Our Florida, Our History

Celebrating Women’s National History Month

We are highlighting Local Women from our postcard collection:

Meet Ms. Clara Hagins, she moved to Tampa in 1947.

She retired as a woman of means with rental houses and upgrading her own

home with a covered carport. She passes away at her Fern street Home 86

years old.

Clara Hagins started her career as a secretary and photographer at the William

McKenzie Morrison portrait studio in Chicago. Located in a working theater

specializing in actor portraits. She and another employee purchased business

.Not only was she a female business owner she also was active in the Women's

Federation of the Photographers' Association of America. She served as first

vice president in the federation's executive board in 1914 and 1915, working

with other professional women photographers such as Maybelle Goodlander

and the Gerhard Sisters. Clara managed "the Circle", the federation's traveling

collection of woman members' work.

Note: She was friends with Kate (Mrs. P.P. Woods) had numerous postcard correspondence as well as Kate’s Holiday Post

Cards on display at the museum.