Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center, White Springs, Florida

After two beautiful months in Florida it was time to leave after Christmas. Our last stop in that state was at Florida’s State Park commemorating the American composer Stephen Foster, who lived from 1826 to 1864. Our younger readers may not have heard of this song-writer, but the older readers should remember songs like: Oh Susanna, Camptown Races, Old Folks at Home, and Jeanie With the Light Brown Hair. The museum housed several musical instruments of the day, and many dioramas portraying Stephen Foster’s songs. Florida’s state song (which was written by S.F.) starts with the words “Way down upon the Swanny River….”, which led me to believe that Stephen Foster was a southerner. As a matter of fact, the man was actually from Pennsylvania,and, needing a 2-syllable river name to fit into his lyrics, he changed the name Suwannee (which is a famous river in northern Florida) to Swanny. It seems that the composer never did visit the Suwannee area in his life. After composing more than 200 songs, Stephen Foster died at the age of 37. Interestingly enough, at the time of his death he only had 37 cents in his pocket.