Images of America

Flowing 75 miles from Florida's Lake Okeechobee to the Gulf of Mexico, historic Caloosahatchee River has always been critically important to the region it traverses.

As it makes its way past farm fields, quiet hamlets, and urban downtowns, manatees graze in its warm shallows, bass lurk in its shaded oxbows, and alligators sun on its banks. Over the years, the river has attracted luminaries as well as colorful characters. Thomas Edison had a Caloosahatchee riverfront home, as did Henry Ford and telegrapher George Shulz, who created Florida's tarpon-fishing industry. Without the Caloosahatchee, the Southwest Florida that people know today would not exist. Without people, however, the river known as the Caloosahatchee would not exist either, since it was human effort and engineering that connected the river to the lake and made it navigable--changes that sometimes spelled disaster.

For most people in Southwest Florida, the name Buckingham is just one more dot on a map--a rural area east of U.S. Interstate 75. But for a few years, it was so much more. Starting in 1942, it was the site of the Buckingham Army Air Field--home to some 16,000 men and women supporting the United States' World War II efforts. Airplanes roared in the skies over Lee County and reflected off the azure waters of the Gulf of Mexico as tens of thousands of young men trained as aerial gunners. Learning to target and bring down enemy aircraft with their guns was critical to America's success in both the European and Pacific theaters. On the ground, trucks rumbled across the mammoth base, soldiers marched in review under the hot Florida sun, and an entire town sprang up on what was once swampland. Barracks were built, along with stores, nightclubs, churches, and even a hospital with its own baby ward. Today the memories of Buckingham Army Air Field can be found hiding in plain sight, including a working airport that was once the heart of the base.

Beginning with the Timucuan Indians around 2000 BC, life along the Indian River in Oak Hill has always been simple. The natural beauty and pristine environment that drew Oak Hill's first inhabitants to the area still abounds, and the waterfront lined with large oak trees continues to inspire a feeling of serenity and relaxation. The first Florida pioneers settled in Oak Hill around 1870 and were drawn by the treasures of a diverse ecosystem of marshland, cypress hammock, and timber pine forest. These first settlers harvested the natural resources of timber, turpentine, and salt, followed by citrus groves and a thriving fishing industry. The selected photographs in this book, many appearing courtesy of local families, document the lives and times of Floridians who chose to call Oak Hill home.

On May 22, 1931, the American National Red Cross issued its second charter for a life preserving organization to the Daytona Beach Red Cross Life Saving Corps. Composed of 30 young men aged 17 to 26 and trained in lifesaving and first aid, this volunteer corps protected 3 miles of beach, compiling daily records of the number of bathers, weather, first aid, and rescues. The neighboring communities of Ormond Beach and New Smyrna Beach maintained their own lifesaving units, and Volusia County monitored the remaining coastline. By 1972, these four corps had united, and the Volusia County Beach Patrol became one of the nation's most highly trained surf lifesaving rescue units. Protecting 47 continuous miles of Atlantic coastline, which holds the dubious honor of the shark bite capital of the world, the Volusia County Beach Patrol welcomes 10 million visitors and performs an average of 3,000 rescues annually.

Mystery surrounds the origins of Orlando's name, but the most probable explanation for its moniker dates back to the exploits of Orlando Reeves. While guarding Central Florida forts against Native American attacks, Reeves was alarmed in the middle of the night. A log rolled toward Reeves in the darkness, and he knew it disguised movement by an opponent. After firing his gun to awaken his fellow soldiers, he was bombarded by arrows, which resulted in his death. Orlando's name was bestowed upon a local post office in 1857 and then on the city incorporated in 1875. Just like the brave solider for whom the city was named, firefighters of Orlando boldly risk their lives for the welfare of others. This volume commemorates those men and women and traces a rich history from 1883, when a devastating fire inspired William C. Sherman to start a volunteer fire company, to today.

Originally just a thoroughfare connecting St. Petersburg with Pass-a-Grille, the area on St. Petersburg Beach immediately south of the Corey Causeway would, in time, become a destination of its own. As Florida recovered from the Great Depression, real estate developers the Upham Company carefully turned a swampy and mosquito-infested property into a successful commercial district, eventually to be called St. Pete Beach's Downtown. Over the years, many businesses would come and go, but several of the earliest continue into the 21st century, and the offices of the largest municipality on Pinellas County's barrier islands are now located there.

When the first "Iron Horse" arrived in Southwest Florida--at Charlotte Harbor in 1886--nearly 150,000 miles of railroads already existed in America, the transcontinental route was open, and Pullman sleeping cars were in wide use. But despite a late start, railroads forever transformed this beautiful region of the Sunshine State and connected its people to the outside world. In Railroads of Southwest Florida, the golden age of railroading
is documented with captivating images of stations, machines, and the people whose lives were affected by this significant form of transportation. From interior views of well-furnished passenger cars to scenes of hardworking men who made it all possible, this collection provides a thorough look at a fascinating, almost forgotten heritage.

New Smyrna Beach is a lovely slip of island off Central Florida's east coast, an inlet below the bustle of Daytona and worlds away. Legend tells us Ponce de Leon landed here before sailing to St. Augustine to found North America's oldest city. Bordered on the west by the Indian River and Mosquito Lagoon, the south by Cape Canaveral, the north by the notorious inlet of Crane's The Open Boat, and the east by the Atlantic, New Smyrna is paradise found. The town has fostered more world-class surfers than any other on earth. Here surfing is not a sport, hobby, or pastime. Surfing is a way of life with its own rules, language, culture, and customs. Open these pages to meet the pioneers and the professionals, the grommets, and maybe a kook or two.

In the 1840s, pioneers settled on the picturesque lands surrounding the Alafia River. With glistening waters that gave life to plush foliage and citrus trees gracing its banks, the Alafia stretched westward before flowing into the Gulf of Mexico. Forty years later, phosphate was discovered in the Bone Valley area, and miners began arriving in what is now Mulberry, Florida. The industrial activity of the town encouraged economic growth and soon demanded the need for a railroad to accommodate Mulberry's expanding lumber and mining trade. In 1901, the town was officially incorporated, bringing a respected identity and well-deserved peace to the people of the area. Named for a lone tree that served as a local mail drop, the town of Mulberry was born.

From Swamp to Paradise, this book recounts the history of the City of Palm Coast using vintage images and illustrations.

What is paradise? Before 1969, land that would eventually become the City of Palm Coast was considered by some as nothing more than a ""big pine-covered swamp."" But when the corporate eyes of ITT/Levitt and Sons looked upon the virtually uninhabited land, they saw 22,000 acres of golf courses, marinas, oceanfront motels, scenic drives, and house lots awaiting the arrival of sun-seeking ""pioneers."" Marketing strategies targeting urban residents in the North and Midwest offered slices of land cut out of miles of forest, and soon a 500-mile infrastructure of roads, utilities, and sewer lines bound Palm Coast to a future that included becoming the largest planned unit development in Florida history.

Considered one of the world's most beautiful beaches for its sugar white sand and emerald blue-green waters, Panama City Beach has, until recently, remained one of Florida's undiscovered treasures.

First documented by Spanish explorers in the 1500s and later by the English, the region remained unsettled because of its inaccessibility and marauding renegade inhabitants. At a time when property was valued according to the crops it could grow, the beach was dismissed as a ""no man's land"" unsuitable for habitation. The early 1930s and the Hathaway Bridge, connecting Panama City Beach to the mainland, marked its ""discovery"" and the beginning of area tourism.

First discovered by the American tourist in the mid-1800s, Orlando and the surrounding towns soon began to feel the impact of the newcomers, their wealth, ideas, and lifestyles. Extending pleasant winter vacations to year-round residences, these new inhabitants were drawn by the warm climate and the attractions offered in the burgeoning Central Florida region. Along with the hardy pioneers who had carved their home out of the Florida wilderness, they began to build a thriving community in Orange County. In this pictorial retrospective, over 200 historic images trace the county's improving transportation; the creation of Clay Springs, Florida's first amusement park; the development of the early citrus industry; and the exciting boom years of advancement in aviation. Flashy and unusual advertisements plugged "fun in the sun" and lured visitors and developers to the region. Touting the beauty and charm of Central Florida, these vintage images captured street scenes, local architecture, and industry and preserved the unique history of the area for posterity. Compiled here, they tell the singular story of Orange County. Spanning the period from the late 1800s to the arrival of Disney in the late 1960s, this volume features photographs from the archives of the Historical Society of Central Florida. Showcasing citrus growing and celebrations, early tourism and aviation, Orlando and Orange County pays tribute, in word and image, to the indomitable spirit of the men and women who made the region home. Readers of all ages are sure to enjoy this fascinating journey through the early years of Orlando and Orange County.

College Park has the look and feel of small-town America, with its central business district and tree-lined residential streets, schools and churches, and strong sense of community. College Park, though, was never a town; it developed as a neighborhood within the city of Orlando. The name originated not with a college but instead with a developer, who gave the streets in his new subdivision college names in 1921. In 1925, another developer named the first of several subdivisions College Park. The name caught on and became official with the naming of the College Park Post Office in 1954. Images of America: College Park commemorates 90 years of its history and community. From the 19th-century citrus groves, to new subdivisions in the 1920s, to tract housing in the 1940s and 1950s, College Park evolved as a desirable place for families.

Auburndale was carved out of the central Florida wilderness in 1884 when the South Florida Railroad selected the location to build a depot. Surrounded by clear, sand-bottomed lakes, the site was located almost equally between the ocean and gulf and was 14 miles from Bartow, the county seat. The new depot was named after Auburndale, Massachusetts, which was the hometown of one of the owners. When completed, the depot was the only building in sight. Settlers quickly realized the advantage of being close to the railroad, and by 1889 Auburndale had 30 homes and a population of 270. One church, seven stores, a livery stable, two hotels, and a sawmill lined the sandy streets. The young community survived fires that destroyed Main Street twice, a tornado that demolished their schools, and devastating freezes that killed citrus trees.

African Americans of Sanford have served in the building of this great nation since their participation in the three Seminole Wars. They were a large part of the labor force that earned Sanford the distinction of "Celery Capital of the World." The residents of Sanford and its surrounding communities of Goldsboro, Georgetown, Bookertown, and Midway/Canaan work tirelessly to nurture and protect their families. Their stories are a vital ingredient in Sanford's folklife performance, "Celery Soup." Crooms Academy gave service to African Americans in the area from its founding in 1926 until integration in the late 1960s and was the central force in connecting local communities. Its graduates have entered education, law, medicine, politics, engineering, entertainment, and other specialized areas. African Americans of Sanford recognizes and applauds those who have helped to preserve Sanford's history as well as those who have participated in making it.

Spanish explorers arrived in Tampa Bay in the 16th century.

Jews were first allowed to live in Florida in 1763 and less than 100 years later, Tampa became a city. The arrival of the railroad and the cigar industry in the 1890s attracted immigrants. Many were Jews, who helped propel growth, especially in Ybor City, where they owned more than 80 businesses. Over the decades, Jews participated in civic and Jewish organizations, the military, politics, and in developing Tampa as a sports center. Today, with about 23,000 Jews in Tampa, there are fifth-generation residents who represent the continuity of a people who contribute vibrancy to every area of the community.

Anna Maria Island was once inhabited by Native Americans, but as the beauty became known to its first homesteader, George L. Bean, the island's destiny was to be a beacon to paradise.

In spite of mangrove forests and throngs of mosquitoes, people came by boat to enjoy the white sand beaches and the turquoise waters of the Gulf of Mexico, with their cool onshore breezes and blazing sunsets. The Islander newspaper of the 1950s heralded, "Where life is good and the fishing is great." Anglers came from afar to test their skills against tarpon, the world's greatest game fish, and to hunt goliath grouper in the depths of Tampa Bay. Two modern bridges connected the island to the mainland in 1957, and with that the seven-mile-long island was on its way to becoming the jewel of Manatee County.

This pictorial history of Lake Okeechobee illustrates the people, places, and events that have shaped the area's cultural and natural history.

From the Calusa Indians to the travelers who used boats for transport in the early 1900s and up to the prosperous farms and cattle ranches of today, the Everglades has evolved into a mecca for fishing, birding, and hiking. The smell of orange blossoms entices the settler to an untamed land where bears, deer, and snakes still inhabit the wilderness and where alligator hunting and fishing are still popular sports. Lake Okeechobee is 110 miles around from Pahokee to Canal Point, Okeechobee, Lakeport, Moore Haven, Clewiston, South Bay, and Belle Glade. To cross Florida from the Atlantic to the Gulf, a boat starts in Stuart and ends at Port Mayaca, crossing Lake Okeechobee to the Moore Haven lock and out the Caloosahatchee River past Lake Hicpochee and west to Fort Myers. Around Lake Okeechobee presents images from the Clewiston Museum, Lawrence E. Will Museum, state archives, and private collections, painting a history of the boom and bust, the boaters and farmers, and the cattlemen and ranchers who have settled and raised their families here.

The Ocala National Forest, founded on November 24, 1908, by Pres. Theodore Roosevelt, is the oldest national forest in the eastern continental United States.

The forest is one of Central Florida's last remaining expanses of forested lands with magnificent palms, towering live oaks, and the largest sand pine scrub population in the world, as well as containing a number of major natural springs, including Salt Springs, Silver Glen, Alexander, and Juniper Run. In addition to wilderness areas for visitors seeking simplicity and solitude, the forest has visitor centers, nature trails, and a section of the Florida Trail.Images of America: Ocala National Forestis filled with fascinating stories and exciting facts on the history of the steamboats, logging, trails, movie sets, Cracker cowboys, modern conservation efforts, and more.

Boynton Beach, located on South Florida's Atlantic coast, is known as the "Gateway to the Gulf Stream." Ernest Hemingway once called these great ocean currents the last wild country left. Fishermen who study navigational charts understand that Boynton Beach is unique as the closest community to the Gulf Stream. Just minutes from the Boynton Inlet, water reaches a depth of 800 feet. Maj. Nathan Boynton came to the area in 1894, built a hotel, and envisioned a prosperous future for the idyllic village. Today Boynton Beach celebrates its diverse population, ideal location, and a rich and fascinating history that includes Henry Flagler's railroad, land booms, hurricanes, shipwrecks, and steadfast farmers.

Known as the "Winter Capital of Harness Racing," Pompano Park has provided the only nighttime standardbred harness competition in Florida since its 1964 inaugural season. Prominent Kentucky horseman Frederick Van Lennep and his wife, Frances Dodge Van Lennep, built a $5.5-million track on the property of a failed 1926 thoroughbred track in Pompano Beach. Pompano Park has since hosted leading trainers, drivers, and champion horses, including Hall of Famers Stanley Dancer, Bill Haughton, and Delvin Miller and current leading drivers Bruce Ranger and Wally Hennessey. It also has been a mecca for celebrities who have enjoyed the racing action and entertainment.