We are on our last day at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Camp near Live Oak, FL. We drove over to White Springs, about 15 miles northeast, to visit the Stephen Foster Park. This is Ellen in front of the main building that houses the museum. Inside were 10 dioramas depicting some of the composers most famous works. The dioramas were about 7 feet wide and 5 feet high, with great detail and moving parts (racing horses galloping along a track for "Camptown Races".
There were lots of pianos and period furniture, along with some old photos and descriptions of Foster's life, as well as manuscripts of his work. He died very young, when at 38, he had fever and chills, and passed out while at a washstand. He fell breaking the washbowl and cutting himself badly. He later died from loss of blood and the illness. Another tidbit about his life was he never went 'way down upon de Swanee Ribber"...he was in Pennsylvania and asked his brother to help complete a new song. He asked his brother for a two syllable name of a Southern River. His brother looked in an atlas and found the Suwannee.
Foster had over 200 songs published in his 20 year career as a songwriter. It is still a puzzle to me why these folks made this big museum and center for a guy who never showed up down here. Oh well, the grounds are beautiful and it is very peaceful. There is also a huge carillon tower that gongs out Foster music at the top of the hour.
Here is Ellen at the banks of the Suwannee, on one of the hiking trails at our park. This park is over 800 acres, with all sorts of trails, and lots of horse trails and stables. Sister Patty would like this.
I am getting hooked on Facebook, after joining my high school group. We are having our 45th reunion this summer, but Ellen and I won't be able to go. Su Stern-Bitenc has put in lots of work on the reunion and she has started the class group on Facebook. It is somewhat addictive, finding out about friends from the past, seeing what they are doing now, and reminiscing a bit too.
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