Florida’s Early Industries: Phosphate, Cigars, Citrus, Cattle, and the Making of a State

By Joe Marzo

Before Disney, condos, and cruise ships defined Florida, the state was a patchwork of frontier towns, citrus groves, dusty cattle trails, and booming industrial hubs. The economy of early Florida was powered by a few rugged, labor-heavy industries—phosphate mining, cigar making, citrus farming, cattle ranching, and more. These industries not only drove Florida’s economic development but helped shape its culture, demographics, and political power.

Phosphate: Florida’s Fertilizer Empire

Phosphate was Florida’s ticket to the world stage in the late 19th century. Discovered in the 1880s along the Peace River, phosphate quickly became one of the most important natural resources in the country. The mineral, crucial for fertilizer production, launched Florida into the global agricultural supply chain. Bone Valley—an area in central Florida covering Polk and surrounding counties—became the heart of the industry.

By the early 20th century, Florida supplied over 75% of the U.S. phosphate market and a significant chunk of the world’s. The towns that sprang up to support the mines were often company-run, populated by miners, rail workers, and African American laborers—many of whom toiled under grueling, dangerous conditions.

Cigar Making: Tampa’s Immigrant-Driven Industry

The cigar industry ignited Tampa’s transformation from backwater to boomtown. In 1885, Spanish entrepreneur Vicente Martinez-Ybor relocated his cigar factory from Key West to Tampa. The result was the birth of Ybor City—a thriving, multicultural community powered by Cuban, Spanish, and Italian immigrants.

By 1900, Tampa was rolling out more cigars than anywhere else in the world. The “clear Havana” cigars became a symbol of craftsmanship and luxury. Entire families worked in factories, and the city pulsed with the rhythm of lectores (readers) reciting newspapers and novels aloud as workers hand-rolled cigars by the thousands. Though automation and labor disputes would later undercut the industry, its cultural imprint on Tampa remains permanent.

Citrus: Oranges, Sunshine, and the American Dream

Florida’s oranges became a national brand before the state even had paved roads. Introduced by the Spanish in the 1500s, citrus became a commercial staple in the 1800s, particularly after the expansion of railroads. By the early 20th century, Florida was shipping millions of crates of citrus fruit across the country.

The groves helped define the state’s identity—images of orange blossoms and sunny orchards became synonymous with Florida living. However, the industry was always at the mercy of nature. Hurricanes and freezes in the 1890s and again in the 1980s wiped out groves, forcing production further south. Citrus greening disease in recent decades has decimated output, but citrus remains a multibillion-dollar sector with deep roots.

Cattle: Florida’s Frontier Tradition

Long before Texas became famous for cowboys, Florida was a cattle state. In fact, it's the oldest cattle-raising region in the U.S. The Spanish introduced cattle to Florida in the 1500s, and by the 1600s, wild “scrub cows” roamed central Florida's pine flatwoods and prairies.

Florida “cracker cowboys” were a breed apart—armed with whips and dogs rather than lassos, they drove cattle across treacherous terrain to market. These herders helped settle inland regions, particularly around Kissimmee, Arcadia, and Okeechobee.

By the late 1800s and early 1900s, cattle became a key export—first to Cuba and later domestically. Open-range laws, cattle rustling, and pioneer conflicts defined this rugged chapter of Florida's past. Today, Florida remains one of the top cattle-producing states in the country, with legacy ranches still in operation.

Sponges, Turpentine, and Timber: Industries from the Land and Sea

Other industries also made their mark. Sponge diving off Tarpon Springs—led by Greek immigrants in the early 1900s—turned a quiet fishing village into a maritime capital. Tarpon supplied nearly all of America's natural sponges until disease and synthetic substitutes disrupted the trade.

In the forests, workers tapped pine trees for turpentine and timber, producing the materials needed for shipbuilding and construction. The turpentine industry, built heavily on Black and convict labor, was notoriously exploitative but vital to Florida’s early economy. Logging towns dotted the Panhandle, and longleaf pines once blanketed the landscape before overharvesting nearly wiped them out.

Railroads: The Engine Behind Every Industry

None of these industries would have grown without the railroads. Visionaries like Henry Flagler (east coast) and Henry Plant (west coast) laid tracks through swamps and wilderness, connecting industry to market. Phosphate from Polk, citrus from Ocala, cigars from Tampa, cattle from the Kissimmee prairie—all made their way north and overseas thanks to Florida’s ever-expanding rail network.

Railroads didn't just move goods—they moved people. Settlers, immigrants, and tourists followed the tracks south, and towns rose up where stations were built. In many ways, the railroad was Florida’s original development tool.

Conclusion: The Backbone of a State

Florida’s early industries were not glamorous. They were raw, exhausting, and often dangerous. But they built the state. They attracted immigrants and migrants, shaped cities, carved trade routes, and laid the groundwork for Florida’s transformation into an economic powerhouse.

Today, while tourism and real estate dominate headlines, the DNA of phosphate miners, cigar rollers, citrus pickers, cattlemen, and sponge divers remains embedded in the Sunshine State’s identity. Florida was forged in the fields, factories, forests, and seas—long before the age of air conditioning and amusement parks.

Sources:

• Mormino, Gary R. Land of Sunshine, State of Dreams: A Social History of Modern Florida.

• Grismer, Karl. Tampa: A History of the City of Tampa and the Tampa Bay Region.

• Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

• Florida Memory Project (https://www.floridamemory.com)

• US Geological Survey and Florida Industrial and Phosphate Research Institute