Cory McDonald Collection--500 photographs of Key West, ca. 1903-2005

Collection Number: N2006- 4
Creator: McDonald, Cory.
Title: Key West photographic collection, ca. 1903-2005.
Quantity: 500 photographs (color and b&w)

Description: This collection contains color and black-and-white photographs, negatives, and slides taken in and around the Key West area, including aerials; public figures such as Presidents John F. Kennedy and Harry S. Truman and concert pianist Yehuda Guttman; military boats and planes; and hurricane damage.

Historical Note: Cory McDonald was born in Key West, Florida on March 30, 1946 and lived there most of his life. He lived in Guantanamo Bay for a year, and currently resides in Gainesville. He worked for the federal government for over 35 years and retired in 2001. He worked in the Key West Naval Air Station photo lab for over 8 years taking photos, shooting movies, and printing black and white and color photos.

Cory McDonald became interested in photography at a young age and bought his first camera when he was in the 4th grade. He developed his first photo a few years later as a Boy Scout at Camp Sebring, Florida in the late 1950s. He started doing serious photography in high school, and shortly after graduating he started photographing weddings. Around that time he also started taking flying lessons and then became involved in aerial photography. He worked for the Key West Citizen newspaper for a short time in the late 1960s as the social photographer and still holds the unofficial record of having more photos in one daily issue than anyone else (54 photos).