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Stunning Rare Historical Photos Of Florida At The Beginning Of 20th Century

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The early human settlement in Florida dated back to 14000 years ago when the first Native American inhabited the peninsula. At the beginning of the 20th century, Florida was mostly agricultural and frontier, and its population was around 528,542, of whom nearly 44% were African American, the same portion as before the Civil War. During the early 1900s, black people made up almost half of the state’s population. The economy was mostly dependent upon agricultural products such as cattle, sugar cane, citrus fruits, tomatoes, and strawberries. In the early 1900s, the promise of work in the sugar industry drew African Americans, but increasingly, they turned to other jobs.

After World War I, the tourism industry snowballed. More than one million tourists visited Florida in the early 1920s. Between 1920 and 1925, the population increased four times faster than that of any other state. Here below are some stunning historical pictures that show how Florida looked like in the 1900s. Vote your favorites, and don’t forget to share.

#1 Hotel Alcazar annex (Cordova Hotel), St. Augustine, Florida, 1903

Hotel Alcazar annex (Cordova Hotel), St. Augustine, Florida, 1903

6 Points
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#2 Hemming Park and Monroe Street, Jacksonville, Florida, 1904

Hemming Park and Monroe Street, Jacksonville, Florida, 1904

4 Points
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#4 Bay Street and seawall, St. Augustine, Florida, circa 1904

Bay Street and seawall, St. Augustine, Florida, circa 1904

3 Points
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#5 Palm Beach, Florida, 1906

Palm Beach, Florida, 1906

3 Points
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#6 Plant of the Consolidated Naval Stores Company, Pensacola, Florida, 1903

Plant of the Consolidated Naval Stores Company, Pensacola, Florida, 1903

3 Points
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#8 The Breakers from the casino, Palm Beach, Florida, circa 1901

The Breakers from the casino, Palm Beach, Florida, circa 1901

3 Points
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#10 City park and Lake Worth — West Palm Beach, Florida, 1910

City park and Lake Worth -- West Palm Beach, Florida, 1910

2 Points
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#11 The road to the jungle. Palm Beach, Florida, 1910

The road to the jungle. Palm Beach, Florida, 1910

2 Points
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#13 American National Bank, Palafox Street, St. Augustine, Florida, circa 1904

American National Bank, Palafox Street, St. Augustine, Florida, circa 1904

2 Points
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#15 Forsyth Street looking east, Jacksonville, Florida, 1910

Forsyth Street looking east, Jacksonville, Florida, 1910

2 Points
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#16 Princess Issena at Tomoka landing, Ormond, Florida, 1900

Princess Issena at Tomoka landing, Ormond, Florida, 1900

1 Point
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#18 In the court of the Hotel Ponce de Leon, St. Augustine, Florida, circa 1905

In the court of the Hotel Ponce de Leon, St. Augustine, Florida, circa 1905

1 Point
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#19 School of Technology and Hall of Science, John B. Stetson University, DeLand, Florida, circa 1904

School of Technology and Hall of Science, John B. Stetson University, DeLand, Florida, circa 1904

1 Point
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#20 Princess Issena at Tomoka landing, Ormond, Florida, 1900

Princess Issena at Tomoka landing, Ormond, Florida, 1900

1 Point
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#21 Volusia County, Florida, 1903

Volusia County, Florida, 1903

1 Point
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#22 Bisbee Building on Bankers’ Row.” The city’s first sky­scraper, still standing on Forsyth Street. Jacksonville, 1910

Bisbee Building on Bankers' Row." The city's first sky­scraper, still standing on Forsyth Street. Jacksonville, 1910

1 Point
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#25 DeLand, Florida, 1905

DeLand, Florida, 1905

1 Point
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#27 Entrance to Riverside Park, Jacksonville, Florida, 1910

Entrance to Riverside Park, Jacksonville, Florida, 1910

1 Point
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#29 In the court of the Hotel Ponce de Leon, St. Augustine, Florida, circa 1905

In the court of the Hotel Ponce de Leon, St. Augustine, Florida, circa 1905

0 Points
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#30 Hotel San Juan and Orange Avenue, Orlando, Florida, circa 1904

Hotel San Juan and Orange Avenue, Orlando, Florida, circa 1904

0 Points
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#31 East Coast Railway station, New Smyrna (Beach), Florida, 1904

East Coast Railway station, New Smyrna (Beach), Florida, 1904

0 Points
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#32 Casino, the Breakers, and cottages along the beach, Palm Beach, Florida,1904

Casino, the Breakers, and cottages along the beach, Palm Beach, Florida,1904

0 Points
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#33 Franklin Street, Tampa, Next stop, Hyde Park. Ormond, Florida, 1905

Franklin Street, Tampa, Next stop, Hyde Park. Ormond, Florida, 1905

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#35 Renamed First Avenue after the city’s brief fling with lettered streets, Miami, Florida, 1904

Renamed First Avenue after the city's brief fling with lettered streets, Miami, Florida, 1904

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#36 A glimpse of the Royal Poinciana. An entrance to Henry Flagler’s immense resort hotel, back when Florida was starting to be a thing. Palm Beach circa 1901

A glimpse of the Royal Poinciana. An entrance to Henry Flagler's immense resort hotel, back when Florida was starting to be a thing. Palm Beach circa 1901

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#37 Avenue of Palms between the Royal Poinciana Hotel and the Breakers, Palm Beach circa 1905

Avenue of Palms between the Royal Poinciana Hotel and the Breakers, Palm Beach circa 1905

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#40 Hotel Halcyon and Avenue B looking north, Miami, Florida, 1910

Hotel Halcyon and Avenue B looking north, Miami, Florida, 1910

0 Points
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#42 Sorting cotton at Atlantic Cotton Compress Co., Pensacola, Florida, 1905

Sorting cotton at Atlantic Cotton Compress Co., Pensacola, Florida, 1905

0 Points
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#45 Lunch hour on the docks at Jacksonville, Florida, 1910

Lunch hour on the docks at Jacksonville, Florida, 1910

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#46 Royal Poinciana Hotel, entrance, Palm Beach, 1902

Royal Poinciana Hotel, entrance, Palm Beach, 1902

0 Points
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#49 The Royal Poinciana, from northwest, Palm Beach, 1901

The Royal Poinciana, from northwest, Palm Beach, 1901

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#50 Bay Street, Jacksonville, Florida, 1904

Bay Street, Jacksonville, Florida, 1904

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#55 Hemming Park, Jacksonville, Florida, 1910

Hemming Park, Jacksonville, Florida, 1910

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#58 Beach Street auto livery, Daytona Beach, Florida, 1906

Beach Street auto livery, Daytona Beach, Florida, 1906

0 Points
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#59 Beach Street, with souvenir shops at Daytona Beach, Florida, 1906.

Beach Street, with souvenir shops at Daytona Beach, Florida, 1906.

0 Points
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#60 Residences, corner Laura and Ashley Streets, Jacksonville, Florida, circa 1910

Residences, corner Laura and Ashley Streets, Jacksonville, Florida, circa 1910

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#62 Plaza Ferdinand and harbor, Pensacola, Florida, circa 1910

Plaza Ferdinand and harbor, Pensacola, Florida, circa 1910

0 Points
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#63 Palafox Street, American National Bank Building, Pensacola, Florida, circa 1910

Palafox Street, American National Bank Building, Pensacola, Florida, circa 1910

0 Points
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#65 Zorayda Club, King Street, St. Augustine, Florida, 1904

Zorayda Club, King Street, St. Augustine, Florida, 1904

0 Points
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Written by Aung Budhh

Husband + Father + librarian + Poet + Traveler + Proud Buddhist. I love you with the breath, the smiles and the tears of all my life.

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