Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park

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    We’re not sure what to make of this place. The park is beautiful but the Stephen Foster connection is tenuous. Stephen Foster, a northerner, composed many sentimental songs, romanticizing the antebellum south even though he knew little about it, having made only on trip down the Mississippi on a riverboat. Most of the songs were written for the Christie Minstrels, a  blackface group that performed in the north. One of the most famous “ Old Folks at Home” or “Suwannee  River” was the basis for making a park at this location along the Suwannee River. The park visitor center has some really well done but stereotypical dioramas depicting scenes from Foster’s songs. The museum also contains a collection of old, unique pianos but little information about Foster. Other things to see in the park are a 97 bell Carillion Tower which plays songs on the hour and Craft Square, a small grouping of craft and gift shops.

  Everything is accessible.

  Parking for RVs is available at each of the points of interest but it’s such a small area that parking at the museum and walking or rolling (along the roads some of the way ) is a good option. We didn’t camp here but I’ve seen many positive reviews about the campground.  Park
30.3359, -82.76978
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