Browse Items · Martin Digital History

Drew King, c. 1960

Drew Woodson King (1909-1973), Stuart mayor (1949-1951), realtor and owner of the Pelican Hotel and Stuart Hardware Co. Husband of artist Frances Carlton King.

“Early Settlers of St. Lucie River” : Curt E. Schroeder Series of Historical Articles

Curt Emil Schroeder (1872-1946), born in Berlin, Germany, immigrated to Florida to join his uncles, Otto, Ernest, and Albert Stypmann in Stuart in 1893. He kept diaries and later used them as a basis for a series of articles on pioneer life.

The first article of the series was published January 18, 1945, entitled: "Early Days on the 'Santa Lucia' - First Opening of St. Lucie Inlet." Subsequent articles appeared under the heading "The Early Settlers of St. Lucie River." The articles always appeared on page 4. The series ended without any comment. His articles were published together in a book-length feature in the 25th Anniversary of Martin County edition of The Stuart News on November 9, 1950.

Sarah Josephine Kitching, 1913

Two images of Sarah Josephine Kitching Taylor (1895-1987) at 18 years old. Written on the back of one image: "hair medium brown, brown eyes, dress pink slip with white over lace, trimmed around neck, sleeves and felt in nile green, with rhinestone buttons, pink flowers." Daughter of Walter and Emma Kitching, she married John E. Taylor in 1914.

Aunt Dillie Byrd, c. 1915

Portrait of older woman, Dillis Avriett Byrd (1867-1939)

Plantation House at Edenlawn, Jensen Beach, c. 1950

Drawing of the Plantation House at Edenlawn in Jensen Beach, Florida. The Eden (later called Edenlawn) community was founded in 1880s and was initially used for large pineapple plantations and later became commercial nurseries and eventually a vacation resort area in the 1950s and 1960s. Back caption reads " 'Plantation House' at Edenlawn. Hidden Paradise of Florida East Coast. Overlooking the Famous Indian River. Jensen Beach, Florida, an ideal vacation resort. (pen and ink sketch by A. E. Backus, well known Florida artist.)"

Tags Buildings, Dwellings, Florida-Jensen Beach

"Hornet" sailboat, 1902

Sailboat with the name "Hornet" in dry storage. One man onboard and two men stand next to the boat. Capt. Hugh Willoughby identified as the man on the right. Written on the back of the photo: "The good ship 'Hornet' on which Clayton G. Dixon & Mrs. E. W. D. (Estelle Willoughby Dixon) spent six weeks the winter of 1902 -- A sixteen year old boy as deck hand, Mrs. C. G. D. -- as cook -- & navigator -- sailing from Cocoanut (sic) Grove to New River Inlet thru canal & mostly poling."

Tags Boats, Buildings

Royal Poinciana Hotel, Palm Beach, c. 1911

The large Royal Poinciana Hotel in Palm Beach.

Listed in the FPC record book 1 (PDF p. 129) as "3961 Royal Poinciana, Palm Beach, Weaver"

Tags Buildings, Hotels

Broster Kitching, c. 1900

Broster Kitching (1838–1915) settled in Sebastian, Florida in 1885, and later moved to Stuart (then called Potsdam) where his brother Walter lived. He was postmaster from 1894 to 1913. He lived with his sister Susanna in a house behind the post office.

Tags Portraits