FLVC logo

Robert H. Brown tourism collection, 1900-2013, bulk 1970-2010

 

Summary

Creator:
Brown, Robert H. (Robert Hugh)
Abstract:
The Robert H. Brown Tourism Collection, 1900-2013 (bulk 1970-2010), documents tourism in and around Florida during the twentieth century. It chiefly consists of postcards, brochures, and guidebooks relating to the tourism and theme park industries, as well as press kits and other promotional materials. This collection provides insight into the marketing and promotion of tourist attractions in and around Florida. Many of the attractions documented are no longer in existence or are in decline after the opening of the Walt Disney World Resort in 1971, offering a glimpse at the tourist landscape of Florida prior to and immediately after the resort's domination of Central Florida tourism. Robert Hugh Brown grew up in Miami, Florida. He developed a fascination for roadside attractions while touring the state of Florida extensively. In the 1990s, Brown created "Florida's Lost Tourist Attractions," or Lostparks.com, a website dedicated to documenting the many attractions that sprang up and later fell by the wayside following the opening of Walt Disney World. His research for the website led him to collect thousands of brochures, postcards, flyers, and other ephemera detailing Florida tourism. As of 2024, Brown is retired and currently resides in Ocoee, Florida.
Extent:
39.6 Linear Feet 97 boxes; 2 flat files; 2 flash drives
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Robert H. Brown tourism collection, Special Collections & University Archives, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.

Background

Scope and content:

The Robert H. Brown Tourism Collection, 1900-2013 (bulk 1970-2010), documents tourism in and around Florida during the twentieth century. It chiefly consists of postcards, brochures, and guidebooks relating to the tourism and theme park industries, as well as press kits and other promotional materials. This collection provides insight into the marketing and promotion of tourist attractions in and around Florida. Many of the attractions documented are no longer in existence or are in decline after the opening of the Walt Disney World Resort in 1971, offering a glimpse at the tourist landscape of Florida prior to and immediately after the resort's domination of Central Florida tourism.

Series I: Florida, 1900-2013, contains postcards, brochures, flyers, presskits, visitor's guides, maps, and other tourist papers related to theme parks and attractions in the state of Florida. Subseries 1 chiefly contains postcards organized alphabetically by city location, then by subject. Subseries 2 contains postcards from established tourist attractions, arranged alphabetically in boxes and binder sleeves as they were originally received. Subseries 3 contains vertical files of various Florida attractions in original order. Subseries 4 contains brochures and presskits, arranged alphabetically. This series does not contain material for the Walt Disney World resort, which can be found in Series II.

Series II: United States, 1962-2012, contains collected postcards, brochures, and tourist papers related to theme parks and attractions outside of the state of Florida. Subseries 1 contains vertical files of various American attractions in original order. Subseries 2 and 3 are arranged by like item, then alphabetically. Also of interest is the Disney subseries, which contains records relating to Walt Disney World and Disneyland, as well as financial reports for the Walt Disney Company. The AAA subseries contains guidebooks for the state of Florida and beyond, as well as a number of Rand McNally guides.

Biographical / historical:

Robert Hugh Brown grew up in Miami, Florida. He developed a fascination for roadside attractions while touring the state of Florida extensively. In the 1990s, Brown created "Florida's Lost Tourist Attractions," or Lostparks.com, a website dedicated to documenting the many attractions that sprang up and later fell by the wayside following the opening of Walt Disney World. Of his work on the website, Brown writes, "Tourist attractions have a way of springing up on the Florida roadside... only to wither and die when they just can't quite sustain the magic. You will find no historical marker to mark their passing, no footnote in the history book, only the occasional exotic plant, or shopping center, or oddly named road." His research for the website led him to collect thousands of brochures, postcards, flyers, and other ephemera detailing Florida tourism.

In 1997, Brown created a travel website for The Mining Company (later known as About.com or Dotdash), a digital media company, writing about theme parks around the world and the amusement park industry. As a result, he also collected materials from attractions located across the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany. Brown worked as an actor in film, television, and theater productions. He was a cast member of Second Thought Improv and On the Edge Improvisational Theatre. As of 2024, Brown is retired and currently resides in Ocoee, Florida.

Acquisition information:
Gift of Robert H. Brown in 2023 (Accession no. CFM2023_06).
Processing information:

Processed by and finding aid prepared by Sofia Arias in 2024. Additional processing by Simone DeLuque in 2025.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged into two series:

  • I. Florida, 1900-2013
  • II. United States, 1962-2012

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

The entire collection is open for research. This minimally processed collection may require further processing and is subject to change.

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:

[Identification of item], Robert H. Brown tourism collection, Special Collections & 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