Electric mist at haunted Bellamy Bridge near Marianna, FL

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.

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.