Cedar Key Museum State Park is home to remarkable collections bequeathed by the fascinating figure, St. Clair Whitman.

Arriving in Cedar Key as a young boy in the late 1800s, St. Clair Whitman played integral roles in the town’s cedar pencil mill and fiber factory industries. Notable for his vast personal assortments of seashells and Native American artifacts, Whitman showcased them to the public and tourists in his residence’s front room. In 1955, National Geographic magazine showcased Mr. Whitman and his collections.

After Whitman’s passing in 1959, his collections were given to the University of Florida’s Florida Museum of Natural History, with the condition that they be exhibited in a Cedar Key museum.

In 1962, the St. Clair Whitman Museum opened, now housing a plaque marking its inauguration in the entrance hall alongside displays highlighting Whitman’s life.

Later renamed Cedar Key Museum State Park, in 1991, Whitman’s family donated his home—Cedar Key’s inaugural museum built in 1880.

After restoration, the house is now accessible to the public, offering a glimpse into 1920s Cedar Key life.