Florida Historical Society
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
Established in 1856, the Florida Historical Society (FHS) is dedicated to preserving Florida's history for current and future generations. It does not actively collect materials; all of its holdings have come from donations over the years. It operates the Library of Florida History, which is also located in the building, the Brevard Museum of History and Natural Science, the Rossetter House Museum, and the FHS Archaeological Institute. It also publishes the Florida Historical Quarterly and other publications. Its collection is extensive and can be accessed through the Library archives. The collection includes 8,000 books, 10,000 print photographs, rare books including original territorial-period government publications and Spanish-period narrative histories, and maps, newspapers, and postcards.
Images
The Florida Historical Society was founded in 1856 and is located in this former post office built in 1939.
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
The building itself was constructed in 1939 by the Works Progress Administration and was originally a post office. The Library was established in 1905 and was first housed in the Cordova Hotel in St. Augustine and moved to a few other locations before finally ending up here in 1997.
Sources
"The Florida Historical Society's Library of Florida History." Florida Historical Society. Accessed February 3, 2018. https://myfloridahistory.org/library.
Photo: Florida Historical Society
Photo: Florida Historical Society