Palmetto Leaves

After the Civil War, Harriet and her husband Charles embarked on a new life as they purchased an Orange Plantation in Mandarin, located on Floridas upper east coast, where they spent their winters. Over time, they expanded their cozy cottage to welcome numerous guests, which now serves as a museum open to the public. Driven by a desire to uplift the community, they established schools to educate and churches to support the recently freed African Americans seeking refuge and opportunity in Florida. Through a series of enchanting essays, Stow paints a vivid picture of this largely untouched rural paradise, becoming one of the first travel guides about Florida. Her writings not only captured the regions striking landscapes and diverse wildlife but also chronicled the spirit of its people, the flourishing agricultural efforts, and the evolving relationships between races. Join us as we explore an era of burgeoning tourism and development in this captivating land. - Summary by Michele Fry