Florida's mild winters makes it easy to forget the frigid days that strike the state from time to time. The winter of 1894-1895, perhaps the most memorable in Florida history, left a lasting impact on one of the state’s most recognizable industries.

In late December 1894, and then again in early February 1895, temperatures plummeted throughout the state. Orlando recorded 18 degrees on December 29; West Palm Beach reached only 27 on February 9.

Many citrus growers saw their investments crumble as frozen limbs snapped and fruit fell to the ground. Before the Great Freeze, Florida growers produced five million boxes of citrus per year. The industry did not reach this figure again for almost two decades.

Rockledge grove of Alfred Trafford after the freeze, February 1895

The citrus industry moved southward after the 1894 and 1895 freezes. Groves that survived the Great Freeze gained widespread notoriety. For example, the town of Keystone City was renamed Frostproof after its trees weathered the freeze. The great freeze forever changed the citrus industry, confining its reach to the southern half of the peninsula.

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