Our morning was spent leisurely, like most Sunday mornings. Around 11, we ventured out to the Suwannee River Overlook in the park. It was a short, easy walk down to the river. The Suwannee River travels 270 miles from its origin in the Okeefenokee Swamp in Fargo, GA to the Gulf of Mexico in Florida. Its main blackwater tributaries are the Alapaha and the Withlacoochie Rivers. It is fed by clear underground springs along the way and its last tributary, the Santa Fe River, before emptying into the Gulf. The river is enjoyed by divers who come to explore the springs that can be found off the river. Caving is popular with all the caves found along the river. There is also boating, canoeing, and fishing to partake in.
The Suwannee River looks black, due to the tanin in the river, as it meanders south for miles. Tanin is produced from decaying plant matter in the Okeefenokee Swamp.
Standing at the water’s edge, you can see cypress trees that line the banks and Spanish moss hanging decoratively from the Live Oaks.
We were cautious walking along the water, keeping a keen lookout for gators lurking along the shore.
We could only see a short section of the river in both directions from where we stood as it snaked its way past us. After our stop there, we headed back into town to find the Telford Hotel and some historic homes. We first drove along some of the back streets to get a feel for the town and its people. The people we saw were friendly and greeted us with a wave as we drove by. The first house we came upon was the Sophia Jane Adams House built in 1893. The Adams family were the ones that established the general store which is one of Florida’s oldest wooden-framed mercantile stores still standing in its original location.
Next on down the road was the impressive Telford Hotel built in 1903. It is the only hotel that remains in this town. Fires destroyed the other 14 hotels over the years.
More historic homes like these lined the streets of White Springs. The historic district contains 110 structures listed in the National Register of Historic Places and can be seen by taking the self-guided walking/driving tour of the city.
We headed back to the campground and were able to give Auggie some time to explore outside which he so dearly loves. The day was mostly sunny and much less humid. The campground was peaceful while relaxed with some reading before dinner. Bob did a little re-organizing of his own in his outside storage compartment of the trailer and all was well in our world.
