[16] pp. With 11 illustrations from photographs. 8.5x15.3 cm (3¼x6"), original blue wrappers with illustrations in black on front, a map in black on back, raised lettering in gilt. First Edition.
Charming little promotional booklet, with screened photomechanical reproductions of photographs of Florida, with accompanying text describing the Florence Villa in Winter Haven, Polk County, by F.W. Inman. Includes images of a forest, residential street, orange groves, Florence Villa facilities, interior view of dinning room, porch, livestock, garden, and the small map of the lake region of Polk County, Florida, on the back wrapper. The booklet was published by Dr. Inman. It was sent to a friends and interested people in order to promote Winter Haven and Florence Villa across the country. OCLC/WorldCat lists three copies, at the State Library of Florida, Duke University, and Columbia University.
One man, riding into Florida from Ohio in the late 1800 's became one of the most important events that led to what is known as Lucerne Park and Florence Villa. He was Dr. Frederick Inman, who left his practice as a physician in Ohio at age 45, to try his lot at producing food. He traveled the whole state before settling in an area now known as Florence Villa. His first crop was lemons, a 100 acre grove, which he replanted with oranges after the big freeze of 1895. In between the rows of trees, he planted rows of tomatoes. Because of the size of the groves, he had to use a lot of fertilizer, 1.200 pounds per acre. It was a mixture of blood, bone and potash, issuing a foul smell for miles around. In a disastrous experiment, growers once used untreated phosphate as a fertilizer. Slowly, the trees began to die. It was finally discovered that. When it rained, the phosphate was turning into cement-like blocks around the roots! In 1909, the area growers wanted to organize for better shipping and selling of their citrus. They sent a party of 50 growers to California to study methods being used there. Dr. and Mrs. Inman were included. On June 1st, 1909 there was a statewide meeting of growers in Tampa to receive a report of the California trip. At that time Dr. Inman was one of those chosen to help organize the Florida Citrus Exchange and shortly thereafter became its first president. The formation of the Exchange was considered a great step forward in the citrus industry.
The railroad was most important to the development of the communities. Where the company decided to put a depot that area flourished in Historical Highlights of Polk County. It states that the South Florida Railway pushed through Polk County in 1883.
The line continued from Sanford to Tampa, going through Davenport and Haines City, and then called Clay Cut. (The train had to travel through a deep clay pit making it seem to disappear!)
The line continued to Winter Haven in 1884. On this trunk line ran a train whose engine was called Peggie.
"Peggie" ran from Bartow to Florence Villa to Lake Alfred and back to Bartow. She picked up the citrus products from the groves and put her loaded cars on sidings for the main line trains to pick up. A spur from this trunk line ran to Lucerne Park where it dead ended. The tracks were laid on land that is now known as State Road 544. Robert A small cafe existed where the spur ended. The unique thing about Peggie is that at Bartow and Lake Alfred, she had to be turned on a revolving table. This was done manually by the crew, passengers and by-standers
When Dr. Inman arrived, he named the settlement in honor of his wife. Florence. He was so enthusiastic about the area that he sent invitations to multitudes of people to come visit. At first. he invited them to stay at his home, but the numbers who were accepting quickly made this impossible. His home was on Lake Spring, which at the time was within the boundaries of Florence Villa.
Dr. Inman built and operated the Florence Villa Packing Plant. The village grew because of so many grove and plant workers and hotel staff. The post office in Florence Villa was established in 1917 when the village was incorporated. The village was later absorbed by Winter Haven.
Dr. Inman's properties were extensive. Many of his land holdings were in Lucerne Park. The Inman family donated the land on the southeast corner of U.S. 17 and Avenue T Northeast for use as a park according to an October 15, 1993 Ledger article written by Joy Murphy. Dr. Inman's grave marker marks his burial in 1910 in what is today known as Inman Park.