Flood Waters flow at Bellamy Bridge - 2/26/2013

The Chipola River is nearly one-mile wide in the Bellamy Bridge area of Jackson County thanks to nearly 1-foot of rain that fell in the area over the last few days.

Bellamy Bridge Heritage Trail, the one-half mile walk that leads to the historic bridge, is completely flooded and water today was flowing through the parking lot like a running stream.

The video above and photos below were taken today (2/26/2013).

Entrance to Bellamy Bridge Heritage Trail

Water flows in a stream across the parking lot.

Bellamy Bridge Heritage Trail is completely flooded.

Bellamy Bridge Heritage Trail completely submerged.

Entrance to Bellamy Bridge Heritage Trail.

Chipola River from Hwy 162 Bridge.

Update: Bellamy Bridge Heritage Trail remains closed (2/20/2013)

February 20, 2013 - Bellamy Bridge Heritage Trail remains closed due to flooding. About 5 feet of water continued to flow across two parts of the trail today, blocking access from the parking area on Highway 162 to historic Bellamy Bridge itself.

Sections of the trail, which was 100% flooded last week, have started to dry out and damage appears to have been minimal. 

Opened to the public on November 1, 2012, the one-half mile long trail provides public access (when it is dry!) to historic Bellamy Bridge, the oldest bridge of its type in the state of Florida.  It is the focal point of one of Florida's best known ghost stories and the land crossed by the trail is rich in historical significance.

You can read more about the Ghost of Bellamy Bridge at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/bellamybridge.

The photos below were taken today and show the slowly drying sections of the trail as well as one of the places where flood water continues to flow across it.

Bellamy Bridge Heritage Trail begins to dry out.

Trail entrance is now dry.

Mud and some water remains along first section of trail.

The flood washed thousands of acorns onto the trail.

A bench is now high and dry. It was underwater last week.

Flood debris in the swamp along the trial.

Water flows across a section of the trail.

Water continues to flow through the swamp.

Palmetto plants stand in the floodwater.

Damage to the parking area has been repaired.

Water flowed through the fence like a river last week.

Bellamy Bridge Heritage Trail remains flooded! 2/16/2013

February 16, 2013 - The Bellamy Bridge Heritage Trail in Jackson County remains flooded today.

Flood waters rose over the trail on February 13th as the Chipola River topped its banks and water spread out into the floodplain. The river crested yesterday and has begun a slow drop, but as of noon today virtually the entire length of the popular and historic trail remains underwater.

The video above will give you a good idea of the current status of the trail, which is likely to remain flooded for several more days. The photographs below also were taken today at around noon.

Trail Entrance with water still up to the gates.

Parking lot erosion.

Trail remains underwater.

Looking down the Bellamy Bridge Heritage Trail

Another view down the trail.

Debris piled against trail entrance by flood waters.

Water Flows Uphill at Bellamy Bridge?

This is the strangest sight I've seen in awhile. While shooting video of the flood waters that have inundated the Bellamy Bridge Heritage Trail today (2/14/2013), Jackson County Tourism Director Pam Fuqua and I noticed that water appeared to be flowing uphill along a roadway adjacent to the trail parking area.

Is it an optical illusion?  I don't know. It was much more evident in person, but when you look at the video provided here you will clearly see what I'm describing. In the distance in the first part of the video, the water appears to be flowing uphill instead of downhill in the direction of the camera. The second part of the video is a closer look at the phenomenon.

We've all heard strange stories about this place but they mostly revolve around the ghost of Elizabeth Jane Bellamy, the young woman said to haunt the historic bridge. This is the first time I've ever encountered anything quite like this.

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Just an update, the Bellamy Bridge Heritage Trail remains almost completely inundated by flood waters from the Chipola River. It is going to be at least a week or so before the water will be down enough for us to begin cleaning up the trail to make it safe for visitors.

Here are some still photos of the water appearing to run uphill:

Bellamy Bridge Heritage Trail is 100% Flooded

Jackson County's popular Bellamy Bridge Heritage Trail is flooded for its entire one-half mile length as of today (February 13, 2013).

The Chipola River has been making a dramatic rise due to heavy rains that have fallen over recent days in Southeast Alabama. The river rises from creeks that form there. The trail could be walked all the way to Bellamy Bridge as recently as Monday, but by noon today was completely flooded and water was pouring across the new parking area on Highway 162 between Greenwood and US 231.

The trail follows the route of the historic old road that led to Bellamy Bridge from the 1600s until it was closed to the public in 1963 when the new Highway 162 bridge was completed nearby. Completed and opened to the public on November 1, 2012, the trail has become a popular recreation spot and has seen heavy traffic from county residents and visitors alike.

Bellamy Bridge is believed by some to be Florida's "Most Haunted Bridge." The historic steel-frame structure is said to be haunted by the ghost of Elizabeth Jane Croom Bellamy, a young woman who died in Jackson County on May 11, 1837. Her wispy ghost has been seen in the vicinity of the bridge and its wooden predecessors since at least the 1890s.

To learn more about the history of Bellamy Bridge, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/bellamybridge or consider my new book, The Ghost of Bellamy Bridge, which can be purchased on the upper right of this page.

The photos below were taken today (2/13/2013).

"The Scott Massacre of 1817" is now in print!

I'm pleased to announce that my latest book, The Scott Massacre of 1817, is now available as both a paperback and an instant download for Kindle at Amazon.com.

The book is the first in-depth study ever written of the Scott Massacre, the first U.S. defeat of the Seminole Wars. The battle took place on the Apalachicola River between the present-day towns of Chattahoochee and Sneads and resulted in a devastating 98% casualty rate for the army command of Lieutenant Richard W. Scott.

You can order through Amazon by following these links:

The Scott Massacre of 1817 (Book $19.95)

The Scott Massacre of 1817 (Kindle $9.95)

It is a little known fact that this bloody but almost forgotten battle on the eastern border of Jackson County led directly to the transfer of Florida from Spain to the United States. Had it not taken place, we might still be under Spanish rule and the Seminole Nation might still reign supreme.

The book details how a war of words between U.S. Army officers and the Creek Indian chief Neamathla escalated into a shooting war when Major General Edmund P. Gaines ordered his forces to attack the chief's village of Fowltown in what is now Decatur County, Georgia. The Battle of Fowltown ignited what is remembered today as the First Seminole War of 1817-1818 and so outraged a loose alliance of Seminole, Red Stick Creek and African (Black Seminole) that hundreds of warriors converged on the Apalachicola River.

The first target of opportunity to present itself to them was a large wooden boat slowly making its way up the river. Commanded by Lieutenant Richard W. Scott of the 7th U.S. Infantry, the vessel carried 50 men, women and children. As it reached the stretch of the river just south of today's U.S. 90 bridge between Chattahoochee and Sneads, the boat was attacked by hundreds of warriors who had ambushed themselves along the banks of the river.

By the time the smoke had cleared, Scott was dead along with most of his command. Of the 50 people on board the boat when the attack was launched, only one man escaped without injury. The total U.S. loss in the battle was 43 killed, 5 wounded, 1 captured.

The massive defeat ignited outrage in Washington, D.C. and led President James Monroe to order Major General Andrew Jackson to the frontier with authorization to invade Spanish Florida. Jackson's 1818 campaign all but destroyed the Seminole Nation west of the Suwannee River and easily demonstrated that Spain could not defend its old colony. Within three years, Florida would become part of the United States.

The Scott Massacre of 1817 benefits the historic preservation efforts of the West Gadsden Historical Society. It is now available through Amazon.com and soon will be available at the society's normal book retailers throughout Gadsden County as well as at Chipola River Book & Tea in Downtown Marianna (same block as Watson's and the Gazebo Restaurant).

"Christmas in Two Egg" Performances Today!

Just a reminder that the 2012 production of "A Christmas in Two Egg, Florida: The Play" will take place TODAY (Sunday, December 23rd) at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.

The play is being produced at the Lovedale Baptist Church Fellowship Hall at 6595 Lovedale Rd, Bascom, FL  (See below for a map).

The performances are free to attend, although donations will gladly be accepted!

"A Christmas in Two Egg, Florida" is based on my book of the same name and tells the story of a lonely man named Ben who feels that he has lost everything of value in his life. It is set in Two Egg on a Christmas Eve night and features a narration and scenes sure to touch the heart. The play journeys back in time to explore Ben's life story, with a stop along the way at the Bevis Store for a rolicking presentation of real Two Egg actors discussing how their community got its unique name!

Please come!


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"A Christmas in Two Egg, Florida" drama set for Sunday!

The Cast of "A Christmas in Two Egg, Florida" during rehearsal

The second annual presentation of the play "A Christmas in Two Egg, Florida" will take place this Sunday (December 23rd) at the Lovedale Baptist Church fellowship hall near lovely, downtown Two Egg!

Performances are scheduled for 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. and are absolutely free to attend (although donations are much appreciated). Please join in the fun!

The play is based on my short novel, A Christmas in Two Egg, Florida, which tells the story of an angry man named Ben, a mysterious Christmas visitor, a forgotten snowfall, Confederate gold and a remarkable Christmas celebration. It is set, of course, in the Two Egg area of Jackson County, Florida.

The Entrance Foyer is Ready!

What makes this annual performance really unique is that all of the actors and actresses are residents of the Two Egg area. The lead role of "old Ben" is being portrayed this year by Arthur Basford while his wife, Mary, will be portrayed for the second consecutive year by Lois Layton.

The list of other key actors include Russell Register, Dr. Steve Canada, Duane Davis, Norman Davis, Ted Bruner, Alfred Cox and others.  Music will be provided by a trio from Lovedale Baptist Church led by Dianne Tipton.

I will be narrating once again this year and a favorite scene of a number of real long-time Two Egg residents sitting around the "Bevis Store" carrying on an unscripted debate about how the community got its name will be back!

Please come out and join us for this growing annual event! And if you haven't read the book, there is still time to order it for Christmas: 

Historic Preservation Projects mark the season in Jackson County

Bellamy Bridge Heritage Trail

As you know, I love the history and culture of this beautiful place we call home. And this year I'm really pleased to see the way several historic preservation efforts are coming together to save and interpret some really significant parts of Jackson County's past.

The first is the Bellamy Bridge Heritage Trail. Now open to the public during daylight hours, the trail leaves from a brand new parking area on Highway 162 only 200 yards west of the Chipola River bridge between Greenwood and U.S. 231.

The trail is a 1/2 mile nature walk that takes visitors to historic Bellamy Bridge, one of Florida's 10 oldest bridges and, of course, the site of one of our county's favorite ghost stories. The trail has been developed without spending a single extra dime of taxpayer money and is being maintained by volunteers. It provides public access to Bellamy Bridge again for the first time in 30 years.

You can learn more about the history of Bellamy Bridge here: http://www.exploresouthernhistory.com/bellamybridge

I hope you will stop by and check out the trail. It really is a beautiful walk. We will be adding interpretive signs soon, but it is open to the public and is well-maintained. Remember, the access is on Highway 162, NOT Bellamy Bridge Road. You can no longer reach the bridge the old way that most people remember.

Remember also that the full purchase price of my new book, The Ghost of Bellamy Bridge, goes to benefit the heritage trail project. You can purchase it here: The Ghost of Bellamy Bridge: 10 Ghosts & Monsters from Jackson County, Florida  It is also available for Amazon Kindle.

The other project underway right now is the Jackson County Spanish Heritage Trail, a driving tour that connects a number of historic sites in the county that date from Spanish colonial times. Most residents don't even know that these places exist, but we are hoping to make them part of a wider effort to draw visitors to Jackson County to learn more about our history, culture and scenery.

The Jackson County Floridan ran a nice article on the Spanish Heritage Trail today:
http://www.jcfloridan.com/news/article_00077cae-4676-11e2-adef-001a4bcf6878.html

If you have some time to donate, even just an hour or two a week, let me know!  We would love to have your help.

"The Ghost of Bellamy Bridge" is now in Print!

My latest book, The Ghost of Bellamy Bridge, hit the printing press today! This book features an in depth historical look at Florida's most famous ghost story.

Popular local legend holds that Bellamy Bridge, a steel-frame structure that spans the Chipola River north of Marianna, is haunted by the restless ghost of Elizabeth Jane Bellamy. She died when she was still a young woman and is buried near the bridge, but her name and memory live on in the vivid story of the "Burning Bride" of Bellamy Bridge.

The Ghost of Bellamy Bridge recounts the legend and then delves into the true history of Elizabeth Bellamy and Bellamy Bridge while also investigating claims of ghost sitings at the bridge. Included are numerous photos that many believe show the ghost of Bellamy Bridge!

In addition, a second section of the book features a variety of other ghost and monster stories from Jackson County, including tales from Marianna, Sneads, Two Egg, Parramore, Graceville, Cottondale, Greenwood and more!

100% of the sales price of this book benefits the new Bellamy Bridge Heritage Trail on Highway 162 between Greenwood and US 231. This new public historic site is being developed without the use of a single tax dollar and the book has been donated to raise money for the trail.

You can order now to receive yours in time for Christmas: www.exploresouthernhistory.com/bellamybook.

A limited number of copies will be available next week at Chipola River Book & Tea in Downtown Marianna. The book will also be available at the Jackson County Tourism Office at the historic Russ House in coming weeks.

The Bellamy Bridge Heritage Trail: A Proposed Multi-Use Trail in Jackson County, Florida

Bellamy Bridge in Jackson County, FL

You may have caught some of the news coverage last week about the planned new Bellamy Bridge Heritage Trail here in Jackson County.

I've had many questions since the story broke and thought I would try to answer some of them here by providing you with basic information on the project. Be sure to visit my primary Bellamy Bridge page at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/bellamybridge for more information after reading this article!

Here are the basics...

Route of Planned Bellamy Bridge Heritage Trail

The Bellamy Bridge Heritage Trail will be a short (less than 1/2 mile) multi-use trail that will connect County Road 162 with historic Bellamy Bridge.

The steel-frame bridge was built in 1914 and is the second oldest bridge of its type in Florida and one of the ten oldest bridges in the state. It was originally built by and is still owned by Jackson County, but public access to it has been closed for nearly two decades.

While the old bridge itself will mark the 100th anniversary of its construction in 2014 and is a significant historic landmark in its own right, it is perhaps best known as the centerpiece of one of Florida's best known ghost stories: The Legend of the Ghost of Bellamy Bridge.

West End of Bellamy Bridge
Where the Planned Trail will End

While many people have heard of the ghost story, most do not realize that the historical significance of the Bellamy Bridge site goes far beyond the much loved folk tale. In fact, the crossing site where the bridge stands today has been in use for more than 300 years.

The first recorded use of the crossing took place in September 1686, when the Spanish expedition of Marcos Delgado crossed the Chipola River at the Bellamy site. He had been ordered to investigate reports of French intrusion on Spanish lands and marched west from Mission San Luis (present-day Tallahassee) at the head of a column of Spanish soldiers and Native American allies.

Upper Chipola River

The tale, which differs quite a bit from the true facts, revolves around the untimely death of a young woman named Elizabeth Jane Bellamy. She is buried in an overgrown plot near the bridge and for more than 100 years people have claimed to see her ghost in its vicinity. You can learn more about the legend and the real facts behind it by following this link.

Guided by Chacato Indians who had once lived in what is now Jackson County, Delgado crossed the Apalachicola River and marched west to Blue Springs where he and his men halted briefly to rest. Then he turned to the northwest and cut across a trackless wilderness to the present site of Bellamy Bridge. In his journal and letters he noted that the cane then growing along the river was enormous, with its stalks measuring up to 6 inches in thickness:

Continuing to the Northwest...there is a clayey swamp and in its center a stream which has 36 feet of width and a depth of 6 feet and the swamp itself has half a league of breadth. It is thick and it was necessary to cut the path. - Marcos Delgado (January 5, 1687)

Steel Framework of Bellamy Bridge

The trail cut by Delgado was used by Native American hunters in the years that followed and in 1819 was incorporated into an early road opened by American settlers who drifted down into Spanish Florida after the First Seminole War and built homes along Spring Creek near Campbellton. The road connected their settlement with Fort Scott in what is now Decatur County, Georgia.

At about the same time members of the Fort family settled on the east side of the Chipola where Bellamy Bridge now stands. The settlers called their path the "Fort Road," but whether it was so named because it ran to Fort Scott or because it passed by the home of Isaac Fort is not clear.

Bellamy Bridge and the Chipola River

The Fort plantation passed into the hands of Dr. Edward C. Bellamy in the 1830s and he operated a large plantation there until he left Jackson County on the eve of the War Between the States. His large home stood just south of the historic bridge, but was destroyed in an accidental fire many years ago. Only a cistern remains today.

Bellamy was the brother of Dr. Samuel C. Bellamy, who was the husband of Elizabeth Bellamy, the woman around whom the ghost story revolves. Samuel Bellamy built the first bridge at the site in 1844 to connect his plantation near Baker Creek northwest of Marianna with Edward's plantation at Bellamy Bridge.

The original wooden structure built by Dr. Bellamy was replaced several times over the years, but the Bellamy Bridge name stuck. In 1914, the Jackson County Commission authorized the construction of the historic steel-frame bridge and it was completed in December of that year. It served traffic until the early 1960's when it was replaced by the concrete bridge still in use today. The modern bridge is upstream from the historic steel bridge.

Map of Planned Bellamy Bridge Heritage Trail
Click to Enlarge

Over the years, public access to the historic site was lost, but the new Bellamy Bridge Heritage Trail project will change that.

The trail will be open for both walkers and bike riders and will run from a parking area on CR 162 just west of the modern concrete bridge down the old roadway to Bellamy Bridge. It is a joint project of the Friends of Bellamy Bridge organization, Jackson County Parks & Recycling and Northwest Florida Water Management District.

The trail will be free to use, is being funded entirely by private donations and will not interfere with hunting or other activities in the Upper Chipola WMA. Eventual plans include the placement of interpretive signs that will tell not only about the ghost story, but about the history of the bridge and crossing, the significance of the Upper Chipola River and the natural environment of the flood plain.

The project will be built in three phases, as donations make work possible. The first phase will consist of the opening of a simple trail and free guided tours to the bridge. The second phase will include the addition of interpretive markers and the development of plans for free programs for area schools and groups. The third and final phase will include the placement of foot bridges at two spots along the old road causeway, the placement of benches at key spots along the trail, the construction of an observation platform at the west end of the bridge and the official opening of the trail.

It is hoped that the entire project can be completed in time for the 100th anniversary of the building of the bridge in 2014.

To learn more about the Ghost of Bellamy Bridge, the history of the bridge and the proposed Bellamy Bridge Heritage Trail, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/bellamybridge.