Squeeze the Day
S
o now we know where
his 50 acres of “perfect cultivation” in
oranges originated and how
the midst of the Live oaks.
they got to Florida, but let’s take a closer look at how
Cannon’s Point Scottish owner
they arrived in the Golden Isles. Shortly
John Couper was one of the leading
after the Spanish founded St. Augustine
agriculturists in the world and a
in 1565, they established missions in
fantastically successful planter. Not only
Georgia’s barrier islands, including on
was Cannon’s Point a well-established
the south end of St. Simons. It is likely
cotton plantation, but its gardens were
during this time that oranges trees
known for growing virtually every kind of
were introduced on St. Simons Island,
flower, plant, and tree that could survive
because Francis Moore described “a
in our coastal environment. The property
tall and thorny orange tree full of fruit”
had groves of lemons and oranges,
when he recorded the English arrival
date palms imported from Persia, and
on St. Simons in his diary. When Fort
olive trees imported from Marseilles
Frederica was garrisoned, it became
at the suggestion of President Thomas
one of the most important towns in
Jefferson. Eventually the property fell into
the colony. An account of the town
ruin and it is now a preserve under the
at that time describes the streets as
protection of the St. Simons Land Trust.
being “regularly laid out and margined with orange trees.” You can still see
There was also Orange Grove, south
Seville orange trees bearing fruit on
of Frederica on Dunbar Creek, which
the grounds at Fort Frederica National
was property granted to John Terry,
Monument today.
silversmith and recorder of Frederica. He “planted hundreds of orange trees
Outside of Frederica, but in the nearby
and called his plantation Orange Grove.”
vicinity, colonists established farms and
After passing through ownership by
plantations on land they were granted.
several influential early island families,
One of these early plantations was
the Bruces, the Abbotts, and Fendigs,
Orange Hall, General James Oglethorpe’s
the historic tract became part of the
only home in America. It was recorded
property known as Sea Palms. Major
to be a small English style raised cottage
Wright Road, Abbott Lane, and Terry
surrounded by a grove of orange trees.
Creek all were named to commemorate
Figs and grapes were also flourishing on
these Orange Grove inhabitants.
Fresh Picked, another gorgeous painting by Loren DiBenedetto from Anderson Fine Art Gallery, perfectly captures the ripe anticipation of peeling into a sweet and juicy orange picked right off the tree. This would add a lovely pop of color to your walls. 48
ELEGANT ISLAND LIVING
