Walter P. Fuller papers
Scope and Contents
Materials consist of correspondence, manuscripts, newspaper clippings, and photographs. The collection relates primarily to Fuller's activities as a real estate developer during and after the Florida land boom. Subjects covered include farming, fish, Florida natural history, Florida population and economy, geology, hurricanes, the New Deal, and real estate in Cuba, Levy County, Melbourne, Ocala and Sarasota County.
Dates
- Created: 1800-1973
- Other: Majority of material found in 1918-1973
- Other: Date acquired: 00/00/1987
Creator
Conditions Governing Access
None. The contents of this collection may be subject to copyright. Visit the United States Copyright Office's website at http://www.copyright.gov/for more information.
Biographical or Historical Information
A prominent St. Petersburg realtor, historian, and politician, Walter Pliny Fuller was born on April 6, 1894 in Bradenton, Florida. His real estate career began during childhood, when he purchased several lots from his father using money earned from various jobs outside of his eighth grade classroom. While making payments on these lots, Fuller improved them and sold them at a considerable profit. He graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1915, becoming St. Petersburg High School’s first paid football coach. He went on to become a licensed real estate broker and was responsible for managing his father’s real estate empire. For two years, Fuller worked as an editor for the St. Petersburg Times and the Manatee River Journal. Between 1925 and 1926, he opened the Jungle Prada shopping center, the Jungle Country Club Hotel, and the Piper-Fuller Flying Field, the city of St. Petersburg’s first airfield. With the end of the economic boom in 1926, Walter Fuller lost much of his fortune. He became a supporter of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidential campaign in 1936 before going on to serve a two-year term in the Florida legislature. In 1940, Fuller ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the Senate, and three years later, became the chief clerk of Florida’s House of Representatives. He authored numerous publications, including St. Petersburg and its People (1972), This was Florida’s Boom (1954), and History of Florida Cavalcade: Six Lectures (1965). Fuller died in 1973 at the age of seventy-nine.
Hartzell, Scott. Remembering St. Petersburg, Florida : Sunshine City Stories . Charleston, SC: History Press, 2006. Print.
Note written by Jean McAllister, 2011
Extent
19.64 Linear Feet
42 boxes
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement Note
Collection is arranged alphabetically by series. Boxes within each series are also alphabetically arranged.
Source of Acquisition
Donation
Method of Acquisition
Fuller Family
Other Descriptive Information
published
Processing Information
Complete
- Florida -- History Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Pinellas County (Fla.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Real estate development Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Real property -- Florida Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Title
- Archon Finding Aid Title
- Author
- Jean McAllister and Joe Tamargo, 2011
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- eng
Repository Details
Part of the USF Libraries - Special Collections Repository
4202 East Fowler Ave.
LIB122
Tampa FL 33620-5400 US
813-974-2731