The weekly true Democrat., 1909-10-01
Fifty Years OF
Changes b Florida


one has piSap eaFe0.
Mr.. Thomas L. Clarke. Of Monticello,
sends 10 The True Dem8ctst a copy Of
9 map Of Florida pubashed in 1859,
which he discovered IA some old land
papers.
A comparison Of this nap with one Of
the present day affords ah interesting
study. Then, there were only 28 cOun-
tiea, now, there are fOfly-aeven.
AZ that time the cities of Tallahassee,
Pensacola and Sc. AuQu8tine were the
only places OF importance In the State,
and almost half the map space is taken
up IN ShoWing the plata ot these places.
At that time there WeVe only two
town sites IN Santa Rosa county, and
those, Florida Town and Anderson.
Almiranta, Aiaqun end Euchee Anna
were the only aettlamonts IN Walton
county, the latter being The county site.
Pea River hnd Holmes Valley were
the only post Offices Ia Holmes county,
the latter place being the seat Of tho
county government.
st. Andrews Bay was the only place
in Washington county,
Fort Gadsden, Apalachicola and st.
Joseph were the only places in Franklin
county, q railroad running from the lat
ter place 20 q point on the ApalachicOla
river. This railroad was Afterwards de-
stroyed but is now being rebuilt.
Mariana Was then, q now, the coun-
" site Of Jackson; and Quincy that OF
Gadsden, but there seems 10 have been
only two settlements IN both the cOun'
ties.
81. Marks and Newport we're the
towns OF Wakulla, the latter being the
capital.
Tallahassee was the only settlement
shown IN Leon county. From here q
railroad ran 70 st. Marks, and this. with
the one at St. Joseph. were the only
railroads IN the State. and they were
among the first IN the United States,
Montleello, Madison and Jasper were
then, aa now. the respective sites OF
Jefferson, MadisOa and Hanilton eoun-
ties.
The onlY settlement - the great
county Of ColnmbIa Wa8 known a. All
gator. lt has since given way % the
prosperous town Of Lake City.
Newnansvllle WAS the county seat Of
Alachua, and the prosperous city or
Gainesville did not then exist.
The county site Of Nassau county waa
designated as Q. H., meaning court
house.
Jacksonville was then, as now, the
county site Of Duval. but u bad no rail-
read on hnrbOr.
st. Augustine and Picolata were the
only designated places IN Sc. Johns, the
former being the seat Of government.
Orange seems % have been the most
DopulOus county Of the State, with set
tlemsnts at Volusia, Enterprise, Non
roe, New Smyrna, Honey, Ross, Je8sup.
Fort Christmas. Fort McNeel and Dan
tille, the latter place being then the
county site, but now the great Celery
City Of Sanford.
Pilstka, We are not sure whether Il
was'Spslled improperly then or now,
was the county site Of Putnam, and the
only settlement.
Fort King and Fort Armstrong were
the only places In Marion county, the
former the county site, nov occupied BY
one Of the most promising cities 10 The
State, Ocala.
Benton. 10 the west Of Marion is the
only county which has disappeared from
the map. lt nov comprises the eOun-
ties OF AtIuel AeIuAAAy AAAA Ne%~'
lie county aite Of Benton was Ne len-
dez which has long since gone the Tay
Of Ell things earthly. The only water
routes Ia the State were from Pensaco-
Il and Sc. Augustine.
What are now the two largest cities
in the State. Jacksonville end Tampa.
were then only known ae the terminals
Of country rObds.
The counties Of Liberty, Tsyl0r Su-
wnnnee, Baker, Bradford, Clay, Volu-
sta, Lake, Sumter, Citrus, hefnando,
PascO, Polk, OsceOla. Breyard, Mana
tee, DeSOta and Lee, did not exist;
neither the hundreds Of impgrtant cities
and towns that now dot them.
What q might change has been
wrought In Florida within the eOmpara-
lively brief period Of 81 years.
~-ea~-~~~~~-~e~-~----..~.s-
i Ia Tallnhaaaen WoiQnfaaR Fire