The USF Libraries Digital Collections and Special Collections are proud to announce that The Lue Gim Gong Collection is now fully digitized and online. This popular collection has been cited extensively in local history publications and sheds light on issues related to immigration and Florida’s environmental history.
Lue (August 24, 1857 – June 3, 1925), a Chinese American immigrant, was an inspirational horticulturist celebrated in the citrus industry for developing a cold-resistant orange, among many other accomplishments.
The collection primarily consists of photographs of Lue Gim Gong with the Burlingame family, the citrus grove in DeLand, and the many visitors who came to the family home. Also includes newspaper clippings, legal papers, and a Bible study journal.
Prof. Wenxian Zhang of Rollins College Archives & Special Collections provides a detailed look at Lue Gim Gong’s pioneering life. View the post, here.