With 50 years of historical expertise and a storyteller’s heart, Boca Raton Historical Society curator Susan Gillis unravels the myths, mapmaker’s errors, and grand dreams behind the city’s iconic Camino Real.
Susan Gillis has spent more than five decades bringing history to life, and as curator of the Boca Raton Historical Society since 2002 and author of nine books on local history, few people know this city’s story better. In this talk, she traces her own winding path into museum curation before diving into the origin of Camino Real, Boca Raton’s most iconic street. From Addison Mizner’s 1920s vision of a grand canal boulevard to the beloved local legend of gondola rides that never actually existed, Susan uses archival photographs and her signature wit to separate myth from reality. She closes with an invitation to all of us: dig into the history of your own community, because knowing where you’ve been is how you understand where you’re going.
About the speaker
Susan Gillis is a lifelong steward of history whose work has helped preserve and shape the cultural story of Boca Raton and beyond. With more than 50 years in the field, she has served as a museum curator, local historian, and trusted consultant to historical organizations, including tenures with the Colorado Historical Society and the Fort Lauderdale Historical Society.
Since 2002, Susan has been the curator of the Boca Raton Historical Society, where her passion for storytelling and preservation continues to bring the city’s past vividly to life. She is the author of nine books on local history, including the 2025 photographic retrospective Dream City: A Pictorial History of Boca Raton, and is widely recognized for her contributions to historical scholarship. Her honors include the prestigious Award of Merit from the American Association of State and Local History, along with numerous local accolades celebrating her publications and lifelong dedication to preserving community heritage.
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How do we know where we're going if we don't know where we've been?
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Hosted by
The Schmidt Boca Raton History Museum
71 North Federal Highway
Boca Raton, Florida United States 33432
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