The city of Boca Raton recently transferred a significant archive of historical maps and photographs to the Boca Raton Historical Society to ensure their safekeeping and preservation.
The maps and photographs have been scanned and added to the city’s database.
The actual documents, which include original “linens” with hand-drawn ink maps, will be kept under archival storage conditions by trained professional staff at the Historical Society’s museum in Town Hall.
The “linens” would have been used as a master to produce “blueprint” copies; today modern technology has eliminated their use.
Besides the maps, some with a market value of as much as $1,000 each, the city has provided a copy of the scans for the Historical Society’s use. The scans themselves are of great value, as city staff has access to high quality large format scanners; the BRHS would otherwise have to pay a large sum to scan these oversized artifacts.
Among the items are a circa-1938 property map showing the Spanish River Land Co. holdings (now the Boca Raton Resort & Club), a 1941 zoning map that shows the footprint of every structure in the then town limits (not many), and miscellaneous high quality aerial images.
The transfer of this collection was made possible by Historical Society member and long time city employee Dick Randall, former mapping and design administrator for planning and zoning. Randall recommended the scanning and transfer of this collection to eliminate the need for the constant handling of the fragile original items and to ensure their long-term preservation. “These maps document the amazing growth of our community and will be a significant resource for individual researchers and scholars in the years to come,” Randall said.
Mayor Susan Whelchel agrees, “They belong at the Historical Society; what better place for them?”
— Staff Report
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