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.
