"Energy and persistance conquer all things". -- Benjamin Franklin

"Mayor" Boll Weevil" in Enterprise, AL.

Torreya State Park near Bristol, FL was a good hour drive away. We were looking for a hiking trail with a few ups and downs and it did not disappoint. At least I was good and tired last night. We took a trail to the Gregory house and a different one back from there for a nearly 5 mile hike. It was uphill the entire way back! Obviously I need to do more hiking before we backpack in August!

The park is named for the rare Torreya traxifolia tree. Rattlesnakes and black bears make it their home, but we saw neither. This site was selected for the park primarily because it was the location of 6 Confederate gun pits used to hold back the Union army warships on the Apalachicola River.

The Gregory house, built in 1849, was a plantation house originally located across from the State Park on the Apalachicola River. The house was moved to it's current location when it was donated to the state with the condition that it be relocated. In the 1930's the CCC (Civil Conservation Corp) began the 7 year process of moving it by removing one board at a time. 

 

CCC built bridge

Mike, or maybe a leprechaun?, showing off the archway under the bridge.

lunch

At one point it felt like more like a jungle. 

The Gregory house kitchen (on the right) would have originally been on the backside connected to the dining room. At some point, before it was relocated, the kitchen building had burned down. 

Beautiful views from the house. 

They had several stations in the back showing candlemaking, how they would have made wood shingles, and other things from the 1800's.

The chaperones couch in the courting room. The furnishings in the house were not original but were from the period of the home.

This is a courting candle. I had not seen one before. The father would judge the suitor when he called and determine how long he could stay by the candle length. When the candle went out, so did the suitor!

There is a mirror at the bottom of this table in the entryway so as the ladies walked past they could check their skirt length. 

Jason Gregory

Early automated cradle.

The floor on the first floor had to be replaced. This flooring from the second floor was original with the wood plugs.

Wooden checkers and Confederate cards.

In my quest to hike-to-see-something we took a half mile walk on the Bellamy Bridge Trail. The bridge itself wasn't exciting because it didn't even have a floor anymore, however, it was supposedly haunted. A story for another time. We didn't make it to the bridge due to water and another bridge that was washed out. We found another trail to try and get to the bridge only to discover it didn't go to the bridge. Aaah, but not to be deterred we took something that might have been a path at one time. Still no luck but by this time we did get close to a 5 mile hike. The guys have a plan so check back. 

The logs weren't long enough, what was left of the boardwalk was on it's side, and the creek was a bit deeper than we cared to walk in. 

Pat tried!

This might have been a path at one time?

We think we did reach the river. 

More boll weevils from Enterprise, AL.

Pat's traditional groundhog chili on Groundhog Day.

A little blurry (or a dirty windshield) but Pat saw a red-headed woodpecker out the front window one morning.
Where are the Piepers now? Bonifay, FL