The mission and/or main activities that contribute to being culturally significant:
The Wilton Manors Historical Society is culturally significant because it safeguards the city’s collective memory—and makes it usable. As a 501(c)(3) rooted in the Island City, WMHS maintains an expanding Research Library and “mini-archives” that digitize photos, papers, and oral/video histories from Colohatchee/Wilton Manors and neighboring communities, while curating presentations and exhibits that bring this history into schools, civic spaces, and public celebrations (including the city’s 75th anniversary). Beyond archiving, the Society actively advances preservation—documenting historic structures, collaborating with regional institutions like the Ft. Lauderdale History Center and Stonewall Library and Archives, and serving as a voting member of the city’s Historic Preservation Board. The result is a living resource that protects place-based identity and keeps Wilton Manors’ story accessible to residents, researchers, and visitors alike.
