Munsey's Magazine, February 1909

This February 1909 issue of Munsey's Magazine features Herbert N. Casson's extended nonfiction article "The New Florida," a detailed account of the state's contemporary development as a winter destination and economic powerhouse. Casson traces Florida's history from Ponce de Leon's sixteenth-century explorations seeking gold and the fountain of youth, then pivots to documenting modern Florida's actual wealth: the phosphate, turpentine, resin, and lumber industries; extensive citrus and vegetable cultivation supplying northern markets; and thriving cigar manufacture. The piece emphasizes Florida's fifty thousand farms producing three crops yearly and describes the railway infrastructure moving perishables northward. Casson profiles the state's natural attractions—Silver Spring, the Ocklawaha River, Ormond Beach, and Palm Beach—alongside accounts of its healthful climate drawing sixty thousand winter visitors and supporting century-old residents. The article includes numerous photographs of Florida landscapes, historical Spanish colonial sites, and leisure activities.