One hundred years ago, Florida was a wilderness of swamp and beach, dense forest and abundant wild game. Undiscovered, except for a few pioneer sportsmen and hearty farmers and ranchers, the state was still a frontier. True, a few towns flourished on the fishing and the Caribbean trade, but it was generally a sleepy place, far removed from the later boom of the 1920s. Here is a collection of original articles and stories of the old Florida, of hunters and Indians, the development of the sportsman's paradise, the vast canvas of nature prior to the coming of the condominium. Illustrated with rare drawings, photographs and engravings, this book will recreate a paradise that can never be again.

A Land Remembered has become Florida's favorite novel. Now this Student Edition in two volumes makes this rich, rugged story of the American pioneer spirit more accessible to young readers. Patrick Smith tells of three generations of the MacIveys, a Florida family battling the hardships of the frontier. The story opens in 1858, when Tobias and Emma MacIvey arrive in the Florida wilderness with their son, Zech, to start a new life, and ends in 1968 with Solomon MacIvey, who realizes that his wealth has not been worth the cost to the land. Between is a sweeping story rich in Florida history with a cast of memorable characters who battle wild animals, rustlers, Confederate deserters, mosquitoes, starvation, hurricanes, and freezes to carve a kingdom out of the Florida swamp. In this volume, meet young Zech MacIvey, who learns to ride like the wind through the Florida scrub on Ishmael, his marshtackie horse, his dogs, Nip and Tuck, at this side. His parents, Tobias and Emma, scratch a living from the land, gathering wild cows from the swamp and herding them across the state to market. Zech learns the ways of the land from the Seminoles, with whom his life becomes entwined as he grows into manhood. Next in series > > See all of the books in this series

From the author of the award-winning novels, The Indian Fighter and The Cow Hunters (Florida Historical Society, Patrick D. Smith Award), this is the First novel in the "Tropical Frontier" series.

Captured in such unusual vintage attractions as the 1906 Historic Smallwood Store on Chokoloskee Island, the ornate Venetian Pool in Coral Gables, and the mysterious Coral Castle, constructed entirely from coral by one man. Old Florida is the first book to show the full range of architectural styles -- from the grand to the modest -- that demonstrate the eclecticism of this intriguing state. In 150 spectacular color and black-and-white images, photographers Steve Gross and Sue Daley have captured the essence of Old Florida in a book that will fascinate residents, tourists, and armchair travelers alike. Book jacket.

From the earliest days in Gainesville, to milestones in campus expansion and institutional growth, to the infamous Johns Committee, the Vietnam War, and civil rights protests, to Gator athletics, this lively, anecdotal history provides an intimate look at the university's last 100 years. Of the many people who made the university, UF's 13 presidents, with their talents and initiatives, provide a colorful introduction to a remarkable century's progress. Beyond the administrative history of the first 100 years, Gator Tales features extended interviews with nine notable individuals whose influences extend from within UF to the broader worlds of business, law, and sports including Ray Graves, Otis Boggs, Tracy Caulkins, Steve O'Connell, John Lombardi, Manny Fernandez, and Stephan Mickle. Each interview opens a window onto a particular time and set of challenges in the history of UF, while reflecting the personal qualities that enabled each individual to have a substantial impact on both colleagues and the institution itself. administrators, athletes, and students, Gator Tales is a tapestry of personalities and participants in the evolution of UF from a small provincial campus to a major university - an entertaining, fascinating centennial read for Gators everywhere.