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236. Old Escambia/Santa Rosa County Communities (Part IV)

Updated: Mar 29, 2022


Skinner's Mill - located in the Milton/Bagdad area of Santa Rosa County, Florida.

St. Anthony's Hospital - located on West Government Street or West Gregory Street at Spring Street.

Woman's Home - a home for widow's and elderly women located on 12th Avenue and Avery Street. It was rebuilt on the same location and may or may not still be in operation.

Whiting Factory - operated in the Goulding community and produced "whitener" for use as an additive in paint and rubber. It was produced from chalk shipped in from England.

Windy Valley - the area south of West Jackson Street between "A" and "E" Streets.

Yniestra - the area along Scenic Highway near the present Gaberone Estates neighborhood.

Chumuckla, Florida - located in Santa Rosa County, Florida and connected to Escambia County by way of a bridge below. The bridge across Escambia River crossed between Escambia's McDavid/Bogia and Santa Rosa's Chumuckla community's. Mr. H. Coleman is sitting on the railing of the bridge in the below photo. The name "Chumuckla" means "healing waters" and came from the natural springs there. People believed that the spring water had healing powers so the entrepreneurs bottled it up and shipped it out worldwide. The demand became so great a pipeline was built across the river to the McDavid, Florida railroad station so they could ship it in larger quantities. To accomadate the numerous visitors to the springs, the Chumuckla Springs Hotel was built and operated a heavy business until it burned down in 1915.



The McDavid/Chumuckla Bridge Across Escambia River M. H. Coleman is leaning on the railing


The Chumucukla Springs Hotel (Burned in 1915)

R. F. Jernigan's Dairy Wagon was used to deliver the Chumuckla Springs water to local homesteads. The business was run by Franklin Pierce Jernigan (1853-1927) and his son Robert Franklin Jernigan (above). Robert was born on April 17, 1881 and spent the later part of his life in Ferry Pass in Escambia County. He passed away on August 19, 1937 and followed his parents to the Whitmire Cemetery.


Franklin Pierce (1853-1927) and Louise

Epsie Shell Jernigan (1853-1929). Parents

of Robert Franklin Jernigan


Chumuckla's first school bus and driver, Mr. Roy Jones. Formerly of Fidelis, he took over the driving duties c1925. This is a home made bus placed on a Henry Ford chassis.



Defuniak Springs, Florida first bus and driver 1922


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