|
"McIntosh is in North Central Florida about 20 miles south of Gainesville and 6 miles from Micanopy. The McIntosh Historic District includes dozens of historic homes and other buildings. The name of the town may come from an early planter named Col. John Houstoun McIntosh who owned a plantation in the area from the 1820s until it was destroyed by Seminole Indians during the Second Seminole War (1835-1842)." Along with Micanopy, McIntosh hosted the movie Doc Hollywood - - - - - - - - November 5th, 2022 Post - - - - - - - - - - - (11/5/22) Update: The McIntosh 1890's Festival has returned. We coordinated our Biloxi monthly trip (taking it a week earlier) so we could attend the festival and share it with Eddie and Linda. We did. We attempted to meet at the Train depot at 9:00 am - but there was no chance. The parking, roads and crowds took over the entire town in a good way. Walking Main Street very slowly and texting/calling the Alcorne's we met up early on and browsed the event together. Our financially smart wives were really not looking to by and used a decision model "do I need that? No, I don't need that". Unfortunately for Eddie the event resulted in many, many ideas that Linda HAS FOR EDDIE!. One downer however, Eddie was supported by a knee brace to ease pain from what we were told was a bone spur - damn it must be tough when one gets old - I'll wait and see. See below for more pics add and also view Google Photos link here. - - - - - - - - April 5, 2022 Post - - - - - - - - - - - (4/5/22) Several year ago the Amundson's, Ginger, and I travelled to McIntosh for their town-wide November Fall Festival. A great day and terrific fall weather. We visited vendor booths, had hot dogs, cotton candy, coffee and doughnuts. More recently, as a result of COVID, the Fall events two years running were cancelled. However, Ginger and I wanted to show the Fronstin's McIntosh and other towns nearby - so we visited McIntosh and introduced them to old town(s) in Florida. showed them the historic train depot. The most obvious attraction was the historic train depot - so we took photos, poke our noses on the window and screens to see what we could see. Then, as we walked around we looked across the field we saw what we came to learned was an artist's gallery - the 'Carriage House'. Not knowing what it was (but soon learned) we boldly walked into an open doorway and hollered 'Hello'. After some introductions and asking if it would be possible shoot inside - the artist - Willam Schaaf, invited us in and we talked for 45 minutes. A great opportunity to learn what he does and a little about the area. Photo Ops:
Resources: Read about the Town of McIntosh History Step Back in Time ... www.floridianamagazine.com/a-step-back-in-time-mcintosh-florida/ Visit his site at www.williamschaaf.com McIntosh 1890's https://mcintosh1890sfestival.com/ November 5th, 2022 Pics April 5th, 2022 Pics "In 1862 the settlement was named Bartow for Francis S. Bartow, the first brigade commander in the Confederate Army to be killed during the Civil War. In the 1880s and 1890s railroads began to serve Bartow and the town began to grow. In 1887, Summerlin Institute was built. It was the first brick school house in the state south of Jacksonville. In the early 1900s phosphate companies began buying huge tracts of land around Bartow. The town became the hub of the largest phosphate industry in the country as well as being a center of the thriving citrus operations in the area." Florida Backroads Travel Personal Notes Bartow is located in a region of Florida known as Bone Valley. The region has one of the richest phosphate rock deposits and provides one-quarter of the world's phosphate. It also is the location of the LB Brown House - the only standing house in Florida built by a former slave. We were provided a tour by Clifton Davis and enjoyed learning the history of the area and the amazing Mr. L.B. Brown. We learned that after being freed as a slave, a Mr. Bennett (a wealthy business man) sort of mentored LB and he became the area's well know entrepreneur - owning property, building many rental properties and managing his wealth through contracts that he, himself learned and wrote up from reading (no formal education). We took the opportunity to explore more of Bartow and highly recommend one visits (at least from the outsude the Wonder House and view the history of Polk County at the History Center. Photo Ops and more ...
Read: Polk History Center - 100 E. Main Street The Wonder House - Built in the 1920's with features known today (access limited) Florida Backroads Travel - Bartow Photos below and click here - Bartow Pics for additional photos) Williston is about 22 miles southwest of Gainesville. It is a typical small Florida town that has not changed as much as others have over the years. The town was founded by Dr. Jesse M. Willis in 1853 who reportedly named it for himself. He established a plantation which eventually grew Williston as one of the largest producers of cucumbers in the world, with as many as 75 rail cars a day shipped. The limestone formations underlying the area around Williston have created many interesting features including several springs that are attractive to cave divers. See below. https://www.florida-backroads-travel.com/williston-florida.html Below are the Florida destinations we have explored and want to share.
Note: the date of the post may or may not represent the calendar date the destination was visited. Most often it does, but as updates are made, the post date changes to the last time post was visited. So this is a great page to just scan destinations visited. To view specific towns, go to Destinations page here or use Navigation bar at the top of each page. Those options will launch the Towns by Region page. Click the town of interest. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floral_City,_FloridaFloral City was laid out and surveyed in 1883 by the surveyor W.H. Havron and then-Senator Austin S. Mann. The land was owned by James Baker, son-in-law of ex-Confederate soldier John Paul Formy-Duval, an early area settler and landowner. The village was at one time larger than Miami, due to the phosphate mining industry located in Citrus County. Around the time of World War I, the mining industry shut down in Floral City. After the war, mining was moved south to the Bartow area east of Tampa. The community is said to be a slice of "Old Florida" that remains relatively intact.[8] The town was named Floral City for its abundance of wild flowers, which are still plentiful today. This week we visit Floral, FL. Founded in 1883, this town remains an Old Florida treasure. It was named primarily for an abundance of flowers throughout and was another town that boomed due to phosphate mining in the early 1900s. Beautiful oak trees provide a welcoming canopy for all. Definitely, a town to revisit and explore shops and dining ... and small town charm. We also learned that nearby was Dunnellon, FL. the 'birthplace' of phosphate mining. From web sources "Dunnellon, FL. - site of the 1st phosphate discovery in Florida. Dr. Simmons made the earliest attempt at mining and using phosphate in 1883. The Florida phosphate boom was triggered after the 1889 discovery of high-grade phosphate hard rock by Albertus Vogt near the town of Dunnellon. There were more than 215 mining companies throughout Florida. The Boom made land value go to $5.00/acre!" Wiki - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floral_City,_Florida Historic Maker - https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=104967 Phosphate - Discovery in Florida Floral City - Our Community After founding Celebration, Disney followed its plans to divest most of its control of the town.[5] Several Disney business units continue to occupy the town's office buildings. Walt Disney World operates two utility companies, Smart City Telecom and Reedy Creek Energy Services, that provide services to the town. The town itself is connected to the Walt Disney World resorts via one of its primary streets, World Drive, which begins near the Magic Kingdom. (Wiki) - - - - - - - - personal notes & photos - - - - - - - - - - Looking for a road trip, Bob & Pam suggested we visit nd downtownCelebration. The town was a Disney planned community that they had visited and we all said "let's check it out". A beautiful community, very, very clean downtown, and we were lucky we chose a time of the Christmas season to see decorations of estate type homes. We enjoyed walking around the lake and looking back and shooting the town. We found a nice place for lunch - Celebration Town Tavern. We all felt it was a winner. Photo Ops:
Dining suggestion: Celebration Town Tavern Resources: Wiki ... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celebration,_Florida Visit Florida ToDo ... www.visitflorida.com/places-to-go/central/celebration/ Celebration Town Tavern ... www.thecelebrationtowntavern.com/ Palmetto, Florida was incorporated on June 15, 1897, when Florida’s governor signed the charter declaring Palmetto a city. That’s almost six years earlier than its neighbor to the south, Bradenton, was recognized, five years before Sarasota, and thirty years before Venice. Palmetto’s proximity to water, touching both Terra Ceia Bay and especially the mile-wide Manatee River, was an attractive resource for the first settlers who arrived in the mid-1800s. Considered the “Father of Palmetto”, Samuel Lamb relocated to the area in 1868 and named the town Palmetto after his home state of South Carolina, “the Palmetto State”. - - - - - - - - - personal notes & photos - - - - - - - - Palmetto, a great day trip with the Fronstin's - weather, company and photos. We did an area walk-around but did not research historical locations except for a quick look at a 'pioneer' setting. Some good history on the blog and could be a revisit in the future. When in the area, be sure to stop by Detwiler's Market. Photo Ops:
Resources: Wiki ... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palmetto,_Florida Blog ... www.michaelsaunders.com/blog/tably/pioneering-palmetto-fl-a-look-back-at-its-122-year-history/ Detwilers Market ... detwilermarket.com/ Wiki ...Blue Spring State Park is unique because visitors can view manatees in the crystal-clear spring water from the boardwalk, which stretches 1/3 of a mile from the St. Johns River to the headspring. The boardwalk provides a wonderful opportunity for safely observing the manatees. Visitors can see manatees socializing and mothers nursing their small calves, without influencing the manatees’ natural behavior or bothering them. The number of manatees visiting the park has grown significantly, from about 36 animals when research began in the 1970s to over 500 animals today. Although there are still many threats to manatees — habitat loss, pollution, algae blooms and collision with watercraft — Blue Spring State Park serves as a safe haven for these gentle creatures. The park is also an ideal location to release manatees back into the wild after they have been rehabilitated from sickness or injury. Because they can easily be monitored at the spring and the surrounding waters, researchers are able to make sure they adapt to life back in the wild. (Florida State Parks) - - - - - - - - - personal notes & photos - - - - - - - - - We always thought that Crystal River was the only manatee center in Florida of any size. As it turns out, Crystal River is the ONLY manatee location in the state where humans can interact directly with the manatees in their environment. Blue Springs State Park made it easy to view and photogrpah the manatees with an overlooking dock/deck. Photo Ops:
Resources: Wiki ... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Springs_State_Park State Park ... www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/blue-spring-state-park/manatees-blue-spring-state-park Aripeka, Florida is a place you may not find unless you are really looking for it. It is on the Gulf Coast near Spring Hill about 48 miles north of Tampa and a mile south of Hernando Beach. The road that passes through Aripeka is subject to frequent flooding due to rainfall events and fluctuations in the level of the water and marshes surrounding the town. The population of this unincorporated community is about 300, and there is not much room to grow larger. The village is surrounded by marshes and water. - - - - - - - - - personal notes & photos - - - - - - - - To me, the road to Aripeka is like a road to Old Florida. I just enjoy driving the route (a narrow two-lane road that winds through marsh and wetlands). What is 'exciting' is looking to the left and right on your way to the village of Aripeka and realizing the water is often just about 1 ft below the road's surface. This is very much akin to the Ozello Trail back road to Ozella and the restaurant Peck's Old Port Cove. Photo Ops:
Resources: Wiki ... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aripeka,_Florida Fivay History ... http://www.fivay.org/aripeka.html Norfleet General Store ... www.suncoastnews.com/news/already-a-historical-fixture-little-norfleet-s-store-in-aripeka-now-has-its-own-calendar/article_7f1f2cae-d965-11eb-a843-1f72738006db.html Flickr (Aripeka) Photo Stream ... www.flickr.com/photos/ghs1922/albums/72157629229771310 Aripeka Revisit July 19th, 2022 Today at 5:30 am, Don took a 30 minute ride to Aripeka to photograph possibly new photos and find Babe Ruth's hunting and fishing cabin. I was excited about revisiting after viewing the 60next trip.+ images and information found in the Resources (above) during my website updates this month. Check out what we found below. About Babe's place: I met a retired couple walking their dog on the bridge. The had who moved to Aripeka 2 years ago and knew the area. They shared with me that the cabin was in the woods, but hard to find because it was almost completely collapsed due to neglect and weather. A quick look for the site (near Liberty Ave near their home (yellow color) by the bridge ... I could not find it. Maybe another time when we are in the area. Redington Beach is a small, residential beach town in Pinellas County. Redington Beach is an upscale, exclusive community and has approximately 2,000 residents. The town is located just north of Madeira Beach. The next community to the north of Redington Beach is North Redington Beach. Redington Beach is a quiet area and is filled with condos and private residential homes. Unlike other nearby beaches which have large hotels, resorts, restaurants and other commercial activity, there are very few attractions or amenities for tourists or visitors. The beach in Redington Beach is mostly used by people who live in the nearby community because parking is so difficult to find. Redington Beach is often less crowded than other beaches in Pinellas County. (Florida guidebook) - - - - - - - - - - - personal notes & photos - - - - - - - - - - - Below are some of the many local scenes in and around our hometown - Redington Beach. While living in New Jersey, we were introduced to the area in the early 1990s by dear friend who offered us her condo in North Redington Beach. From that time on, we had dreamed that maybe someday we could live in a beach community in this area. At about that same time, photography became more than simply capturing vacations and family events - it became a passion. The link below the Redington Beach gallery shares photos of our town and nearby local areas we see and visit frequently ... many within 30 minutes of Redington Beach. Photo Ops:
Resources: Wiki ... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redington_Beach,_Florida Guidebook ... www.florida-guidebook.com/redington-beach/ Redington Beach and Nearby ... https://www.photographicdestinations.com/local--nearby.html More ... Readington Beach and Local Communities to explore - here
Ginger's Happy Place and surrounding areas ... "Yankeetown is a small village of about 500 souls just upstream of where the Withlacoochee River flows into the Gulf of Mexico. It is known by old timers as the town where Elvis 'followed that dream'" It is a commercial fishing town today. The oak shaded streets are draped with Spanish moss and lined with examples of Old Florida cracker homes. The eclectic rambling buildings and ancient trees remind you of how the whole State of Florida used to be before it got discovered by Yankees back in the day." (SRC#1) - - - - - - - - - - personal notes & photos - - - - - - - - - - - This was a by chance visit on our trip to Biloxi. A very small community with Old Florida 'feel'. Quiet, and quite isolated - feeling like a backroads location. It appears to a great place if you are a boater/fisherman with the Gulf only a few miles 'down yonder' - Rt 40. Some great old homes to see. Photo Ops:
Resources: Wiki ... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yankeetown,_Florida Florida Backroads Travel - Elvis ... www.florida-backroads-travel.com/yankeetown-florida.html "Mayo, the county seat of Lafayette County, population 1,226, is small town America personified.ed its name, at least temporarily, to Miracle Whip! Mayo is the kind of place where, if you stay for a few days, your stress level will drop and may just disappear altogether. Stay in or near Mayo for a day or two and you will get it. In the fall of 2018, Mayo changed its name, at least temporarily, to Miracle Whip! Is it Mayo or is it Miracle Whip? Watch the video below and you be the judge". See Video 'No More Mayo." From 'Desolation Florida' ... "There's not much to the town of Mayo, Florida. It's the county seat of Lafayette County, and has a population of around 1300. It's located along highway 27, which connects High Springs (where I live) to towns further to the west. I've certainly driven through Mayo quite a few times as an adult, although I've only stopped once - and that was in order to take pictures for this blog. Modern day Mayo consists of a decaying old downtown, paralleling highway 27." - - - - - - - - - personal notes & photos - - - - - - - - - - We found Mayo to a be small hometown town, with folks that will spend time and talk with you, but not much to see in the town. We were interested in historical (100+ year old buildings) and to capture the House of Seven Gables (torn down). However, read the history here. Below are several photos to capture the area. Lots of renovation ongoing - we will drive through again. The small town of Mayo did temporarily changed its name to Miracle Whip as an advertising stunt). A mildly disappointing side trip. But all was not lost, we found the historic La Chateau de Lafayette, built in 1883 and served as a courthouse, private home, apartment, and a wonderful B&B today. Photo Ops:
Resources: Wiki ... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayo,_Florida Mayo ... www.naturalnorthflorida.com/mayo/ Marianna was founded in 1828, and named for the Scottish founder's wife Mary and her friend Anna. Marianna's downtown has a nicely restored historic district, and it has been recognized as a Florida Main Street Town. Click here for additional Marianna details and photo opportunities. - - - - - - - - - - personal notes & photos - - - - - - - - - - We found Marianna was a quiet town, sort of laid back. This may be because each time we visited the town it was either on a Sunday morning, after Hurricane Michael or post COVID. We found several interesting subjects to shoot, but after hurricane Michael, there is what I will call recovery efforts underway even today (June 2022). Not directly in town, but we did have an opportunity in May 2022 to hike to the famously known Florida Ghost Story - Bellamy Bridge. Just after Hurricane Michael the entire area was flooded severely. Access to the trail was underwater and we (at that time decided to postpone any attempt). Finally, on our trip in 2022, we accessed the trail and believe we saw the Ghost of Bellamy Bridge (no it was a backpacker). Nearby, we had previously visit the Florida Caverns State Park where we enjoyed a guided tour of the underground caverns - one of Ginger's most enjoyed stops where we went 'deep' into the caverns 'where no light existed'. Photo Ops:
The Ghost of Bellamy Bridge ... exploresouthernhistory.com/bellamybridge Florida Caverns State Park ... www.exploresouthernhistory.com/floridacaverns.html About an hour's drive southwest of Gainesville, the tiny enclave of Cedar Key is a quaint, old-fashioned, Old Florida vacation spot – one that offers lovely beaches, productive fishing opportunities and lush natural preserves.It's a place that's short on traffic lights and long on relaxation. Cedar Key's houses and stores perch above the Gulf of Mexico on stilts, with the water lapping at their bellies. It's easy to find a tasty clam chowder and a cold brew in Cedar Key. (Visit Florida) - - - - - - - - - - - - - personal notes & photos - - - - - - - - - - - Cedar Key is one our Florida trips 'list'... It is "old Florida". Narrow streets lined with shops, locals and tourists, neat cafes and dining at a slower pace. Cedar Key is a clamming, fishing, and an artist village with a tourist trade. The tourism is seasonal and most visitors are looking for a low key sort of vacation. Richard and Sharleen were looking to get together, and we thought this would be a good full day trip. Travel was a little over 2 hours and we all caught up with each other during the drive. Once we turned off Rt19 north onto Rt 24 west ... well 24 miles later we entered Cedar Key. As we parked, we saw marine police at the small marina (and came to learn, they were extracting one of the three bodies from a small place crash into the Gulf reported two days earlier. We walked the street and found a General Store that served freshly ground coffee - delicious! Finishing coffee we proceeded walking the main street (but were somewhat disappointed) and realized much had changed as a result of the major tropical storm that saw major storm water destroying much of the businesses. Getting close to noon, and feeling hungry, I had found a popular eating establishment a few blocks away - Tony's that was well know for Cedar Key clam chowder - a must try!. We ordered Poo Boys, Shrimp sandwiches (both to split) and clam chowder. Oh, our 'professional' server did not have a clue what fish was part of the Poo Boy, delivered the sandwiches BEFORE the soup, never brought drinks and never served condiments we requested. As Ginger and I waited for dressings and soup, our food (after 15 minutes) got cold, I walked up to the kitchen and politely shared "our food is cold, we do not have condiments, we did not receive our ordered soup or all the drinks. (they apologized, removed what was served, re-ordered hot food and all turned out fine - oh, the Potvin's had finished their meal and were served a second! Suggested Photo Opportunities:
Place(s) to East ... Tony's Chowder Resources: Wiki ... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cedar_Key,_Florida Cedar Key ... www.visitflorida.com/places-to-go/north-central/cedar-key/ Historic B&B ... www.islandhotel-cedarkey.com/ This town in Gadsden County was established in 1828, named for our sixth president, John Quincy Adams. In its early years Quincy became very prosperous due to a booming tobacco industry. Just 20 minutes west of Tallahassee, the Old Florida city of Quincy surprises visitors with its array of Victorian homes in the quaint downtown district. (Quincy's downtown square, built around the Gadsden County Courthouse, an old-time drugstore and many other touches of the Florida that once was and, in places like Quincy). - - - - - - - - - - - - personal notes & photos - - - - - - - - - - - - Quincy was not a real draw for us based on research about the town. We have visitied several times and were able to capture different subjects and learn about the town. Our ptimary 'draw' was to be sure we capture another 'ten oldest towns in Florida'. It's history begins with the tobacco industry and worked well up to the 1970's. Then they turned their income options to farming - mushrooms, tomaotes, and more. Today, the town is attempting to rebuild and draw businesses. Photo Ops:
Resources: Wiki ... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quincy,_Florida Quincy ... https://www.florida-backroads-travel.com/quincy-florida.html Micanopy, named after the Seminole Indian Chief, Mic-a-no-pee (my phonetic spelling) was settled in 1821 and is the oldest inland town in Florida. Cholokka Boulevard, once an Indian trading route, is Micanopy’s main street, and the town’s primary tourist destination known for its antique shops (self-proclaimed antiques capital). The main street has a mix of rustic storefronts and dining for casual shoppers, collectors, and has been a location for Hollywood film makers (Note: Micanopy was the setting for the movie 'Doc Hollywood' starring Michael J Fox). The town also has a wonderful B&B (Herlong Mansion) and exemplifies that which is called Old Florida The Town of Micanopy encompasses 1.03 square miles in rural north-central Florida between Gainesville and Ocala just off Interstate 75, with 700 residents and 300 homes. Few Facts:
- - - - - - - - - - personal notes & photos - - - - - - - - - - Micanopy was one of our earliest photographic destination 'explorations'. It was the oldest inland town in Florida, it has been recognized in several Florida websites as one of the small towns that are a 'must-see', 10 quaint small towns, etc. We have been to/through Micanopy many times to shop the shops, see how it survived during and after COVID and to take a drone of the town. We like this town also since it is close to other Florida things to see - McIntosh, Gainesville, Evinston, and others. And known for the best in those interested in antiques. We are considering an overnight stay in the Herlong Mansion. Suggested Photo Opportunities * Historic Micanopy Sign * Old barn with Coke Cola billboard * Main Street and various shops * The Herlong Mansion (Bed and breakfast) Resources: Micanopy https://micanopytown.com/ The Town that Time Forgot https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2x7EqlUdnM Authentic Florida - Micanopy Herlong Mansion https://backpackerverse.com/haunted-herlong-mansion/ The Villages is a master planned retirement community that sprawls over Sumter County, Lake County and Marion County along US-441/US-27 between Ocala and Leesburg, Florida. The Villages is huge, and very attractive and well maintained. We know several friends enjoy the community, the activity and living environment. - - - - - - - - - personal notes & photos - - - - - - - - - It is a destination one must see to be able to say "we saw the Villages", but for Ginger and I that like a yard, working in the garden, doing home improvement projects we do not see us living in that environment. My sense (only a sense) is the closeness of the community more could lead to a feeling of 'everyone knowing your business'. However, very pleasant and clean, with any and all services a retired senior or couple would need - right in town. There are various communities and as in all communities some moderate and some high ends homes. Photo Ops
Resources:
Historian Ben Pickard recaptures the essence of Gainesville area history and explains how war, commerce, exploration and expansion characterize our city's storied evolution. From natural history to the Civil War, Gainesville is a hotbed of noteworthy landmarks. Special thanks to Ben Pickard for use of his historical narrative. (https://bit.ly/3B3ddBl). Gainesville is home to Florida’s largest and oldest university, and is one of the state’s centers of education, medicine, cultural events and athletics. The University of Florida and Shands Hospital at UF are the leading employers in Gainesville and provide jobs for many residents of surrounding counties. Update November 5th, 2022 Using a visit to McIntosh to enjoy the 1890s festival, we wanted to further visit parts of Gainesville we may have missed (below). My search identified additional sites to photograph but only limited opportunity to visit historical or unique photo ops. We visited the Evergreen cemetery a quite historic cemetery, checked out 'downtown' center with a handful of murals and passed by a recommended B&B. Posted April 5, 2022 We decided to check out Gainesville since Florida University was one of 3 colleges our grandson was considering as his college of choice. My initial research for photo opportunities did not identify the town as a 'must see' (but opportunities exist to revisit after identifying historical or unique attractions). We did however, check out U of F by car and visited the chapel (below). Observations: University of Florida is an absolutely beautiful campus. Traveling by car however is 'impossible'. Anyone attending the University would have to walk or bike to travel to classes with the campus. To highlight car transportation: we found that traveling 1 mile through the campus could take you 15- 20 minutes! So after seeing several 'branches' of education - agriculture, meteorology, etc. we decided to see the U of F chapel ... check out the beautiful structure. Photo Ops:
Resources: Gainesville ...www.visitgainesville.com/arts-culture/historic-spots-in-gainesville-where-time-stands-still/ University of Florida ... www.ufl.edu/ Wiki ... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gainesville,_Florida Visit Gainesville ... www.visitgainesville.com/ Evergreen Cemetery ... www.thiswondrousplace.org/ Mexico Beach (not to be confused with Mexico City) ... came to 'fame' after being literally destroyed by Hurricane Michael in October 2018. About 2 weeks after Michael hit the Panhandle, we traveled to Mississippi and drove through Mexico Beach. We were shocked to learn that 20 miles east and west of that community were also devastated. Along Rt 10, trees were literally sheared off at 25 ft and many sections of road contained debris (we were impressed that heavy equipment and tree service contractors were in key locations clearing the road and replacing fencing). As we traveled along Rt 10 we saw homes and farms on either side without roofs and most rest stops were closed due to major damage. Since much of the reporting on the hurricane was focused on Mexico Beach, we wanted to see just how badly they were hit. Below are some original images we captured 2 years ago and those taken recently. It was encouraging to see a positive improvement in the conditions we saw 2 years ago. Yes, homes on the Gulf side were furthest along to being restored or replaced - all on piles. Most roofs were now metal and many homes had concrete piles - elevating living space 11-15 ft. On the community side, maybe 30-40% of the homes are under repair/replacement ... but the entire community is still years away from 'normalcy'. We did capture a photo of the one home that the news media had reported as the lone survivor due to planned over-building and reinforcement. Apalachicola ... A charming fishing town once known as the oyster capital of the world, is a little like Cape Cod. Apalachicola offers terrific seafood, waterfront parks, bed & breakfast inns and yes - shopping. It provides a glimpse of the Florida Panhandle's timber and fishing history. A few years back, a reduction of fresh water caused a significant impact to oyster bed production. When the beds were productive in past years, a local oyster farmer could harvest 8-10 full baskets in a day ,... today they would be lucky to net 1-2. Fortunately, with tourism, real estate and fishing, the economy is holding its own. A great place to visit. You can enjoy a relaxing weekend or spend a few days exploring the town. Lots of history! Oh, we plan on returning. Click visit Florida. Chattahoochee is the home of Florida's 1st State Hospital and was also a psychiatric hospital. Established in 1876, it was Florida's only state mental institution until 1947. It currently has a capacity of 1,042 patients. It was subsequently refurbished as a mental hospital, originally known as Florida State Hospital for the Insane, which opened in 1876. It gained notoriety over the course of its long history. It was sued in O'Connor v. Donaldson, a case that went to the US Supreme Court, which ruled that the hospital had illegally confined one of its patients. - - - - - - - - -personal notes & photos - - - - - - - - - - In our search for historical towns, we found Chattahoochee located on the Apalachicola River. The location was originally the site a military arsenal that had been used during the Seminole Wars and the Civil War. As noted above and told to us in 1876 the hospital was built on the site which later became Florida's first state hospital in 1947. The property houses multiple buildings with strict rules about taking photos (oops). Upon leaving, we talked to the grounds keeper and became aware of 1,000 + year old Indian mounds that we had to visit. This was one visit that it was best for Ginger to stay with the car as I scooted between buildings and shrubs to avoid the facility guards from taking my camera. Photo Ops:
Wiki ... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chattahoochee,_Florida Wiki ... State Hospital ... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_State_Hospital Mounds (over 1,000 yrs old) ... www.exploresouthernhistory.com/chattahoocheelanding.html Florida Backroad Travel ... Chattahoochee "Only 28 miles northeast of Tallahassee, the Northwest Florida town of Monticello is graced by historic buildings, including a circa-1890 opera house still in use today. A courthouse square dominates the center of compact Monticello, surrounded by family-owned cafés and shops, and spectacular live oak canopies, draped with Spanish moss. Saturdays are particularly special as area farmers and ranchers – corn, peanuts, cotton, dairy, cattle, etc. – still come to Monticello to shop and socialize. Oh, and there is this: Those curious about the supernatural are advised to make a stop in Monticello, named by ABC-TV as the "Most Haunted Small Town in the U.S." (SRC#4) - - - - - - - - - - - personal notes & photos - - - - - - - - - - - We found Monticello, in our early explorations - Florida certified wineries, we came across Monticello Vineyards and Winery a small and unpretentious Florida farm winery, featuring USDA organic grapes. Photo Ops:
Resources: Wiki ... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monticello,_Florida Monticello - History Winery - Monticello Vineyards and Winery |
Archives
December 2022
|
RSS Feed