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Posted 03-02-2010 at 05:10 PM by Brenda Rees (Brenda Rees - Shaping Florida)
Updated 03-04-2010 at 07:15 AM by Brenda Rees
Anna’s Stories – “Worm Thumping” with Tuff Smith by sister Billie Smith Master
Presented by Brenda Rees – Shaping Florida ©
Notes from Anna and Tuff’s younger sister “Billie” about the technique and methods used to catch worms for fishing. Tuff Smith of Grayton Beach and the historic “Smith House” is well known for his fishing prowess. Anna (Smith) Reardon was known for her writing, but little sister Billie also liked to share stories.
Sonny Hollingsworth was taught how to catch worms and fish by his Uncle Tuff. They fished throughout Walton County, Florida. Sonny is at Grayton Beach around 1940 in this photograph.
Sonny Hollingsworth, son of Anna Smith Hollingsworth Reardon, provided a letter to me from Billie mailed in 1978 that detailed this story along with many others about early Walton County, Ft. Walton Beach and Mary Esther. Billie also included extensive genealogy notes for their Smith and Thornber families. Sonny is married to my mother, Gloria.
Sonny Hollingsworth and his Uncle Tuff Smith went hunting and fishing in Grayton Beach as well as Cowford near Bruce.
Before I posted this I called Sonny and asked...
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Shaping Florida
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Views 100
Comments 3
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Posted 02-08-2010 at 01:30 PM by Brenda Rees (Brenda Rees - Shaping Florida)
Updated 02-16-2010 at 08:07 PM by Brenda Rees
Saint Rose, Namesake of Santa Rosa Bay (now Choctawhatchee Bay) in Walton County, Florida, and Historical Named Town of Santa Rosa & Community Area Name of Santa Rosa Beach in South Walton by Brenda Rees – Shaping Florida
The Spanish began naming towns, rivers and bays, usually after Saints, as they explored and colonized Florida in the 16th Century. In the 17th Century, following Saint Rose’s death and Sainthood, the Spanish name a major bay in what is now the Walton County, Florida area “Santa Rosa Bay” and publish the name on maps of Florida. The name was changed by the British around 1778 to Choctawhatchee Bay. Thus, the longtime Spanish name of Santa Rosa Bay became unknown to many contemporary residents and visitors to South Walton and Florida.
During the American Revolution, the British have control of West and East Florida, their 14th and 15th colonies. British soldiers were marching from the capital of West Florida, Pensacola, to St. Augustine, the capital of East Florida. Elba Wilson Carswell said in his book, “Tempestuous Triangle” that the Stuart-Purcell map developed during this march changed the name to Choctaw Hatchee. Carswell said it might have been a name misunderstanding. The bay had also been known as the Chacta-Hatchi after the Chatots, not Choctaw. Swanton also mentions this in his book “The Indian Tribes of North America.” The Spanish get Florida back for the last time after the Americans win...
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Shaping Florida
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Views 196
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Posted 12-21-2009 at 07:21 PM by Brenda Rees (Brenda Rees - Shaping Florida)
Updated 01-15-2010 at 07:41 AM by Brenda Rees
(New: Naming George Walton, Jr. and Madame Octavia Walton Le Vert Honorees)
Sixth Annual Walton County 200 Countdown Celebration, Tuesday, December 29, 2009
The Sixth Annual Walton County 200 Countdown Celebration will be December 29, 2009 from 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. to countdown to and celebrate Walton County’s 200th birthday. Walton County, Florida will be 200 years old in 2024 and was founded December 29, 1824. A countdown celebration started in 2004 to count down the 20 years until Walton County celebrates 200 years.
A toast to Walton County.
Donations for the Walton County Heritage Museum will be accepted at this year's event.
Brenda Rees, event founder, said “I hope we see some generous donations to support the museum and honor one of the most historic counties in Florida.
A donation jar will be set up for attendees. The Walton County Heritage Museum of the Walton County Heritage
Association is a non-profit 501C3 organization. It depends on private citizens and volunteers generous support to operate.
The Walton County 200 Countdown Celebration was started to highlight Walton County’s significant history which complements its unique and beautiful environment. The wrong date for Walton’s founding is published in several books, so this event helps set that date straight. In addition, Walton is one...
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Shaping Florida
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Views 309
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Posted 12-09-2009 at 12:02 PM by Brenda Rees (Brenda Rees - Shaping Florida)
Updated 12-17-2009 at 08:42 AM by Brenda Rees
(ECP, added new airport name, Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport)
Here’s a story about SoWal’s neighbor Panama City. At this point in history, South Walton and Panama City were in another Florida county together about as long as they’ve been with their current respective counties. South Walton, part of Walton County’s original borders in 1824, left Walton County in 1825 to be part of Washington County and did not return to Walton County until 1913. The area now Panama City was also in Washington County during this time. Bay County was founded in 1913. Brenda Rees, Shaping Florida
Panama City Centennial Celebration
1909 - 2009
By
Brenda Rees of Shaping Florida
Photographs © by Brenda Rees
© 2009 Brenda Rees, All Rights Reserved
Dreams and visions of travel, commerce and land development gave rise to many cities along Northwest Florida’s Emerald Coast and inspired Bay County’s Panama City, which is celebrating its Centennial Year of incorporation in 2009.
“The railroad. That’s really what made Panama City,” said local historian and Panama City businessman Bob Hurst.
“The president of the railroad had a vision. He wanted a commercial link from Atlanta to South America and the Panama Canal being built at the time. That...
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Shaping Florida
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Views 400
Comments 0
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Posted 11-23-2009 at 09:36 AM by Brenda Rees (Brenda Rees - Shaping Florida)
Updated 03-04-2010 at 08:11 AM by Brenda Rees
Mary Wentworth Jackson – “The Prickly Pear Slide” 1940s/50s Walton County
Introduction
Mary Wentworth Jackson submitted this story to The Readers Digest many years ago. Mary received her rejection letter per postmark on March 8, 1956 from Readers Digest’s Pleasantville, New York office. I’m going to publish it for her today on SoWal. She would like that. It is typed from her returned copy. Mary and her husband Walter Webb "Jack" Jackson owned a motel in DeFuniak Springs, Florida and one of the earliest beach homes on Tresca Lake in South Walton. Their motel was along Highway 90, part of the “New” Spanish Trail road system developed after 1920. The “real” or historic Spanish Trail in this part of Florida is closer to Highway 2, according to Bob Hurst, an area map expert. Highway 90 was a main route into Florida before Interstate 10 was constructed. If you don’t know what a prickly pear is, you’ll know after this story. Her story also gives insight into 1940s/50s Walton County. The incident probably occurred around 1943. Imagine, a motel with a bull. Mary was my grandmother and was affectionately known as “Nana.” I am thankful this Thanksgiving Holiday for her having been my grandmother. She was an interesting, delightful person who added spark to Walton County. Read more about her Wentworth family on my Pensacola history blog. Brenda Rees – Shaping Florida
“The Prickly Pear Slide”
By ...
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Shaping Florida
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Views 229
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