilton Manors sales brochure