Bittersweet: The Rise and Fall of the Citrus Industry in Florida

Citrus Labels as Folk Art

Colorful labels affixed to boxes of Florida citrus highlight the eclectic tastes of the state's growers. The proliferation of brands generated a unique genre of folk art representing popular conceptions of the culture and history of the Sunshine State. These crate labels not only provide insight into the folk art of the citrus industry, but also illustrate marketing symbols and strategies at work in the 20^th century United States. Most of the citrus labels featured here were in use between the 1920s and the 1970s.