Anna's Stories - By Brenda Rees - Shaping Florida
Anna Smith Hollingsworth Reardon enjoyed Grayton Beach with her family and friends. Here is the second blog by Brenda Rees - Shaping Florida about her stories and picture collection. Many of the pictures in this particular blog are from 1940-1970. Her son, Sonny Hollingsworth, spent many summers with his Uncle Tuff and Aunt Alline at "The Smith" house. Anna owned lots south of The Smith House. Sonny said there were several "Indian girl graves" on the lots. The lots were sold and he doesn't know what became of the "Indian girl graves." Sonny and my mother recently found a number of pictures and documents in their attic. (c) Brenda Rees All Rights Reserved See "Anna" An Early Walton County Boat for background. Be sure to log on to see pictures!


The Smith House at Grayton Beach in the 1940s. Sonny Hollingsworth, the son of Anna Smith Hollingsworth Reardon, said his mother owned the lots south of the Smith House. He remembers two Indian girl graves on the lots. What happened to the two Indian girls after Anna sold her lots is unknown.

More pictures to follow.


Anna's beach...

Pictures from my walk in May, 2009 of the Eastern Lake / Cassine Trail in South Walton of Walton County, Florida, leading to the old historic Eastern Lake Bridge and a bygone road to the beach. This is the bridge and road Bob Swinford talks about in my "Moon-dreaming" blog. This walk probably rates in the top 10 things I've done in my life. Beautiful day, beautiful scenery. The environment and scenery was very much like it was many years ago when Bob and Mickey were "Moon-dreaming." A bonus was my childhood Eastern Lake beach area girlfriend from Atlanta was in SoWal and we took this walk together. She is a birding and plant aficionado and added so much to the journey. We used to ride her horses around Eastern Lake beach.

I'll add pictures in the order taken on our walk. Additional commentary will also be added later.


We started our tour at the trail that begins on Scenic 30A across the street from the Eastern Lake Nursery. There are a few other trails that will get you to the Old Historic Eastern Lake Bridge, but this is quick and easy.


You will be walking through a Florida...

A full moon is ready to set over Eastern Lake in South Walton, Florida. It was a full moon like this that captivated Bob Swinford on his first trip to South Walton in the 1930s. A beautiful moonset over Eastern Lake and the Gulf provided the perfect backdrop for his date with his future wife, Mickey Wesley. His story,as sent to me a few years ago, follows. Early travel roads and secrets are a bonus. Enjoy "Moon-dreaming." Picture (c) Brenda Rees, All Rights Reserved













Bob’s article has many special remembrances of his and Mickey Wesley’s lives. Mickey was the youngest of the nine children of William and Katie Wesley, builders of the Wesley House now known as Eden State Gardens in Pt. Washington, Florida. “Moon-dreaming” is a story about Bob and Mickey’s first date in South Walton at Eastern Lake. It wasn’t their “first” date as you’ll see by the story, but perhaps you can capture some of the romance one full moon night as you relax along the beach in South Walton. – Brenda...

Here's how the beach at Eastern Lake looked in 1977. The Goodyear Blimp was going from the Orange Bowl to the Sugar Bowl. One picture shows the dunes of Tresca Lake. They were removed and covered over with asphalt by a small, local developer. Some call this area Seagrove, but I try not to (long story). That is down the road. William and Katie Wesley platted probably the first subdivision in the Eastern Lake area as Eastern Lake Estates from 1903 land grant. That section is the west side of the lake. Our earlier mailing address was Pt. Washington, which was where John Wesley homesteaded and got a land grant in 1895. This was the first land grant in South Walton, I believe. Pt. Washington was a community before that, of course. I have an 1882 map with Pt. Washington on it. I still have a letter from my dad with the Pt. Washington address. More on this later and probably in another blog.

Be sure to explore my other blogs on SoWal. I've posted about 30 on different historical / environmental topics such as Pensacola, West Florida, Octavia, Alaqua, Camp Walton, Grayton Beach Smith House, Eastern Lake Trail and Historic Bridge, Florida Borders, Land Grants, and Native Peoples. Be sure to log in to view pictures and maps. They really make an impact.

All pictures by Brenda Rees, Shaping Florida (c) All Rights Reserved
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