Little River Falls - Alabama

One of the most beautiful places in the South in any season, but especially in the spring, is Little River Falls (seen here).

Located in the Little River Canyon National Preserve near Fort Payne, Alabama. The falls tumble 45-feet over the rim of Little River Canyon. They are rich in history and powered a watermill during the 1800s.

The falls are located where Highway 35 crosses the Little River near Fort Payne. They are only about 30 minutes from Interstate 59 and are among the most accessible waterfalls in the South.

To read more about Little River Falls and Little River Canyon, please click here: http://www.exploresouthernhistory.com/littleriver2. We will look at other sites around the canyon over the coming days.

Moss Hill Methodist Church - Florida

This beautiful old structure is Moss Hill United Methodist Church.

Located near the town of Vernon in Northwest Florida and the center of an area known as Holmes Valley, the old church was built during the 1850s and is one of the oldest standing church structures in Florida. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

We have just launched a new page on Moss Hill at ExploreSouthernHistory.com as part of the site we are donating to the Washington County Historical Society. You can take a look by going to www.exploresouthernhistory.com/washingtoncounty and looking for the Moss Hill heading.

The Battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas

Today is the 146th anniversary of the Battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas.

Sometimes called the Battle of Elkhorn Tavern, this massive engagement was found in Northwest Arkansas on March 7-8, 1862 between the Confederate army of Gen. Earl Van Dorn and the Union army of Gen. Samuel Curtis.

The battle raged over thousands of acres for two days before a Union attack finally forced a Confederate retreat. One of the largest Civil War battles fought west of the Mississippi River and also one of the largest battles of the war, Pea Ridge is generally credited with preserving the state of Missouri for the Union. It also opened the door for further Union invasion of Arkansas.

To read more about the Battle of Pea Ridge, please visit our section on Pea Ridge National Military Park at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/pearidgeindex. We also are beginning a series on the battle today at our sister blog, Arkansas in the Civil War.

Remembering the Battle of Natural Bridge, Florida

Today is the anniversary of the March 6, 1865, Battle of Natural Bridge, Florida. This engagement was the last significant Confederate victory of the Civil War and preserved Tallahassee's status as the only Southern capital east of the Mississippi not captured by Union forces.

The battle was fought along the banks of the St. Marks River near the town of Woodville (south of Tallahassee). The site is preserved today as the Natural Bridge Battlefield State Historic Park.

To learn more about the battle, please visit our Natural Bridge pages by clicking here. You also might enjoy reading today's postings at Civil War Florida. I'll be posting throughout the day there on the history of the battle.

Remember the Alamo! - Fall of the Texas shrine took place 172 years ago today

On this date in history, 172 years ago, the Alamo was stormed and captured by Mexican soldiers during the Texas Revolution.

The attack took place before daylight on the morning of March 6, 1836 when General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna sent four columns of troops to attack the old fortified mission. The battle was bloody for both sides, but when the smoke cleared, the defenders of the Alamo had been wiped out. Among the dead were such legendary American heroes as David Crockett, Jim Bowie and William Barret Travis.

To read more about this epic American battle, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/alamo1.

Remembering the Alamo

In the year 1836, this date (March 5th) was the last full day of life for the defenders of the Alamo. By sunrise the next morning, they would fall and begin their journey from revolutionaries and soldiers to legends.

After nearly two weeks of siege, the Mexican army had tightened its ring around the fortified mission in San Antonio, Texas, and on March 5, 1836, General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna met with his staff and made his final decision to carry the Alamo by storm. He would attack before dawn the next morning.

To read more about the Alamo and see additional photos of this Texas shrine, please visit our Alamo pages at www.exploresouthernhistory.com. Just follow the link and look for the Alamo picture and heading.

The Possum Monument - Wausau, Florida

This nicely carved stone beside State Highway 77 in Wausau, Florida is undoubtedly the Sunshine State's most unusual monument.

It is dedicated to the possum (or opossum, for our Northern friends), that creature often seen in the woods and swamps (and paved highways) of the South.

Erected in 1982, the monument pays tribute to the marsupial for its role in providing food to area residents in good times and bad. Wausau, in fact, calls itself the Possum Capital of the World and hosts a famed Fun Day and Possum Festival on the first Saturday of August each year.

To learn more about the possum monument, please visit our new Washington County, Florida pages at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/washingtoncounty and just look for the heading!

The Battle of Natural Bridge, Florida

This week marks the 143rd anniversary of the Battle of Natural Bridge, Florida. Fought along the St. Marks River on March 6, 1865, the battle preserved Tallahassee's status as the only Confederate capital east of the Mississippi not taken by Union troops during the Civil War. It also was the last significant Confederate victory of the war.

We have a complete section on Natural Bridge available at http://www.exploresouthernhistory.com/. Just follow the link to the main page and you will see the special heading there.

In addition to exploring the battlefield itself, the Natural Bridge section includes many photographs of other points of interest associated with the battle, including the beautiful St. Marks Lighthouse, the St. Marks River, the old Spanish fort of San Marcos de Apalache and the Tallahassee-St. Marks "rails to trails" project.

If you are interested in reading in depth about the battle, please consider my book, The Battle of Natural Bridge, Florida, now available through www.barnesandnoble.com, www.amazon.com or for order through most bookstores.

Falling Waters State Park - Chipley, Florida

Our new page for Falling Waters State Park in Chipley, Florida is now online at www.exploresouthernhistory.com.

If you aren't familiar with this park, it is one of the most unique in the Sunshine State. Falling Waters protects the Florida's tallest waterfall. Seen here, the falls are created when a small stream flows over the edge of a deep cylindrical sink. The water plunges down 73 feet before disappearing into a cave.

Just a few minutes off Interstate 10 in Northwest Florida, the park is well worth a visit this time of year, when the waterfall is usually flowing well. (One note: like many Florida streams, the one feeding the waterfall flows better at some times of the year than others.)

To visit our new Falling Waters page and to see other points of interest around Chipley, Florida, please go to: www.exploresouthernhistory.com/washingtoncounty and look for the heading.

Jenkins' Ferry State Park - Arkansas

Our new page on Jenkins' Ferry State Park in Arkansas is now online at www.exploresouthernhistory.com.

The Battle of Jenkins' Ferry was fought on April 29-30, 1864 during the Red River Campaign. A major encounter, the Civil War battle ended the Arkansas phase of the campaign.

We will be adding additional pages about the Red River Campaign over the coming weeks, but Jenkins' Ferry is the first to come online.

The park is located 13 miles southwest of Sheridan, Arkansas, and is within one hour's drive of a number of major Arkansas communities, including Little Rock, Hot Springs and Pine Bluff. It commemorates the 1864 battle and is also a popular recreation area.

To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/jenkinsferry1.

Vicksburg, Mississippi - The "Widow Blakely"

This is the "Widow Blakely" at Vicksburg National Military park in Vicksburg, Mississippi. The cannon obtained its unusual name because it was the only Blakely rifle used in the Confederate defense of Vicksburg.

Many visitors to Vicksburg often miss several fascinating sites that are part of the national park because they are located away from the main tour road. The "Widow Blakely," South Fort, Grant's Canal, Louisiana Circle and Battery Benton, however, are easy to reach and definitely worth a visit.

All of these sites (except for Grant's Canal which is across the Mississippi River in Louisiana) are located just up the street from the Welcome Center at Exit 1 off Interstate 20. Battery Benton, in fact, can be reached from stairs leading from the Welcome Center parking lot.

Several of the sites, Battery Benton and Louisiana Circle in particular, provide spectacular views of the Mississippi River.

To see more of Vicksburg, Mississippi, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/vicksburg1.

Vicksburg, Mississippi - Old Courthouse Museum

This beautiful structure in Vicksburg, Mississippi is the city's historic Old Courthouse. Now a museum, it is located at 1008 Cherry Street downtown and is a major landmark of the city.

Built in 1858 on the grounds where Jefferson Davis began his political career, the courthouse was a key landmark during the 1863 Battle of Vicksburg. Although clearly visible to Union gunners outside the city, the courthouse was not materially damaged during the siege.

On July 4, 1863, the United States flag was raised from the clock tower officially ending one of the most important battles of the Civil War.

Today the courthouse contains an outstanding collection of artifacts relating to the history of Vicksburg and Mississippi. To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/vicksburg1.

Vicksburg, Mississippi - U.S.S. Cairo

One of the most fascinating exhibits at the Vicksburg National Military Park is the wreck of the Cairo, an actual Civil War ironclad gunboat raised from the bottom of Mississippi's Yazoo River.

The Cairo had taken part in the Battles of Plum Bayou and Memphis. On December 12, 1862, she was sent up the Yazoo River as part of an effort to clear the waterway of Confederate opposition. Seven miles north of Vicksburg, the gunboats came under fire from Confederate artillery. As the Cairo turned to respond, she was suddenly rocked by massive explosions. The gunboat had steamed over a submerged Confederate mine (then called at "torpedo").

The Cairo sank to the bottom of the Yazoo River in just twelve minutes, becoming the first warship in history to be sunk by an electronic mine.

The ironclad was raised during the 1960s and taken in sections to Pascagoula, Mississippi, where she was cleaned and preserved by workers at Ingalls Shipyard. Today the Cairo is the centerpiece of a fascinating museum and exhibit at Vicksburg National Military Park.

To learn more and see additional photos, please go to www.exploresouthernhistory.com/Vicksburg.

Vicksburg, Mississippi - Battery De Golyer

Continuing our look at Vicksburg, Mississippi, this is Battery De Golyer at Vicksburg National Military Park. The first stop on the driving tour of the Vicksburg battlefield, this battery was one of many established by Union troops during the Battle of Vicksburg.

Manned by gunners from several units, including the 8th Michigan Artillery, Battery De Golyer at one point mounted as many as 22 cannon. The guns bombarded the Confederate "Great Redoubt," one of the forts guarding Vicksburg.

The battery was named for Captain Samuel De Golyer of the 8th Michigan Artillery, who was mortally wounded while directing artillery fire during the Battle of Vicksburg.

Our look at Vicksburg will continue, but in the meantime you can read and see more by going to www.exploresouthernhistory.com/Vicksburg.

Vicksburg National Military Park - Vicksburg, Mississippi

Over the next few days we will spend some time exploring Vicksburg, Mississippi, one of the most historic cities in the United States.

Vicksburg, of course, is home to the Vicksburg National Military Park, where Union and Confederate troops fought the Battle of Vicksburg, one of the largest and most significant battles in American history.

The massive Civil War battle was fought over miles of hills and ravines ringing the historic Southern city, as well as on the Mississippi River. Today, much of the battlefield is preserved at the national park, where visitors can explore earthwork forts, artillery batteries, tunnels, monuments and even a salvaged Civil War ironclad.

The photograph here shows the artillery display at the parking lot of the Visitor Center at Vicksburg National Military Park. The display gives visitors a chance to inspect the various types of cannon used during the siege and battle at Vicksburg.

Our look at Vicksburg will continue, but in the meantime you can read and see more by visiting our Vicksburg pages at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/Vicksburg.

Natural Bridge - Eureka Springs, Arkansas

This unique formation is one of several fascinating natural features at Pivot Rock Park in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.

Encompassing a large parcel of beautiful mountain country in the Ozarks, the park features the small natural bridge seen here, as well as Pivot Rock, the unusual formation that gives the park its name.

According to legend, this area was one of the hideouts of the notorious outlaw Jesse James and his gang.

To read more about Pivot Rock Park and other points of interest around Eureka Springs, please click here and look for the Eureka Springs heading.

The Alamo - San Antonio, Texas

This week marks the 172nd anniversary of the Siege and Battle of the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas.

The story is one of the best known in American history. A small band of around 200 soldiers and volunteers, along with a few civilian women and children, held the Alamo for nearly two weeks against the overwhelming force of the Mexican Army. When the smoke finally cleared on March 6, 1836, the defenders lay dead and the armies of both sides had entered the story of one of the most heroic events in American history. David Crockett (who never went by the name "Davy Crockett"), Jim Bowie, William Barret Travis and scores of others were among the killed.

We recently added new Alamo pages at www.exploresouthernhistory.com, so if you would like to read more about this famous battle and see additional photos of the Alamo as it appears today, just click here and look for the Alamo heading.

The Ghost of Bellamy Bridge, Florida

Ghost stories and legends are a big part of the culture of the South. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, the stories are signfiicant because like most legends they usually have a foundation in a real historical event. And sometimes, the real story is even more interesting than the legend!

This is definitely the case with the story of Florida's Ghost of Bellamy Bridge.

Bellamy Bridge, seen here, is a historic iron-frame structure spanning the Chipola River a few miles north of Marianna, Florida (and a few miles west of the famed Florida community of Two Egg). As the story goes, the bridge and swamps surrounding it are haunted by the ghost of Elizabeth Jane Bellamy. A darling of antebellum society, she supposedly burned to death after her wedding gown by accident touched either a candle or open fire during her reception.

Although there are several versions, the story has been part of the folklore of Northwest Florida for more than 100 years. Since I'm often asked about it, I started researching the legend a few years ago to find out the truth behind the ghost story. The results of the research proved far more interesting than the legend itself! I've begun a new series on Bellamy Bridge at our sister blog, Two Egg, Florida. If you are interested in learning more, just follow the link.

Fort Matanzas - St. Augustine, Florida

Fort Matanzas National Monument, located 15 miles south of St. Augustine, Florida, preserves a restored Spanish fort built in 1740-1742.

Incorporating some of the most historic ground in Florida, the national monument also interprets the history of a 1565 massacre of French shipwreck survivors by Spanish soldiers.

Our new Fort Matanzas page is now online at our new St. Augustine, Florida section on www.exploresouthernhistory.com!

We will be expanding our St. Augustine section with additional historic sites in the city over the next few days, so be sure to check back in for updates. Thank you to the National Park Service for this photograph of Fort Matanzas.

New Eureka Springs, Arkansas Section is now online!

Eureka Springs, Arkansas, is - quite simply - one of the most charming little cities in America. Its historic significance, eclectic atmosphere and beautiful Victorian architecture bring hundreds of thousands of visitors it year, making it one of the most popular historic destinations in the South.

In addition, Eureka is the romance capital of America and the home of the nation's "most haunted" hotel. More couples get married here (per capita) than in any other city in America. The total number of weddings here each year, in fact, usually exceeds the total population of the city! In addition, the city's historic Crescent Hotel makes for an elegant but spooky treat.

To learn more about Eureka Springs, the stunning Victorian city of the Ozarks, please go to www.exploresouthernhistory.com and you will see the new heading on the home page.