Agriculture Industry in White Springs
Farmers found the soil rich and the climate favorable for growing the famous Sea Island cotton. Cotton was brought by local farmers into town to the Adam's Brothers Store where it was weighed while still in the wagon on this scale. A cotton gin in town prepared the cotton for shipping by rail to larger markets. Cotton farmers enjoyed favorable conditions until the boll weevil infestation. With the advent of the boll weevil, King Cotton took a back seat to flue-cured tobacco, introduced to the area in the late 1920s. Orange groves flourished around White Springs until a disastrous freeze in 1898. Farmers found niches in dairies, vegetable crops, and livestock husbandry, supplying the burgeoning resort town of White Springs with locally grown foodstuffs.
The vast expanse of virgin pine timber lured businessmen and laborers here to exploit the region's choice lumber and naval stores resources. Sawmills and a basket factory fueled growth and created jobs for enterprising young men. Naval stores, turpentine and rosin served as the economic backbone of the town until the 1940s. Several turpentine distilleries or “stills” were located in
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Today, pine trees for pulpwood, cotton, corn, watermelons,
tobacco, and cattle farming are some of the major agricultural
endeavors of the area. Agriculture continues to be a major industry
here.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1898.
Location. 30° 19.794′ N, 82° 45.511′ W. Marker is in White Springs, Florida, in Hamilton County. Marker is on Spring Street (U.S. 41) east of Bridge Street, on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: Spring Street, White Springs FL 32096, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Welcome to the White Springs Historic District (within shouting distance of this marker); The Residents of White Springs (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Florida’s Original Tourist Destination (about 500 feet away); White Sulphur Springs (about 600 feet away); Wars and Conflicts in White Springs (about 700 feet away); Veterans Memorial (about 700 feet away); White Springs (about 700 feet away); The Historic Architecture of White Springs (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in White Springs.
Credits. This page was last revised on March 8, 2020. It was originally submitted on March 8, 2020, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 179 times since then and 6 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 8, 2020, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.
