around the banks logo.jpg

“I see trees of green,

red roses too,

I see them bloom

for me and you

And I think to myself,

What a wonderful world.” (Louis Armstrong)

It is a wonderful world and here in our home “Around the Banks of the Suwannee,” there are, nestled among well known places and destinations, semi-hidden treasures if you will, that are right at our own back door, that we may never see, unless we make a little effort.

I am going to name a few for you in this article, and you may go on your own treasure or scavenger hunt.  I have thought about getting with one of the local travel agencies some place, especially those who arrange day trips for those who are retired, and offering my own package called “The Jewels of the Suwannee River Valley” and serving as tour guide. I could certainly offer some insight into a place I love dearly that I think would leave the traveler with a smile and a fond memory.  Some of the places I will write about are natural destinations, some are places of business, some are sites you may have missed within a well known place, all are treasures of the place we love and call home. These are not the usual sights, not the Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park, not the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park, precious though they are, and they are… these treasures are marvelous and often overlooked.

Camp School House, White Springs, Florida

Nestled next to the White Springs Public Library is a tiny little Victorian school house built around the turn of the 20th century for the children of the late Mr. and Mrs. Dr. Benjamin F. Camp.   Dr. and Mrs. B.F. Camp came to Florida from Franklin, Virginia, to take advantage of the abundance of pine timber growing in the state at the time. The Camps first built a home at Campville south of Gainesville and later moved to White Springs, building the present historic Camp House on the corner of Roberts and Camp Streets, which was built in 1906. The school house was built about that time and for years set across Camp Street from the Camp residence. A few years ago, the historic school house was moved on the grounds of the White Springs Public Library as was the wish of the late Mr. and Mrs. John C. “Buddy” Camp.

Mr. Camp, a native of White Springs, along with his wife, his brother the late Raymond J. Camp, Jr., and their sister Sara Camp Abel, were major benefactors and supporters of the White Springs community, especially First Baptist Church in White Springs which was built with lumber from the Camp Sawmill in 1898.

You can almost see the first school teacher from Virginia, ringing her bell for the Camp children to come in from play and resume lessons for the three “R’s,” reading, writing, and “rithmetic,” in those days taught to the tune of a hickory stick.  Located on U.S. 41, the Camp School House is a delightful find.

The historic Brown/Roberts home: Adams Road, Wellborn 

This historic home is a mixture of Greek Revival and Victorian. The twin Doric columns are Greek Revival, and the big wrap around porch bespeaks the Victorian period. The home was built around the turn of the 20th century and maybe a bit before.

The builder of the historic Brown/Roberts home built the two storied structure out of select pine lumber, and for its time it was, I am sure, a show piece. Nestled off Adams Road in the middle of beautiful agricultural property. 

Mr. Brown was a builder, as he also built the Blanche Hotel in Lake City in 1902 and named it after his four year old daughter, Blanche. One can close one’s eyes and picture the big holiday gatherings once held in this grand home in days gone by, and one can picture in one’s mind the vast acreage around the home planted in Sea Island cotton, tobacco, corn, peanuts and other crops once grown on the farm.

The home is presently the residence of Joe and Glenda Roberts who have done much work to maintain and preserve a piece of north Florida and regional history. A beautiful and unique piece of north Florida history that is one of our area’s hidden jewels.

Falling Creek Falls

Not far north of White Springs, probably about seven or eight miles north off U.S. 41 in northern Columbia County are some of the most scenic falls one will see anywhere in the area of the upper Suwannee basin at Falling Creek. The Falling Creek Falls are owned by the Suwannee River Water Management District and there is a lovely park near the falls.   This was an area that was settled very early in Columbia County. 

The Moore Family, a pioneer family of the area, had a farm and homestead not far from the falls and not far from the Falling Creek Chapel, which at one time was Falling Creek United Methodist Church.  The Moores came to this part of Florida from South Carolina seeking the curative waters of the White Sulphur Springs and homesteaded a beautiful piece of property in this area of northern Columbia County.

Falling Creek Falls provide a peaceful setting for meditation and for reflection amidst a lovely natural surrounding.  The tannic colored waters of the falls are very beautiful falling in an area that is surrounded by verdant greenery, old oaks rich with resurrection fern on their limbs and wild fern growing near the creek’s edge. Truly an often overlooked jewel in our area. Off U.S. 41 on Falling Creek Road, about eight miles north of White Springs in northern Columbia County. Don’t miss it. 

The Historic Jail, Jasper, Florida

Located on First Avenue in Jasper, the historic Hamilton County Jail was built in 1893. A two-story red brick Victorian structure, the jail, at one time, served as the residence for the county sheriff and his family, in addition to housing prisoners. The jail served the county as a jail for close to a century until the construction of the new jail at some time in the 1980’s. 

The Old Jail has seen a lot of history and most recently gained some notoriety with those who have an interest in the paranormal who have spent the night there and declared the presence of ghosts. The jail has served as the Haunted House for Halloween for a number of years and also served as the historic museum for Hamilton County. It was placed on the National Registry of Historic Places in 1983.

African Baptist Church: Live Oak, Florida

Located at 502 Walker Avenue SW, the original sanctuary was located at the corner of Parshley St. and Walker Avenue and was built before 1910. The church has enjoyed a long and rich history in the annals of north central Florida and Suwannee County history. 

In fact, Suwannee County has a very rich history as it pertains to African American history in this state. Edward Waters College was originally located in Live Oak and was moved from Live Oak to Jacksonville. The school recently celebrated its 150th anniversary.  The school, however, has its beginnings in Suwannee County as one of the very first private colleges for African Americans in the state of Florida founded by the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church and named after one of the early Bishops of the Church, Edward Waters. 

Also located east of Live Oak is the very small rural settlement of Houston, which at one time served the county as county seat.  Harry T. Moore, who became the very first martyr of the modern civil rights movement in the state of Florida was born in Houston. Moore was born there in 1905 and died on Christmas night 1951 in Mims, along with his wife, Harriett. The bombings at his home were supposedly set there by anti-civil rights groups who were seeking to bring a close to Moore’s very aggressive program of Voter Registration for African Americans. At the time of his death, largely due to his hard work, the state of Florida had one of the very highest numbers of registered African American voters of any state in the Deep South. 

Harry T. Moore became the very first martyr of the  Civil Rights Movement in the State of Florida and was responsible for the formation of the Florida Voters League, still a very active political organization in the state of Florida.

There are hidden jewels in our home “Around the Banks of the Suwannee” that are not hidden at all. There are some jewels that are on the horizon also.

This past week on a drive into Live Oak, I stopped on Duval Street and visited with my friend, J. Don Allen. Don grew up in Live Oak and is well known for his outstanding catering business, R & D Catering, which he operates with longtime friend and chef Russell Cockburn. They will be catering the upcoming Suwannee River Jam for the VIP’s, and he has done extensive catering in the area for any number of weddings and civic groups. 

In the very near future, he and Russell will open “The 406 on Duval Street”  which will be, in my opinion, a very great and wonderful addition to the culinary and entertainment venue in this area. I can’t wait for it to open in Live Oak, and I plan on being there, hopefully, on the inaugural date. I wish Don and Russell all the best in this endeavor, and I know they will have tremendous success.

Recently I was treated to  a guided tour of this beautiful and historic property on  Duval Street in Live Oak, and I was more than favorably impressed. The cuisine is to be “New Southern.” Southern with a creative twist, and that twist, I know will be pure deliciousness, as Don related to me that he and Russell planned on using as many and as much fresh produce from the area as possible. Sounds wonderful to me.  Don is a longtime friend and a valued friend. All the best to him, to Russell and to everyone involved in this venture.

Happy Belated Birthday wishes go out to a very lovely lady in Hamilton County who lives in “Alapaha County” and, since we are talking about culinary creations is one of the best cooks in this county and can make the BEST, read it, THE BEST egg custard pie I have ever eaten in my life. I am referring to Mrs. Marion Deas who celebrated her birthday with family and friends this past Sunday. We wish her many, many more Happy Birthdays. God Bless you.

I also want to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful Culinary Arts Department at Hamilton County High School under the direction of Mrs. Geniane Bell, assisted by Mrs. Helen Udell, for all the wonderful work they do in our community and in our schools. Thank you to this wonderful group of young people who do so much and make so many events extra special and thank you to Mrs. Bell and Mrs. Udell. You are appreciated. God bless you.

Many thanks, too, to Eric Musgrove, who has done  and is doing a great job on writing so much of the history of Suwannee County for The Suwannee Democrat and to Vickie Bass for the great job she did in writing so many of the articles for the recent  Spring edition of  Scene Magazine. Thank you  Vicki, you are appreciated.  

This week has been a kind of “mixed bag” at “Around the Banks of the Suwannee,” but, at times, that is how it is, and it’s wonderful anytime. God bless the wonderful folks at The Suwannee Democrat for being so good to me and to my wonderful readers who encourage me. You are appreciated.

“I see skies of blue

Clouds of white,

The bright, blessed day,

the dark sacred night,

And I think to myself,

What a wonderful world.” 

From the Eight Mile Still on the Woodpecker Route north of White Springs, wishing you a day filled with joy, peace, and, above all, lots of love and laughter.