Al Starts Collection, Undetermined
Collection context
Summary
- Extent:
- 5 Paige Boxes
- 9 Objects Washing machine, motors, maracas, percussion instrument, banjo, lawn mower, captain's hat, smoking pipe
- Language:
- English
- Preferred citation:
Al Starts Collection, Broward County Historical Archives, Broward County Library.
Background
- Scope and content:
The Al Starts Collections documents the business enterprises of Captain Al Starts and the history of Jungle Queen River Cruises, Inc. in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It also has information about tourism in Seminole reservations and the later career of actor Johnny Weismuller. The collection includes musical instruments, patent models, a lawn mower, a washing machine, audio recordings (66 1/4 inch audio reel-to-reel tapes and 7 45rpm vinyl record albums), artwork, blueprints, Captain's hat, a smoking pipe, photographs, scrapbooks, pamphlets, fliers, postcards, correspondence, newspaper clippings, videos, and magazines. The materials date roughly from the 1940s to the 1970s.
- Biographical / historical:
Al Starts was born to John and Tatiana Starts around 1908 in Rusia. He had one brother, Paul, and two sisters, Bette and Kathleen.
Al Starts started his career in Akron, Ohio where he had a shop repairing airplanes. From 1927 to 1929, he operated an 11-plane air circus in the Midwest. In 1934 he honeymooned in Fort Lauderdale and permamently moved to the city. He started a sightseeing cruise company in 1934 consisting of a single speedboat, and founded the Jungle Queen Riverboat cruises in 1935. During World War II he was a consultant to the U.S. Air Force as an expert on internal combustion engines. He sold the Jungle Queen to Earl Faber, whose family still operates it today. In the 1960s Starts began another cruise company, the Southern Belle, which he operated until 1971.
- Acquisition information:
- Bob "Rusty Bob" Martin and Al Starts donated the collection to the Broward County Historical Commission on June 12, 1990.
- Processing information:
This collection received container level processing. This finding aid may be updated to reflect new descriptions as well as acquisitions to the collection.
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Access and use
- Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
- Preferred citation:
Al Starts Collection, Broward County Historical Archives, Broward County Library.
- Location of this collection:
-
Broward County Historical Archives, Broward County Library100 S. Andrews AvenueFort LauderdaleFL33301USA
