Browse Items · Martin Digital History

Wreckage of first Stuart library after hurricane, 1933

Automobile parked in front of the Woman's Club (originally Christian Endeavor Hall) after it was destroyed by a hurricane in 1933. Low quality print.

Tags Automobiles, Buildings, Disasters, Hurricane damage

Damage after hurricane, 1933

Photograph published in A History of the Martin County Library System, by Luann Justak and Nina Taylor with caption reading "People viewing the damage after the hurricane of 1933 destroyed the Woman's Club and the library collection." The Woman's Club (originally Christian Endeavor Hall) was destroyed during the 1933 hurricane after the top floor of the Matheson Furniture Store crashed into the building, also destroying the library collection. A new building was rebuilt at the same location for the Woman's Club and library, using federal funds from the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in 1934. Low quality print.

Tags Buildings, Disasters, Hurricane damage, Libraries

Fire at freight depot, 1933

A fire broke out at the FEC freight depot in Stuart on Monday, July 10, 1933. The fire was accelerated and made harder to extinguish because flammable building materials for the St. Lucie River (Roosevelt) Bridge were being stored at the depot. The fire also led to delays in the bridge's construction. The cause of the fire was never determined.

Tags Buildings, Fires, Railroad stations, Smoke

Christian Endeavor Hall, c. 1910

Photograph of postcard. Christian Endeavor Hall was purchased by the Stuart Woman's Club as meeting space and library. It was destroyed in the 1933 hurricane.

Tags Buildings, Churches, Historic sites, Libraries

Mary Lolene Stokes, 1961

Studio portrait of Mary Lolene Stokes. In addition to many other civic and philanthropic endeavors, Lolene Stokes played a large role in the development of the Martin County Public Library system and Martin Memorial Hospital.

Blake Library, 1999

Postcard for the Blake Library, dedicated on January 9, 1999.

Tags Buildings, Libraries, Public libraries

Mary Lolene Stokes, 1961

Studio portrait of Mary Lolene Stokes. In addition to many other civic and philanthropic endeavors, Lolene Stokes played a large role in the development of the Martin County Public Library system and Martin Memorial Hospital.

Ora Dell Landers at the Stuart Training School library, 1958

Ora Dell Landers, librarian at the Stuart Training School, accepting books from county librarian Robert Hamilton. Also in photo are Virginia Forrest and Ira Williams (president of the library board of trustees). Published in the Stuart News (16 January 1958) with the caption: "Robert Hamilton, librarian of the Martin County Library, presents the first book to Miss Ora Dell Hamilton, librarian of th eSTuart Training School Library, who will be branch librarian, as Mrs. j. Osborne Murray, Mrs. Gordon Lockwood, Thomas Crook, Richard Hupfel, Mrs. F.B. Williamson Jr., and Dr. W. Ira Williamson, others, look on."

Tags African Americans, Librarians, Libraries