50th Annual Oak Grove Homecoming set for October 2, 2011

Oak Grove Church in Old Parramore

The historic ghost town of Old Parramore, just a few miles east of Two Egg, will achieve a unique landmark on October 2nd. The community will observe its 50th annual Homecoming at Oak Grove Church.

The annual Oak Grove Homecoming was conceived in 1961 as a way to bring together original residents of the old town of Parramore, along with their family members. Parramore was an important riverboat port of the late 19th and early 20th century.  It grew during the years after the Civil War and then faded away before World War II when modern highways and the trucking industry spelled the end for paddlewheel steamboats on the Chattahoochee and Apalachicola River.

For 50 years people have gathered each year on the first Sunday in October to remember the old town and, more importantly, its residents. Each homecoming has featured music, brief lectures on the history of Parramore or some of its families, a short message and dinner on the grounds.

This year will be special as a new flagpole and veterans' monument will be dedicated. Other features of the special 50th annual Homecoming will include a discussion on the history of Old Parramore (presented by me), music by the Sheila Smith Trio and a message by Rev. Lucius B. "Cap" Pooser.

Activities will kick off at 10:30 a.m. (Central time) at Oak Grove Church. Used only once each year for the annual homecoming, the church is a memorial structure dedicated to the memory of families associated with Old Parramore. It is beautifully maintained, as is the adjoining cemetery.  The church is located within site of the intersection of Oak Grove Road and Parramore Road in historic Parramore, Florida.
If you are interested in learning more about the historic ghost town of Old Parramore, please consider my book:  Old Parramore: The History of a Florida Ghost Town. It can be ordered by clicking the ad above at left and is also available from Chipola River Book & Tea in Downtown Marianna (across from the Battle of Marianna Monument). The book is also available as an instant download for your Amazon Kindle or the free Kindle software for your computer or smartphone. Please click here for the Kindle version: Old Parramore: The History of a Florida Ghost Town.

Both Two Egg books now available as Kindle downloads!

I'm pleased to announce that both of my books about Two Egg, Florida are now available for download for your Amazon Kindle!

Kindle is the e-reader from Amazon.com, but if you don't have one you can download the software for free for use on your computer, Ipad, smart phone, etc., at Amazon.com.  I was given one for Christmas two years ago and have found it to be a great way to read books at discounted prices. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised to find they have huge collection of historical works available for 99 cents each and under.

The most recent book is my first attempt at fiction, A Christmas in Two Egg, Florida: A Short Novel of Redemption. Published late last year, it is set at Christmas time in Two Egg, but is more a novel of redemption than it is anything else. With a definite Christian theme, I think you would find it to be interesting reading at any time of the year. It is available in print form for $9.95 by either clicking the ad on the upper right of this page or visiting Chipola River Book & Tea in Downtown Marianna (across the street from the Battle of Marianna Monument). You can download the Kindle version instantly for only 99 cents by clicking the ad above at left.

The earlier book, Two Egg, Florida: A Collection of Ghost Stories, Legends and Unusual Facts, is a unique collection of the "stories behind the stories" of how Two Egg got its name and some of Northwest Florida's favorite other legends. In addition to the true story of the naming of Two Egg, the book delves into the stories of the Ghost of Bellamy Bridge, the Washington County Volcano, Two-Toe Tom (alligator monster), the West Florida Swamp Booger (Bigfoot), the Fiddling Ghost of Boynton Island, the Garden of Eden and more.  The print version can be ordered at the upper right of this page or purchased at Chipola River Book & Tea in Marianna. You can download the brand new Kindle version instantly for only $5.99 by clicking the ad at left.

To learn more about the unique community of Two Egg, Florida, be sure to visit our webpage at www.twoeggfla.com.

"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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Blue Spring page online at www.twoeggfla.com

I'm working on my Two Egg, Florida website some this week and the first of a series of new pages is now online.

It focuses on Blue Spring, a Jackson County landmark for hundreds if not thousands of years. Most people don't realize it, but one of the first places in the county described by early Spanish explorers was Blue Spring. They called it "Calutoble" or "Calistoble" and marveled at its size and the clarity of the water. One, a Franciscan missionary named Rodrigo de la Barreda, noted in 1693 that herds of buffalo grazed in the prairies surrounding the spring and that bear, deer and other animals lived in the woods.

Andrew Jackson stopped at the spring in 1818, by which time it was known as the "Big Spring" of the Chipola. His army of more than 1,000 men camped there while marching from Fort Gadsden on the Apalachicola River to Pensacola.

A major Confederate camp was located at the spring in 1862-1865 and it was also a popular place for picnics, baptisms, fishing and swimming. Today it is a well-known recreation area that is open to the public in late spring and early summer.

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

Jackson County books available for Christmas

If you are looking for unique gifts this holiday season, don't forget the books Two Egg, Florida and The History of Jackson County, Florida: The Early Years.

Both are available online for immediate purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ and autographed copies are available in Marianna at Chipola River Book & Tea (on Lafayette Street, directly across from the Battle of Marianna monument).

I also expect to have news next week on the release of the second volume of the Jackson County set, which will be titled The History of Jackson County, Florida: The Civil War Years. If you would like to receive an email as soon as it is available, just drop me a note by visiting www.twoeggfla.com/contactus and I'll be glad to keep you informed.

And, if you are looking for something to do now that the cool weather of winter is spreading across the South, be sure to visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com. A sister site to this blog and to www.twoeggfla.com, it features photographs and details information on a wide array of historic sites and natural wonders in Florida and across the South!

Special Holiday Sale on Books by Dale Cox

If you would like to purchase any of my books as Christmas gifts this year, you might consider a special online sale taking place for the next three days (Nov. 28th, 29th and 30th).

The prices on all books are reduced and this will be the only sale of this holiday season. Delivery is guaranteed in time for Christmas.

The sale is now over, but please click here for current prices on my books.

Here is a list of the books included in the sale:

• Two Egg, Florida
• The History of Jackson County, Florida: Volume One
• The Battle of Marianna, Florida
• The Battle of Natural Bridge, Florida
• The Early History of Gadsden County
• The Battle of Massard Prairie, Arkansas

Happy Thanksgiving from Two Egg, Florida!

Just a note to night to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope that you each have time to spend with family or friends, but even if you don't, please remember that we all are blessed in ways beyond comprehension.

This time of year always helps me remember just how fortunate I am to be from this wonderful little corner of America. No matter the difficulties we all face from day to day, and I know that for many people they are many, we are all fortunate as well. God has blessed us with a wonderful country, a beautiful state and a heritage in which we can all take pride.

My God bless you this Thanksgiving. May He lighten your load, remind you of good memories and surround you with love and protection.

Dale Cox

2008

Two Egg Oranges - An Unexpected Sight!

I was greeted with an unexpected sight today...oranges fresh from the tree.

This nice sample of citrus was grown by Mr. Eddie B. Watford who lives on the Alabama state line a few miles north of Two Egg. You can judge their size by the Mason jars behind them.

These are the first locally grown oranges I have seen in many years.

Jackson County, of course, was once a major citrus producing area. Satsuma groves were common and Marianna even boasted a Satsuma Festival. Several severe winters during the early 20th century doomed the industry, however, and the groves are long gone. Citrus producers moved south in search of better weather and Jackson County's history as an orange-growing area came to an end.

But, as Mr. Watford has clearly demonstrated, the trees still can and do thrive in the area. The taste of oranges is excellent and their overall quality is outstanding.

Two Egg, Florida - Order Now for Christmas

If you would like to order a copy of the book Two Egg, Florida for Christmas, the printers tell me they can guarantee delivery in time as long as you order before December 10th.

The book can be ordered online by clicking here.

It is also available at Chipola River Book & Tea at 4402 Lafayette Street in Downtown Marianna (across the street from the Battle of Marianna monument). They carry a selection of my books as well as offerings from other authors.

If you would like a book autographed for someone as a gift, I will do a brief signing event at Chipola Book and Tea on Saturday, December 13th, beginning at 10 a.m. Since the books sold out quickly last year, you might want to go ahead and purchase your copy and then I'll be glad to sign it for you at the event.

Due to health concerns, this is the only signing I have planned this year.