Have you ever wondered what Downtown Plant City looked like in the past? Who used to live in that house down the street? When and where did the spring training national baseball league teams play?
Welcome to the Dr. Scotty & Hsiu Huang History Center at Plant City Photo Archives, where you can find answers to many questions about who, what, when, where, why, and how. The History Center is located inside the Photo Archives facility and is open regular hours, Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Also, inside is the main Gallery consisting of photo exhibits, video screens with continuous slideshows, plus tables and chairs for your comfort while enjoying exploring the history of Plant City. Just off the Gallery are accessible restroom facilities and city parking or street-side parking is available nearby.
When the Photo Archives was founded in 2000 it focused on collecting and preserving the photographs that tell the history of Plant City and the surrounding area. We love history and the many photographs, documents, papers, and paraphernalia that tell thousands of history’s stories. We have collected over 100,000 images of photographs and documents to help tell these stories.
Dr. (Shich Cheih) “Scotty” Huang was born in Taiwan in 1935, completed his medical school, training, and residency by 1964 and moved to New York. With his wife, Hsiu Yun Chen, he worked in several states and, with his wife and four sons, settled as the new pediatrician in Plant City in 1972 where he worked with Dr. Hal Brewer. Dr. Scotty and Hsiu Huang served the community and enjoyed their 48 years in Plant City. In those years, the Huangs raised four sons, all of whom graduated with honors from Plant City High School. Dr. Scotty and Hsiu Huang moved to a retirement community in Tallahassee in 2020.
After retiring and preparing to move to Tallahassee, Dr. Huang, who was a regular member of the Photo Archives, decided he wanted to make a special donation to the operations of the Archives and chose to support the History Center which then would be named for him and his wife. As a distinct part of Plant City Photo Archives, Inc., the Dr. Scotty & Hsiu Huang History Center has officially opened under that name and is adding additional resources for patrons interested in researching Plant City’s people, places, and things.
Resources available include:
• history center computer,
• access to newspapers.com,
• scanned images in the Archives extensive collections,
• files on obituaries, cemeteries,
• topical files on persons, places, and things,
• books on Plant City’s and the area’s history,
• City Directories from 1956 to 2000,
• maps,
• binders full of eight-by-ten photos of people, places, and things.
Admission to the History Center is free and knowledgeable staff will be glad to assist you. Additionally, the History Center Library room is available to rent for small group meetings with an eight-foot table and chairs for 8 to 10 individuals.
For information, membership, or donations contact info@plantcityphotoarchives.org or call 813.754.1578.
