Collections

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The scope of UWF Historic Trust’s collection is very broad and diverse, covering nearly every type of historical material: furniture, costumes and textiles including an impressive collection of quilts; currency, coins and tokens; musical instruments; industrial-business machines and equipment; political and governmental items and documents; civilian and military weapons; hardware and tool; fraternal materials; farming equipment; personal and household items; sawmill machinery and equipment; and large vehicles and rolling stock.

The bulk of the collection resulted from the donation of the T. T. Wentworth, Jr. Collection in 1983. Mr. Wentworth was a former politician and real estate agent who operated a 5,000 square-foot roadside-type museum in Ensley. He was one of the original founders of the local historical society and the Pensacola preservation movement. For nearly 80 years, he actively collected local historical documents and artifacts.

Over the years, the organization has received other large collections including a collection of Coca-Cola collectibles and memorabilia from the former owners of the local bottling plant. In addition, UWF Historic Trust was gifted all the locally-related items which had been exhibited in a privately owned Civil War Soldiers’ Museum. In 2010, the University of West Florida Foundation transferred the Trader Jon Collection of 13,000 naval air related photos, artifacts and documents to our collection. It includes flight suits, uniforms, insignia, and related equipment; fragments of aircraft and ships; model aircraft; flags, posters, plaques and ephemera; documents, art, and photographic images; and miscellaneous furniture.

Adopt an Artifact

The UWF Historic Trust preserves an extensive collection of artifacts and archival materials. Among the thousands of objects are costumes, ceramics, furniture, tools, early electronics, military artifacts, and works of art. The archival collection consists of thousands of photographs, journals, scrapbooks, and documents. Together these irreplaceable objects tell the story of Pensacola. The UWF Historic Trust needs your support. Please donate to our Adopt an Artifact program. By participating in the Adopt an Artifact program, your donations help pay for the care, conservation, and maintenance of artifacts curated by our collections staff. 

Adopt an Artifact today!

Help protect and preserve the history of Northwest Florida for future generations.

Our first artifact for adoption is a circa 1900 Gustav Becker wall clock currently on exhibit in the Dorr House.