Wednesday, April 29, 2009

The Great Flu Epidemic of 1918

With all the news coverage and growing concern about the swine flu outbreak, numerous mentions are being made of the horrible influenza epidemic of 1918.

Sometimes called the Spanish Flu pandemic, the outbreak is best remembered as the Great Flu Epidemic of 1918. Although exact totals will never be known, it is estimated that from 500,000 to 650,000 Americans died in the outbreak.

At cemeteries throughout Florida, rows of graves bearing the ominous date "1918" can be found. The headstone shown here is in the small Oak Grove Cemetery in Jackson County, Florida. The woman's unfortunate infant is buried beside her and another grave dating from 1918 is nearby.

The 1918 flu first appeared in Florida in Key West on September 27th of that year. Less than one week later public health officials declared epidemics in both Key West and Pensacola. By the end of the second week of October, 158 people had died in Florida and in Key West alone 800 people were sick.

Things got much worse. By October 17th, 234 people had died in Jacksonville alone. With a population of 91,000, the city was the largest in the state at the time.

At the University of Florida in Gainesville, the flu swept through the student body. Surviving reports indicate that both students and professors died and hundreds of students fell ill. The auditorium of the Agriculture Building was converted into a makeshift hospital where healthy students assisted Red Cross volunteers in caring for the sick.

In St. Johns County, where the principal city was St. Augustine, the Council of Defense banned all public meetings including church services.

Across the state, people began wearing masks to try to protect themselves from the sickness. In rural areas, people sickened and died often with no medical help. The total death toll in the state will never be known. Studies have since revealed that babies still in the womb at the time of the epidemic experienced significant problems later in life. They experienced learning disabilities at an abnormally high rate, suffered physical disability at a higher than normal rate and earned far less in their lives than those not exposed to the flu.

If you are interested in learning more about the Great Flu Epidemic of 1918 and how it impacted the South, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/fluepidemic1.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Fort Mitchell: A Site Critical to Florida History

Fort Mitchell is located in Russell County, Alabama, but it is a site that holds great significance in Florida history.

Established in 1813 by Gen. John Floyd and the Georgia Militia, the fort was a key base for operations during the Creek War of 1813-1814. Floyd and his army marched from Fort Mitchell en route to the critical battles of Autossee and Calabee Creek during that war.

After the collapse of Creek forces at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend, Fort Mitchell continued to be occupied by U.S. troops to both guard against Indian raids and to serve as an outpost against rumored British activities in Florida. In addition to its war against the Creeks, the United States was then engaged in the War of 1812 against the British and within weeks of Horseshoe Bend, Great Britain began to open a Southern front in the war by landing troops along the Gulf Coast.

U.S. and militia troops passed through Fort Mitchell while on their way to join Andrew Jackson at New Orleans and in early 1815, Col. Benjamin Hawkins (U.S. Indian Agent and veteran of the American Revolution) led a large force of whites and allied Creek Indians down the Chattahoochee River from Fort Mitchell. Hawkins planned to attack two British forts on the Apalachicola River in Florida. On the verge of his first attack, however, word arrived of the end of the War of 1812 and the campaign was ended within site of the enemy.

In 1816, troops would again leave Fort Mitchell bound for the Apalachicola River. Led by Lt. Col. Duncan L. Clinch, a battalion from the 4th U.S. Infantry dropped down the Chattahoochee River from Fort Mitchell on a campaign that would ultimately lead to the destruction of what U.S. officials called the "Negro Fort" on the Apalachicola.

One of the former British outposts on the Apalachicola, the fort had been left in the hands of a large force of African American and Indian allies when the British departed the region. These individuals had been part of a Colonial Marine force raised during the War of 1812 and had extensive military training. They flew the Union Jack over their works and pledged to defend the fort to the last man. They literally did so. The fort withstood a siege by U.S. and Creek forces until a cannonball sailed into its gunpowder magazine. The resulting blast killed 270 of the 320 men, women and children in the fort.

Fort Mitchell also served as an important base of operations during the First Seminole War of 1817-1818. An expedition launched from the post in early 1818 resulted in the destruction of a major Seminole village in Jackson County, Florida.

The fort remained a significant military post into the 1830s and was a key base during the Creek War of 1836. It was from here that Neamathla, a Creek chief famed in the early history of Florida, was sent on the Trail of Tears. According to eyewitnesses, the old chief who had once opposed Andrew Jackson in Florida, was sent away in irons.

The site of Fort Mitchell is now a historic site near Phenix City, Alabama. For more information, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/fortmitchell1.

Monday, April 27, 2009

Ghost Hunting in St. Augustine, Florida


Looking for ghosts has become big business in America's oldest city.

Spend a little time walking the streets of St. Augustine after dark and you are bound to encounter one of the many ghost tours operating in the city. These guided excursions take visitors out in search of the restless spirits that many claim still roam the streets, cemeteries and buildings of the old Spanish city.

St. Augustine was founded in 1565 and, as you might expect, it has more than its share of ghost stories. There are stories of murder victims, soldiers killed in battle, fever victims and many others.

There are both walking and tram tours offered by several different companies, including Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum.

The Ripley's tour is pretty campy. Guided by costumed narrators, it takes participants to the Fountain of Youth Park for ghost stories, followed by a visit to an old cemetery for more stories. Perhaps the most interesting part of the tour, however, is the chance it offers to roam around a bit inside Warden Castle, the home of the Ripley's museum and an extremely spooky place after dark.

The museum is said to be haunted by the ghost of a woman who was murdered there and visitors often report capturing strange effects in their photographs.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Home of a Princess in Tallahassee

In a recent post on the Tallahassee Museum of History and Natural Science, I mentioned that the complex preserves a number of historic structures including the home of a Florida princess.

Belleview, the home of Princess Catherine Daingerfield Willis Murat, has been beautifully restored and is one of my favorite exhibits at the museum.

A grandniece of President George Washington, the princess received her title when she married Prince Achille Murat at Tallahassee in 1826. A nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte, Murat came to the United States after the fall of the Napoleonic Empire.

The couple traveled the world but were closely associated with Florida. One of their homes near Tallahassee was burned in an Indian raid during the Second Seminole War. After spending time in Europe, they relocated to a plantation in Jefferson County, where Prince Murat died in 1847.

In 1852, when Napoleon III declared an empire in France, Catherine Murat became a recognized Princess of the French Court. She traveled to France and also received financial support from the Empire.

Two years after the recognition of her title, Princess Murat purchased Belleview. Then the center of a 520 acre cotton plantation, the home was originally located on Jackson Bluff Road in Leon County. She lived there until her death in 1867. The house has been relocated from its original site to the museum where it is now beautifully restored and open to the public daily.

To learn more about the Princess Murat home, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/belleview.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Nice Online Article on the Battle of Natural Bridge


There is a very nice article on the Battle of Natural Bridge, fought south of Tallahassee on March 6, 1865, in the new issue of Sweet Tea Journal.

The Journal is an online magazine published each quarter that explores points of interest and life in Norhtwest Florida.

Written by Jim Noles, the article includes a nice overview of the Battle of Natural Bridge and also discusses the importance of the battlefield as it exists today. Here is the link to the article: http://www.joe.com/Yankees_are_Landing-Article.

Be sure to take time to browse around some of the other pages and look at previous issues. It is an outstanding online magazine.

If you are interested in learning more about the Battle of Natural Bridge, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/nbindex or consider my book, The Battle of Natural Bridge, Florida: The Confederate Defense of Tallahassee. You can check it out on Amazon by clicking here.

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Florida State Parks Flooding Update


Just a quick note to let you know that the cave tours are once again operating at Florida Caverns State Park in Marianna, but the campground, Hickory picnic area and Blue Hole swimming area remain closed.

Here is today's update on statewide park closings from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection:

TALLAHASSEE — Fourteen of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s state parks are experiencing closures today after severe weather recently caused flooding. These are temporary closures and services will resume once conditions allow.

Continued state park closures include:

Adams Tract River Camp
C/o Troy Springs State Park
674 N.E. Troy Springs RoadBranford , Florida 32008
*Closed until further notice.

Holton Creek River Camp
C/o Suwannee River State Park
3631 201st Path
Live Oak , Florida 32060
*Closed until further notice.

Dowling Park River Camp
C/o Suwannee River State Park
3631 201st Path
Live Oak , Florida 32060
*Closed until further notice.

Fanning Springs State Park
18020 N.W. U.S. Highway 19Fanning Springs, Florida 32693
*Docks, boardwalk and swimming area closed until further notice. The cabins and park remain open for day use visitors.

Ichetucknee Springs State Park
12087 S.W. U.S. Highway 27
Ft. White , Florida 32038
*River is closed to tubing until further notice. Some portions of the park are closed to visitors due to high water.

Lafayette Blue Springs State Park
799 N.W. Blue Spring RoadMayo , Florida 32066
* Closed until further notice.

Madison Blue Springs State Park
8300 N.E. State Road 6Lee , Florida 32059
*Closed until further notice.

Manatee Springs State Park
11650 NW 115th Street
Chiefland , Florida 32626
* Closed until further notice.

Peacock Springs State Park
12087 SW US Highway 27
Ft. White , Florida 32038
*Closed until further notice.

Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park
U.S 41 North
White Springs , Florida 32096
* Hiking trails and some portions of the park are closed to visitors until further notice.

Suwannee River State Park
3631 201st Path
Live Oak , Florida 32060
*Campground is now open, but some portions of the park remain closed.

Troy Springs State Park
674 N.E. Troy Springs RoadBranford , Florida 32008
*Closed to swimming and diving until further notice. The park remains open for day use visitors.
Topsail Hill Preserve State Park7525 W. Scenic Highway 30ASanta Rosa Beach , Florida 32459*The isolated day use area accessed by Topsail Road , off of Highway 98 is closed until further notice. The rest of the park remains open for day use and overnight visitors.

Florida Caverns State Park
3345 Caverns Road
Marianna , Florida 32246
*Campground, the Blue Hole use area, and the Hickory picnic area are closed. Cave tours, and the visitor center are open for day use visitors.

Visitors can contact state parks directly for the most up to date information on park closures, or visit http://www.floridastateparks.org/. For additional information on flood conditions, visit http://www.floridadisaster.org/, or visit http://www.fl511.com/ for traffic updates.


Friday, April 17, 2009

Falling Waters State Park - Chipley, Florida


The heavy rains and spring flooding have caused problems for a number of Florida State Parks this year, but for at least one, a rainy spring makes its main feature even more spectacular.

Falling Waters State Park, just off Interstate 10 near Chipley, is home to Florida's tallest waterfall. Over 70 feet tall, the waterfall is one of the most unique in the nation because it is created by a small stream that flows over the rim of a deep cylindrical sink.

A beautiful nature trail winds through an area of unique sinks and caves to a wooden staircase that leads down to a viewing platform in the sink. While the waterfall is barely more than a trickle during dry months, it roars with surprising intensity when a lot of rain has fallen in recent days.

In addition to the waterfall, Falling Waters State Park is the site of a number of other historic sites. Among them are the remains of one of Florida's first commercial attempts to find oil. An oil well was dug in what is now the park in 1919. Visitors can also learn about a watermill and legal whiskey still that operated in the park at various times.

Falling Waters also has beautiful picnic areas, camping, a small lake, swimming beach and hiking trails. To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/fallingwaters1.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Florida Caverns Cave Tours are Closed Again


The Florida Department of Environmental Protection reports that the cave tours at Florida Caverns State Park in Marianna have once again been forced to close.

Heavy flooding along the Chipola River has forced the park to close its cave tours, Hickory picnic area, campground and Blue Hole swimming area.

Here is the latest list of Florida State Park closures from the DEP:

TALLAHASSEE — Fourteen of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s state parks are experiencing closures today after severe weather recently caused flooding. These are temporary closures and services will resume once conditions allow.

Continued state park closures include:

Adams Tract River Camp
C/o Troy Springs State Park
674 N.E. Troy Springs RoadBranford, Florida 32008
*Closed until further notice.

Holton Creek River Camp
C/o Suwannee River State Park
3631 201st Path
Live Oak, Florida 32060
*Closed until further notice.

Dowling Park River Camp
C/o Suwannee River State Park
3631 201st Path
Live Oak, Florida 32060
*Closed until further notice.

Fanning Springs State Park
18020 N.W. U.S. Highway 19Fanning Springs, Florida 32693
*Docks, boardwalk and swimming area closed until further notice. The cabins and park remain open for day use visitors.

Ichetucknee Springs State Park
12087 S.W. U.S. 27
Ft. White, Florida 32038
*River is closed to tubing until further notice. Some portions of the park are closed to visitors due to high water.

Lafayette Blue Springs State Park
799 N.W. Blue Spring RoadMayo, Florida 32066
* Closed until further notice.

Madison Blue Springs State Park
8300 N.E. State Road 6Lee, Florida 32059
*Closed until further notice.

Manatee Springs State Park
11650 NW 115th Street
Chiefland, Florida 32626
* Closed until further notice.

Peacock Springs State Park
12087 SW US Highway 27
Ft. White, Florida 32038
*Closed until further notice.

Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park
U.S 41 North
White Springs, Florida 32096
* Hiking trails and some portions of the park are closed to visitors until further notice.

Suwannee River State Park
3631 201st Path
Live Oak, Florida 32060
*Campground is now open, but some portions of the park remain closed.

Troy Springs State Park
674 N.E. Troy Springs RoadBranford, Florida 32008
*Closed to swimming and diving until further notice. The park remains open for day use visitors.
Topsail Hill Preserve State Park7525 W. Scenic Highway 30ASanta Rosa Beach, Florida 32459*The isolated day use area accessed by Topsail Road, off of Highway 98 is closed until further notice. The rest of the park remains open for day use and overnight visitors.

Florida Caverns State Park
3345 Caverns Road
Marianna, Florida 32246
*The campground, cave tours, Blue Hole use area and Hickory picnic area are closed until further notice. The visitor center is open for day use visitors.

Visitors can contact state parks directly for the most up to date information on park closures, or visit http://www.floridastateparks.org/. For additional information on flood conditions, visit http://www.floridadisaster.org/, or visit http://www.fl511.com/ for traffic updates.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Suwannee River State Park Reopens


Suwannee River State Park near Live Oak has reopened, although parts of the park still remain closed due to flooding. The entire park has been closed for the last week as a result of heavy flooding along the Suwannee River.

The park is the location of a number of key historic sites, including the Fort at the Suwannee Bridge (a key Civil War earthwork) and the site of the vanished riverboat town of Columbus. To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/suwanneeriver.

Here is the latest list of state park closings from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection:

TALLAHASSEE — Thirteen of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s state parks are experiencing closures today after severe weather recently caused flooding. These are temporary closures and services will resume once conditions allow. Florida Caverns State Park in Marianna has re-opened today.

Continued state park closures include:

Adams Tract River Camp
C/o Troy Springs State Park
674 N.E. Troy Springs RoadBranford, Florida 32008
*Closed until further notice.

Holton Creek River Camp
C/o Suwannee River State Park
3631 201st Path
Live Oak, Florida 32060
*Closed until further notice.

Dowling Park River Camp
C/o Suwannee River State Park
3631 201st Path
Live Oak, Florida 32060
*Closed until further notice.

Fanning Springs State Park
18020 N.W. Highway 19Fanning Springs, Florida 32693
*Closed to swimming until further notice. The cabins and park remain open for day use visitors.

Ichetucknee Springs State Park
12087 S.W. U.S. 27
Ft. White, Florida 32038
*River is closed to tubing until further notice. The park remains open for other day use activities.

Lafayette Blue Springs State Park
799 N.W. Blue Spring RoadMayo, Florida 32066
* Closed until further notice.

Madison Blue Springs State Park
8300 N.E. State Road 6Lee, Florida 32059
*Closed until further notice.

Manatee Springs State Park
11650 NW 115th Street
Chiefland, Florida 32626
* Closed until further notice.

Peacock Springs State Park
12087 SW US Highway 27
Ft. White, Florida 32038
*Closed until further notice.

Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park
U.S 41 North
White Springs, Florida 32096
* Hiking trails and some portions of the park are closed to visitors until further notice.

Suwannee River State Park
3631 201st Path
Live Oak, Florida 32060
*Campground is now open, but some portions of the park remain closed.

Troy Springs State Park
674 N.E. Troy Springs RoadBranford, Florida 32008
*Closed to swimming and diving until further notice. The park remains open for day use visitors.

Topsail Hill Preserve State Park7525 W. Scenic Highway 30ASanta Rosa Beach, Florida 32459*The isolated day use area accessed by Topsail Road, off of Highway 98 is closed until further notice. The rest of the park remains open for day use and overnight visitors.

Visitors can contact state parks directly for the most up to date information on park closures, or visit http://www.floridastateparks.org/. For additional information on flood conditions, visit http://www.floridadisaster.org/, or visit http://www.fl511.com/ for traffic updates.

Monday, April 13, 2009

Florida Caverns Cave Tours are Operating Again


One of the state parks forced to largely close as a result of flooding last week has reopened. Florida Caverns State Park in Marianna returned to full operation this morning.

One of the most amazing natural and historical attractions in the state, the park operates the only tour cave in Florida and also features a wide array of other attractions including canoeing on the Chipola River, the historic Natural Bridge of the Chipola, Blue Hole Spring, hiking trails, picnic areas, campsites and a Robert Trent Jones designed golf course.

The park is extremely rich in history. Spanish explorers and missionaries followed a trail leading across the Natural Bridge in the park as early as 1674. Andrew Jackson followed the same trail when he passed through the park in 1818 during the First Seminole War. Local legend holds that Native Americans hid among the rocks and caves of the park and watched his soldiers as they passed.

The caves in the park were popular with early settlers of the county who came to picnic and explore, but the large tour cave was not discovered until the Great Depression when W.P.A. workers noticed a hole beneath a fallen tree as they were working to build the park. The hole opened into a magnificent network of caverns that are strikingly beautiful.

To learn more about Florida Caverns State Park, including the remarkable story of Florida's Rip van Winkle, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/floridacaverns.

Saturday, April 11, 2009

St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge - St. Marks, Florida


One of the most beautiful and historic settings on Florida's Gulf Coast seems far removed from the white sand beaches for which the region is known.

The St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge occupies tens of thousands of acres of coastal marshes and beautiful natural areas on the Big Bend coast south of Tallahassee. Known for its remarkable environmental setting that is rich in wildlife and for the annual Monarch butterfly migration that leaves from the refuge each fall, the refuge is also rich in historic and archaeological sites.

The best known of these is the St. Marks Lighthouse, a beautiful white tower that has stood on the point near the mouth of the St. Marks River for over 150 years. It played an important role during the Civil War and was the principal landing point of Union forces during the Natural Bridge expedition.

Other sites in the refuge include the former location of the town of Port Leon. Now located down a long hiking trail, the town was destroyed by a devastating 19th century hurricane and never rebuilt. Not a single building remains.

To learn more about the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/stmarksnwr1.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Flooding Impacting a number of Florida Historic Sites


Severe flooding is causing problems at a number of Florida state parks and historic sites. Rivers across much of the state are out of their banks as a result of heavy rains that have fallen over the last two weeks.

Florida Caverns State Park in Marianna has been forced to close its popular cave tours as well as its Blue Hole swimming area and Hickory picnic area. The park's Visitor Center remains open.

Suwannee River State Park near Live Oak, which protects a number of historic sites, has been completely closed due to flooding. The U.S. 90 bridge over the Suwannee River adjacent to the park is also closed.

Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park in White Springs has closed nature trails and some other areas of the park.

Here is the complete list of full and partial closings as of today from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection:

Continued state park closures include:

Adams Tract River Camp
C/o Troy Springs State Park
674 N.E. Troy Springs RoadBranford, Florida 32008
*Closed until further notice.

Holton Creek River Camp
C/o Suwannee River State Park
3631 201st Path
Live Oak, Florida 32060
*Closed until further notice.

Dowling Park River Camp
C/o Suwannee River State Park
3631 201st Path
Live Oak, Florida 32060
*Closed until further notice.

Fanning Springs State Park
18020 N.W. Highway 19Fanning Springs, Florida 32693
*Closed to swimming until further notice. The cabins and park remain open for day use visitors.

Madison Blue Springs State Park
8300 N.E. State Road 6Lee, Florida 32059
*Closed until further notice.

Lafayette Blue Springs State Park
799 N.W. Blue Spring RoadMayo, Florida 32066
* Closed until further notice.

Manatee Springs State Park
11650 NW 115th Street
Chiefland, Florida 32626
*The Usher Boat Ramp, swimming and diving are closed until further notice. The park remains open for campers and day use visitors.

Peacock Springs State Park
12087 SW US Highway 27
Ft. White, Florida 32038
*Portions of the park, including swimming and diving, are closed to visitors until further notice.

Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park
U.S 41 North
White Springs, Florida 32096
* Hiking trails and other portions of the park are closed to visitors until further notice.

Suwannee River State Park
3631 201st Path
Live Oak, Florida 32060
*Closed until further notice. Adjacent U.S. 90 bridge is also closed to traffic.

Troy Springs State Park
674 N.E. Troy Springs RoadBranford, Florida 32008
*Closed to swimming and diving until further notice. The park remains open for day use visitors.

Florida Caverns State Park
3345 Caverns Road
Marianna, Florida 32246
*Campground, cave tours and the Blue Hole use area, and hickory picnic area are closed until further notice. The visitor center and is open for day use visitors.

Topsail Hill Preserve State Park
7525 W. Scenic Highway 30A
Santa Rosa Beach, Florida 32459
*The isolated day use area accessed by Topsail Road, off of Highway 98 is closed until further notice. The rest of the park remains open for day use and overnight visitors.

Visitors can contact state parks directly for the most up to date information on park closures, or visit http://www.floridastateparks.org/. For additional information on flood conditions, visit http://www.floridadisaster.org/, or visit http://www.fl511.com/ for traffic updates.


Thursday, April 2, 2009

Plaza de la Constitucion - St. Augustine, Florida


The historic Plaza de la Constitucion in St. Augustine is America's oldest public park.

Established by Spanish Royal Ordinances in 1573, this park was in use for 30 years before the first English settler set foot at Jamestown, Virginia, and nearly 50 years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymoth Rock, Massachusetts.

Throughout the Spanish era of St. Augustine's history, the public and government buildings of the city faced the plaza, which still retains the design specified in the original ordinances calling for its establishment. Archaeologists have found the remains of a well dating back to the 1600s in the Plaza de la Constitucion and it is the only known park in the United States with a monument dedicated to a foreign constitution, the Spanish Constitution of 1812.

Today the Plaza remains a popular park in St. Augustine. The shade of its trees cool visitors to the nation's oldest city as they explore the numerous historic attractions of the old Spanish settlement. Among the structures still facing the Plaza is the Cathedral-Basilica of St. Augustine, built in 1793-1797 and the Government House, built in 1706-1713.