Sunlit Arches: How William Manly King Shaped South Florida

Winner of the 2026 FAPA Gold Medal in History and the 2026 Sunshine State Award

Architecture tells the story of a place. It reflects the values, ambitions, and circumstances of the people who design it—and those who call it home. In Florida, where rapid growth has often erased historic buildings before their stories could be told, much of that history is too easily lost.

Sunlit Arches: How William Manly King Shaped South Florida brings to light the remarkable career of William Manly King Jr., one of the architects who helped define South Florida in the early twentieth century.

From the optimism of the 1920s land boom through the hardships of the Great Depression and the transformations of the postwar years, King designed for a rapidly changing Florida. His schools, churches, residences, apartment houses, hospitals, and civic buildings served growing communities and gave architectural form to everyday life.

Yet despite the breadth of his work, King was largely overlooked by history. He created more buildings than many of his better-known contemporaries, and his designs helped shape the appearance and character of South Florida for generations.

Drawing on years of original research, historian Janet Naughton presents the first comprehensive study of King’s life and career, combining architectural history with the stories of the people, places, and communities connected to his work. Through surviving buildings, archival discoveries, historic photographs, and forgotten stories, Sunlit Archesrestores an important Florida architect to his rightful place in the historical record.

An award-winning contribution to Florida history:

• 2026 Gold Medal in History — Florida Authors & Publishers Association
• 2026 Sunshine State Award — presented to the Florida-themed book receiving the highest overall score in the competition

More than the story of one architect, Sunlit Arches is a story of South Florida itself—its growth, its communities, its changing aspirations, and the buildings that preserve its past.