The Early Bill Friend Collection (1940-1965) Preservation Project

FAIN: PG-52238-14

Plant City Photo Archives, Inc. (Plant City, FL 33563-5412)
Gilbert Gott (Project Director: May 2013 to September 2015)

The purchase of storage furniture and archival supplies to store the photographic negatives of the Bill Friend Collection, which comprises 53,882 images (seven boxes of almost 50,000 films and approximately 4,000 proofs and prints). Taken between 1940 and 2000, the photographs document community life in East Hillsborough County, Florida. Images of the Florida Strawberry Festival's Grand Parade reveal the political and economic interconnections of Plant City, which was founded by railroad entrepreneur Henry Bradley Plant and is known as the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World. Photos taken by Friend document the entire process of producing strawberries from field to table, as well as the activity of industry leader Southland Frozen Food Corporation.

Plant City Photo Archives, Inc. is requesting support for the purchase of archival storage supplies, shelving furniture, and climate monitors to properly re-house the early Bill Friend Collection 1940-1965. The collection's black-and-white images chronicle the history of a small American community facing the opportunities and challenges of the 20th century. Nationally significant themes in the early Bill Friend Collection include: advances in agriculture and transportation from 1940 to 1965, historic commercial architecture of the 20th century, African American school life during segregation, and small town life during a period of incredible transportation and industrial expansion. Bill Friend's photography preserves the hope and aspirations of a community in an extremely transformative period of social and economic progress. The proposed project implements the recommendations of a 2010 CAP (Conservation Assessment Program) assessment.

Media Coverage

Historic preservation official has productive trip to national conference (Media Coverage)
Author(s): Dave Nicholson
Publication: Tampa Tribune's Plant City Courier
Date: 10/15/2014
Abstract: Gil Gott attended the AASLH conference in St. Paul, Minnesota. At the conference he met with Gaylord representative to purchase supplies for an NEH grant funded project to preserve photographs in the collection.