Travels

These selections from Part 2 (the Florida tour) of William Bartram's 1791 book Travels include his observations of north Florida’s flora and fauna, its natural history and archaeology, and the hydrology and springs of the St. Johns River. William Bartram's scientific explorations, condensing repeated tours from 1774 into one account, open a window into relationships between Native Americans and white settlers/colonists before the American Revolution.

Correspondence

Selected letters to and from William Bartram, his family, and his friends concerning his travels along the St. Johns River, his 1766 residence on the river, and publication of his 1791 Travels.

Introduction

John and William Bartram were father and son adventurers, plant collectors, and natural historians who explored and described the natural assets of the St. Johns River valley and the Trader’s Path westward to the Suwannee River in north Florida. Their trips during the latter half of the 1700s corresponded to the period after Florida became a possession of England. They collected plants and made extensive observations on local animal life, geography, native cultures, and physical features of what was then an essentially uncharted region.

Through Their Eyes

“Through Their Eyes: The Bartrams Explore the St. Johns River Valley” provides modern assessments of the landscapes the Bartrams encountered as well as assessments of the plants and animals they recorded during their St. Johns River travels. The Bartram species are updated in chapter four to embrace recent taxonomic interpretations.

Diary

These selections from John Bartram's Diary (or Journal) record the Florida leg of his 1765–66 tour of the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida with his son William. Bartram’s observations of the St. Johns River are accompanied by notes on north Florida flora and fauna, recent and ancient human history, weather, springs, and river hydrology.