Cherishing Florida’s Long History

The ruins of various Missions along the Florida peninsular, some of which tell of tragic events, others bearing happier records, still remain though battered through the ravages of time, to constantly remind those of the present that Florida has a history that should be preserved and cherished. The sea beaches of Florida are of particular geologic interest in that the sands contain quite a percentage of, the commonly called rare-earth minerals.

The accounting for the origin of these minerals and their concentration along the shores has been an interesting problem. These concentrates, principally ilmenite, rutile, zircon and monozite, were for a number of years recovered from the beach sands along the Atlantic Coast about five miles south of Jacksonville Beach.

Florida has an extensive coastline, and has more ocean beaches than any other state in the Union. Some of these are especially well known, as for instance Daytona Beach, upon which time, and again international automobile speed records have been established. It can be seen that marine deposits have fundamentally formed the State.

It is truly one of limestone foundation. In the early writings, however, the true characters of the formations underlying the State were not understood for they postulate a coral reef origin. Popular fancy, too, has long held to such a theory, and found support in these earlier teachings, but years ago it was shown that the basal limestone of the State was not of coral origin.

True it is that corals are found in some of the formations of the State but these are only incidental and make up only a very insignificant part of the whole. The formations of Florida have suffered but little distortion and lie for the most part nearly horizontal as when deposited. The low relief, the highest elevations in the State approximating 325 feet, and the nature of the deposits generally make the study of the different strata difficult, for there are but few continuous exposures or sections.

Through the development of the State generally through its lengthy hisotry, however, in the exploitation of its mineral deposits, in the drilling of wells for water, and as tests for oil or gas, in drainage enterprises, and all such projects, there is constant and increasing opportunity for studying the interesting problem of the State's geologic history, and it is becoming gradually better known as the work continues, and historians, and geologists make further investigations, and discoveries.