The Great Freeze(s)  – 1894/1895

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Prior to the 21st century, freezes inflicted the greatest economic damage to citrus in Florida.  Those involved in the industry know the dates of freezes better than the dates their grandchildren were born!!  The freeze of 1894/95 was a tree killing result of two events.  The first freeze was a ‘polar express’ that originated in the artic and moved swiftly across Canada and the US arriving in Florida on December 29, 1894.  The weather had been mild prior it’s arrival, the trees were tender.  Winds of 25 to 30 mph ushered in the artic air mass.

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Mr. C. H. Longstreet of Mount Dora stated “December 29, 1894 thermometer at 17F, rose to 34F and fell back to 24F and finely to 23F the morning of December 30.  The weather grew cold  fast and this morning every orange was frozen solid, and we think most of the trees are ruined”.

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January 1895 brought warm weather and the larger citrus trees found a way to force some growth using ‘food reserves’ in the wood! On February 6, 1895 anther ‘polar express’ formed and conditions were perfect for a rapid movement south across snow covered Canada and the central US.  Mr. Longstreet’s entry for February 8, 1895 reads “The wind from the northwest was heavy.  It was an awful day, the worst that Florida has ever seen.  The temperatures were as follows: 10am  17F, 12 noon 26F, 4 pm 34F, 8pm 30F, 7am 22F”.  The double fisted freezes of December 29, 1894 and February 8, 1895 killed almost every citrus tree in Florida (note that at this time very few trees were in south Florida).  It would take at least a decade before any significant production of citrus occurred.

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Dr. John Attaway in his book, A History of Florida Citrus Freezes says “ In 1895 for the struggling grower there was no processing industry to covert frozen fruit to juice.  Neither were there disaster loans or any government assistance programs.  The grower’s loss was total and the blow to Florida’s economy severe.”

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Rex Clonts, citrus grower that lives in Oviedo notes “My grandfather said his first childhood memory was of the chaos of the night (probably February 9, 1895) as every man worked in endless  desperation burning fires while every woman scurried to bring hot food and drink, only pausing momentarily when another rifleshot sound of splitting bark rang out.  Most of the Northerners, their dreams of tropical paradise shattered, packed hastily and boarded the train in the midst of an apocalyptic landscape that days before had been lush and fruitful.” 

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The Great Freezes of 1894/1895 were an economic devastation for growers, however there were some, like Rex’s great grandfather that would not give up and found a way to replant and persevere.