Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park
Encyclopedia
Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park is a Florida State Park
located in White Springs
off U.S. 41, along the Suwannee River
in north Florida.
, Box turtle
s, American Alligator
s, White-tailed deer
, Wood Duck
s and a variety of birds.
king, hiking
and bicycling, as well as horseback riding, canoe
ing, and wildlife
viewing.
Amenities include picnic tables, wooded trails, access to the Suwannee River, riverside cabins, and a 97-bell carillon
. There is a craft shop that sells Florida and Southeastern folk art and crafts.
, and features dioramas and exhibits about his famous songs, including Old Folks at Home
, more commonly known by the words of its first line as "(Way Down Upon the) Swanee River". The honor of Stephen Foster (who never visited Florida) was the idea of Josiah K. Lilly, Sr., the son of Eli Lilly
, who proposed the memorial in 1931.
tower, was built in 1957 by the J.C. Deagan Company. Over four decades, the company built and installed in excess of 500 carillions worldwide based on their own 1916 design. The setup at White Springs was their largest and last carillion. It is noted as the "world's largest tubular bell instrument" from the company.
The carillion plays Foster's songs throughout the day. A second museum area inside the tower also features exhibits about Stephen Foster and the carillon.
weekend.
Florida State Parks
The Florida State Parks encompass the majority of the lands that fall under the authority of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. There are 160 such entities, including nature reserves, recreation areas, and historic sites, which can be found in every corner of the state...
located in White Springs
White Springs, Florida
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...
off U.S. 41, along the Suwannee River
Suwannee River
The Suwannee River is a major river of southern Georgia and northern Florida in the United States. It is a wild blackwater river, about long. The Suwannee River is the site of the prehistoric Suwannee Straits which separated peninsular Florida from the panhandle.-Geography:The river rises in the...
in north Florida.
Fauna
Among the wildlife of the park are Gopher TortoisesGopherus polyphemus
The gopher tortoise is a species of the Gopherus genus native to the southeastern United States. The gopher tortoise is seen as a keystone species because it digs burrows that provide shelter for 360 other animal species...
, Box turtle
Box turtle
The box turtle , or box tortoise is a genus of turtle native to North America . The 12 taxa which are distinguished in the genus are distributed over four species. It is largely characterized by having a domed shell, which is hinged at the bottom, allowing the animal to close its shell tightly to...
s, American Alligator
American Alligator
The American alligator , sometimes referred to colloquially as a gator, is a reptile endemic only to the Southeastern United States. It is one of the two living species of alligator, in the genus Alligator, within the family Alligatoridae...
s, White-tailed deer
White-tailed Deer
The white-tailed deer , also known as the Virginia deer or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized deer native to the United States , Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru...
, Wood Duck
Wood Duck
The Wood Duck or Carolina Duck is a species of duck found in North America. It is one of the most colourful of North American waterfowl.-Description:...
s and a variety of birds.
Recreational activities
Activities include picnicPicnic
In contemporary usage, a picnic can be defined simply as a pleasure excursion at which a meal is eaten outdoors , ideally taking place in a beautiful landscape such as a park, beside a lake or with an interesting view and possibly at a public event such as before an open air theatre performance,...
king, hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
and bicycling, as well as horseback riding, canoe
Canoe
A canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...
ing, and wildlife
Wildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
viewing.
Amenities include picnic tables, wooded trails, access to the Suwannee River, riverside cabins, and a 97-bell carillon
Carillon
A carillon is a musical instrument that is typically housed in a free-standing bell tower, or the belfry of a church or other municipal building. The instrument consists of at least 23 cast bronze, cup-shaped bells, which are played serially to play a melody, or sounded together to play a chord...
. There is a craft shop that sells Florida and Southeastern folk art and crafts.
Stephen Foster Museum
The Stephen Foster Museum honors the accomplishments of American composer Stephen FosterStephen Foster
Stephen Collins Foster , known as the "father of American music", was the pre-eminent songwriter in the United States of the 19th century...
, and features dioramas and exhibits about his famous songs, including Old Folks at Home
Old Folks at Home
"Old Folks at Home" is a minstrel song written by Stephen Foster in 1851. It was intended to be performed by the New York blackface troupe Christy's Minstrels. E. P. Christy, the troupe's leader, appears on early printings of the sheet music as the song's creator...
, more commonly known by the words of its first line as "(Way Down Upon the) Swanee River". The honor of Stephen Foster (who never visited Florida) was the idea of Josiah K. Lilly, Sr., the son of Eli Lilly
Eli Lilly
Eli Lilly was the founder of Eli Lilly and Company.Eli Lilly may also refer to:* Eli Lilly and Company, a global pharmaceutical company...
, who proposed the memorial in 1931.
Carillion
The Stephen Foster Memorial Carillon, the park's 97 tubular bell carillonCarillon
A carillon is a musical instrument that is typically housed in a free-standing bell tower, or the belfry of a church or other municipal building. The instrument consists of at least 23 cast bronze, cup-shaped bells, which are played serially to play a melody, or sounded together to play a chord...
tower, was built in 1957 by the J.C. Deagan Company. Over four decades, the company built and installed in excess of 500 carillions worldwide based on their own 1916 design. The setup at White Springs was their largest and last carillion. It is noted as the "world's largest tubular bell instrument" from the company.
The carillion plays Foster's songs throughout the day. A second museum area inside the tower also features exhibits about Stephen Foster and the carillon.
Special events
Every year, the park hosts the Florida Folk Festival on Memorial DayMemorial Day
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War...
weekend.
External links
- Photos of Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park at Florida Parks
- Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park - official site
- Stephen Foster State Folk Culture Center at Absolutely Florida
- Stephen Foster State Folk Culture Center at Wildernet
- Explore Southern History - Information on Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park