This past Monday evening, the Florida History & Discovery Center opened the Jerry Wilkinson Research Library to “celebrate his decades of historical preservation contributions, collecting and sharing the history of the Upper Keys.”
The event coincided with Wilkinson’s 90th birthday, and more than 100 friends, neighbors, elected officials and history buffs were in attendance to honor the historian.
“He changed my life and for that I am forever grateful,” said an emotional FKHDC curator Brad Bertelli as he introduced Wilkinson.
Bertelli said the library is a long-term project that “will take years to complete,” but the public and scholars can make appointments to view the materials by calling the FKHDC at (305) 922-2237 or emailing info@keysdiscovery.com.