Hamilton Disston facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hamilton Disston
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| Born | August 23, 1844 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
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| Died | April 30, 1896 (aged 51) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
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| Resting place | Laurel Hill Cemetery |
| Occupation | Industrialist, Real estate developer |
Hamilton Disston (August 23, 1844 – April 30, 1896) was an industrialist and real-estate developer who purchased 4 million acres (16,000 km²) of Florida land in 1881, an area larger than the state of Connecticut.
Contents
Early life and business
Hamilton Disston was born in Philadelphia, the eldest son of nine children born to Mary Steelman and Henry Disston. Disston's father was a successful industrialist. Henry Disston was responsible for multiple machining and saw patents, and engineered a community around his steel factory in Tacony, Pennsylvania. After attending public school, Hamilton left at 15 years old, opting for an apprenticeship at the saw factory which, by that time, was a $500,000-per-year international venture.
In 1878, following the death of Henry Disston, Hamilton and his brothers Horace, William, and Jacob inherited the company which had been renamed to Henry Disston & Sons. Hamilton became the controlling member of the 2,000-employee company and expanded production to 1.4 million hacksaws and 3 million files per year.
While the saw manufacturing business continued growing, Disston branched out, investing in a chemical firm, a Chinese railroad, real estate in Atlantic City, New Jersey and mining in the western United States.
Dream of Florida
In the 1880s, Hamilton Disston became interested in Florida. At that time, Florida was a very different place than it is today. Much of the state was covered in swamps and wetlands. These swamps were home to mosquitoes and other pests, and they made it difficult to grow crops or build towns.
Hamilton Disston had a big idea: he wanted to drain the swamps and turn them into fertile farmland and thriving communities. He believed that by draining the swamps, he could make Florida a paradise for farmers and settlers.
In 1881, Hamilton Disston made a deal with the state of Florida to buy four million acres of land for just 25 cents an acre. This was the largest single land purchase in American history.
Why did Florida sell so much land to Disston for so little money? Because the state was in debt and needed money to pay its bills. By selling the land to Disston, Florida hoped that he would drain the swamps, attract settlers, and boost the state's economy.
Draining the swamps
Hamilton Disston hired engineers and workers to build canals and drainage systems to drain the swamps. He used giant machines called dredges to dig the canals. These dredges were like giant floating shovels that scooped up mud and water and dumped it on the banks of the canals.
The key to Disston's Florida plans was a massive dredging effort to drain the Kissimmee River floodplain that flows into Lake Okeechobee, to remove the surface water in the Everglades and the surrounding lands regardless of season. The canals were engineered to guide the overflow of Lake Okeechobee into the St. Lucie River and then into the Atlantic Ocean in the east; the Caloosahatchee River overflow was directed to the Gulf of Mexico in the west, and eventually canals were to be constructed south through the Everglades.
Dredging commenced around Lake Okeechobee during the winter of 1881–1882. Draining the swamps was a difficult and expensive job. It took many years and cost millions of dollars. But Disston was determined to make his dream for Florida a reality.
Although Disston's engineered canals aided water transport and steamboat traffic in Florida, he was ultimately unsuccessful in draining the Kissimmee River floodplain or lowering the surface water around Lake Okeechobee and in the Everglades. He was forced to sell much of his investments at a fraction of their original costs.
Disston City
As Disston drained the swamps, new land was created. This land was perfect for growing crops like citrus fruits, vegetables, and sugarcane. Disston encouraged farmers and settlers to come to Florida and start new lives.
He also helped build new towns and cities in the areas he had drained. Disston's plans included the creation of a major city in the Tampa Bay area. Disston founded the town of Tarpon Springs, including a commercial pier and two hotels, using lumber from his sawmill in Atlantic City, New Jersey. After deciding that Tarpon Springs would not become the metropolis he hoped, Disston shifted his efforts south and established a town he called Disston City. He invested heavily in steamboats and built a wharf, a school, and the area's first hotel.
Death
On April 30, 1896, Disston had dinner with the mayor of Philadelphia and attended a theatre production with his wife in Philadelphia. The following morning, he was found dead at age 51. Almost every obituary, as well as the official coroner's report, stated that he died of heart disease in bed. The New York Times further reported that, several months before his death, Disston suffered from a bout of typhoid pneumonia.
He was interred at Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia.
Personal life
Disston was married with a son and two daughters, all of whom survived him.
Interesting facts about Hamilton Disston
- In Hamilton's youth, his father threatened to fire him for repeatedly leaving the factory to work for a volunteer fire department.
- 4 million acres: The amount of land Disston purchased in Florida.
- 25 cents: The price per acre Disston paid for the land.
- Disston's purchase made him the largest landowner in the United States.
- In the four years following his purchase, four times as many rail lines were added than the 20 preceding years.
- He was reported in 1889 to give $17,000 in Christmas gifts to his employees.
- His family had no interest in Florida and creditors foreclosed on his Florida mortgage four years after his death.
Important dates and figures
- August 3, 1844: Hamilton Disston was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
- 1878: Hamilton Disston takes over Henry Disston & Sons after his father's death.
- 1881: Disston buys four million acres of land in Florida for 25 cents an acre.
- May 4, 1896: Hamilton Disston dies at the age of 51.
Legacy
However, his land purchase primed Florida's economy and allowed railroad magnates Henry Flagler and Henry Plant to build rail lines down the east coast of Florida, and another joining the west coast, which directly led to the domination of the tourist and citrus industries in Florida. Disston's immediate impact was in the Philadelphia area, where he was active in Republican politics and a philanthropist, but his legacy is often associated with the draining and development of Florida.
Places named after Disston
Several places have been named after Disston in Pennsylvania and Florida such as:
- Disston Heights a neighborhood in St. Petersburg, Florida
- Hamilton Disston School in Philadelphia.
- Hamilton Disston School in Gulfport, Florida.
- Lake Disston in Flagler County, Florida at 29°17′N 81°23′W / 29.283°N 81.383°W.
- Lake Disston in St. Petersburg, Florida at 27°46′30″N 82°43′4″W / 27.77500°N 82.71778°W.
- Disston Avenue in Tarpon Springs, Florida at 28°8′8″N 82°44′54″W / 28.13556°N 82.74833°W.
- Disston Avenue in Clermont, Florida at 28°34′28″N 81°45′0″W / 28.57444°N 81.75000°W.
- Disston Avenue in Tavares, Florida at 28°48′27″N 81°43′29″W / 28.80750°N 81.72472°W.
- Disston Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Disston Drive in St. Cloud, Florida at 28°16′22″N 81°14′25″W / 28.27278°N 81.24028°W.
- Disston Street in Tallahassee, FL https://maps.google.com/?ll=30.46714,-84.256856&spn=0.49714,0.451813&t=h&z=11
- Disston Canal in Osceola County, Florida
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