Payne Creek Historic State Park...

Think back to Sunday just past... down here in Florida it was a bit cool, but very sunny. Deb and Gerard were still here in Florida, (safe home in Waterloo, Ont. now though...:(

We decided on that Sunday, to go for a hike, so had to source out a place to go...non better than the Payne Creek Historic State Park, just south of Bowling Green, Fla.

This Park is actually a bit isolated, but in the very central part of Florida. To understand the Park, and why it is there, is to understand History from around 1840 believe it or not!

I have talked in the past about the Florida Seminole Indians. Back in the 1800's the White Settlers were making their way into Florida, and the Seminole Indians were located in and around central Florida. There were constant problems between the two groups, which led to three Seminole Wars between them in the early 1800's. The Indians however, liked to trade with the White Settlers, and would go to the Gulf and Ocean Coast to do so.

The Army at the time, felt it would be good to build a Trading Store, in Central Florida, so the Seminole's would not have to go to the Coast to do the trading. They opened a Trading Store inside this Historic State Park in the 1840's. Captain George S. Payne was one of the 3 people running this Trading Post.

 

There was five renegade Seminole Indians who thought life would be better without the Trading Post, so they attacked the Post, killing Payne and his Partner, Dempsey Whiddon. To their credit, the Seminole Indians, tracked down, and turned in 4 of the renegade Indians. The Seminole's later, ended up with a 2.5 MILLION ACRE Reserve to live their lives out on in Central Florida! Not bad!

We enjoyed a great picnic lunch in the Park...

 

We ended up doing a 4 mile hike inside the park, and along the Peace River. Again, watch out for the alligators!

The Peace River here is crystal clear!

 

 

Because of the cooler weather on Sunday, we were about the only ones in the whole Park... we did see a couple other people...

This neat suspension bridge led over the river to Cpt. Payne's Grave. Judy thought he might be a relative as Payne is her Maiden name... who knows?????

Anyways, we had a terrific day with Deb and Gerard, and learned lots of history.

Till tomorrow...

 

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