Skip back in time and rise with us to the oldest inland city in Florida, Micanopy. But not before our first stop at the historic home of one of America’s famous authors and now dedicated state park- Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic Site.
You will be greeted by rangers dressed in 1930’s period attire and begin a journey into the farmyard, grove and nature trails that surround the cracker style home where Rawlings lived and wrote one of her prize winning novels, The Yearling. Rawlings became friends with other well-known authors, such as Ernest Hemmingway and Robert Frost while residing at her abode.
She was drawn to Cross Creek by the exotic flora and fauna, coupled with the simplicity and remoteness of this quiet area. Writers and non-writers will appreciate the tranquility of the Rawlings’ retreat. You may begin to understand why she described Cross Creek as offering “…such beauty and grace than once entangled with it, no other place seems possible to us…”.
Her life was by choice a simple mixture of cooking on a wood-burning stove, washing clothes in an iron pot and tending to her pasture and citrus groves. An avid farmer, the original rootstock of her citrus seeds make up the current generation of fruit trees. You will be surrounded by the source of inspiration for this prolific writer. Be in the center of where this writer spent a considerable time creating literary art. Enjoy the cypress table and the deer skin chair in front of the typewriter.
Catch a glimpse of the French doors installed to capture the Florida sunlight and the reconstructed barn. She had bequeathed most of her property to the University of Florida so others could enjoy a place of resources and inspiration. To keep this very special house in the best condition possible, it is closed for a couple of months out of the year and everything is thoughtfully cleaned by hand. She had a sense of place and did not know how anyone could live without “some small place of enchantment to turn to.” A visit to her place of enchantment is a very special and unique experience.
Micanopy
“The little town that time forgot” is the common description for this charming town. Enjoy a combination of friendly people in a relaxed setting. Streets lined with shops carrying an array of antiques, folk art and collectibles await you. Natural beauty abounds with beautiful parks and vistas like nearby Orange Lake and Pay Prairie. Escape to Micanopy and treasure the simplicity of an endearing community.
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