"A Christmas in Two Egg, Florida" - New Book is Now Available locally and online!

My new short novel about our special little community - A Christmas in Two Egg, Florida - is now available through Amazon.com for $9.95.

A Christmas in Two Egg, Florida is the story of a man who finds himself alone and forgotten in Two Egg on a Christmas Eve night back during the days of the Great Depression. He is in need of redemption and finds it in the words of a mysterious man that has been hiding in the dark around his barn for days.

The book is my first attempt at nonfiction writing, so I hope you enjoy it. It began as a script for a church drama and grew into a small book. The book can be ordered through Amazon by using the link at the top left and is also now available at Chipola River Book & Tea on Lafayette Street in downtown Marianna. They are located on the same block as the Gazebo Restaurant and have entrances on both Lafayette and Market Streets.

I will be signing books there on Saturday, December 18th from 10am. to 1 p.m. If you order through Amazon, just bring your book by and I'll be glad to sign it for you. They will also have books on hand until they sell out. Book & Tea is located on Lafayette Street in Downtown Marianna, right across from the Battle of Marianna Monument (on the same block as the Gazebo restaurant).

You can also order in the Books section at http://www.twoeggfla.com/.

Best,
Dale Cox

A Christmas in Two Egg, Florida - Hardcover Collector's Edition is Now Available!

A Christmas in Two Egg, Florida, my new short novel, is now available in a hardcover collector's edition. The book can also now be downloaded.

The hardcover edition will be available online only, with the paperback set for release at a special signing event at Chipola River Book & Tea in Marianna from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. on December 18th. If you order hardcover copies online, I will be glad to sign them for you then and the shop will also have a full supply of the paperback edition on hand.

Here is the link for ordering: http://www.lulu.com/product/hardcover/a-christmas-in-two-egg-florida/14007061

Please note, however, that the paperbacks will not be available until December 18th. You can call Book & Tea at (850) 526-5040 to reserve a copy if you like, but there should be plenty on hand. The shop will not have the hardback edition, as they are custom printed for each customer.

If you want one of the hardcovers for a Christmas gift, be sure to order in plenty of time as the company needs 5-7 business days to print and bind them.

A Christmas in Two Egg, Florida is a fictional account of the life of a man named Ben, who lives in the quaint community of Two Egg. His life has been a troubled one and he faces his own past and future in a unique confrontation with a mysterious stranger. It is my first venture into fiction, so I hope you enjoy it!

Dale Cox

Two Egg makes list of "Funniest Place Names"

Our charming little community of Two Egg, Florida, is once again receiving national attention!

Two Egg was prominently featured on Bing.com's list of Funny Place Names today. Please click here to see the brief article for yourself!

In addition to Two Egg, the Bing article featured Double Trouble, New Jersey; Why, Arizona; Truth or Consequences, New Mexico; Toad Soak, Arkansas; Cuckoo, Virginia; Boring, Oregon, and a few others. All, however, seem to be quite a bit a bit larger than Two Egg.

This is the second time this year that Two Egg received major attention. On Easter morning we were featured on the morning news in Sacramento, California, that state's capital city. Attention, of course, is nothing new for us. Over the years Two Egg has been featured on television, radio and in magazines. From National Geographic to Life Magazine, the name has definitely been out there.

You can always read more about Two Egg online at www.twoeggfla.com.

Old Parramore - New Book from Dale Cox is now available for order

I'm pleased to announce the upcoming release of my latest book, Old Parramore: The History of a Florida Ghost Town.

Old Parramore is the story of a riverboat port that grew just east of Two Egg during the 1880s and became a bustling little town until the beautiful paddlewheel steamboats that once churned up and down the Chattahoochee River were driven out of business by railroads and trucks. With its commerce heavily dependent on river traffic, the little town faded away and very little of it remains today.

The book will be officially released during the first week of October in connection with the annual Oak Grove Homecoming at Old Parramore, but orders can be placed now for a limited number of autographed copies.

Please visit www.twoeggfla.com/oldparramore for ordering information. The price is $19.95 plus shipping. Please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery to allow time for me to sign them, etc. If you would like a special dedication written inside so you can use them as gifts, just let me know when you place your order and I'll be glad to do so for you.

A major portion of the proceeds are being donated to help defray the cost of maintaining Oak Grove Church and Cemetery and the hosting of the annual homecoming.

The book will become available in October through online and local bookstores.

Two Egg T-shirts and other Souvenirs now Available!!

I've had so many requests for Two Egg t-shirts and other souvenirs that I've made arrangements to make them available online for you!

You can now order t-shirts, other items of clothing, coasters, coffee cups and many other items featuring a variety of images and logos of Two Egg, Florida! Among the images available are the Two Egg, Florida highway sign, the "I'm a Kickin' Chicken from Two Egg, Florida" logo and the "Two Egg, Florida: Capital of the New South!" logo.

Prices range from around $10 and up depending on the item.

To learn more and check out the collection of items available, please go to http://www.twoeggfla.com/ and just follow the link you'll see in the yellow box just below the heading.

New Greenwood Page online at TwoEggFla.com

One of the most picturesque and fascinating communities in the Two Egg area is Greenwood, a unique antebellum town that traces its roots back to 1824.

Located just 5 miles west of the main Two Egg crossroads, Greenwood boasts one of the finest collections of historic homes and structures in the interior counties of Florida. These include the Erwin House, which dates from the 1830s; the Hayes Long Mansion, built in 1840 and Great Oaks, completed in 1860 and one of the last Greek Revival homes built in the South prior to the Civil War.

While these and other historic homes in Greenwood are private residences that are not open to the public, they have been beautifully restored and several feature historical markers on their front lawns that outline their significance and history. Also of interest are the town's historic Pender Store, which dates to the years after the Civil War and is one of the oldest continually operating mercantile businesses in Florida and the Baptist and Methodist Cemeteries. The two burial grounds contain the remains of scores of individuals who were significant to area, state and Southern history, including many Confederate soldiers and local volunteers who fought at the Battle of Marianna as members of the Greenwood Club Cavalry.

To learn more, please visit www.twoeggfla.com/greenwood.

Oil Spill Info for Northwest Florida now online at TwoEggFla.com

To assist local residents as well as our friends and neighbors across the Florida Panhandle and the many tourists and business people who visit our region each year, we have now added daily updates on how the oil spill is affecting Northwest Florida.

In addition to the complete daily update being released by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, we are also posting updates on tourism, fishing, wildlife, beach conditions and more.

The first impacts of the massive leak off the coast of Louisiana hit the beaches of Northwest Florida today, leading to fishing advisories for Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Walton Counties, including Pensacola Beach, Fort Walton Beach, Navarre and Destin. Conditions are expected to worsen and spread over coming days.

For more information on a daily basis, please visit http://www.twoeggfla.com/ and look for the link at the top of the news section on our home page or visit the oil spill section direct by going to www.twoeggfla.com/oilspill.

Spring Blooming Season in Two Egg, Florida

The dogwood trees are now moving into full bloom, the annual notice that the spring blooming season is now reaching its height in Two Egg, Florida!

Across the Two Egg area, azaleas and dogwoods are coming out in full force. The unusually cold winter seems to have a good effect on most of the blooms, adding to their quality and numbers. The azaleas in particular are beginning to really explode with color.

Also out are peach trees, wildflowers, other blooming plants and even a few late peach blossoms. The grass has greened up nicely and most of the trees are now leafed out. Wth the temperatures already approaching 90, it won't be long before the hot days of summer are upon us, but for now conditions are just delightful.

To see photos of the spring blooms in Two Egg, read the popular local Easter legend about the Dogwood tree and check the Two Egg area weather forecast for the Easter weekend, please visit http://www.twoeggfla.com/

A Monster in Two Egg? Residents report seeing the "Two Egg Stump Jumper"

Two Egg, of course, has long been known for its unusual stories, including the tale of how the community got its odd name in the first place.

Witnesses in an area about seven miles northeast of the downtown crossroads, however, are telling a story that may be the strangest yet! They report they are seeing a mysterious creature that locals have taken to calling the Two Egg Stump Jumper!

Described as a "mini" Bigfoot or "hobbit" like creature, the unusual hairy animal has been seen twice by two unconnected eyewitnesses in the area of woods, swamps and ponds about one mile north of the ghost town of Old Parramore. It is said to be smaller than a human, but stands upright and runs on two legs.

The first sighting was at night. An eyewitness reports that he heard strange noises outside his home and went out to investigate, only to be started by the sight of a "pale" upright creature running away on two legs. The second sighting was in early evening and took place at a swampy area not far from Circle Hill Baptist Church. The creature this time was described as "small and standing on two legs, sort of a mini-Bigfoot."

Such stories are not new in Florida. Residents of Central and South Florida have long told of encounters with a small upright creature they call the "Skunk Ape" or "Swamp Ape." They are, however, new to the Two Egg region of Jackson County.

To learn more, please visit our new Two Egg Stump Jumper page at www.twoeggfla.com/monster.

Local Weather now online at TwoEggFla.com!

You can now check local weather information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at http://www.twoeggfla.com/!

Our new weather page is online at www.twoeggfla.com/weather. In addition to current temperatures and winds, you can view the extended forecast for the Two Egg area as well as the current Doppler weather radar and regional temperatures.

We will also add hurricane tracking maps and other useful links and data as we move closer to the beginning of hurricane season in June.

The addition of our new weather page is part of a major expansion of the website that is now taking place. We will soon be adding a Two Egg Recipes page, cemetery and church information and a new store with a variety of Two Egg souvenirs including t-shirts, caps, coffee cups and more!

Two Egg receives first snow in more than a decade!!

The cold rain that had been falling across the Two Egg area most of the day turned to heavy snow flurries at around 3:30 this afternoon. It was the first real snowfall in the community in more than ten years.

The snow continued for more than an hour and a half and forecasters say more is possible as temperatures continue to drop this evening. It was enough to create a dusting on grass and trees in the area, but quickly melted as the snow turned back to rain.

Other nearby communities reported heavier amounts. Students at Baptist College of Florida in Graceville reported heavy snow falling shortly before 3 this afternoon and by 3:30 enough had fallen for good natured snowball fights to break out across the campus. The photo at left was taken in the college's beautiful Heritage Village complex and shows snow accumulating around a restored historic church.

Snow was also reported in Marianna, Greenwood, Malone, Bascom and other communities across the area. To see more photos of the Two Egg snow, please visit www.twoeggfla.com/snow2010.

The History of Jackson County, Florida: The War Between the States is now available

I'm pleased to announce that my latest book, The History of Jackson County, Florida: The War Between the States is now available at Amazon.com. This is Volume 2 of my set on the history of Jackson County.

The book is available for immediate shipping now through Amazon and will be available at Chipola River Book and Tea next week. To order or learn more, just click the ad you see here.

At the time of the Civil War, Jackson County was one of the most prosperous and heavily populated counties in Florida. Its population was evenly divided between free and slave and was the center of a major plantation district. The book focuses on these elements, on the county's contributions to the armies of both the South and the North, on the Battle of Marianna and on less-known events such as the Battles of Port Jackson and Forks of the Creek. There is never before published information on Governor John Milton, the Jackson County resident who served as Florida's Confederate governor, and the appendices includes lists of the soldiers in all units raised in Jackson County during the war.

This is the sequel to Volume One, The History of Jackson County, Florida: The Early Years.

If you have any questions, feel free to post a comment and I'll do my best to get back with you quickly.

Old Parramore page now online at TwoEggFla.com

Just six miles by road east of downtown Two Egg can be found the site of a little known Florida ghost town.

Old Parramore was a riverboat town of the late 19th and early 20th centuries that faded away when the advent of paved highways and expanded rail lines drove the paddlewheel riverboats out of business on the Chattahoochee, Apalachicola and Flint River system. A town that at its height boasted more than 5 stores, a cotton gin, blacksmith shop, post office, gristmill, sawmill and several large turpentine stills faded away and was reclaimed by the forest from which it had been carved.

Today, very little remains other than dirt roads, cemeteries and a few surviving structures to remind visitors that Old Parramore ever existed. From a community of several thousand, it has dwindled down to a rural area populated by a few families.

The history of this old community is quite colorful and dates back for centuries. It was in this area that William Augustus Bowles, pirate and adventurer once roamed and the woods and fields around Parramore were once the lands of Lower Creek Indians led by their chief William Perryman, a veteran of the American Revolution.

To learn more, please visit www.twoeggfla.com/parramore.

Sylvania Plantation page now online at TwoEggFla.com

I've added another new page as part of the expansion of the main http://www.twoeggfla.com/ website. This one focuses on Sylvania Plantation, the home of Governor John Milton that stood less than 7 miles southwest of downtown Two Egg, Florida.

The future governor was a prosperous and successful lawyer and businessman when he arrived in Jackson County in 1847, having acquired a couple of thousand acres of land surrounding Blue Spring. The property had originally belonged to his mother's family, but Milton decided to relocate there from New Orleans following a terrible steamboat accident in which he had been severely burned by scalding hot steam.

By 1855, the plantation had grown to encompass more than 6,300 acres and Milton was also beginning to develop a second farm near today's Parramore community east of Two Egg. His holdings made him one of the most powerful men in the South and in 1860 he was elected Governor of Florida. In those days nearly one year passed between the election of a governor and his inauguration, so he did not take office until October of 1861. In the months that passed between his election and his inauguration, Florida had seceded from the Union and the War Between the States had begun.

Milton often came home to Sylvania during the war and kept his family there throughout the conflict both for their comfort and their safety. The main house was described as a long, low dwelling with a piazza extending entirely across its front. It was set in a large grove of trees, a sylvan setting from which it took its name.

Milton ended his life at Sylvania on April 1, 1865. Realizing that the Confederacy was about to fall, he had told friends that death would be preferable to defeat at the hands of the North.

To visit the new page, please go to www.twoeggfla.com/sylvania.

The Pirate of Two Egg story now online at TwoEggFla.com

The story of William Augustus Bowles is one of the most fascinating aspects of the history of the Two Egg area.

A pirate and adventurer, he operated for a time from a site just 7 miles east of downtown Two Egg and one of his treasures is rumored to be hidden at the "Money Pond" about 12 miles northeast of the crossroads at Two Egg.

Bowles came to the area when it was still a vast wilderness after being kicked out of the British army at Pensacola. He was still just a young teenage boy and was wandering aimlessly in the woods and near starving when he was rescued by a party of Indians from the Lower Creek village of Tellmochesses, one of the Perryman towns that stood 7 miles east of Two Egg near today's Parramore community.

Adopted into the Perryman family, which was descended from the English trader Theophilus Perryman and his Creek wife, Bowles married one of the Perryman daughters and rose to a position of prominence. He led Perryman warriors at the Battle of Pensacola, an important engagement of the American Revolution, and eventually went on to commission a flotilla of pirate ships that operated from the lower Apalachicola River.

Bowles' ships prowled the Gulf of Mexico where they raided Spanish and merchant ships carrying cargoes of goods and slaves. The seized property (and slaves) went upriver to the settlements of the pirate's allies, including the Perryman family, where it was either sold to Indian and white buyers or smuggled into Georgia. It was a lucrative enterprise and resulted in Bowles being celebrated today at Fort Walton Beach's Billy Bowlegs Festival.

To learn more about the Pirate of Two Egg, please visit the latest new page at the Two Egg website by clicking www.twoeggfla.com/billybowlegs.

Battle of Ekanachattee page now online at TwoEggFla.com

I have a new page online at TwoEggFla.com that might be of interest.

The little known Battle of Ekanachatte was found just 12 miles northeast of Two Egg on March 13, 1818. The battlefield is now part of Neal's Landing Park where State Highway 2 intersects with the Chattahoochee River and the Georgia line. Unfortunately, there are no markers or monuments to remind visitors of the fighting that once took place there.

The battle was part of the First Seminole War of 1817-1818. Neal's Landing was then the site of the village of Ekanachatte ("Red Ground"), an important Lower Creek town. When U.S. troops attacked the Creek village of Fowltown in what is now Decatur County, Georgia, the chief and warriors of Ekanachatte joined those from other Creek and Seminole villages in the Florida/Georgia/Alabama borderlands in a war against the United States.

On March 13, 1818, Ekanachatte was attacked by 900 Creek warriors that had allied with the United States against the Seminole and Lower Creeks alliance. Led by Brigadier General William McIntosh, the war chief of Coweta, they had traveled down the west side of the Chattahoochee River through snow and ice in order to attack the town.

To learn more about the Battle of Ekanachatte, please visit www.twoeggfla.com/ekanachattebattle. You can also read a full account in The History of Jackson County, Florida: The Early Years.