Alpine Groves

Alpine Groves. . , In the late 1800s, the St. Johns River was used for the transport of goods and people in Northeast Florida. On this property, there are three historic structures: the farmhouse, a citrus sorting shed and the horse stables, strategically placed for access to the St. Johns River for transporting the oranges grown on the property. Many orange groves were once located in the area and local names reflect the history: Fruit Cove, Orangedale, Mandarin, and Orange Park. In the late 1930s, the Harris Family purchased the property and named it "Alpine Groves", due to its location in Switzerland, Florida. The orange producing industry thrived in Northeast Florida in the 1800s, but devasting freezes over the course of several years saw an end to the orange groves. In the 1890s the once thriving industry was lost.