The Elizabeth Eaton Florida History Collection was created by a trust provision in the will of local philanthropist Elizabeth M. Eaton. This collection showcases Florida’s history and culture, and includes local and state history materials such as books, city directories, local yearbooks, newspapers on microfilm, and more.
This collection is housed at the Central Library and is browsable by the public without an appointment. Items used in-house at the Central Library but are not available to be checked out. Pages can be scanned or copied for research purposes. A book scanner is available at the Archive Lab for walk-ins or by appointment. The Eaton Collection also contains some uncatalogued ephemera. For assistance or questions about this collection, please email or call 941-748-4444 ext. 6310.
City directories of Manatee County dating back to 1897
Yearbooks from local high schools and private schools, dating back to the 1910s
Federal census records of Florida on microfilm dating back to 1830
Soundex indexes and later state census statistics and microfilm
Local newspapers on microfilm
Historical maps and aerial photos
Files containing clippings, programs, and other ephemera
Transcribed oral interviews and speeches from the Manatee County Historical Society
Books on local and Florida history
Bound journals and magazines including The Florida Historical Quarterly, Sarasota Magazine, Florida Monthly, Florida Trend, and more.
State of Florida and Manatee County government documents
Florida Statistical Abstracts
The Elizabeth Eaton Florida History Collection is a popular resource among residents looking for information on their family or property's history. Key resources for property research in the Eaton Collection include city directories, criss-cross directories, maps, aerial images, and newspaper on microfilm. Appointments are recommended for assistance with a property or topical research inquiry. Please email or call 941-748-4444 ext. 6310.
For additional property records, including deeds and tax rolls, contact the Manatee County Clerk of Court's Historical Records Library.
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The homepage features collections such as Historic Images; Historic Interviews, Speeches & Miscellany (documents); Historic Maps; and Postcards. Each collection can be browsed and searched individually. There is an option to browse all collections at the top of the page under “Browse All,” as well as a search bar.
When using the search function, you can limit your search by collection, as well as by date, creator, and subject. You can narrow your search results by typing an additional term into the search bar and selecting “within results” from the drop-down menu. You will also see the option for a “new search” on that menu.
Click on the image or document you would like to view. In the upper right-hand corner you will find the option to download the image at various sizes as well as print. In the center above the image, you will find a zoom in/out function, full-screen option, and rotate buttons.
At the bottom of the image, you will find information listed under “Object Description,” such as the creator of the image and year it was published.
Neighborhood Histories is a web portal within the Manatee County Public Library Historical Digital Collections which provides histories of various communities in Manatee County.
This web portal highlights the history of many of Manatee County’s oldest and largest communities. It is a great starting point for residents old and new to learn about their neighborhood, as well as visitors to the area.
