September 2018 
Secure Your Seats Today! 
A Night at the Museum: Bootlegger Bash is Saturday, Nov. 10


The second annual signature event,  A Night at the Museum: Bootlegger Bash ,  with presenting sponsors, Islamorada Distilling and Islamorada Beer Company is Saturday, Nov. 10, 6 p.m., at Keys History & Discovery Center, located at the Islander Resort, MM 82. Seats, at $150 per person, are going fast! Click Here to Purchase Seats!
 
For one night only, guests will find a secret speakeasy behind the Keys History & Discovery Center. The clandestine evening features live jazz, booze, and gaming - a roaring good time! Guests will enjoy a cocktail reception, a delicious surf-and-turf dinner and dessert, as well as an opportunity to bid on enticing trips, jewelry, personal indulgences, and much more in the live and silent auctions.

For more information, contact Foundation Executive Director Jill Miranda Baker at 305-922-2237 or at info@keysdiscovery.com.
Jerry Wilkinson Research Library Opens 

A wonderful crowd turned out to honor Jerry Wilkinson in celebration of his 90th birthday and the opening of the Research Library which bears his name.

A ribbon-cutting and 90th birthday celebration was held on Sept. 10 to open the Jerry Wilkinson Research Library (JWRL) while also celebrating the namesake's birthday. More than 130 people came out to celebrate Jerry and his decades of historical preservation contributions, collecting and sharing the history of the Upper Keys. 

Jerry Wilkinson is the first to enter the research library.
His extensive collection, donated to the Florida Keys History and Discovery Foundation, was the impetus for creating the research library that now bears his name. The Jerry Wilkinson Research Library (JWRL) is located on the second floor of the Keys History & Discovery Center. It is a non-circulating library and reading room. The mission of the JWRL is to protect, preserve and create resources and enrich understanding of the Florida Keys history for the present day and future generations. 

"We are so honored Jerry gifted his collection to the Foundation," said President Rich Russell. "Jerry, who is an emeritus member of our Board, was very instrumental in the development not only of the library but the Discovery Center."

The JWRL also houses collections from Willie Drye, the author of Storm of the Century, and the late Jim Clupper, an Upper Keys historian and archaeological enthusiast, whose work focused on early people of the Keys.

"While not a lending library, the JWRL will be a valuable asset to scholars working on books about our island chain and those individuals looking to grasp a deeper understanding of the incredible breadth of our local history," said Foundation Curator and Historian Brad Bertelli. "The library is not fully functional yet, but we are off to a great start and the future looks bright as we focus on cataloging and digitizing."

For more information, contact Bertelli at 305-922-2237 or via curator@keysdiscovery.com.
Keys History & Discovery Center Presents...

The fall lecture schedule kicks off on Oct. 24. Lectures are Wednesdays, 5-7 p.m., at Keys History & Discovery Center. Free for members. Cost for non-members is $10, which includes light appetizers. A cash bar is available. 

Due to the popularity of the speaker series, reservations are strongly suggested to ensure adequate seating. E-mail info@keysdiscovery.com or call 305-922-2237 to leave a message. 

The fall schedule is as follows:
  • Oct. 24 How Tall Tales Reshape Local History, Brad Bertelli, Historian & Author.
  • Nov. 14 Endangered Sawfish of the Florida Keys, Tonya Wiley, Marine Resources Researcher.
  • Nov 28 History is the Real Treasure: The 1733 Spanish Galleon Trail, Della Scott-Ireton, Archaeologist.
  • Dec. 12 They Came from the Sea: Study of the Cuban Migrant Craft La Esparaza, Joshua Marano, Archaeological Technician.
Donations from individuals and grants from the following organizations help support the costs of the lecture series: State of Florida, Florida Humanities Council, Community Foundation of the Florida Keys, and Florida Council for the Arts.
Florida Keys History and Discovery Foundation, which operates Keys History & Discovery Center, is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. As such, donations to the Foundation help support the annual fund, as well as specific projects.  

For more information about making a contribution, Visit our website or call 305-922-2237.  Keys History & Discovery Center is open Wednesdays through Sundays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.