The Matecumbe Historical Trust Corp. is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization dedicated to the education, history and preservation of the Florida Keys.  Our founder Mr. Irving Eyster has been our local and keys historian for over 60 years collecting artifacts, memorabilia and photos.

To preserve the history of the Florida Keys, our goal is to build the Irving R. Eyster Florida Keys History Museum.  The museum will include history from entire Florida Keys.

The museum will serve residents and visitors alike as a center for education and research. Exhibits and guides will graphically illuminate the archaeology and history of the Florida Keys and its collection of artifact, books, documents, photographs and memorabilia which will provide the source material essential for the present and future understanding of the keys. The museum will also offer public lectures, scholarly seminars, discussions and other similar activities organized to increase appreciation of the Florida Keys and their history. Beginning with the geological development of the islands, the museum’s collections and exhibits will reveal the archeological and the historical record of the past along with the critical events that have shaped the modern communities now thriving on the islands. The Irving R. Eyster Florida Keys History Museum is intended to be a cultural center that will feature the historical past and chart the future growth and meaning of the Florida Keys.

The Matecumbe Historical Trust needs anyone interested in helping develop this meaningful project.  Anyone wishing to make a tax deductable donation, volunteer or who would like more information, please contact us at the Matecumbe Historical Trust, PO Box 1175, Islamorada, Fl 33036 or call Barbara Edgar at 305-393-0940. 

e-mail [email protected]

“The past belongs to the future, but only the present can preserve it.” - Irving Eyster