Category: Research Assistance

Research Assistance

How We Verify Historical Facts for Patrons

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What was the former name of Henry King Stanford Drive and when was it renamed? This is a real reference question we received recently. I searched the historical publications of the University with the keywords “Henry King Stanford Drive” (*limit the search by selecting “The Exact Phrase”) and was able to spot the April 1980 Veritas article right away.

We like Veritas very much because it is our primary source of information, such as appointments, promotions, and major gifts to the University.

I also knew from my previous experience that the archived telephone directories are a great source to trace such name change as well as to verify organizations’ existence and locations at the University.

The main street of the Coral Gables campus was “Miller Drive” in 1978. Archived telephone directories ( 1977 to 2008 available in our collection) is a great source of information to verify historical facts of the University.

Upon receipt of the answer with the proof in PDFs, the patron, a former student who left the University in the early 1980s, responded that “Thank you very much for taking me back to some of the happiest days of a person’s life namely the University years and in particular the old rustic, bohemian, spacious UM campus and my first digs at Mahoney Hall on MILLER DRIVE.”

Here is an aerial view of the Coral Gables campus in the 1970s. We cannot date the picture exactly, but this must have been the campus the patron described as “rustic, bohemian, and spacious.”

The archived university publications, such as The Miami Hurricane and Veritas are priceless resources for the University community because they allow us to research historical facts about the “U” like never before. We hope the University and Richter administrations will continue investing in digitizing more historical publications and organizational documents so that we can assist the University to celebrate its centennial anniversary in 2025 with research and exhibits.

In the News, Research Assistance

UM’s Historical Image on the Cover of “Preservation Today”!

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The University of Miami’s two most iconic historical images were featured in the inaugural issue of “Preservation Today” published by Date Heritage Trust in May 2017.

We were pleasantly surprised when we saw the cover of the inaugural issue of “Preservation Today,” which was published in May by Dade Heritage Trust. On the cover is the iconic historical image of the University of Miami taken on January 14, 1925 at the groundbreaking ceremony of Solomon G. Merrick Administration Building.

The elegantly dressed dignitaries gathered here are (from left to right) Phineas Paist, architect for Coral Gables; Denman Fink, artist, artistic advisor to George Merrick, and Professor of Architecture and Art at UM ; Frederic Zeigen, Managing Regent of the University of Miami; Myrtle Zeigen; Bertha M. Foster, Regent and first Dean of the School of Music; and Clara Price, wife of Regent Judge Mitchell D. Price.

Also, the feature story of the publication “How to Succeed in Business: Miami’s Oldest Businesses Share their Secrets of Survival” written by Karen Buchsbaum displays the another iconic image of the University “Keep the World Coming to Florida, Build the University of Miami” illustrated by Denman Fink circa 1925. The author contacted the UM’s University Communications for assistance in April, we provided her introduction to UM history and offered her available images on the early days of the university, and she selected the two impressive images for the publication.

The promotional poster “Keep the World Coming to Florida, Build the University of Miami” was illustrated by Denman Fink circa 1925. He was a nationally known artist, artistic advisor to George Merrick, and Professor of Architecture and Art at UM.

This informative and educational publication advocates preservation of architectural, environmental, and cultural heritage of the Miami-Dade County. We look forward to assisting them again in the near future because we think Richter’s distinctive collections (Cuban Heritage Collection, Special Collections, and University Archives) could contribute to their mission by providing research assistance and historical materials.

Research Assistance

Research Assistance for 2016 Ibis Yearbook

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2016 Ibis Yearbook just came out!
2016 Ibis Yearbook just came out!

Have you seen the 2016 Ibis Yearbook just came out? University Archives provided research assistance and historical images for the special tribute to President Foote (pp. 138-143) who passed away in February 2016. Also, our contribution to the University event “First at UM,” which took place in January 2016 to celebrated President Frenk’s inauguration, was mentioned on p. 95.

Thank you for the Ibis editors who researched and wrote stories on President Foote's accomplishments as well as President Frenk's inaugural celebrations!
Thank you for the Ibis editors who researched and wrote stories on President Foote’s accomplishments as well as President Frenk’s inaugural celebrations!
In the News, Research Assistance

American Football in Cuba

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A reporter from the prestigious NCAA magazine “Champion” contacted us last week. She asked us a permission to use our image for their future story about the 50-year history of playing American football in Cuba. Here is the image they wanted to use.

UM vs. University of Havana game was held on November 25, 1926 on CG campus.
UM vs. University of Havana game was held on November 25, 1926 on CG campus.

Unfortunately, we do not have the original item in print in our collection, but I am very hopeful to discover it when we start processing the University of Miami Athletics Collection later this academic year. We will incorporate our existing collections of athletic programs, organizational records, and old video tapes into one comprehensive collection which ranges from the 1920s to the early 2000s.

(Click here for the collection record “University of Miami Athletics Collection”)

I got interested in the subject, searched the Internet, and found the two blog stories below. I am very happy to discover Richter’s Cuban Heritage Collection and Univeristy Archives contributed to the two online publications.

American Football in Cuba: A Brief Introduction
http://cubajournal.co/cuba-50-years-of-playing-american-football/

A visual history of Miami Hurricanes football stadiums: from the Orange Bowl to Miami Gardens

UM’s athletic program has a huge following, so I anticipate that the Athletics Collection will attract lots of sports journalists as well as sports fans when processed.

In the News, Research Assistance

Research Assistance for The Palm Beach Post

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Athletic field and a stadium were part of the main features of the original proposal of the Coral Gables campus in 1925.
Athletic field and a stadium were part of the main features of the original proposal of the Coral Gables campus in 1925.

Earlier this month we provided research assistance for a reporter from The Parm Beach Post. He had already researched our digital collections and found good materials on the early history of the Miami Hurricanes and the unfulfilled football stadium on the Coral Gables campus. I was able to provide additional materials from the Historical Photograph Collection, the Campus Architecture Collection, and the Office of the President Records.

Please go to the link below to read the thorough article on the past stadiums used the Miami Hurricanes as well as their new home in the blog story below.

A visual history of Miami Hurricanes football stadiums: from the Orange Bowl to Miami Gardens