On eBay Now...1927 FLORIDA LAND BOOM PHOTO ALBUM Garden Spot Motor Tour Bus MIAMI Palm Beach For Sale
When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
1927 FLORIDA LAND BOOM PHOTO ALBUM Garden Spot Motor Tour Bus MIAMI Palm Beach:
$825.00
MUSEUM-GRADE 1927 FLORIDA LAND BOOM & SOUTHERN TOURISM MANUSCRIPT ARCHIVEThis entirely unique, historically significant primary-source archive is an original, 90+ page bound handwritten photograph album completely documenting the G.H. Schreiner "Garden Spot Motor Tour" to Florida in February 1927.Organized and led by G.H. Schreiner out of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania (famed as the "Garden Spot"), this luxury commercial overland caravan charted a massive expedition through the American South and coastal Florida during the final, dramatic months of the historic 1920s Florida Land Boom. Every single page of this expansive 90+ page manuscript has been cataloged, proving an unbroken, complete record of the journey.
Unearthed Historical & Photographic Highlights:
• G.H. Schreiner Identified: Features a clear, remarkable portrait explicitly captioned in white ink: "G.H. Schreiner, Prop. and Conductor of Tour," showing the tour's founder holding citrus fruits in a Florida grapefruit grove.• The "Garden Spot Parlour Car": Crisp, close-up photograph of the official custom overland tour bus with its hand-painted "Garden Spot Motor Tour" banner clearly visible on the body paneling.• The Brand-New Breakers Hotel (Palm Beach): A pristine, early look at the legendary $7 million luxury resort immediately following its grand opening on December 29, 1926, after the catastrophic 1925 fire.• 1927 Palm Beach "Rolling Chair": Documents elite resort culture with a rare photo of a wealthy tourist riding in an iconic wicker rolling chair bicycle taxi.• Miami & Coral Gables Architecture: Features the historic De Soto Plaza Fountain in Coral Gables, capturing the signature Mediterranean Revival architecture designed by Denman Fink in 1925.• The Gandy Bridge: Rare, early imagery of the iconic toll bridge spanning Tampa Bay to St. Petersburg, photographed just over two years after its 1924 opening as the longest automobile toll bridge in the world.• Palm Beach "Hotel Boat": A beautifully composed photo showing a massive, multi-deck passenger houseboat docked at the resort waterfront.• St. Augustine Alligator Park: Features the famous Pelican and Alligator Park, capturing the legendary "Ponce De Leon" alligator—famed in 1927 as the oldest alligator in captivity.• Southern & Mid-Atlantic Landmarks: • Columbia, South Carolina: Captures a stunning street-level view of the historic South Carolina State House (Capitol). • Petersburg, Virginia: Includes poignant photos of the Civil War Crater Field Battlefield (site of the 1864 Battle of the Crater) and historic monuments. • Natural Bridge, Virginia: Rare daytime and night-lit views of the famous geological formation. • Fort Valley, Georgia: A sprawling view of a massive Georgia Peach Orchard documented in full bloom in February 1927.
Manuscript Details & Condition:
• Format: Original, period-correct black-leaf string-bound oblong photograph scrapbook.• Provenance: Every single page features meticulous, sharp, metallic-ink handwritten calligraphy detailing precise geographical locations, structural names, hotels, and agricultural details.• Condition: Exceptional antique condition. The silver-gelatin photographic prints retain beautiful contrast, sharp imagery, and clean borders with minimal fading or silvering. The original string binding is entirely intact, holding the text block firmly together. Expected minor edge wear to the cover boards appropriate for a 99-year-old travel book.
This is an extraordinarily rare, self-contained corporate travel record of a named 1920s commercial transit venture. Because the digital footprint of G.H. Schreiner’s tour is virtually non-existent in public registries, this fully labeled, 90+ page manuscript serves as an irreplaceable, completely unique piece of early American automotive culture, Civil War tourism, and Florida Land Boom history.