Category: History

Eric Musgrove  Contributor  There are events in the history of Suwannee County that remind me of the passage from Ecclesiastes 1:9, in which the wise King Solomon declares, “What has been is…

Eric Musgrove  Contributor  Pictured with this article is a photograph taken in the 1900s of the Branford Railroad Depot, now the Branford Shrine Club, behind the steamboat: City of Hawkinsville. It is…

Eric Musgrove  Contributor  This week, we’ll finish our multi-article study on the Wellborn community, one of the oldest existing communities in Suwannee County. During the heyday period of Wellborn during the late…

Metro Contributor The month of June has been home to many historical events over the years. Here’s a look at some that helped to shape the world in June 1924. • Austrian…

Eric Musgrove Contributor In the Wednesday, June 12, edition of the Riverbend News, we began a study of the history of Wellborn, one of Suwannee County’s earliest communities. We will continue that…

Eric Musgrove Contributor Wellborn is one of the oldest communities in Suwannee County; the area around it was settled by Americans before practically any other location in the County. Wellborn’s age, coupled…

Eric Musgrove Contributor In the article published in the Wednesday, May 22, edition of the Riverbend News, I began writing about a shootout that happened in 1890 Branford. Today, I finish the…

Eric Musgrove Contributor Several years ago, my friend Shirley Clark from Branford stopped by my office. Knowing of my love of history, she brought a booklet published decades ago by a Lafayette…

Kenzie James reporter3.riverbendnews@gmail.com The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was established at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C., as a grave and memorial for unidentified American soldiers who sacrificed their lives in…

Hailey Heseltine  reporter3.riverbendnews@gmail.com  This Monday, May 20, marks the 159th Emancipation Day in Florida.  National Emancipation Day is celebrated on April 16 because it marks the anniversary of when Abraham Lincoln signed…

Eric Musgrove Contributor Sometimes, when I go through the Official Records of Suwannee County, information jumps out at me that gives me cause to chuckle. Sometimes, it involves antiquated words or phrases…

Eric Musgrove Contributor Having lived here all my life, I often encounter old buildings, streets, events and more whose history has been forgotten or at least no longer generally known to the…

Eric Musgrove Contributor This week, we’ll complete our discussion on Nancy Parshley, wife of John Parshley and an early pioneer of Live Oak. In 1870, the AME Church Conference held a meeting…

Eric Musgrove Contributor Last week, we began talking about Nancy Parshley, the wife of John Parshley, who was an early pioneer of Live Oak. In fact, had it not been for John…

Eric Musgrove Contributor Last week, we began a discussion of the once-flourishing community of Columbus, one of Suwannee County’s earliest settlements, which is now the location of Suwannee River State Park. Today,…

Eric Musgrove Contributor Changes in travel modes, the location of natural resources, and a variety of other events have shifted the population centers of Suwannee County over the years. As a result,…