Edith Lewis Collection, 1914-1971
Collection context
Summary
- Extent:
- 128 Photographic Prints
- Language:
- English
- Preferred citation:
Edith Lewis Collection, Broward County Historical Archives, Broward County Library.
Background
- Scope and content:
The Edith Lewis Collection contains 128 glass-plate negatives and print copies of the negatives taken by professional photographer William V. B. Mullikin who was active in Fort Lauderdale from 1914 to 1940. The collection also contains materials documenting the Fort Lauderdale William C. Morris American Legion Post 36 and American Legion Auxiliary, such as scrapbooks dating from 1926 to 1971 and a shirt. The photographs in the collection mostly are portraits of local men, women, children, and families, and also include a few images of graves and local buildings such as the Central School (built 1915) which later became Fort Lauderdale High School. Also included are six pictures of fishermen with fish from the Vreeland charter boat company.
- Biographical / historical:
Professional photographer William V. B. Mullikin, who styled himself "The Mullikin Man," was first active in Fort Lauderdale around 1914. Hailing from South Carolina, Mullikin purchased the Sooy photography business in Fort Lauderdale and set about making a living by crafting portraits. By 1916, the portraitist was advertising with his downstairs neighbor, a fledgling newspaper called Fort Lauderdale Sentinel. Mullikin left Fort Lauderdale in 1921 for a two-year hiatus to California. Upon his return in 1923, Mullikin resumed his photography business and dabbled in the real estate business during Florida's boom years. He died in 1940.
The William V. B. Mullikin glass negatives were donated by Edith Washburn Lewis (1889-1984), who acquired a small cardboard suitcase containing the boxed negatives. Mrs. Lewis was a friend of the founder of the Broward County Historical Commission, Judge Clayton Nance. Originally from Salina, Kansas, she moved to Fort Lauderdale in 1913 and worked at the H.G. Wheeler Department store, the Lewis Sign Company, and the Broward County Credit Bureau. She was a member of the American Legion Auxilary and organized the Fort Lauderdale Business and Professional Women's Club. In 1921, the American Legion Auxiliary (the women's club of the American legion Post No. 36) was formed in Fort Lauderdale and Edith Lewis was a charter member. She also served two terms as president of the American Legion Auxiliary, first in 1930-1931, and again in 1940-1941. A few years after retiring in 1971, she moved back to her home state of Kansas.
- Acquisition information:
- Edith Lewis donated the materials to the Broward County Historical Commission in 1974 (Accession BCHA-1974.6). She donated an accrual in 1978 (Accession BCHA-1978.4).
- 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
Indexed terms
Access and use
- Restrictions:
The Edith Lewis Collection is open for research.
- Preferred citation:
Edith Lewis Collection, Broward County Historical Archives, Broward County Library.
- Location of this collection:
-
Broward County Historical Archives, Broward County Library100 S. Andrews AvenueFort LauderdaleFL33301USA
