Torreya State Park

This is on the banks of the Apalachicola River Its claim to fame is an antebellum, plantation house (The Gregory House) which belonged to a man called Gregory (there is a surprise) and was built in the 1830’s. Torreya Park is famous (all things are relative) for a very rare pine tree, the Torreya pine. There are only 200 trees left apparently. It grows in the ravines along the banks of the Apalachicola River. Its numbers have dwindled because it has been cut down by man and also been attacked by some bug or virus. Now even when young trees are planted they die off after about 10 years, thus never reaching maturity, aah, shame really.
Back to the Gregory House. It was originally built on the far side of the river, where Gregory was big in the cotton and corn growing business. Although Torreya State Park is now in the middle of nowhere (it is 11 miles to the nearest shop) in the last century, because it was on the Apalachicola River it was a very busy place. The river had some 200 paddle boats in it’s hey day. So it was the equivalent of the M1. However with the advent of the steam train (which went East to West) the river trade (which went from North to South) died out. The house fell empty and was in disrepair until it was given to the park in 1935. The CCC (Civil construction Corps), which was one of the work schemes developed to provide jobs in the Depression, took the house apart and transported it across the river, up the hill and rebuilt it in the State Park. It took nearly four years to complete the move and renovation. They have done a fine job. It is a lovely house with lovely grounds and a lovely view over the Apalachicola River. We took the tour round it, which was very interesting.

It has broadened our understanding of the background to the civil war and slavery in the US. At some time I must set down my thoughts and understandings of this section of American culture/history.