As Carmi started this theme, I wondered what I had that would fit. My mind went to these huge logs that I saw on the back of the train. They represented the livelihood of many people in Lacoochee from the 20's, through the depression in the 30's, and on until the mill closed in 1959. During the depression the mill hands worked for 10 cents an hour.
My father worked at the mill, and during the war, because many of the townspeople went to serve in the Armed Forces, German was prisoners were brought to work in the mill. Part of my father's job was to guard them.
It was in Lacoochee that he met my mother. She had come to live with her sister there. They married in 1933. I was born in 1941, and we lived there until the war was over in 1945.
After the lumber mill closed, other companies came in and worked at different industries. Today the building is still there, but nothing is operating. As the saw mill declined, people began to leave. Many moved to Dade City. Every year, however, there is a Lacoochee reunion that is held. The VFW hall is filled with people who come back to reminisce, look at old photos, and talk about those days that are no longer. You can read much more about the history of Lacoochee here.
9 comments:
Since we are not native Floridians (having moved here just 5 years ago), I LOVE reading about the history of our new home state.
I LOVED this..I'm born and raised in LA and I ADORE small town stories. I read the names of those Lacoochee war fallen as if I was embracing them, you know? These young kids born in a typical American small town, with typical small town values,and who left that comfort to fight for US and to die for US.....we owe it to at least linger over their blessed, dear names, God rest their souls..I can't say enough.
I'm very interested in the German contingency since my own husband is from Germany....I wonder if those workers settled there after the war, or??
Thank you for this. I just loved reading it...it reminds me of the America I loved and was counting on for years to come.....and the sadness I feel that it's going down such an incredibly wrong path.
Thankfully, those boys who gave their lives will never see this. xxx
I bet that's a very interesting place, especially so for natives or those related to them.
The stories of mills in this country and the families involved is interesting. From a personal standpoint, my husband's grandfather owned a mill in south central Indiana and unbeknownst to me my grandfather had dealings with him, as he was a contractor. Small world. My husband's father took over the mill then sold it as he retired. My husband has lots of memories of going to the mill as a little boy with his dad and adventures there.
What a nice, informative post. Your family's history is so much a part of it.
Great photos- and I didn't know any of this. I just always assumed you came from that place with the silly name. Thanks for the history.
And that girl, that girl. Ella is one sweet bean. I love the pictures of her in the pool. You are a very lucky Gammy, indeed.
It always amazes me what things used to cost...I love hearing stories of the past, which to me, always seem to hold more integrity than today. That can't necessarily be true, I'm just a nostalgic person. By the way, I was born in 1961 exactly twenty years later.
just what i needed, more glorious info on lacahoochie...i really do fin it fascinating, you are so out of the way, boonies
I often wonder what life must have been like to live in a town where virtually everything revolved around one dominant employer. There's something genteel about the prospect of a benevolent firm overseeing all.
I love these glimpses into the past, and I'm so pleased you chose to share this as part of this theme. I suspect you may have fun with the next one, too!
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