It's been another hot and humid week here in White Springs, FL, the place of our current stay at Kelly's RV Park located along the banks of the historic Suwannee River. There has been more rain, mostly in the form of heavy thunderstorms blanketing the area late afternoons and early evenings. The rains brought a nice break to the heat for short periods, swelled the Spanish moss that is everywhere you look and, unfortunately, also created an increase of Deer flies that can bite off chunks of your skin large enough to draw blood. Welcome to Florida in the Summer.
On Wednesday of last week we decided to unhook the power and sewer lines, roll in the awning and drive our trusty RV Howie (House On Wheels Is Excellent) through White Springs. We saw a very small portion of the North side of town during our stay at Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park about a year ago, but had not yet spent time exploring the original "Historic District". During our walks into the South end (always in the early morning hours), we only get as far as the closest Gas mart before we have to head back home to beat the oppressive heat. As it turned out, it would have been quicker to see the town by foot as opposed to the time it took for us to unhook and then set things back up after our return. The entire drive, from the town limits going South to North, took a grand total of four minutes.
According to the latest figures, the population of White Springs is 829. It may be small, but the town is beautifully kept, has a very "Old Florida" atmosphere and is filled with stately, turn-of-the-century Southern Victorian homes featuring large, wrap-around front porches. The business community is comprised of four Gas marts (two are owned by the same company), a bar-b-que restaurant, a small flower/gift shop, a bed 'n breakfast, the historic Telford hotel/restaurant (pictured above in its early years), a garage that seems to specialize in beat-up stock cars, an "old-fashioned" hardware/feed store that hosts a monthly swap meet, a small auto supply store and a Dollar General store that the locals refer to as the White Springs Mall. The center of town consists of four old storefronts that appear to be circa 1900 (now empty) and a rusted-out, tin-sided cotton gin/grist mill circa 1930. Today, most of the town's economy is supported by visitors to the Stephen Foster and Big Shoals State Parks, surrounding rural residents and people traveling along highway U.S 41 between Jasper to the North and Lake City to the Southeast.
Yet, for as small and rural as the town may appear to people as they pass through, this area has a fascinating history.
The banks of the Suwannee River around White Sulphur Springs have been a place of refuge and restoration for its visitors and residents for centuries. To this day, evidence in the form of shards of pottery, hunting and cooking tools and even weapons are found in places where the early visitors to the region spent their time.
Timucuan Indians were living on the banks of the Suwannee River at White Springs when the Spanish explorers came to what is now North Florida in the 1530s. The Suwannee River formed the boundary between the Timucuans on the east and the Apalachees on the west, and even then it was considered special, and historic.
White Sulphur Springs was considered to be a sacred healing ground and warring tribes could come to bathe in and drink the mineral waters here while putting aside their disagreements.
In 1835, Bryant and Elizabeth Sheffield bought land for a plantation in the Suwannee River valley region, including the spring and most of what is now the Town of White Springs. Mr. Sheffield's testimonials about the good effects the sulfurous spring water had on his health brought others to the ancient healing place who were in need of relief from rheumatism, kidney trouble, nervousness, and other ailments.
Sheffield built a log hotel beside the spring to provide lodging for the visitors, and Florida's first tourist attraction was in business. A log house surrounded the spring until 1903, when Minnie Mosher Jackson built the concrete and coquina wall (still standing) along with a four-tiered structure that included treatment rooms, a concession area, and an elevator. (Pictured above.) Admission was 25 cents and ladies were permitted to bathe without stockings: a bawdy atmosphere for the times!
Because of this one business, White Springs was once a premier destination for thousands of people each year from throughout the world. In the late 1800s, there were 14 luxury hotels (only the Telford remains standing) and many more boarding houses to accommodate the visitors who came by special excursion train to enjoy the river, the spring, and the climate. There was a bowling alley, a skating rink, moving picture shows, and boutiques filled with the latest fashions in gowns and hats. The town incorporated in 1885, and soon provided its citizens with waterworks, sidewalks, and a night watchman.
It was surprising to learn that the mineral spa remained in operation until the mid-1970's. But by that time people were more interested in visiting the Mouse in Orlando and, unfortunately, the underground springs that supplied billions of gallons of fresh water a year to the spa began to run dry. With the increase of agricultural development and a demand for more water to be diverted to Central Florida, most of the springs that once fed into the Suwannee have slowly disappeared.
While the town of White Springs may not have the excitements of larger cities, it still has a lot to offer. It's peaceful, surrounded by beautiful natural areas and comprised of people who are genuinely friendly. If you're passing through, don't blink or you'll miss everything. But better yet, stop for a little while and enjoy the atmosphere. There are very few places like this left in Florida.
copyright 2009-2010 Lane A Geyer
photo by Deb
