
Martha Munzer
Martha Munzer (1899-1999), the first woman to earn an electrochemical engineering degree from M.I.T., became an author later in life. After a career of teaching high school chemistry, she authored her first book at age 52 and eventually published 11 non-fiction books about conservation, ecology, and the history of her adopted hometown of Lauderdale-By-The-Sea.
Local History Book
Lauderdale-By-The-Sea was Munzer’s tenth book. Additional information about the town’s history can be found at the Broward County Library.

A focal point of Munzer’s book is the popular “boatless fishing” at Anglin’s Ocean Fishing Pier (2 Commercial Boulevard). The City Hall website, lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov, speaks to the appeal of the pier, which was built in 1941, and describes the town as the “Beach Diving Capital of South Florida.”
Lauderdale-By-The-Sea
Today, Lauderdale-By-The-Sea is a popular but small beach town for vacationers of all ages. Clean and friendly, it offers a long shoreline, ample sand, the historic pier, a recreation park, several metered parking lots, public restrooms near the city hall across from the beach, casual restaurants, and shops. Swimming may be restricted due to sea turtle nests in the area.
According to visitflorida.com, “Once you arrive in this coastal community of 6,000 residents, it’s a short walk just about anywhere: to the beach, to Anglin’s Pier, or to the numerous shops and restaurants lining Commercial Blvd from Anglin’s Square, the town’s quaint oceanfront district, to the Intracoastal. There’s plenty to do: walk along the Town’s Blue Wave beaches, fish off the pier, go paddle boarding, or dive or snorkel on the coral reef located within 100 yards of the beach- we are Florida’s Beach Diving Capital.”
This is the first stop on Florida Author Adventures Trail #2.
Patricia Smart
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