Okefenokee Swamp, America’s largest “Black Water Swamp” or Seminole; “Land of the Trembling Earth” located in SE Georgia and northern Florida. Stopped by there a week ago on the way home during a cold spell, it was 37 degrees, very windy but clear. The swamp is approximately 25 miles wide and 40 miles long and covers an area of more than 600 square miles. Lying about 50 miles (80 km) inland from the Atlantic coast. The swamp is partially drained southward into the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico by the Suwannee and St Mary’s Rivers.

Beautiful day, absolutely beautiful swamp and silly me, I was the only one on a really cold, windy boat tour. While many think of a swamp as an eerie movie setting, they are actually a thriving ecosystem that is extremely important to the environment as a whole. These swamps provide food, nesting areas, shelter and water to the many incredible species that live in Georgia & Florida. Although the water in the Okefenokee is dark and ‘black’ from tannins, its extremely clean and pure.

There’s a tremendous amount of history about the Okefenokee from settlements to timbering to drainage for agriculture. Its now a National Wildlife Reserve and the swamp itself is designated as a National Historic Landmark.

An interesting settlement was the Chesser Homestead known as Chesser Island. Settled in the mid-1800’s the Chessers were carving a life out of extremely harsh conditions, similar to many of the settlers in that time period. W.T. Chesser had 7 children and two of his younger sons has 22 children. This current house was built in 1927 by one of the grandsons of W.T. Chesser, the original settler, and is made of yellow pine and cypress and was built in 21 days for $150. The white sand yard is common in this area primarily to act as a fire break and to easily spot the many venomous snakes that inhabit the swamp. They harvested wood and grew sugar cane. They had a corn crib, syrup shed, smokehouse, hog pen, chickenyard & coup, grindstone…all the amenities a growing family could use. Unfortunately the house was not open the day I visited, would loved to have seen the interior.

Here are just a few samplings of the park and homestead, hope you enjoy.

Ever driving through Folkston GA, stop by, you won’t regret a visti to the Okefenokee, even on a cold day.

Okefenokee Swamp, America’s largest “Black Water Swamp” or Seminole; “Land of the Trembling Earth” located in SE Georgia and northern Florida. Stopped by there a week ago on the way home during a cold spell, it was 37 degrees, very windy but clear. The swamp is approximately 25 miles wide and 40 miles long and covers an area of more than 600 square miles. Lying about 50 miles (80 km) inland from the Atlantic coast. The swamp is partially drained southward into the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico by the Suwannee and St Mary’s Rivers.

Beautiful day, absolutely beautiful swamp and silly me, I was the only one on a really cold, windy boat tour. While many think of a swamp as an eerie movie setting, they are actually a thriving ecosystem that is extremely important to the environment as a whole. These swamps provide food, nesting areas, shelter and water to the many incredible species that live in Georgia & Florida. Although the water in the Okefenokee is dark and ‘black’ from tannins, its extremely clean and pure.

There’s a tremendous amount of history about the Okefenokee from settlements to timbering to drainage for agriculture. Its now a National Wildlife Reserve and the swamp itself is designated as a National Historic Landmark.

An interesting settlement was the Chesser Homestead known as Chesser Island. Settled in the mid-1800’s the Chessers were carving a life out of extremely harsh conditions, similar to many of the settlers in that time period. W.T. Chesser had 7 children and two of his younger sons has 22 children. This current house was built in 1927 by one of the grandsons of W.T. Chesser, the original settler, and is made of yellow pine and cypress and was built in 21 days for $150. The white sand yard is common in this area primarily to act as a fire break and to easily spot the many venomous snakes that inhabit the swamp. They harvested wood and grew sugar cane. They had a corn crib, syrup shed, smokehouse, hog pen, chickenyard & coup, grindstone…all the amenities a growing family could use. Unfortunately the house was not open the day I visited, would loved to have seen the interior.

Here are just a few samplings of the park and homestead, hope you enjoy.

Ever driving through Folkston GA, stop by, you won’t regret a visti to the Okefenokee, even on a cold day.