Estabrooks Wildflower Illustration Collection

Collection

Identifier: MSS 400

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection contains hand-drawn and colored illustrations of wildflowers found in Florida. All illustrations were recorded on an index listing their scientific name and common name during the time the illustrations were created, which would be pre-1948. As of 2025, when collection was fully processed, Volume 1 is missing from collection therefor not relected.

Dates

Creation: 1900s

Biographical / Historical

Artist, Grace Ellis (Twombly) Estabrooks was born July 12, 1988, in Massachusetts. She married Dr. John Wesley Estabrooks in 1919. They had one daughter, Hilda Estabrooks White (1903-2002). The Estabrooks family would spend most of their winters in Sarasota as early as 1937. Mrs. Estabrooks was a member of the Sarasota Art Association. She would attend several sketch classes offered by the Sarasota Art Association. Mrs. Estabrooks died on August 26, 1944.

In collaboration with retired physician and botanist, Dr. Anne Perkins (1873-1961), Mrs. Estabrooks created and exhibited a collection of wildflowers sketches that grew in Florida. Dr. Perkins collected and identified the specimens that Mrs. Estabrooks would sketch. Dr. Perkins began her career as a physician, graduating from the Boston University School of Medicine. She worked in the medical field, specifically in homeopathic medicine, until her retirement in 1932. Her focused shifted to botany after her retirement and did extensive botanical field work in Florida. The paintings were first exhibited at the Chidsey Library in 1943 and later donated to the library in 1948 by Dr. Estabrooks.

Extent

.25 Cubic Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Physical Location

This collection is stored offsite in a remote storage facility. Materials from the collection can be brought to the Sarasota County History Center for viewing upon request. Please contact the Sarasota County History Center by phone at 941-861-6090 or by email at historycenter@scgov.net at least three business days before your visit to ensure the material will be available when you arrive.

General

The Sarasota County History Center collects historical records and publications that were created over a broad span of time by a wide variety of individuals and groups. Some of the content in these collections may contain language or imagery that today would be considered negative, inappropriate or offensive. The contents of these historical collections do not necessarily reflect the views, beliefs or policies of the History Center, the Department of Libraries and Historical Resources or Sarasota County Government. These materials are made available to the public strictly for research and educational purposes.