Meanderin' thru Florida

FLGenWeb Project Digital Library and Archives

FLGenWeb Project, Inc.

Floridians have lived through many trials and successes. These pages are designed to remind us of the way it was. Stories and pictures give us a glimpse of the way they lived.

Our ancestors I am sure had a struggle with houses and farms which would produce enough to keep them alive. Just imagine how it must have been in the "Good Ole Days". No A/C, plenty of mosquitos (drink that sulphur water), roads that went all around to get to there from here.

Freezes, hurricanes happened without the advantage of radio and tv alerts. There are articles of old Florida telling of a time when there were only five houses in Miami. Imagine.

Tales are told of the late 1920's and the brick road that left Georgia and came through the sands of Florida. One lane of brick. Not mortared together. My grandfather tells of stopping when he saw a brick that was not in place. He would put it back in place. He soon realized he would never reach central Florida if he kept that up.

Tools were necessary for the trip in the early 1900's-- Shovel, Croaker sack, boards. When you met someone on the road, each would have to put one side of their wheels off the road in order to pass. When you got by, each got out and helped the other car back on the road. Boy for the good old days to return. Maybe they weren't so good after all. It sure was different.

I look at the brick roads that are in some cities of Florida and wonder how they have held up so well after 100 yrs. Most are not level after all this time giving the suspension under the cars a great time keeping us from bouncing all over the place............ Fran Smith