Edited by Spessard Stone from the Palatka Daily News of Saturday, April 16, 1887
The Liveliest of all the Rising Florida Towns-What Has Been Done Correspondence Palatka News
Bowling Green, Fla., April 14.
Talk about enterprise! It is only a few months since the Florida Southern Railway built a commodious depot at this point the settlers in the vicinity gave them a part of their lands as an inducement.
Mr. A. I. Ross, a live Buckeye, came along and proposed taking a large interest in the new town site if all the parties owning land within a mile or so of the location would join him in building up a solid town, no paper "scheme."
A meeting was called, a joint stock company organized and everyone present took more or less stock, each agreeing to work for one object--to build up a town and country in which it will be pleasant to live; to invite energetic, industrious, moral people to join us; to sell lots at such prices as to induce actual settlers to improve-to make a public park and plant it with all kinds of tropical fruits and shrubbery; to build a public school house and a public church building; to allow no saloons in our midst-we have no room for "bummers or loafers."
And now, what have we accomplished? On the 1st of May a weekly newspaper will be published--printed on the town site, not printed in New York and sent here for distribution.
We have a post-office, several stores, a hotel, a saw mill, a planing mill, and, best of all, the surrounding country is fast settling up with producers.
Hundreds of acres are being planted in oranges, lemons, limes, bananas, guavas, grapes, cocoanuts, and vegetables of all kinds are being raised to supply Northern markets.
We are fifty miles from Trabue City [Punta Gorda], in the healthiest locality of South Florida, on high, rolling land.
The Florida Southern Railway offers special reduced rates to those seeking homes at and near Bowling Green.
More anon from the Omnibus.
This article was published in The Herald-Advocate (Wauchula, Fla.) of April 28, 1994.
Bowling Green, Florida In April 1887
Bowling Green, Florida Of April 1887
Bowling Green, Florida Of 1896Bowling Green's Big Blaze of December 1903
Bowling Green, Florida An Early History