The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-03-08
A CHARMING OLD TOWN.
Picturesque Views of st. Mary's in
Camden County.

st. Mary's, Camden County. c,eoreia
March 6.-In the DAYS when Florida. be-
longed to Spain, Georgia, anxious to pro-
tect her boundary line, encouraged set
tiers to locate along the ST. Mary's river
During that period of unrest and appre-
hension, company of capitalists owning
property on the picturesque old river at
what was known as Buttermilk Bluff laid
OH town and called IL St Patrick's
atterward changed to St Marv's Tbe
i11s thus having begun it's existence
~ iiOO, was not incorporated until 1892
While the war OF 1872 was in progress
and under the embargo, St Mary's on.
J0yed considerable prosperity as a SNUG
Sllng port cotton and other commodities
being carried across the St Mary's river
INTO Florida and sold for fabulous prices
money was very plentiful in those days,
ana stories are told of Spanish doubloons
being frequently picked up in the streets.
AT Point Peter, just below the town.
ana near the mouth of the river, an en-
gagement occurred between the British
and Americans, which resulted In The
defeat of the latter. The British proceed
ed up the river in barges. On their re-
turn, they were waylaid and fired upon
az every bluh by company Of mounted
men under command of Capt. Cone. This
nrlng IN ambush was kept up until nearly
the whole force was killed.
But, after these troublous times were
over, ST. Mary's became the chief trading
place for the surrounding counties as well
as resort for the wealthy planters of
camden who spent their summers here,
away from the malaria of their rice fields.
A line Of steamers plying between Sa-
Vahnah, Charleston and Palatka, touched
mere almost daily, giving intercourse with
the outside world. But, with the building
OF railroads to adjacent ports, the glory
OF st. Mary's, to great extent, departed;
and while she has struggled on she has
been unable to keep pace with other
places, because of her lack of facilities.
Keen-eyed capitalists have. however. seen
ia rreau Of Ha ,,Is \
nave planned and partly built, several
railroads here. These, owing to adverse
circumlstanIces, have invariably been
abandoned before completion. At pres
ent, out nearest railroad station is ten
miles distant, but may be reached by a
pleasant drive through pine forests. Be
sides, there Is a daily steamer to Fernan-
dina, Fla, which connects at that place
with the Florida Central and Peninsular
so that after an hours ride on a staunch
little steamer over a route not surpassed
Tor beautiful coast scenery, we can be
whirled into the busy world in a short
space Of time.
While St Mary's is comparativelv iso-
lated, its isolation is to. many one of its
chief charms. Wandering through its
quiet streets, one is struck first with the
ancient appearance of most of the houses
and then with the restfulness of its
atmosphere. To those who are weary and
worn with the rushing current OF the
outside world, ii is a haven of rest Here
we may doze and dream the days away
undisturbed by the social and political
problems which make the unrest of mod
ern times, save as these afford gossip for
the few social gatherings held in the place
The wide streets, carpeted with Ber-
muda and other native grasses, furnish
delightful croquet and tennis grounds as
well as pasturage for the mild-eyed Jer-
seys that roam about at their own sweet
WILL or gather under the shade of the
spreading live oaks around the drinking
troughs that are found on every street
Besides the numerous pumps placed in
the street for the benefit of the public
we have now a fine arteSian well the
water of which, on being analysed, was
found to be almost Identical with that
of the famous Suwanee Springs. Near
this well is the ancient Washington
pump" which has long been the pride
of the inhabitants on account of the fine
quality of its water.
Just across the street from this old land
mark stands one of the houses that attest
the glory of bygone days. Built in old
colonial style, with broad colonades and
massive pillars, 1t Is a fitting representa-
tive of ante bellum days. when gay youths
and sunny maidens dandNd in its spacious
rooms or made love in the wide verandas
of stately old "Orange Hail." Another
place of interest is the old cemetery, where
repose many Of the early French and Span
ish settlers Their tombstone of them
quite ancient-are moss-grown and the in
scriptions almost obliterated. Clusters of
magnificent live oaks are found here, as
elsewhere, covered with that curious, par
aJsitic growth of gray moss, which lends
70 them such a weird, sombre appearance.