Episode 31: Indian River Citrus Museum

This week we meet with Heather Stapleton, who is the Executive Director at The Heritage Center and Indian River Citrus Museum in Vero Beach, Florida. She shares with us the amazing story of their Micro and Mighty Museum, and what makes the citrus from the Indian River District so special (it is the only district in Florida whose name is protected by the Federal Trade Commission).

Sour Oranges

Though Florida’s state flower is the orange blossom, citrus is not native to the Sunshine State and was introduced by the Spanish explorers. It was known by sailors in the 1700s that oranges prevented scurvy on the long ocean voyages, and Queen Isabella required that each Spanish sailor takes with them 100 sour orange seeds and “plant” them along the southern coast. Then, years later, they would have fresh fruit to stave off Vitamin C deficiency on their return journey. These seeds were probably transported in olive jars, like the one recovered by famous treasure hunter Mel Fisher from the 1715 Spanish Plate Fleet Wreck.


Episode Links:

• Indian River Citrus Museum: https://www.veroheritage.org/citrus-museum/
• Indian River Citrus Museum’s Oral Histories: “Stories from the Grove” https://www.veroheritage.org/-stories-from-the-groves/
• Florida Cowboy’s article: https://www.flamingomag.com/2021/10/18/how-these-ranchers-are-carrying-on-the-little-known-legacy-of-florida-cowboys/