|
''For the protected area in Florida known as White Springs see Gar Pond'' White Springs is a town in Hamilton County, Florida, on the Suwannee River. The population was 819 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2004 estimates, the town had a population of 828. Home of the annual Florida Folk Festival, it is a tourist destination noted for historic charm, antique shops, and river recreation. ==History== The Suwannee River was once the boundary between the Timucuan tribe to the east and Apalachee tribe to the west. When Spanish explorers visited the area in the 1530s, it was inhabited by the former, who believed its springs possessed healing powers.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://whitesprings.org/town.html#top )〕 The Indians considered the springs as a sacred healing ground. Any tribe member could bathe and drink the mineral waters without fear of being attacked.〔 The spring water flows through rocks embedded with sulfur crystals and acquires the "rotten egg" smell. The settlement was incorporated in 1831 as Jackson Springs by businessmen Joseph Bryant, James T. Hooker, his brother William B. Hooker, John Lee, and James D. Prevatt. In addition to the spring, they planned to build a ferry across the Suwannee River.〔 Bryant & Elizabeth Sheffield bought tracts for a cotton plantation in 1835, and took over the ferry operation the following year. Mr. Sheffield drank the mineral waters and touted their ability to cure nervousness, kidney troubles, and rheumatism, among other problems. They constructed a hotel and spring house from logs. The spring called Upper Mineral Springs was very popular and became Florida's first tourist attraction.〔 During the American Civil War, some Confederate soldiers found refuge in the town from Union troops. The family of future governor Napoleon Bonaparte Broward, whose Jacksonville farm was burned by Union forces, moved to a nearby farm which they named ''Rebel’s Refuge''.〔 At some point, the springs were renamed White Sulphur Springs. Following the civil war, the tourist business slowly returned. In 1882, the Georgia merchants Wight and Powell purchased the property and platted city lots. They sold parcels to other retailers to open businesses catering to plantations and resorts around the spring. Crowds of health seekers arrived, first by stagecoach and then railroad. White Springs was incorporated in 1885. Hotels and boarding houses popped up; a cotton gin attracted buyers and sellers; and fashionable clothing and hats were offered for sale. Leisure activities included ballroom dancing, lawn tennis, and skating.〔 In 1903, the spring was enclosed by concrete and coquina walls that included multiple water gates and galleries to prevent water intrusion from river flooding. A four-story wooden bathhouse was constructed around the spring. The structure was designed by the Jacksonville architectural firm McClure & Holmes for owner Minnie Mosher Jackson, and included doctors' offices for patient examination and treatment, dressing rooms, space for concessions, and an elevator.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.smalltowngems.com/browsetowns/florida/whitesprings/whitespringsfltownhistory.html )〕 At the time, water flow was calculated at 32,400 gallons per minute, or nearly 47 million gallons per day. During the 1930s, mineral springs fell out of favor and the town began to fade. In 1950, the Stephen Foster Memorial Museum opened to commemorate songwriter Stephen Foster, composer of the world-renowned song of the Suwannee River, “Old Folks at Home.” The museum is surrounded by formal gardens which extend to the banks of the Suwannee River. A carillon containing the world’s largest set of tubular bells, 〔("Stephen Foster State Folk Culture Center" ) Yahoo Travel〕 opened in 1957 and plays Foster's songs throughout the day. The facility is a Florida State Park. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「White Springs, Florida」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|