THE GOVERNOR STONE: Once in Eden Gardens State Park, Pt. Washington, Florida -- by Brenda Rees – Shaping Florida

Governor Stone Update November 13, 2009

I was thinking about the Governor Stone, built in 1877 in Pascagoula, Mississippi, the other day and wondered how she was doing. The Governor Stone is currently in Ft. Walton Beach under the care of The Friends of Governor Stone. The Governor Stone had passed from The Friends of Eden of Pt. Washington, Walton County, Florida, to this new group.


Copy of Bob Swinford's painting of the Governor Stone. Brenda Rees copy from Bob Swinford. Bob Swinford married Mickey Wesley, the youngest of the nine children of William and Katie Wesley. They were married for 67 years. The historic "Wesley House" is located at Eden Gardens State Park in Pt. Washington, Walton County, Florida. Bob and Mickey spent part of their 1938 honeymoon there.


What prompted this fresh look at the Governor Stone was a recent visit with Bob Swinford, formerly of Eastern Lake in South Walton. You’ve perhaps read about him on some of my other history blogs about the Wesley House, Eastern Lake or Moon-dreaming. Bob prepared several plaques of the Governor Stone from photo copies of his original oil pastel painting. He recently donated several...