This collection contains correspondence from the Barnott family, primarily letters to and from Mary A. Barnott, the wife of Edward Barnott. The two of them were early settlers of the Biscayne Bay area in the 1870s, and the family's letters document much of the day-to-day affairs of life in Miami at the turn of the 20th century. They were also close friends with William H. Gleason, the founder of the Biscayne community, and his family, all of whose correspondence with the Barnotts can be found in this collection. Furthermore, the collection contains other archival materials, such as clippings, notes, old checks, and advertisements.
The Finlay B. Matheson collection includes more than 2,411 photographs; 112 maps, surveys, and architectural plans; and 13 books related to William John Matheson and his immediate family. Estate documents and other documents containing historical and biographical information pertaining to the Matheson family and their various business ventures can also be found within this collection, as well as drawings, postcards, and some of the first aerial view photographs of Key Biscayne, Coconut Grove, the Miami River, and the Florida Keys. Florida's landscape during the early 20th century is captured throughout the various albums and scrapbooks and attests to a more leisurely lifestyle before the advent of skyscrapers and multi-lane highways. Furthermore, the collection provides an in-depth glimpse into the burgeoning social life of early inhabitants who gathered at the Biscayne Bay Yacht Club.
