Celebrating Two Decades of Sharing Historic Photos
- Florida Keys History Center
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
Twenty years ago, the Monroe County Public Library’s Florida History department began scanning and uploading historic photos from the collection onto Flickr, the online photo sharing site.
Since then, the images have been viewed more than 50 million times. There are currently more than 24,000 photos on the site, with more being scanned and uploaded on a regular basis.
“The collection of photographs is used for many purposes. Perhaps the most popular are by people wanting to see historic homes and buildings or to find photos of family members,” said Dr. Corey Malcom, lead historian of the Florida Keys History Center. “Interestingly, the images of fish catches from decades ago have proved to be important to science as they are documentation of historic fish sizes that are available nowhere else. And we are regularly visited by artists who use the photos as a basis for their creativity.”
Scanning the historic photos began in 2001 as a project funded by a federal grant, said Anne Rice, the library’s assistant director of systems & projects. She and the late historian Tom Hambright scanned 800 photos in a partnership with Florida International University.
“After the grant ended, we kept scanning. The process revealed fascinating details — faces, handwriting, interiors, and other elements that could not be fully appreciated with the naked eye,” Rice said.
“Someone suggested we upload the images to Flickr. Tom was initially reluctant; he worried that if the images were easily available online, people would no longer come see him in person,” Rice said. “The opposite happened. More researchers, authors, and journalists streamed in to view the collection — and, of course, to talk with Tom.”
The images are used to illustrate the History Center’s daily Today In Keys History column. It is posted daily on the History Center website, Facebook and Instagram accounts and runs in the Keys Citizen newspaper. In addition to being used by scientists, historians, and artists, some collections like the World War I waterfront passes have been instrumental in genealogy research. And many local businesses have used them for interior decoration.
“As we celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the Florida Keys History Center’s Flickr collection, we recognize the vital role that accessible historical archives play in preserving and sharing the Keys’ story,” said Kimberly Matthews, senior director of libraries.
”This collection has become an invaluable resource for residents, historians, educators, genealogists, and visitors seeking to understand the people, places, and events that have shaped the Florida Keys. Each photograph contributes to a larger community narrative, helping us connect with our past while preserving it for future generations," Matthews said. "The Monroe County Public Library is honored to steward this important piece of our cultural heritage and to ensure that these images remain freely available for all who wish to explore the Keys’ unique story.”
The online collection was an instant success and staff marveled at how many people were viewing the photos.
"I used to buy cakes for Tom and his volunteers each time the Flickr collection reached another 100,000 views," Rice said. "I stopped after the fifth or sixth cake because the milestone celebrations were starting to add up on our waistlines."
The collection can be viewed at bit.ly/keyspix. The library does not claim copyright on any of the images. Responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright claims to the original images must be assumed by those wishing to reproduce the images.
