Munroe Family Papers

Identity elements

Name and location of repository

Beschrijvingsniveau

Collectie

Titel

Munroe Family Papers

Datum(s)

  • 1903-1979 (Vervaardig)

Omvang

21 Boxes

Naam van de archiefvormer

Biografie

Ralph Middleton "Commodore" Munroe, avid yachtsman, successful businessman, and celebrated patriarch of the Munroe family, made Coconut Grove his home in the late 1800s. Munroe and his family moved to South Florida from Staten Island, New York, to provide a more beneficial environment for his wife, Eva Maelia Hewitt, who suffered from tuberculosis. Unfortunately, both his wife and daughter succumbed to illness and died shortly after their move to Miami.

Munroe subsequently split his time between Staten Island and the Grove, often staying at the Peacock family hotel, The Bay View House, later known as the Peacock Inn. Several years before the turn of the century he bought land recognized today as the Barnacle State Historic Park, where he built his permanent home. Munroe also founded the Biscayne Bay Yacht Club, and through his continual enjoyment of sailing and boating life, met his second wife, Jessie Wirth. They had two children, Wirth and Patty.

The Commodore's passion for the sea was only matched by his interest in photographing. Munroe's constant recording of the beauty of Miami with his camera provides an invaluable and lasting visual record of the time and place. The Ralph M. Munroe Family Papers consists of letters, diaries, household accounts, journals, and photographs chronicling the activities of one of South Florida's earliest families. Among the holdings are, the typescript of the popular autobiography, The Commodore's Story, as well as diaries written by Patty Munroe detailing South Florida "happenings." Photographs offer at look at South Florida scenic sites during the first three decades of the twentieth century.

Content and structure elements

Bereik en inhoud

The collection includes correspondence, logbooks, photographs albums, slides,  and diaries pertaining to various members of the Munroe Family who settled in Coconut Grove, Florida.

Ordeningstelsel

Conditions of access and use elements

Voorwaarden voor raadpleging

The collection is open for research.

Physical access

Items from this collection are kept on-campus and may be requested from the first floor Kislak Center in the Otto G. Richter Library at University of Miami.

Technical access

Voorwaarden voor reproductie

University of Miami does not own copyright. It is incumbent on the user to obtain copyright from the original creator.

Languages of the material

  • Engels

Scripts of the material

Taal en schrift aantekeningen

Toegangen

Generated finding aid

Acquisition and appraisal elements

Geschiedenis beheer

Directe bron van verwerving

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information

Aanvullingen

Related materials elements

Bestaan en verblifplaats van originelen

Bestaan en verblijfplaats van kopieën

Related archival materials

Ralph M. Munroe Family Papers, 1882-1995

Ralph M. Munroe Family Papers (Digital Collection)

The Commodore's Story: Early Miami History (Digital Exhibit)

Alan Crockwell collection, 1873-1996

Information about related materials is available at Everglades Digital Library : Everglades Biographies, Ralph Middleton Munroe http://everglades.fiu.edu/reclaim/bios/munroe.htm.

Related descriptions

Notes element

Specialized notes

Alternative identifier(s)

Description control element

Regels of conventies

Sources used

Trefwoorden

Onderwerp trefwoord

Geografische trefwoorden

Naam ontsluitingsterm

Voorwaarden voor raadpleging en gebruik