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	Record Group Number:	900000
	Series/Collection Number:	M82- 34
	Creator:
	Title, Dates:	Watkins family and citrus groves photographs, 1890-1925.
	Amount:	17 photographs
	Medium Included:	photographs
	Organization/Arrangement:	Unarranged.
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	Terms Governing Use:
	Biographical/Historical:	Florida's citrus industry began in the 1770s when British colonist Jessi Fish began the first citrus grove on an island near St. Augustine. During the 19th century, citrus was grown throughout northeast Florida until a series of freezes late in the century drove the grove owners to central and south Florida. By the 20th century, citrus had become Florida's main cash crop. Crops included oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, tangelos, and lemons. Sharecroppers and migrant farmers usually worked the groves. Col. T.J. Watkins of Arcadia was one of Florida's largest citrus growers in the early twentieth century. In an average year, his groves produced over 5,000 crates of fruit. His home was in Orlando, and was known as "Dixie."
	Summary:	This collection consists of 17 photographs of prominent citrus grower Col. T.J. Watkins' orange groves, his house, and several Watkins family gatherings. The photographs of Watkins' orange grove date from 1900 to 1910, and were taken near Arcadia, Florida. They show Col. Watkins walking among the groves and migrant workers harvesting fruit. Also visible in these photographs are sharecropper houses located within the groves. Also included are several photographs of Col. Watkins' family home "Dixie" in Orlando. Finally, there are several Watkins family photos, including family gatherings on the Peace River, a photograph of the one-room Brownville school, and a portrait of the 1925 graduating class of Orlando High School.
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	General Note:	Florida Photographic Collection Number P1982-34
	Electronic Records Access:
	Subject Access Fields:	Agricultural industries Citrus fruit. Citrus fruit industry Florida Schools Florida Photographs. aat Arcadia (Fla.) Orlando (Fla.) Peace River (Fla.)
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