November 19, 2013

Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park

White Springs, FL

There are two washers and two dryers in the campground located at the bathhouse. 

 

 

 

 

 

I grabbed my laundry basket and walked the short distance to the bathhouse hoping at least one of the washing machines was available for use.  I lucked out-both were free. 

 

  

 

My timing was great because while I was pouring detergent in the machines, a woman approached with her laundry basket.

 

 

 

 

Bathrooms 

 

Very clean showers

In the afternoon we toured the park. 

 

 

 

 

 

Our first stop was at the Carillon Tower. 

 

 

 

 

 

The tower stands as a monument to Stephen Foster. 

His melodies speak of a uniquely American scene and culture and are so fundamentally American in mood and expression.

Stephen Foster, known as the “father of American music”, was an American songwriter who wrote over 200 songs.  Among his best known are “Oh Susanna”, Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair”, and “Beautiful Dreamer”.

One of the facts I found really interesting about Stephen Foster was that he realized very little of the profits his works generated for sheet music printers due to the limited scope of music copyright and composer royalties. 

There is a funny story related to the composing of “Swanee River” also known as “Old Folks at Home”.  Foster wrote it for the Christy’s Minstrels, a blackface troupe. 

He composed most of the lyrics but was having difficulty coming up with a name to the river of the opening line.  Foster’s brother first suggested “Yazoo” and the “Pee Dee”.  Both were rejected by Foster.  After consulting an atlas, the brother suggested Suwannee.  Foster thought it was perfect, changing the spelling to “Swanee” to fit the melody.  Stephen Foster, who never saw the Suwannee, or even visited Florida, is credited with initiating Florida tourism as his song, “Old Folks at Home”, sparked a desire for people to see the famous river.

“Old Folks at Home, the official state song of Florida since 1935, has had several revisions to be less offensive with substituting the word “brothers” instead of “darkies”.

The Stephen Foster Memorial Carillon is the world’s largest tubular carillon in number of bells.  The 97-bell carillon was installed in 1958 at a cost of just under $120,000.  3 sets of 32 bells each and one High G.  The largest bells are 12 ½ feet long and weigh 426 pounds.  The smallest bells are 3 ½ feet long and weigh 69 pounds.  They are supported by a massive wooden structure that measures 21 feet high, 15 feet long and 11 feet wide.                  

Daily concerts can be heard throughout the park several times during the day.The ground floor of the tower is a museum that features Stephen Foster memorabilia including musical instruments and dioramas. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jeanie Ball Gown: This gown is an 1854 style ball gown presented for Jeanie contestants to the Stephen Foster Center in observance of the 100^th anniversary of the copyrighting of “Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair,” 

 

 

 

 

 

Currently, the grounds of the Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center are being prepared for the annual Festival of Lights where over 5 million lights will be on display. 

 

 

 

 

Across the road from the tower are the Gift Shop and Craft Square. 

Monte being silly. 

 

Among the items available for purchase at Cousin Thelma Bolton’s Craft and Gift Shop are handmade crafts by local artists, Stephen Foster music and souvenirs, old fashioned candy, ice cream and books.

 

Military nutcrackers 

 

 

 

Second floor of the gift shop 

 

 

 

 

We noticed a sign while at the gift shop of a contest to find “Edgar” the volunteer gator with the prize being a free ice-cream.  As we approached the first artist’s cottage Monte spotted Edgar. 

 

 

 

 

 

We brought him back to the gift shop where he was instructed to choose any ice cream in the freezer.  He chose a crunch bar and shared it me. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quilters shop-The woman inside gave us a demonstration of different types of quilting including the old fashioned hand sewing method and the modern machine method. 

I didn’t take any pictures in the cottages we visited, that included the quilters and the potters but they had fabulous items for sale.

I only stayed a few minutes at the rope makers. 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the two men there giving a rope making demonstration was smoking a disgusting cigar. 

 

 

 

 

 

No matter where I stood I could smell the smoke.  When I began to gag I knew it was time to move on.

 

 

 

 

  

The final building is the blacksmiths forge-unfortunately it was closed.

 

 

 

 

We took a ride into nearby Lake City where we stopped at Little Caesars for a pizza, Walmart for a few grocery items and a car wash to vacuum my car.  Water is getting into my car when it rains.  Monte used the powerful vacuum at the car wash to suck up some of the water from the carpet on the driver’s side.