White Springs, Florida: A Step Back in Time

For anyone interested in what Florida was like before the days of tall buildings and the mouse, the town of White Springs is worth your visit. Nestled along the banks of the historic Suwannee River, this sleepy little town draped in Spanish moss has a fascinating history.

According to the latest figures, the population of White Springs is 829. It may be small, but the town is well kept, has a very "Old Florida" atmosphere and is graced with stately, turn-of-the-century Southern homes featuring large, airy porches.

The current business community is comprised of four Gas marts, a bar-b-que restaurant, a small flower/gift shop, a bed 'n breakfast, the historic Telford hotel/restaurant, an "old-fashioned" hardware/feed store that hosts a monthly swap meet, an 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 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, 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 lived along 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 where warring tribes could come to bathe in and drink the healing mineral waters 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 along with a four-tiered structure that included treatment rooms, a concession area, and an elevator. 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 first by stagecoach and then by a 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-1970s. But by that time people were more interested in visiting the beaches or 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. (The spa's original walls still stand today where people can enjoy a self-guided tour highlighting old pictures and an original price list for treatments offered.)

The town still draws many tourists because it is home to Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park. This park honors the memory of the famous American composer who wrote "Old Folks at Home", the song that made the local river famous. An Antebellum-style museum offers exhibits about Foster's life and his music can be heard resonating from a 97-bell carillon throughout the day. The park is also host to the annual and very popular Florida Folk Festival.

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 historic atmosphere. There are very few places like this left in Florida.