Florida Trust For

Historic Preservation

1907

Just after the turn of the century, a group from Elmira, New York, purchased land near the Natural Bridge , set up a tent camp, and planted grapefruit groves. By 1907 the farm yield around Arch Creek was 400 acres of vegetables and 40,000 crates of grapefruit. In the next twenty years a trickle of hardy pioneers arrived at the Arch Creek railroad depot, purchased land, built homes, and created a thriving farming community.