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Walter Kingsley Taylor Papers, 1997-2013

 

Summary

Creator:
Taylor, Walter Kingsley, 1939-
Abstract:
Dr. Walter Kingsley Taylor, a prolific UCF author, has lived in central Florida for over 43 years. After 35 years of continuous service, Dr. Taylor retired from UCF, where he taught a variety of biology courses. Upon retirement in 2004, Dr. Taylor was named Professor Emeritus. Collection includes professional correspondence, prepublication drafts, page proofs, corrected proofs, final copies, and unbound color prints of his monographs.
Extent:
2.5 Linear Feet 2 Boxes
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Walter Kingsley Taylor Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.

Background

Scope and content:

Series I: Pre-Publications, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2008, 2013, contain drafts, page proofs, corrected proofs, and working copies of materials.

Series II: Publications, 1998, 2001, 2009, contain final copies and colored prints of Dr. Taylor's works.

Series III: Correspondence, 2001, 2008, 2012, contain professional correspondence pertaining to the works of Dr. Walter Taylor.

Biographical / historical:

Dr. Walter Kingsley Taylor, a native of Kentucky, has lived in the Central Florida for over 43 years. After 35 years of continuous service, Dr. Taylor retired from the University of Central Florida, where he taught a variety of biology courses including, general zoology, invertebrate zoology, ornithology, biodiversity, Florida natural history, local flora, and Florida wildflowers. Upon retirement in 2004, Dr. Taylor was named Professor Emeritus of UCF.

In 1999, Taylor received the University Award Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, the highest recognition given by UCF for undergraduate instruction. Many of Taylor's students are actively employed with federal, state, and county environmental agencies and in numerous teaching institutions throughout the U.S. There are several students who have had successful careers and are now retired. Since 2008, Taylor serves as a board member of the Florida Wildflower Foundation.

In 2000, he received the Green Palmetto Award in education from the Florida Native Plant Society (FNPS) and in May 2006 the society presented him the Mentor Award, the highest recognition given by FNPS to an individual member. In February 2000, the Naples Native Plant Society and Naples Botanical Gardens recognized Taylor with a Lifetime Achievement Award in Elucidating the Flora of Florida.

Taylor is sought after to give presentations, lead field trips on wildflower identification, and conduct workshops, three held on Florida grasses at UCF's main campus. Dr. Taylor is well known throughout the state and many know him as "Mr. Florida Wildflowers" and "Sweetpea."

He has written two widely used books on Florida wildflowers: The Field Guide to Florida Wildflowers (Taylor Publishing Company, Dallas, 1992) and Wildflowers in Their Natural Communities (University Press of Florida, Gainesville, 1998).

In the spring of 2002, his book coauthored with Dr. Eliane M. Norman, Andre Michaux in Florida: An Eighteenth-Century Botanical Journey was published (University Press of Florida, Gainesville, 2002). Numerous first person presentations in period costume depicting the famous French botanist, Andre-Michaux exploring in Spanish Florida have been performed. One such presentation was given at UCF's main campus library's lecture-workshop entitled "Garden in the Wilderness." Another presentation was at the First International Andre Michaux Symposium, held in May 2002, at Belmont College, Gaston, North Carolina. Currently, he and two colleagues, Charlie Williams and Dr. Eliane Norman are retracing the entire 11-year (1785-1796) stay of Michaux in America.

In 2009, Taylor's A Guide to Florida Grasses was published by the University Press of Florida. Dr. Taylor's most recent book Florida Wildflowers: A Comprehensive Guide was released in April 2013 by the University Press of Florida.

Dr. Taylor and Karin, wife and companion of 44 years, have traveled widely throughout Florida, having visited all counties and nearly all Florida State Parks seeking Florida's rich and diverse flora and fauna, as well as Florida's past history. They live in Winter Park and have one daughter, Dr. Anna Ree Taylor, a molecular neurobiologist and UXF graduate, who is employed at The National Institute of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.

Acquisition information:
Dr. Walter Kingsley Taylor donated these materials to the University of Central Florida Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives in 2013 (CFM2013_05).
Processing information:

Collection processed by Racheile Ricklefs; finding aid prepared by Racheile Ricklefs and Suphi Burak Ogreten.

Files were put into pH neutral folders. Then the collection was put into a pH neutral boxes.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged in three series by type of document.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

The entire collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. Permission to publish, quote or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder.

Preferred citation:

Walter Kingsley Taylor Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.

Location of this collection:
John C. Hitt Library
12701 Pegasus Drive, Building 2
Orlando
FL
32816-8030
USA