Collections

Personal papers, 1985-1999, consisting of his records as a member of the Finance Advisory Committee (FAC) of the Escambia County Utilities Authority from 1985 to 1999. These records include minutes, agendas, reports, working papers, budget reports, financial statements, annual reports, newspaper clippings, and publications of FAC, as well as the ECUA Board and its other committees. Subjects covered include water and gas utilities, sewer services, and wastewater management for Escambia County, Florida.

This collection relates to Colonel Walter Carl Beckham who served with the U.S. Army Air Corps as a P-47 fighter pilot with the 353rd Fighter Group in the European Theater of Operations during World War II. He was credited 18 aerial victories. He was shot down and subsequently became a German Prisoner of War. He was the recipient of the Distingquished Service Cross, Distinguished Flying Cross, Silver Star, Air Medal, and Legion of Merit. This collection contains Beckham's medals, badges, pins, photographs, veteran's items, and newspaper articles.

The Werner Wisian manuscript includes detailed descriptions of Private Wisian's time as a member of the 5th Army, Company G, 2nd Battalion, 141st Infantry. He served in the Mediterranean Theater in Italy, and spent over a year as a prisoner of war in various prisoner of war camps such as Stalag IIIB. His 24 page manuscript includes correspondence with a Russian prisoner of war and information on the Texas National Guard. His 1995 manuscript covers topics such as life during basic training, specific actions in combat, life as a prisoner of war, and personal reflections on the war. Also included are facts taken from the Official 36th Infantry Combat Diary 1943-1945.

This collection will consist of physical media that has been digitized as well as information on the digital files. These will include video materials such as CDs, DVDs, videocassettes, miniDVD cassettes, and similar items. In all cases, the items have been converted digitally and will be accessible by the Islandora interface. This collection will consist of a 'file' for each item to provide additional access.

In 1984 the Commissioners of Palm Beach County unanimously accepted a proposal put forth by the Royal Palm Audubon Society and co-sponsors to develop and implement a county wide program which would preserve local, environmentally sensitive lands and establish these "wilderness parks" as natural historic sites. Rapid development within Palm Beach County had led to the destruction of the vast majority of the county's native ecosystems. The Audubon society referred to the remaining pockets of native or restorable lands, now surrounded by urban and/or agricultural development, as the "Wilderness Islands". In May of 1986, Dr. Daniel Austin, an FAU botany professor, and Dr. Grace Iverson were hired by Palm Beach County to conduct a survey and examination of the county's natural areas and create an inventory of the County's native ecosystems. The Inventory was used by county staff and advisory committees to identify the highest-quality environmentally sensitive lands that were purchased with the proceeds from voter approved bond referendums in 1991 and 1999. These properties became the foundation for the Natural Areas Program. This collection represents their research, the surveys, publicity, and administration of this project.