12/18/17

George L. Smith II State Park


We had some beautiful weather for our drive to George L. Smith II State Park yesterday, and what a gorgeous place it was. We walked out across a short bridge to a dock, always mindful of lurking alligators (we still have seen none).


From there, we looked right and we could see the refurbished Parrish Mill, a combination gristmill, saw mill, covered bridge and dam built in 1880.


To the right, we had the most beautiful view of the Mill Pond with its stand of bald cypress trees.


It was hard to take our eyes off the pond. It was extraordinarily beautiful. Here's a panorama of the place. Remember that you can make the image larger by clicking on it.


We learned quite a bit about the cypress trees when we were at Congaree National Park in South Carolina. Here, we read some more interesting information about them.


When we could tear ourselves away from the pond, we walked over to take a look at the covered bridge structure. There was a sign above the door labeling it "Museum."


To the right was run-off from the dam built under the structure.


Here was an explanatory sign.


All of the lumber for this structure was milled right here on site at the sawmill. Here's the sign explaining all of that.


It must have been a tremendous amount of work. Look at all the lumber here.


The signs describe best how the whole thing worked, and explain its importance to the community, and so I'll include quite a few here. Just scroll on by if that sort of thing bores you.



The exhibit included some of the old rail car wheels.






I'll show you where the dam was located in just a minute. This contraption was located to the left of the door where we entered.


It turned out to be a cotton gin. Here's the sign explaining how that worked.


This image shows how it would have looked when the mill was in operation and serving the community.


The print at the bottom of the images above and below is tiny, and so I'll read it for you. Above, it says, "This is the cotton gin that was installed, which was state of the art at the time. Below, it says, "When farmers brought the cotton in on wagons, it was vacuumed up and into the gin."


Toward the end of the structure, we could peer through a plexiglass window to see the workings of the mill. To the right we saw this:


To the left, we saw this:


Here's a diagram showing how the whole thing worked.


It was accompanied by an explanation. There are just a few more signs after this, I promise.



Toward the back end of the structure, it looked like this:


There, we could see the original turbine that drove the whole thing.



Later on, it was replaced with a diesel engine.



Around back, we could see the dam. Water was spilling over the dam under the structure, and that provided the power that ran the turbine.


Here's some information about how that works. (Last sign, I promise.)


For all your hard work at reading those signs, take in this one last view of the pond. The image below is going into my Sketchbook.


My one word for this One Word Wonder is "Reflective."

On the way back, we stopped off at one of the many cotton fields we saw along the way. Most have been harvested by now, but a few still had their bolls attached. Also, as we've driven along, we've noticed that it appears as if the roadways are littered with trash. In fact, it's not trash at all, but little bits of cotton that have blown off the trucks hauling it to market...or wherever they're going. So here's how the field looked. It was rather a weedy field, and so I tried to choose a weed-free patch for my picture.


Here's how the cotton looks growing on the plant.


I picked off a piece and dug deep to find the seed. The seeds are brown, and about the size of a pea. The raw cotton is as soft to the touch as you'd expect it to be.


Imagine the labor involved in removing the seeds before Eli Whitney came up with his idea for the cotton gin.

On the way back to the RV, we stopped off in the tiny town of Millen for some groceries. Across from the grocery store was this impressive structure. No indication of its function.


When we got back home and put away the groceries, I gave the kitties the one stem of cotton I'd plucked from the field.

Hmmmm...what's this? Is it alive?


Hey! This has purrtential. Sadie! Come see what mom brought fur us!


What is it Smitty? What's it fur?


I don't know, Sadie. We could just tear it limb from limb and call it good.


Okay...so that happened.

And then I baked some bread. I had a yen. When we left home, I packed every shape and size of baking pan in the kitchen, and I'm determined to use every one before we get back home again.

This is my favorite Christmas bread: Cranberry-Orange Bread with Grand Marnier Glaze. You can find the recipe right here. The recipe will make two large loaves or else six little loaves, which makes it good for gift-giving. You can also switch out the dried cranberries for dried cherries, and then use Amaretto in place of the Grand Marnier for the glaze.


I like it best with cranberries...and I don't use Grand Marnier either. I use triple sec. If you don't want the alcohol, you can use orange juice. Yesterday, I made just half the recipe. One loaf was probably plenty for us, although I'm sure we could easily put away two loaves, if we were forced to...like if somebody threatened us with a rubber band or something.

We each had a slice for dessert last night.


And then, we each had another slice.

Today we're heading on down the dusty trail again. Our next stop is the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. There are few words I enjoy saying more than "Okefenokee." Typing it on the other hand, is a bit of a finger-twister. We have a reservation at a private campground just outside the park entrance. We're promised "high speed internet" right at our site, but sometimes these promises turn into dust in the wind...not that I'm overly dramatic about my internet access or anything. We'll see. If you don't hear from me for a few days, you'll know why.

15 comments:

Susan C said...

As always, I enjoy reading about your travels. Now you are practically in my backyard and I’m learning of places I haven’t been. Enjoy the Okefeenokee, I’m sure you’ll see alligators there. Not sure what entrance you’ll be staying near. We stayed at Steven Foster State Park where we were able to rent a canoe. It was a wonderful experience.

Emma's Daughter said...

My husband and I are enjoying your travelogue. You document everything well, and your pictures are wonderful ~ it’s almost like being there! I love pics of the kitties, too. What fun to travel with your pets!

Vicki W said...

That's a cool place!

Shari said...

Beautiful pictures. You are showing me parts of Georgia that I've never seen. I'm guessing the building is the county courthouse. It looks like most of the courthouses in the state. Lots of gators in the swamp. Hope you see some - at a really safe distance!

Vroomans' Quilts said...

I would love to see this Mill in person. Just a wonderment in construction for the time. Just imagine the hours it took to hand comb all that cotton - and the time it took to hand pick it all. Love the kitties reaction to the cotton.

QuiltShopGal said...

Just about every place you share insights about I think "How can you find anything more stunning", but once again you did. What a beautiful place. I love your photo of with the view of the Mill Pond. Your cranberry bread sounds yummy. Perfect for Christmas too!

QuiltShopGal
www.quiltshopgal.com

Judy1522 said...

The panorama picture is amazing. Very interesting information on the cypress trees.

quiltzyx said...

More amazing photos! Too bad they didn't have small bags of the corn they mill for sale. Very interesting & I like to read all the info signs you post for us.

I remember my Dad & I pulling over on maybe Hwy 99 around Bakersfield & picking up leftover cotton bolls. I was always fascinated, just like the kitties! LOL

Brown Family said...

Jenkins County Courthouse is the building in Millen.It is a beautiful building. The town has an interesting history, too, according to our friend Google.

The cranberry bread looks very tasty!

Kate said...

You always post such fun and educational information about your travels. But it's the pictures of the pond that steal the show!

Debbie said...

Thanks for the tour. I went to college in the area so just the name brought back some fond and not so fond memories for me:) The cotton fields were always near by so I take it for granted that people/quilters know about the cotton fields and how the bolls look growing. Thanks for the tours....and the bread looks wonderful.

piecefulwendy said...

I'm fascinated by the blackwater (and you know the song is going in my head). Such a pretty panorama photo! After your visit to the mill, it's only right that you should make some bread. Boy does that look tasty!

QuiltGranma said...

That impressive structure looks like a court house. very interesting visit you had there! Next Stop... Oke...kinofee! Do you remember reading Pogo in the Sunday comics page? He was from the swamp there! Loved that one, and sorry it's no longer published.

Sandra W said...

Oh my--that cranberry bread--too yummy.

kc said...

Holy cow! Resident Engineer must have been in hog heaven! I must confess, a couple of those signs, my eyes just crossed and then moved on. :( I wasn't a very good student in school, either. A lot of my teachers sounded like the adults on Charlie Brown cartoons.....waah waah waah. My usual answer to their questions, a resounding, HUH?

But, the pictures were really pretty! Loved the kitties' reaction to the cotton boll. Bailey isn't the least bit interested either, unless, of course, the cotton is polyester and wrapped up in a stuffie with a squeak. Then it's a contest between her teeth and toes to see which can do the most damage the quickest.

We had purchased some stone ground corn and oats not too long ago, and I was struggling to remember where. I had thought it was GA, but then I've never been to this mill, so it couldn't have been. As I was writing above, I remember we were in Texas at the time. Victoria, to be exact. Lots of cotton fields just south of there, too. And if you EVER go anywhere NEAR there, you'd better just accept the fact that you'll have a couple of stowaways on board. Or wagonmasters, if you prefer. At least personal tour guides.

Watch for snakes in the O...and skeeters. BIG skeeters.