Winter Sailor Francis R. Stebbins on Florida's Indian River, 1878-1888

"The Winter Sailor is a historical adventure that details the yearly winter travels of Francis R. Stebbins, a writer from Michigan, to Indian River on Florida's east coast. Beginning in March of 1878, Stebbins and his traveling companions made annual pilgrimages to relish its pristine beauty until 1888 when tragedy struck. Being an observant traveler, Stebbins began a series of descriptive articles for his hometown newspaper that chronicled these explorations, detailing his activities, such as hunting and fishing in the teeming lagoons and mangrove hammocks, exploring Cape Canaveral and the Jupiter lighthouses, savoring tropical fruits and the exotic plant life, and excavating ancient Indian mounds. What Stebbins enjoyed most was sailing down the river interviewing townspeople and examining local attractions as he went. His 49 articles describe the lifestyle of the region, its food, fashion, industry, history, environment, and changes that occurred over time, especially to the coastal regions. Unique among 19th-century travelogues, this document of Florida's past is a primary resource for modern scholars as well as a delightful, fasinating glimpse into the Indian River wilderness. "Provides a wonderful record of the shifting of the coastal lands through that time period, as inlets open and close and human land use shifts accordingly and in response to newly developed technologies."--Patricia C. Griffin, author of "Mullet on the Beach: The Minorcans of Florida, 1768-1788 "A counterbalance to the promotional literature that has served as our main source about old Florida. Here is the Florida coast without dredging, docks, marinas, and condos. Yet even in the late 1800s 'old, unspoiled' Florida was changing before Stebbins' eyes."--Susan R. Parker, Florida Division of Historical Resources Carolyn Baker Lewis is an independent scholar who has published several articles on postbellum agriculture and settlement in Florida and South Carolina.Lewis, Carolyn Baker is the author of 'Winter Sailor Francis R. Stebbins on Florida's Indian River, 1878-1888', published 2004 under ISBN 9780817351298 and ISBN 0817351299.