|
Ponce de Leon sailed with Columbus and is credited as the first European to explore Florida in 1513, bringing with him citrus seeds and planting them near (what has become) the settlement of St. Augustine. Spaniards and native Indians continued to grow and cultivate the fruit, and citrus thrived in Florida’s warm climate and sandy soil. After another 300 years, citrus became an industry.
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the fruit was packed in wooden crates branded or stenciled with the shipper’s identification. Later, Floridians were introduced to lithographic printing while observing their California competitors using colorful labels. Florida sellers quickly learned that creative marketing was the key to successful sales. And by the 1920s until the 1940s, the labels became works of art, often using the popular Art Deco and Art Nouveau styles. Many labels incorporated people, Florida landscapes, and animals.
In the beginning, citrus labels were simply practical, with the name of the grower and their location. As time passed, the labels were among the first in agricultural branding, now commonplace. From 1904 until World War II, citrus labels were designed to differentiate among the competition for a particular grower or shipper. Artists and lithographers collaborated to help buyers remember and identify their brands.
The peak years for citrus labels were between 1920 and 1950, but by World War II, cardboard boxes replaced wood boxes, ending the vintage label era.
There are hundreds of different labels!
Credit: Authentic Florida
Label credits: Florida Southern College collection
Here are a few of our local favorites.
| 
