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Settlers came to Land O' Lakes at turn of the 20th century and stayed for its beauty and industry

Citrus Farmers
Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library.
Citrus farmers fertilize the groves by hand, 1922.
Citrus Farmers
Settlers came to Land O' Lakes at the turn of the 20th century and stayed for its beauty and industry
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LAND O' LAKES, FL — Settlers came to Land O' Lakes at the turn of the 20th century, long before it was even called Land O' Lakes.

Early Settlers, 1910-1919
At the turn of the century, early settlers lived in tents while their homes were being built 1910-1919.

Dr. Susan MacManus' grandfather was one of them. And like many others, he stayed for its beauty, his family, and the hope of making it big in the citrus industry.

U.S. 41 & S.R. 54, 1960
The intersection of State Road 54 and U.S. 41. The store, Holt Enterprises, sold groceries, dry goods, sundries, and gasoline in 1960.

Today, five generations of her family have lived in the area.

You may be used to seeing Dr. MacManus on Tampa Bay 28 as a political expert. Turns out, she's an expert on Land O' Lakes as well and even wrote a book about it.

In the book, there are some incredible historic photographs of what life was like in Land O' Lakes a hundred years ago.

Ehren Pine Company Sawmill
In the 1910s, the Ehren Pine Company Sawmill employed hundreds of workers. The complex included a train depot, a commissary, a post office and a church.

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