The South Leon County Heritage Trail AIN ROADS & M CROSS ROADS * * * * * This publication has been prepared under the auspices of the John G. Riley Center/Museum for African American History & Culture, Tallahassee, Florida – Althemese Barnes, Executive Director. Funding was obtained through a Leon County Board of Commissioners, Certified, Local Government Grant from the Bureau of Historic Preservation, Division of Historical Resources, Florida Department of State. However, the contents and opinions do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Leon County or the Florida Department of State, nor does the mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation by Leon County or the Florida Department of State. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise for any other purpose without prior written permission from the John G. Riley Center/Museum, the Florida Department of State and Leon County government. We gratefully acknowledge the support and assistance of Julianne Hare - Rabbit’s Den Productions (author), Don Lanham - Leon County, Dr. Anthony Dixon – Florida A&M University. Ross Morrell - Ross Morrell & Associates, and Woodville historian, Pete Gerrell. COVER PHOTO – Lewis Ave., Woodville, FL circa 1910. Courtesy of the Florida State Archives Photographic Collection. INSIDE COVER PHOTO - An unidentified couple paddled a canoe on Lake Bradford in the 1970s. Courtesy of the Florida State Archives Photographic Collection – image donated by the Florida Department of Commerce. TALLAhAssee Legend S. Monroe St. S. Monroe N Paul Dirac Dr. Levy Ave. Tour 1 Tour 2 19 Grassy 20 S. Adams St. Tour 3 Lake 21 18 Rd. Lake Bradford Rankin Rd. 22 Orange Ave. PLEASE DO NOT Lake Bradford Rd. 24 Gaile Ave. TRESPASS ON Campbell 23 Lake Bradford PRIVATE PROPERTY Pond Park Capital Circle S.W. 1 2 Tram Rd. Lake Capital Circle S.E. Munson 3 12 Munson Landing Rd. 13 Six Mile Pond Woodville Hwy. 4 Apalachicola National Forest Crawfordville Rd. Old Woodville Rd. 17 5 The Turpentine Trail... 14 Oak Ridge Rd. 16 11 Forbes Purchase Line 6 Woodville Hwy. 7 15 Henry Jones Rd. Lawhon Rd. 8 9 Wakulla The Way to the Ol’ Swimming Springs Rd. WOOdviLLe Hole...Crawfordville Road Natural Bridge Rd. From the Past to the Future... 10 WAKULLA COUnTY Lake Bradford Introduction Of all the Leon County Heritage Trail tours, this one offers the most eclectic array of activities and the broadest view of our collective history. In southern Leon County, you can travel some of the oldest Indian trails and trade routes and get a glimpse of what life was like here when the Spanish explorers colonized our unique peninsula. Drive through old timberlands, learn about geology, and visit a Civil War Battlefield. Not everything is “old” here. The southern portion of the county is also the site of some of America’s most cutting-edge research facilities. There is something to suit every interest and new discoveries around every corner. This booklet describes three tours. Each route will take approximately from one to three hours to travel – depending on how many stops you choose to make and how long you linger to explore. Each journey connects to another and we encourage you to discover them all. 1 Tour Information Sites of interest are each numbered and identified by one of four symbols. Written directions appear throughout the text and a map is included at the end of this publication. A supplement of related oral histories may be obtained from the John G. Riley Center/Museum for African American History & Culture at 419 East Jefferson Street, Tallahassee, FL or by calling 850-681-7881. Visit their web site at www.rileymuseum.org. Drive Through: Leon County neighborhoods were often named after the plantations that dotted the area during ante bellum times. After the Civil War, newly formed communities adopted names that honored centers of worship or well-known property owners. Residents rarely said they came from Tallahassee or Leon County – they said they came from places like Belair, Four Points, Lake Bradford and Woodville. These “neighborhoods” covered large geographical areas whose borders are not easily defined. Some are included here because the ties to these communities are strong and continue to the present day. Windshield: These sites are significant, but structures may be in a restricted location or are inaccessible. You may drive past – or pause – at a windshield site, but please remain in your vehicle. Stop: Feel free to park and take a leisurely walk around the area. Remember to practice good visitor manners. Gone But Not Forgotten: These sites include places where historical events occurred, or where significant structures once stood. Both played a key role in the development of our county and the memory of them is an important part of our blended history. Be A Thoughtful Visitor Each of the three tours outlined here include burial grounds and sensitive historical sites. Please do not walk through grave sites and take care not to drive over, park on, or disturb grassy areas. Avoid scheduling your visit at times when worship services may be taking place. Stash your trash in receptacles provided or take it with you. 2 The Turpentine Trail ... Woodville Hwy. Long before cotton was king in Leon County, men came to harvest the pine trees and its sap – both needed for ship building. Early land-owners cut huge swaths through the area’s forests and then transported the materials via wagon, boat and later, rail, to support America’s growing timber industry. Cleared fields were then planted with cotton and other agricultural products. The market for cotton surged and receded like the tide, and – once again – speculators turned to the pine forests to generate cash. The turpentine industry became the lifeblood of more than one town. Locally, Woodville was the center of much of the area’s turpentine production. Our tour begins on Woodville Hwy. (State Hwy. 363) at Gaile Ave. Travel due south on Woodville Hwy. HISTORICal FaCT: at one time Crawfordville Rd., adams Street, Monroe Street and Woodville Hwy. all joined. That intersection was called Four Points. The roads have been reconfigured and no longer connect, but the designation still appears on today’s maps. The largest drive-in movie theater in leon County once stood on the southeast corner – now north of Gaile ave. The area was also the heart of land once owned by Dr. a. O. Campbell, an african american physician who opened a hospital of considerable size in Tallahassee back in 1947. Gaile (pronounced Gail) ave. was named after his granddaughter. Neighboring streets bear the first names of other family members. Campbell Pond lies a few blocks to the southeast. The Drive In Theater at Four Points circa 1970s. Photo courtesy of the Florida State Archives Photographic Collection. # 1) MISSIONaRy MaRy Proctor’S MuSeuM aND Art STuDIO (Folk Gallery) started out as – well, basically – an open-air store filled with cast-away items. It was not always a prosperous venture. According to Mary’s web site, one day she was “Told by God that the door is the way”, so she began to paint an old door that was lying in her yard. Her work is now exhibited in art galleries and museums from Tallahassee to New York and she has become an important artist of considerable renown. Mary still calls Tallahassee her home. She welcomes visitors to her personal gallery and workshop, but you may want to call ahead to make certain she is in. Contact her at: 850-656-2879 or check out her web site at: http://www.missionarymary.com/index.htm. 3 # 2) The building where Revel’S MeaT MaRkeT is located was constructed around 1943. In 1954, the structure was purchased by J.T. and Verice Revels who quickly established their reputation as suppliers of some of the best meats in town. Years later, their son Karlos took over, but he sold it in 2004. The new owners were not as successful as the Revels and today, Karlos is back at the counter. Over the years, the Revels donated hundreds of pounds of hot dogs, chicken and other foodstuffs to local nonprofits for fundraisers and to feed those least able to secure food. Karlos has a lot of fond memories of customers who have traded with the family for years. He remembers one family that used to come to Belair each year – traveling by mule-drawn wagon all the way from Oklahoma! HISTORICal FaCT: Revel’s Market sits on land near the old community of Belair (also seen as Bel-air). Before the Civil War, several prominent local planters established “summer” homes here – where the sandy soil held less humidity and was home to fewer mosquitoes. after emancipation, african americans built a community here that thrived during the reconstruction era. # 3) The TallaHaSSee - ST. MaRkS Historic RaIlROaD STaTe TRaIl follows the route of Florida’s first rail line. The project was conceived by local planters who invested huge sums of money in its construction. The railroad was also the first in the nation to receive a federal land grant. The 20-mile route connected the territorial capital of Tallahassee with the Gulf port of St. Marks in an almost perfect due-south path. It was completed in 1837. The original rail cars were flatbed conveyances designed to transport both passengers and timber industry products. There were no noisy engines – these cars were powered by mules! The animals were hitched up heading south, then unhitched, moved to the north end and lead north via the same rails.