Northeast Florida Getaways 2008 - (Page 5) water by Samantha Crespo ST. JOHNS RIVER St. Johns River. Mural of Palatka City Hall, circa 1905. Courtesy of Colleen Mural Committee. Small town retreats Meet Florida’s riverside towns of Palatka and Green Cove Springs TWO THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE ST. JOHNS RIVER: Like the Nile, it is one of the few rivers that flows north. The waterway’s elevation varies so slightly over its 310-mile course that it’s one of the laziest rivers you’ll find anywhere. The St. Johns is also Florida’s longest river, making that three things you need to know about the waterway. When visiting the riverside towns of Palatka and Green Cove Springs, take your cues from the water: Head north and go with the (gloriously slow) flow. If you follow U.S. 17, you can make the trip in about 30 minutes, but grant yourself time to explore the waterways and woods of this region, which sits on the west bank of the St. Johns where it’s at its widest. How slow can you go? It’s possible to cover both Palatka and Green Cove Springs in one weekend. But do like the river and slow down … way down. Start in Palatka. More than 30 murals transform its downtown into a trompe l’oeil sensation of magnolias, azaleas and Civil War-era tableaux. Contact the Putnam County Chamber of Commerce for a driving and walking tour brochure. The murals illustrate the stories of local landmarks including the regal Bronson-Mulholland House (circa 1854), the adjacent Putnam Historic Museum and the Historic Union Depot and Railroad Museum. Performing and visual arts are found at The Florida School of the Arts, Larimer Arts Center and the Historic Tilghman House. The scene is equally artful inside Ravine Gardens State Park, where a 1.8-mile biking, hiking and auto trail takes visitors through dozens of landscaped ravines. The park, created by the Works Progress Administration and now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is known for spring azalea blooms. In addition, the park’s formal, classical gardens (including two suspension bridges, colonnades and the Court of States, with an obelisk dedicated to Franklin Roosevelt) are gorgeous all year ’round. The river is also to thank for Palatka’s distinction as “bass capital of the world.” Professional guides and the St. Johns River Recreation Map can improve your luck. The map, available from the Chamber, indicates boat ramps and details area waterways. Of course, the 20th annual Florida Blue Crab Festival, May 23-26, guarantees a fresh catch – plus a parade, music and antiques. North in Green Cove Springs, the fishing’s just as fine. In Spring Park, you can cast from the pier. There you can peer nearly 30 feet into the sulfur spring that feeds the community pool. Reserve a room at the adjacent River Park Inn, where front porch rocking chairs, a real Victorian vibe (it dates from 1880) and the unstoppable hospitality of owners Pat and Dale Garlinghouse create a welcome as warm as sunlight streaming through the property’s oaks. Ask Pat for a town map to stage your own walking tour of historic houses, Blue Crab Festival. pocket-sized St. Mary’s Episcopal Church and the Clay County Historic Museum and Triangle, where you can view the old courthouse and jail and a railroad museum (call ahead for hours). Events mirror the town’s personality, with horse shows and antiques and collectibles auctions taking place throughout the summer at the Clay County Fairgrounds (an agricultural fair takes place each April), and a barbecue cook-off known as the Ham Jam unfolding each fall at Reynolds Park Yacht Center. When You Go Clay County Chamber of Commerce, 904-394-7401, www.claytourism.com Clay County Historic Museum and Triangle, 904-284-9644 Putnam County Chamber of Commerce, 386-328-1503, putnamcountychamber.org Northeast Getaways 5 http://www.claytourism.com http://putnamcountychamber.org
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