The purpose of the Winter Park History and Archives Collection is to acquire, preserve, and make available
information about or by the City of Winter Park and its residents
Dr. Rhea Marsh Smith and Dorothy Lockhart Smith were active, involved members of the Winter Park community.
Their commitment and dedication to this city spanned six decades.
Rhea Marsh Smith was a professor of History at Rollins College for many years.
Invited to join the faculty in 1930, he specialized in Hispanic-American History.
He retired in 1972, but remained committed to the cultural and intellectual life of Winter Park.
Dorothy Lockhart grew up with the arts in Baltimore and Philadelphia.
She traveled, studied music and theater, and did some acting in the U.S. and Great Britain.
In 1932, Dorothy Lockhart came to Winter Park to visit her friend, fellow actress Annie Russell.
While here, she assisted Miss Russell with the opening of the Annie Russell Theater,
which had recently been built on the campus of Rollins College.
She had intended to stay for three weeks, but within three days of her arrival,
she was introduced to Professor Rhea Marsh Smith.
They were married that same year.
Dorothy Lockhart Smith continued to support the arts throughout her lifetime.
Dorothy Lockhart Smith died in 1985.
Dr. Rhea Marsh Smith died in 1991.
In 1992, the library received a significant bequest from the estate of Dr. Rhea Marsh Smith,
to be used to support the Winter Park History and Archives Collection.
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