Tallahassee Museum of History and Natural Science

One of the most interesting museum complexes in Florida borders Lake Bradford in Tallahassee.

The Tallahassee Museum of History and Natural Science, formerly known as the Tallahassee Junior Museum, covers more than 50 acres and features a wide variety of exhibits including a fascinating collection of historic structures.

One of the most interesting is Belleview, the home of the Princess Murat. Few people today realize that Tallahassee was once the home of a famed French prince and princess. Prince Achille Murat was a nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte and his wife, Catherine, was a great-grandniece of President George Washington. Although he died during the 1830s, she lived until 1867. The last 13 years of her life were spent at Belleview, a charming little plantation house that originally stood on Jackson Bluff Road in Leon County. During that time she visited the court of Emperor Napoleon III in France and received support from the French Empire.

The museum also features an array of other preserved structures, including a turpentine commissary, church, school and a complete Florida farm dating from the 19th century. Visitors can also explore nature trails and other exhibits and also see a large collection of native Florida animals including extremely rare Florida Panthers.

To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/tallahasseemuseum.

The Florida Torreya and Torreya State Park

One of the most remarkable trees in the world grows along the steep bluffs and ravines overlooking the Apalachicola River in Gadsden and Liberty Counties, Florida.

The Florida Torreya was discovered at Alum Bluff during the early 1800s by Hardy Bryan Croom, a noted early botonist. He noticed groves of the unusual tree and became curious when he did not recognize it as a known species. He sent samples to the leading botonists of the era, who determined that he had indeed discovered a new species of tree. Croom named it the Torreya, in honor of Dr. John Torrey, a famed scientist of the era.

Early settlers of the region used the Torreya, which they called the "stinking cedar," for a variety of purposes. It made excellent fence posts and shingles and was also used as fuel to power paddlewheel steamboats on the Apalachicola River. They also developed a legend that it was the "gopher wood" from which Noah built the ark.

During the 20th century, a blight infected the groves of Torreya trees along the Apalachicola River and they were almost wiped from the face of the earth. No adult trees survived and seedlings would die when they reached a certain age. There is a deliberate effort underway now to save the trees through careful plantings and strict preservation.

The best place to see the Torreya tree is at Torreya State Park between Bristol and Chattahoochee. To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/torreyastatepark.

Battle of Santa Rosa Island, Florida

Although it was small when compared to later engagements such as Vicksburg, Chickamauga and Gettysburg, a fierce night battle in the dunes of Santa Rosa Island, Florida, was one of the first significant battles of the Civil War.

The battle resulted from a retaliatory strike ordered by General Braxton Bragg, then commanding the Army of Pensacola, after U.S. forces launched a boat attack on the Confederate privateer Judah at the Pensacola Navy Yard. Designating General Richard H. "Dick" Anderson to lead the strike, Bragg sent 1,100 men across Pensacola Bay on the night of October 8-9, 1861, with orders to destroy the camp of Billy Wilson's 6th New York Volunteers. Wilson and his men were camped east of Fort Pickens on Santa Rosa Island. Contrary to some reports of the time, Bragg never intended to capture the fort unless some unexpected opportunity developed.

The Confederates advanced through the darkness during the hours before dawn on October 9, 1861, in three columns. One moved along the Gulf beach, another moved down the bay beach and the third was ordered to advance down the center of the island as the force approached the camps.

In addition to Anderson, the Southern troops were led by officers including Patton Anderson, James R. Chalmers and John K. Jackson. All would become heroes of the Southern war effort.

The Confederates overran Wilson's camp, torching the tents and breaking Wilson's attempt to form his men. Severe damage was inflicted to the encampments and the Southern force began to withdraw as Union reinforcements poured out of the fort and rushed to the scene of the action. By the time the fighting ended, the Confederates had lost 18 killed, 39 wounded and 30 captured. The Union forces lost 14 killed, 29 wounded and 24 captured.

The site of the battle is now preserved within the Fort Pickens Area of Gulf Islands National Seashore, a National Park area near Pensacola. The main road providing access to Fort Pickens was destroyed by hurricane and is currently being repaired, so the only way to access the area is by water taxi from Pensacola or private boat. The road should reopen later this year.

To learn more about the battle and Fort Pickens, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/santarosa1.

Maclay Gardens State Park - Tallahassee, Florida

The beautiful and historic gardens at Maclay Gardens State Park in Tallahassee are now moving into full bloom. If you want to visit, now is the time!

The park entrance is located one-half mile north of Interstate 10 on U.S. Highway 319 and features more than 1,000 acres of beautiful North Florida woods, hills and lakes, which surround the famed 28-acre ornamental garden that is one of the most beautiful in the United States.

Used for farming during the 19th century, the state park area had become a hunting plantation by 1900. The historic Maclay House and several other structures on the grounds were built between 1906 and 1909.

The gardens themselves got their start in 1923 when Alfred B. Maclay purchased the property for use as a winter home. He and Mrs. Maclay soon began planting flowers in what they came to call "Killearn Gardens" and by the time of Mr. Maclay's death in 1944, the gardens had attained note as one of the most beautiful locations in the country.

In 1953, Mrs. Maclay and her children gave 307 acres containing the gardens to the people of Florida as a lasting memorial to Mr. Maclay. Renamed Maclay Gardens State Park, the property has grown to become a major state park incorporating 1,176 acres. In addition to the gardens, which are open during the spring blooming season, the park features swimming, hiking, picnicking, biking, fishing and more. Admission to the park is $4 and there is another $4 fee to enter the gardens themselves.

To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/maclaygardens1.

Was the Garden of Eden in Liberty County?

A fascinating legend surrounds Alum Bluff, a beautiful vista that rises above the Apalachicola River in Liberty County, Florida. According to the story, this was the site of the Biblical Garden of Eden.

The story gained considerable exposure during the mid-20th century when Bristol resident, minister and writer E.E. Callaway outlined his reasons for believing the story. Callaway pointed out that many rare plants grew at Alum Bluff that could not be found elsewhere in the world. Among this, for example, is the Florida Torreya tree, which local tradition holds was the gopher wood from which Noah built the ark. Callaway also noted that the Apalachicola River and its tributaries match pretty well the Biblical descriptions of the river that watered the Garden of Eden.

While most Biblical scholars hold that the true garden was in the Middle East, most likely in Iraq, the site identified by Callaway just north of Bristol is a truly beautiful natural garden. Alum Bluff is the largest exposed section of the Earth's crust in Florida. Now preserved by the Nature Conservancy, the bluff is open to the public each day via the appropriately named "Garden of Eden Trail."

To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/apalachicolabluffs2.

Osceola's Prison in St. Augustine, Florida

In the last post I mentioned the capture of the great Seminole warrior Osceola by U.S. troops near St. Augustine in 1837.

The incident was one of the most controversial in the history of U.S. dealings with Native American leaders. Osceola was taken prisoner along with several other key Seminole leaders when the arrived for a planned peace negotiation under the protection of a flag of truce. General Thomas Jesup defended the action by pointing out that Osceola and other Seminoles had promised to surrender previously, only to break their word and slip back into woods.

While most Floridians of the time approved of the action, many Americans did not. Jesup became an extremely controversial figure and citizens from the piney woods of Florida to the halls of Congress debated his conduct. For Osceola, however, the debate was meaningless.

Taken to the Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine, he was held prisoner in the old Spanish fortress. After other Seminoles escaped, however, Osceola was moved by ship to Fort Moultrie at the entrance to Charleston Harbor. He died there on January 20, 1838, and is buried by the entrance to the fort.

The old Castillo, where the great Seminole was imprisoned in St. Augustine, is now a national monument. To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/castillodesanmarcos1. You can also learn more about Fort Moultrie, South Carolina, at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/SCMoultrie1.

The Face of Osceola - Florida's Great Seminole Warrior

This cast of the face of Osceola is among the displays that can be seen in the visitor center at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park near Micanopy.

The cast was prepared from a "death mask" made of Osceola on the day he died at Fort Moultrie, South Carolina, and shows the real appearance of the famed Seminole warrior. It was made shortly after Osceola posed for the famous portrait by George Catlin (see below).

Born in the Upper Creek towns of Alabama in around 1804, Osceola's mother, Polly Coppinger, was a member of Peter McQueen's town. Disagreement continues today over whether his father was an English trader named William Powell or a Creek warrior that his mother married shortly after Powell's death. Either way, the young warrior was often called "Billy Powell" by the whites.

Osceola (a corruption of the Muskogee term Asi Yahola or "Black Drink Shouter") and his mother were among the followers of Peter McQueen that followed the chief to Florida following the defeat of the Red Stick faction during the Creek War of 1813-1814. He was likely present at Econfina Natural Bridge between the St. Marks and Suwannee Rivers during the spring of 1818 when the troops of Andrew Jackson attacked McQueen's band, killing dozens of warriors and taking scores of women and children prisoner.

The young Osceola, then about 14 years old, escaped the battle, however, and soon appeared among the Seminoles of the Ocala area. He went on to become a key leader during the Second Seminole War of 1835-1842, but was captured by U.S. troops when he approached an army camp near St. Augustine under a flag of truce on October 21, 1837.

Imprisoned first at the Castillo de San Marcos (Fort Marion) in St. Augustine and subsequently at Fort Moultrie in South Carolina, the great warrior did not long survive his captivity. He died at Fort Moultrie of fever, probably malaria, on January 30, 1838, just three months after he was taken prisoner.

The original death mask prepared at Fort Moultrie is now housed at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., but a cast made using it can be seen along with other artifacts at Paynes Prairie, an outstanding state park and preserve in Micanopy (just south of Gainesville). To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/paynesprairie.

Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park - Micanopy, Florida

One of the most amazing sights in Florida is the beautiful expanse of Paynes Prairie stretching off to the horizon. Located between Gainesville and Micanopy (Interstate 75 actually crosses part of the prairie), the magnificent grassland is now a state park that preserves over 21,000 acres.

Called the "Great Alachua Savannah" by William Bartram when he visited in 1774, the prairie is centered in the traditional home region of the Alachua division of the Seminole Nation. Likely named for the great Seminole leader King Payne, the prairie was the location of one of the first engagements of the Second Seminole War. Florida militia battled Seminole warriors in the Battle of Black Point along the prairie rim in 1835.

The visitor center at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park offers an excellent walk through the history of the prairie and even features a cast of the actual face of Osceola, Florida's famed Seminole warrior. The cast was prepared from a desk mask made at the time of the leader's death.

In addition, if they are lucky, visitors can sometimes catch glimpses of the herd of buffalo that roams the preserve. Florida reintroduced American Bison (buffalo) to Paynes Prairie during the late 20th century. The prairie once teemed with them, but they vanished over the last several hundred years. Paynes Prairie is also home to a small herd of wild Spanish horses.

The park is located on U.S. 441 in Micanopy, Florida and is easily accessible off I-75. For more information, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/paynesprairie.

Threatened State Parks will likely remain open!

There was positive news over the weekend regarding the fate of nearly two dozen Florida parks and historic sites threatened with closure due to budget issues.

Many of the parks have been in operation for decades and the list includes some of the state's most significant archaeological and historic sites.

Among the state parks threatened with temporary or permanent closure, for example, are San Marcos de Apalache Historic State Park (seen here), Letchworth-Love Mounds Archaeological State Park and many others.

The good news, however, is that Governor Charlie Crist has included funding for all of the threatened parks in his proposed budget. A spokesman for the governor's office indicated that public support for the parks was evident and the governor hoped to keep them all open.

The announcement represents an important breakthrough in the fight to save the parks. Many have questioned the logic of closing state parks to save money when Florida's budget has more than doubled in just the last ten years. Most of the parks operate on very tight budgets with minimal staffing and yet still generate significant economic returns for the communities where they operate.

I'll keep you updated as more news becomes available. In the meantime, if you have a position on this issue, please voice it to your local state representatives and senators.

Anniversary of the Battle of Natural Bridge

Today marks the 144th anniversary of the Battle of Natural Bridge, Florida. Fought on March 6, 1865, along the banks of the St. Marks River south of Tallahassee, this battle preserved Tallahassee's status as the only Southern capital east of the Mississippi not conquered by Union forces during the Civil War.

One of the last significant Confederate victories of the war, the battle took place when a Union force commanded by General John Newton marched up the east bank of the St. Marks River after landing at the St. Marks Lighthouse. Prevented from crossing the river downstream at Newport, the Federals moved on the Natural Bridge hoping to seize the crossing before Confederate defenders could arrive. They failed.

For almost the entire day, the two forces battled for control of the bridge. The Confederate forces, commanded by Generals Samuel Jones and William Miller, entrenched on high ground overlooking the Natural Bridge, forcing the Federals to charge them eight times in a futile effort to break their lines. Both sides fought heroically, but in the end the Union soldiers were forced to withdraw back to the Gulf of Mexico.

The site is preserved today at the Natural Bridge Battlefield Historic State Park. Located near Woodville, a town south of Tallahassee, the park features monuments and interpretive signs, preserved earthworks from the battle, a picnic area and beautiful views of the St. Marks River. The annual battle reenactments take place at the park this weekend, with the main events set for Sunday when there will be a memorial service at 1 p.m. (Eastern) followed immediately by the main reenactment.

For more information on the battle, visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/nbindex.

National Naval Aviation Museum - Pensacola, Florida

The Northwest Florida city of Pensacola is rightfully called the "Cradle of Naval Aviation." This rich history is explored at the National Naval Aviation Museum on board the Pensacola Naval Air Station.

The museum is a magnificent heritage attraction with massive display halls, an IMAX theater, special exhibits, a memorial hall and more.

Pensacola played a critical role in the development of air power for the U.S. Navy. The base is the home of the famed "Blue Angels," the Navy's precision aerial combat team, and was the training port for thousands of naval aviators during World War II.

The museum offers a walk through the Navy's rich aviation history. Beginning with the earliest planes, visitors can explore each era of the history of naval aviation. Key exhibits tell the story of the Navy's role in World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf Wars and the modern era. The museum contains a massive collection of aircraft and other artifacts, including the yellow trainer shown above that was once flown by President George H.W. Bush.

To learn more, visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/navalaviationmuseum.

Ponce de Leon Springs State Park - Ponce de Leon, Florida

Florida is noted for its unique and beautiful natural springs. A particularly beautiful one provides the centerpiece for Ponce de Leon Springs State Park.

Located in the small Northwest Florida town of Ponce de Leon, the spring produces a daily flow of 14 million gallons of water that remains a constant 68 degrees year round.

A popular recreation area for citizens of the area for well over 150 years, the springs were the location of a log hotel during the Civil War. The establishment was broken up by Union raiders commanded by Brigadier General Alexander Asboth as they advanced to the Battle of Marianna in September of 1864.

Although the springs are named for the Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon, who came to Florida during the early 1500s to search for the mythical fountain of youth, he never reached this area of the state. The ice cold sensation produced by the water during the hot summer months, however, is an invigorating experience that produces a feeling of youth for visitors of all ages.

To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/poncedeleonsprings.