Yesterday's lab work was in a small metropolis of Merianna, Florida (pop. 7000) and is one of the oldest towns in the state.
One of the earliest settlers in the area was a Scotsman named Robert Beveridge. He came to the area in 1827 and surveyed the city of Marianna on top of a hill with a view of the Chipola River.
The middle name of Beveridge's wife was Maria; his partner's wife had the first name of Anna. So the clever Scotsman put the two names together and came up with Marianna.
It was once a important agricultural centers of north Florida's plantation economy before the Civil War.
Also, it happens to be the location of the grave site of the Confederate Governor of Florida, John Milton and the site of a Civil War skirmish, Battle Of Merianna. The town was defended against a army of about 900 Union soldiers. Their defense was mounted by 150 old men and boys.
St. Luke's Episcopal Church was in the middle of the Marianna Civil War battlefield. The men of the town were outnumbered as they tried to defend the area and many fought and died within the church.
The church ended up burning down around them. It's been referred to as "Florida's Alamo". It was later rebuilt and the adjacent cemetery holds the graves of the men who fought.
Governor Milton owned a plantation of about 10,000 acres named "Sylvania." It was located about 8 miles east of Marianna.
The Governor was steadfastly opposed to the Confederacy reuniting with the U.S.A. after the Civil War.
In 1865, Union troops were marching on Tallahassee and Governor Milton allegedly killed himself with a gunshot rather than go back to the Union.
Today Marianna is known as the "City of Southern Charm" and is a quiet, quaint and charming town, officially a "Florida Main Street Town".
There is also an abundance of natural beauty with its spring-fed rivers, natural springs and parks, and it's home to Chipola College.
The first house to be added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1972 was the historic home of "Theophilus West".
He was remembered as a "Great Floridian" and served as a prominent doctor.
Dr. West was a surgeon from Florida & served in the Army of Northern Virginia and was among the soldiers surrendered by General Robert E. Lee at Appomatox Courthouse, Virginia. He also was Jackson County's Florida, 1st school superintendent, Mayor of Marianna, and then a Florida State Senator representing Jackson County.
Much of the rest of downtown was added to the register in 1997, which added 181 buildings to create their Historic District.
The Russ House is an example of restored properties in town. It was built in 1895, and was restored in 1995.
It serves Marianna today as the Chamber of Commerce offices on Lafayette Street, also known as US-90.
The town's historic district has many examples of Victorian homes, some restored and others not.
The one below is known as the Old Stone Hotel and was built in 1905.
The countryside around Marianna is also beautiful. The nearby Chipola River is a tributary of the Apalachicola River, and is extremely clear.
Florida Caverns State Park is also close to Marianna and is Florida's only state park with direct access to caverns. There are daily guided tours of the limestone caves from Memorial Day to Labor Day where you can explore the large underground rooms, complete with LED lights.
The Civilian Conservation Corps along with the Works Projects Administration worked to carve out and expand the caverns and develop the State Park, as part of Roosevelt's New Deal to create jobs during the Great Depression in 1933.
Hurricane Michael did significant damage to the park and the town in 2018, but much has been restored and the park is now open.
I gave a blood sample and then had an interesting day full of history.
It's Great Day In The Neighborhood...
Nana
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