Describe your image
Describe your image
November 21th, 2025
Friday
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INTRODUCTION
The Writings of a Traveler
Throughout history, visitors to Florida have been captivated by its natural beauty and warm climate. Many had documented their experiences through journals or letters, highlighting sights such as the crystal-clear waters of Silver Springs, the tropical landscapes of the Everglades, and the charm of coastal towns like St. Augustine. Their words helped shape how the rest of the country, and even the world, viewed Florida -- often portraying it as an exotic and adventurous destination. These early accounts give us valuable insight into what life was like before modern development and showing how people interacted with the environment and local communities.
Today, these writings serve as important historical sources. They allow us to compare the Florida of the past to the one we know now, showing how much has changed and what has been preserved. We gain insight into how early visitors viewed Florida and why it became such a beloved destination. These accounts remind us that written records, just like photographs and oral histories, are powerful tools for keeping the state’s vibrant tourism history alive.
Bell-Ringer:
Florida visitors have been writing about their experiences for decades. One of the most famous is Harriet Beecher Stowe, who first came to Florida in the 1860’s. She visited and then lived in Mandarin, Florida, near present day Jacksonville. Read the article titled “Famous Floridians: Harriet Beecher Stowe” and use Think Marks to text mark the article.
Think Marks:
a. A star for content that is important to remember.
b. An exclamation mark for content that is surprising or that you want to share.
c. A question mark for content that may be confusing, or you have a question about.
d. A check mark for content that you already knew about.
Students will share their Think Marks with their shoulder partners or the group and then write a one-sentence summary to demonstrate their learning about Harriet Beecher Stowe.
Today's Lesson
Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote a book called "Palmetto Leaves", a story about her time living in Florida. You will be reading an excerpt about a trip she took to visit St. Augustine either here or on the Lit2Go Site Here.
The thermometer with us, during the third week in May, rose to ninety-two in the shade; and as we had received an invitation from a friend to visit St. Augustine, which is the Newport of Florida, we thought it a good time to go seaward. So on a pleasant morning we embarked on the handsome boat "Florence," which has taken so many up the river, and thus secured all the breeze that was to be had.
"The Florence" is used expressly for a river pleasure-boat, playing every day between Jacksonville and Pilatka. It is long and airy, and nicely furnished; and one could not imagine a more delightful conveyance. In hot weather, one could not be more sure of cool breezes than with sailing up and down perpetually in "The Florence." Our destiny, however, landed us in the very meridian of the day in Tekoi. Tekoi consists of a shed and a sand-bank, and a little shanty, where, to those who require, refreshments are served.
On landing, we found that we must pay for the pleasure and coolness of coming up river in “The Florence” by waiting two or three mortal hours till “The Starlight” arrived; for the railroad-car would not start till the full complement of passengers was secured. We had a good opportunity then of testing what the heat of a Florida sun might be, untempered by live-oaks and orange shades, and unalleviated by ice-water; and the lesson was an impressive one.
The railroad across to St. Augustine is made of wooden rails; and the cars are drawn by horses. There was one handsome car like those used on the New-York horse-railroads: the others were the roughest things imaginable. In the height of the season, when the cars were crowded, four hours were said to be consumed in performing this fifteen miles. We, however, did it in about two.
To us this bit of ride through the Florida woods is such a never-ceasing source of interest and pleasure, that we do not mind the slowness of it, and should regret being whisked by at steam-speed. We have come over it three times; and each time the varieties of shrubs and flowers, grasses and curious leaves, were a never-failing study and delight. Long reaches of green moist land form perfect flower-gardens, whose variety of bloom changes with every month. The woods hang full of beautiful climbing plants. The coral honeysuckle and the red bignonia were in season now.
Through glimpses and openings here and there we could see into forests of wild orange-trees; and palmetto-palms raised their scaly trunks and gigantic green fans. The passengers could not help admiring the flowers: and as there were many stops and pauses, and as the gait of the horses was never rapid, it was quite easy for the gentlemen to gather and bring in specimens of all the beauties; and the flowers formed the main staple of the conversation. They were so very bright and gay and varied, that even the most unobserving could not but notice them.
After reading the excerpt answer the following questions with your shoulder partner:
a. What is the date/season of year that Mrs. Stowe is traveling?
b. What is the temperature?
c. Are temperatures similar today during the same time of year?
d. What types of transportation does Mrs. Stowe use to travel to St. Augustine?
e. Estimate the length of time it took Mrs. Stowe to travel from Mandarin to St. Augustine. (Answers will vary)
f. Provide examples of how Mrs. Stowe’s describes the following: River pleasure-boat, Florida sun, Railroad cars and the Trees/plants/flowers.
g. Using Google Maps, how do visitor’s today travel from Mandarin to St. Augustine. Estimate how the time it takes to today as compared to 1872. What would you see during the trip that is similar/different to what Mrs. Stowe experienced?
Featured Activities
You will create a travel brochure using the vintage Florida tourist attractions we have learned about this week. You will choose one historic/vintage tourist attractions from list titled The State Archives of Florida: Florida Memory Program Roadside Attractions.
There are multiple different mediums to use to create your brochure. You can use digital resources such as Canva and Word or use traditional forms such as paper, pens, and markers. Make sure to include the following content in your tourism brochure:
a. Name of the Historic/Vintage Tourist Attraction
b. Location: city and county where the attraction is located
c. Provide the grid map location (FDOT letters/numbers)
d. Year it was established
e. Slogan that the attraction used in advertisements
f. Three activities the attraction offered to visitors
g. Three facts about the tourist attraction
h. Images of the attractions
i. Popular souvenirs visitors would purchase
j. Postcards the attraction sold
k. Using the mileage chart on the FDOT Road Map, calculate the mileage from your home city to your chose tourist attraction
l. How would you travel? By car, plane, and/or boat?
m. Write a one-sentence summary as to why you would like to visit your chose historic attraction.
Previously on #FLGeoWeek:
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