Palmetto-Leaves

Palmetto Leaves, written by Harriet Beecher Stowe and published in 1873, is a collection of travel essays reflecting her experiences in Mandarin, Florida. After the Civil War, Stowe purchased a plantation near Jacksonville for her son's recovery and became enamored with the region, documenting its natural beauty and social dynamics. The book serves as one of the first travel guides to Florida, highlighting the lives of local African-Americans and Stowe's efforts to improve their circumstances. It played a significant role in stimulating Florida's tourism and residential development in the 1880s.