Cross Creek/Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Homestead

[Seahorse]

http://www.floridastateparks.org/marjoriekinnanrawlings/

This historic site is about two hours from Flagler County, located just south of Gainesville.

Rawlings is a pulitzer prize winning writer who homesteaded in Florida in the early part of the 20th century. Her book about that adventure is called Cross Creek. I recommend reading it before you visit. You'll recognize several of the same creepy crawly issues we face today in her great recollection of living here and also speaks of Rawlings' adventures at her summer beach home on Crescent Beach. Ernest Hemingway was a drinking buddy who frequented the bar at Marineland with Rawlings.

After visiting the homestead, have lunch at the Cross Creek restaurant, just up the road. It features some of Rawlings favorite recipes on the menu.

Tidbit of trivia- Rawlings and her husband purchased the property that is now the Ripley Museum in St. Augustine and operated it as a hotel for several years.

 

[ladycliff]

Yes, this is a lovely trip. We visited a few years ago after reading her book, Cross Creek.

 

[Cornbred]

We ought to get a few people together and take a day/weekend trip. Root, wanna go? :)

 

[ROOT]

Sounds like a fun Day trip, for cooler weather.

 

[MON CINIKA]

Since I lived in Gainesville many years, I went there a few times, my Mother wanted to go a few years ago and when we arrived they were closed for yearly maintance, There was a sweet lady inside the house cleaning and I spoke with here and told her I had driven from Gainesville to Orlando, picked Mom up and drove her back to there, and how dissapointed we were that they were closed.... She gave Mom a private tour of the whole house!
So just make sure before you take a day trip there that you check for when they are closed, It has been so long ago that I dont remember the month they do that in. But yes, read the book, and/or watch the movie The Yearling, as that was filmed about a part of her life there, and her life in the house that is still there.

 

[Gracie]

Rawlings is one of my all time favorite authors. Read The Yearling beofre you go, everything in the book is about that area. Her writing is an invaluable history of this part of the state. Also, read Hyacinth Drift, Rawlings wrrote this after her divorce from her first husband, it's about a lonely boat trip she took on the St Johns. She details everything with such meticulous clarity, it's amazing. Her second husband died just a few years ago in St Augustine.