The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1921-04-29

King, and farther to the north. near Irvine.
is the site of Fort Drane, both with their
associations with the Seminole wars. Here
is a farm where Osceolla once had his home
Many spot and many house in the coun-
ty has its associations with the Confeder-
acy. In Ocala are the homes of Bullock.
Dickinson and Martin, the latter being the
last living member of the Confederate Con
gress.
Colonial architecture. box-like but charm-
ing, with it's facade of square yet graceful
pillars breathing the spirit of the Colonies.
of Georgia and the Carolnas before the
days of '61, is characteristic of Marion. The
Colonial architecture belongs to this part
of Florida, and not the Spanish, as many
suppose. The Spanish belongs to the coast.
The Georgians and the Carolinians who
settled in Central Florida brought their
architectural ideals with them
In Ocala the more recent of the public
buildings and number of the new residenc-
es show Spanish influence. Which means
that ocala is being influenced in its growth
more by the State as whole, with its gen
eral background of Spanish history: and by
the fact, too. that the white stucco walls and
red tile roofs fit so well into most Florida
landscapes. One associates the Spanish
architecture with the shade of great ro-
mantle live oaks. As its population has be-
come more cosmopolitan the town has turn
ed from the Colonial. passed through the
period of balustrades, scroll work. bay win
dows and towers. and is now affecting the
Spanish mission and the various modern
architectural forms in vogue 1t is to be
hoped. however. that the charms of the
Colonial viii not be forgotten entirely. es-
pecially where there are those great live
oaks. The fine possibilities of the native
stone for building is beginning to be recoe-
nized, and it WILL no doubt. have its influ-
ence in the future.
In the newer part of Ocala fences, with
some exceptions. have long since been done
away with; giving more breadth and sweep
to the vistas of lawns. flowers. palms and
shrubs, beneath the moss draped trees that
shade the streets. The trees never fail to
excite the admiration of visitors. The town
being built upon the hills that form the
ridgelands of the State. the streets run up
hill and down This adds much to their
attractiveness. The rioteous red poinsettias
provide splashes of color during the late fall
and winter months. Then comes the bril-
liant orange of the bigonia. clambering
over walls and roofs. and in April and into
the summer the masses of pink, white, and
red oleanders add gaiety to the lawns and
gardens.
Many of the county's charms cannot be
described It is not possible to reproduce
the songs of the mocking bird One cannot
describe the scent of the wild flowers; the
noisy silence of the woods; the wonderful
hours when the sunshine and the atmos-
phere seem to be one, and Florida scenes
are luminous and quivering with color; nor
the subtropical nights when the shadows
are deep and the silvery blue light of the
moon floods the open spaces.
Florida nights are enchanting; where the
street lights and the lights of automobiles,
the lights on front porches and the lights
from the windows of homes dissolve the
darkness: where the perfume of flowers dis
clcses the presence of a. garden or grove or
night blooming pant where the night
prowling animal crushes under foot the dry
leaves in the woods; or out where the light
of the stars CLEANS upon the tapping waters
of the lakes.
Beautiful Silver Springs have their Indian
legends. Oak Hurst has its plantum white
horse, said to appear with a ladies' saddle,
ridderless, and then to disappear, ghost
like. into the ground. The spell OF such
things cannot be described
To appreciate Florida fully one must have
lived in the State.
Now what is there to do in Florida! How
can ones time be spent2
The greatest source of enjoyment is the
sunshine, the wonderful climate. To be OUT
Of doors when the North is in the grip OF
winter. The joy of living in land where
nature is alive the year around! Green
woods and fields. Flowers blooming out Of
doors in nid-winter Song birds in the
thickets. What if there are some cold days.
They make the air crisp and the hunting
good. They fill the air with the smell OF
wood fires.
Not all the woods nor all the fields IN
Florida are green in winter. The hickories,
persimmons. sweet gums. haws, and other
deciduous trees are bare. There are fields
<ho< oro hxoxru and scar But the greens