Florida Citrus Labels collection, 1920s-1950s
Collection context
Summary
- Abstract:
- This collection contains a selection of Florida citrus and produce chromolithographic labels.
- Extent:
- 0.21 Linear Feet
- 1 boxes 1 half Hollinger
- Language:
- English
- Preferred citation:
Florida Citrus Labels collection, USF Libraries – Tampa Special Collections, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL.
Background
- Scope and content:
The Florida Citrus Labels collection includes lithograph citrus and produce crate labels featuring common themes of flora and fauna, modes of transportation, landscapes, pin-ups, and stereotypical depictions of Indigenous and Black Americans, among others.
- Biographical / historical:
Florida's citrus industry can be traced back to the 1500s when Spanish colonists brought Asian citrus fruits to the region. The nineteenth-century saw immense growth for the industry, which was then stimied by the Great Freeze of 1894 and 1895. By the 1910s, production recovered and the citrus and produce industries in Florida surged.
Although paper crate labels had been in use since the late 1800s, Florida growers were inspired by the decorative produce crate labels of California and began creating colorful, branded labels for their own companies in the 1920s. These labels featured unique imagery, often alluding to local flora, fauna, and peoples. By the 1950s, most produce was packed in cardboard boxes, and the use of lithographic crate labels faded.
Information taken from Florida Crate Labels, 1920s-1950s. Florida Memory, 2020, https://www.floridamemory.com/discover/historical_records/crate-labels/. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.
- Acquisition information:
Donation.
Materials donated by Tampa Bay History Center in 2020.
- Arrangement:
Alphabetically.
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Access and use
- Restrictions:
None.
- Terms of access:
None. The contents of this collection may be subject to copyright. Visit the United States Copyright Office's website at http://www.copyright.gov/ for more information.
- Preferred citation:
Florida Citrus Labels collection, USF Libraries – Tampa Special Collections, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL.
- Location of this collection:
-
The University of South Florida, Tampa Campus4202 East Fowler Ave. LIB122TampaFL33620-5400USA
