The Florida Land Boom

The Florida Land Boom happened between 1921 and 1926, but excitement about Florida began in the 1850s when federal and state laws began incentivizing the reclamation of swampland and the development of infrastructure and, soon after, when northern industrialists set their sights and capital on Florida. Henry Plant, William Chipley, and Henry Flagler began building railroads and hotels in the state, with an eye toward attracting tourists and winter residents, while investors such as Hamilton Disston and Richard “Dicky” Bolles bought cheap land from a state hoping to expedite agricultural and residential development. Tourists, too—especially those poised for the hunt—came to the state in droves with their shotguns aimed primarily on alligators for their skins, teeth, and claws and plume birds for their feathers (enormously popular in women’s hats); panthers, raccoons, turtles, and all species of fish also fell prey the sporting crowd and those who saw the potential for profits. Moreover, mild winters attracted those in poor health seeking a better climate.