Old Florida Photos

[David357]

This Is What Florida Looked Like 100 Years Ago…


Have you ever wished you could go back in time? If you could, Florida would be a great place to do so. There’s a reason so many people speak fondly of Old Florida. Florida has a unique and fascinating history, and we’d like to share a piece of it through these photos.

Some dates given are approximate, but they should all be at least a century old. This is what makes photographs so neat!

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Train wreck on a bridge in Tampa , Florida 1906

StateLibrary and Archives of Florida
That looks really scary, like maybe part of the bridge was gone.

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Woman pulling a child on sled in DeLand , Florida 1890

StateLibrary and Archives of Florida
Pulling a what? Never heard of it. But it CAN snow in Florida !

DeLand is about 40 miles north of Orlando .

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People posed on a trolley car in Tampa , Florida 1892

StateLibrary and Archives of Florida
It seems like trolley cars were awfully small back then.

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Young men with Penny-Farthing bicycles in Tallahassee , Florida 1900

StateLibrary and Archives of Florida
This is what I imagine biker gangs looked like 100 years ago.

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Cape Florida Lighthouse,Key Biscayne , Florida 1901

StateLibrary and Archives of Florida
This landmark is still standing, and it's definitely worth a visit.

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Young Cigar makers in Englehardt & Co. in Tampa , Florida 1909

Flicker/TheLibrary of Congress
It's a little hard to tell, but the boy in the middle is smoking a cigar. I guess they figured if they were old enough to make them, they were old enough to smoke them.

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Casino Pool in Alcazar Hotel, St. Augustine , Florida 1905

StateLibrary and Archives of Florida
This hotel, built by industrialist Henry Flagler , is now the Lightner Museum . Recent visitors will recognize this swimming area as the museum's restaurant. It's still a very beautiful space, but it must have really been something to see it filled with water.

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Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse, 1880

State Library and Archives of Florida

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July 4th parade in Delray Beach , Florida , 1914

State Library and Archives of Florida
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Family using a railroad car of the Tavares and Gulf Railroad as a home in Tavares, 1915

State Library and Archives of Florida
When I look at this photo, I can't stop wondering about these people and how they came to live here.

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Band awaiting the arrival of President Grover Cleveland in Lakeland , Florida 1894

StateLibrary and Archives of Florida
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Lady in white reclining on the beach in Palm Beach , Florida1896

StateLibrary and Archives of Florida
I just hope this wasn't a summer day.

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[David357]

Bath House, White Springs , Florida 1912

StateLibrary and Archives of Florida
The remnants of the bath house can still be visited at Stephen Foster Memorial State Park .

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The Breakers Hotel on Fire, Palm Beach , Florida 1903

StateLibrary and Archives of Florida
The Breakers Hotel is a famous hotel built by Henry Flagler . Itopened in 1896 and was rebuilt after fires in 1903 and 1925.

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Sisters posed with a Bible, Jacksonville , Florida 1897

StateLibrary and Archives of Florida
Maybe it's just me, but something about this photo seems a littlecreepy.

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St. Augustine, Florida streetscene, 1893

StateLibrary and Archives of Florida
St. Augustine isthe country's oldest city and still full of historic charm.

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Women showing their ankles in Pensacola , Florida 1905

StateLibrary and Archives of Florida
Oh my, how scandalous!

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Railroad workers on a bridge in Lacoochee , Florida 1890

StateLibrary and Archives of Florida
This photo is really beautiful. It almost looks like a painting.

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Florida orangepickers in a grove, 1910

StateLibrary and Archives of Florida
The photo doesn't give the location, but it would have been during Florida 's second citrus boom,after the great freeze in 1894-95.

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Men standing around Sawfish and Bonito shark, Key West , Florida 1911

StateLibrary and Archives of Florida
There are tons of great photos of proud fisherman in Florida 's archives.

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Second annual Citrus Seminar: Gainesville , Florida 1911

StateLibrary and Archives of Florida
The University of Florida was founded in 1853.

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Woman with dog and rifle, 1915

StateLibrary and Archives of Florida
The location wasn't given for this photo, but it's just too coolto leave out. By the way, most Floridians know not to try this at home. Moss isfull of red bugs (Chiggers) that will make you itch like crazy.