SUWANNEE RIVER ?

 Way down upon the Swa-nee river, Far, far a-way, There's where my heart is yearning ev-er, There's where the old folks stay. All the world is sad and drear-y, Ev'rywhere I roam,

Where in the world of Florida is the Suwannee river? Do you know its history and who wrote the song that immortalized the river? Stephen Foster composed the song titled "Old Folks at Home" commonly known as "Suwannee River" Florida's state song.

If your vagabond blood pulls you away from the everyday humdrum of south Florida, feel free to follow highway 19 (98) in a northern direction until you arrive at Fanning Springs, and low and behold, you will most assuredly see the Suwannee River.

The Stephen Foster State Folk Culture Center is located in White Springs, Florida. In this park there are many experiences to enjoy with your family; such as canoeing, fishing, and camping. Special events are presented during the year at the museum, carillon, and craft center.

Swanee, how I love you, how I love you, my dear old Swanee. I'd give the world to be - among the folks in D-I-X-I-E-ven

Who would of guessed; it's another song about the Swanee river. A most famous singer of this song was Al Jolson; remember him?

Where does the Suwannee river begin? Where's the river's head? Minnie Lake? Yes! It's in the Okefenokee Swamp in southeastern Georgia, and moves across northern Florida in a southwesterly direction. It lollygags here and there until it reaches the Gulf of Mexico at Hog island in the Suwannee Sound, near Suwannee, Florida. There are long stretches of water and some steep banks and areas where you may have to ford the river if you, perchance travel the ripples during a canoe trip. By the way, why is this river spelled in three different ways?
SWANEE--SUWANNEE--SUWANEE
     A state map which was found, contained spellings with two n's. An encyclopedia spells it with one "n." The New World Dictionary of American English says one "n", but you may use two. Remember the song has no "u." How is it really spelled? In the late 1700's the river was called San Juan, and according to historians there was some local jargon that may have changed the name to San Juanee and then to Suwannee. A creek of water feeding the Suwannee was named Suwannoochee. And, as you can see, the spelling was with two "n's." Perhaps the spelling comes from the influence of the white interlopers and Indians during early southern history.

I am not saying this is true, but just by chance, the spelling of this grand old river could have been named by one of the Indian tribes in or near Florida. There were the Timucua, Apalachee, Yamasee, Seminole, and Alabama Indians. Perhaps it came from the Suwannoochee meaning "River of Fast Water," a creek that fed the Suwannee. It was the Apalachee Creek Indians who named that creek. Any other spellings were made to suit the circumstances and influences during the development and history of Florida. It could have been named by the Creek Indians from the word Suwani meaning ECHO.

TRIVIA QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
 Were the Apalachee Creek Indians tall or small in stature? Answer: Tall!
What does Seminole mean? Answer: Runaway! Derived from all of the Indian tribes that were driven out of their homelands and drifted to Florida and became the Seminole Indians.