(1823-1891) dated February 8, 1884. In the letter, Trafford discussed land acquisition efforts and speculation. He described the efforts of land purchasers to buy available acreage from the state's Internal Improvement Fund lands at roughly 640 acres a day or 20,000 acres per month. The letter indicates the speculative nature of the land acquisition and the efforts of the investors to buy the lands at a discount. Trafford noted that "the proposed extension of the Railroad is not known here yet—though I fear the telegraph operator has dropped a hint. Property is very cheap here - but will take a jump when RR is known—I think it would pay you to invest one or two thousand in improved property here—this is undoubtedly the finest pine region of the State." Trafford also discussed some of the costs needed to clear and develop the land.

Trafford was a company agent for the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC) from 1882 to 1886. The FLCC was a joint-stock venture that invested in Florida land development and sales in the 1880s and early 1890s. The company was formed by Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) with help from a group of British investors. The original impetus for the company's formation was Sanford's inability to continue his land acquisition and development efforts in Florida independently. Located at 13 Austin Friars, the company was officially registered in London on June 10, 1880. With the formation of the FLCC, all of Henry Sanford's Florida properties were transferred to the company in exchange for a £10,000 cash payment and another £50,000 in company stock. Sanford was named President and Chairman of the Board.In 1880, the company owned 26,000 acres scattered across Florida, including in the cities of Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Sanford, as well as in Alachua County and Marion County.

Almost from the outset, there was serious friction between the British board members and Henry Sanford. Disagreements erupted over business strategy, as Sanford frequently proposed initiatives deemed too bold for the cautious British investors. From 1882 to 1892, the company saw steady, if meager, profits. Most of its income came from the sale of lots in the city of Sanford. From 1885 until 1890, the company, while remaining solvent, continued to see declining profits. From 1886 to 1890, the profits were so modest that the company declined to pay dividends on its yearly profits. Needed improvements and developments in the city of Sanford during the late 1880s sapped much of the company's income. Following Henry Sanford's death in 1891, many of the investors lost the motivation to continue. On September 15, 1892, the various directors acted to dissolve the company. Its assets, including roughly 65,000 acres of Florida land, were divided among shareholders.]]>
Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.]]> Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.]]> Florida Land Colonization Company Collection, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Adobe Acrobat Reader]]> Connecticut Historical Society after 1901.]]> Tennessee State Library and Archives for processing until June 1, 1960.]]> Sanford Museum in 1960.]]> Sanford Museum in Sanford, Florida. Rights to this item belong to the said institution, and therefore inquiries about the item should be directed there. RICHES of Central Florida has obtained permission from the Sanford Museum to display this item for educational purposes only.]]>
Map of Florida Showing the Land Grant of the Florida South Railway. Map. Buffalo, NY: Art-Printing Works, 1888: Maitland Public Library, Maitland, Florida.]]> Map of Florida Showing the Land Grant of the Florida South Railway. Map. Buffalo, NY: Art-Printing Works, 1888.]]> General Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Adobe Acrobat Reader]]> Maitland Public Library and is provided here by RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>
The Orlando area was originally occupied by the Creek and Seminole tribes. In 1838, Fort Gatlin was erected on the shores of Lake Gatlin, just a few miles south of present-day downtown Orlando. Centered around Church Street in Orlando, Orlando became a city in 1884. Originally a cattle town, Orlando grew into a major citrus growing center by the 1920s. The city continued to grow during the Great Depression with aid from the Work Progress Administration (WPA). During World War II, Orlando became a major military center as well with the development of the McCoy and Pinecastle Air Force Bases, and with the addition of the Orlando Naval Training Center in 1968. Downtown Orlando declined in the 1960s and 1970s. Redevelopment began in the 1970s and continued into the 1980s, with projects such as Church Street Station. In 1998, a building boom began and continued through the 2000s.]]>
Thomas Cook Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Adobe Acrobat Reader]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>
Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.]]> Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.]]> Florida Land Colonization Company Collection, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Connecticut Historical Society after 1901.]]> Tennessee State Library and Archives for processing until June 1, 1960.]]> Sanford Museum in 1960.]]> Sanford Museum in Sanford, Florida. Rights to this item belong to the said institution, and therefore inquiries about the item should be directed there. RICHES of Central Florida has obtained permission from the Sanford Museum to display this item for educational purposes only.]]>