The Winding River Road Part 5
ASHS Column for April 20, 2006
Margaret Collier

    The birthday celebration came and went - along with a rain dance. The brief rain drove people into The Leach House where they could shop. I am happy to report that they shopped a lot! That will help a great deal with our needed roof replacement on the Leach House Museum. When the sun came out the people admired the Model A's and the entertainment groups that braved the weather. The old gristmill turned out to be popular and, of course, the food was really great. All in all, it was a fine day in the James Houston Jones Historical Park.
     We do thank all of the members who worked so hard to make the arrangements and do the set ups. We owe special thanks to non-members who contributed so much. The Town of Century and the prisoner crew from the Century Correctional Center did an outstanding job cleaning and beautifying the Park.
    My friend and neighbor, Pat McIlwain, worked the week before and almost all day Saturday in contributing, moving, setting up and marking the goods for the White Elephant Sale. Daphne Kilgore, Martha Dobbs and Coy Campbell contributed many valuable items that sold well. Again, I must mention the outstanding participation and contributions of our members. When we all work together big things get done. 
    Probably the biggest thank you should go to the Model A owners who braved the treacherous weather to help make the day successful. All they asked for in payment was a hot dog and a cold drink. Thank you so much, our friends!
    Admittedly, this does not do justice to everyone who made the celebration a success as well as making it such a pleasant way to remember our heritage. Know that by your attendance and contributions you have helped The Alger-Sullivan Historical Society continue to preserve the history of this area.
    We still have some "elephants" left, so feel free to come to The Leach House to do some more shopping before we close out. Either Althea Scott or Dorothy Newton will be there from 8 until 3 each day Tuesday through Saturday to help you with your purchases.
    All of that being said, it is time to bring another segment of The Winding River Road. 
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    Soon after the Panic and a series of Indian Wars were over the timber market again became normal. Florida was soon admitted as a state and then business gradually became prosperous. The entire area took on new life. All the abandoned cabins formerly occupied by transient logging workers were repaired and occupied by other transient workers. Within the next few years many log and timber landings were established on the Escambia River and roads opened leading to them. Beginning at the southern end of the area these landings were as follows:
    1. Waters Lake Landing, a mile or so north of the mouth of Moore's Creek, so named because a man by the name of Waters owned the land upon which it was located.
    2. Mineral Spring Landing, two or three miles north of the Waters Lake Landing, named because it is near the "Spring of Healing Waters."
    3. The Williams Lake Landing, a mile north of the Diamond Mill Creek land close by the mouth of the Cobb Mill Creek, so named because the landing was on the land owned by Wily J. Williams. The landing was sometimes called "Wily's Lake Landing."
    4. The Sunday Landing, later known as Carnley's Field Landing, so named because when the landing was first established the land upon which it was located was owned by Frank Sunday. A few years later the land became the property of Uncle Harvey Carnley. This landing is approximately a mile and a half north of where the Winding River Road crossed the McCaskill Mill Creek.
    5. The Mims Island Landing, so named because a man by the name of Mims owned the land upon which it was located. The landing was located near the mouth of the creek later known as Holly Mill Creek. There was a small island in the middle of the river opposite this landing formed when the river and the creek washed into each other a hundred yards above the landing.
    6. The Dead River Landing, so named because it was on an old dead river, formed when the river cut through an oxbow loop. This landing was half a mile north of the Wilson Branch and a mile north of the Frank Sunday old home site.
    7. The Old Steam Mill Bluff Landing, sometimes called the Campbell Bluff Landing, so named because a small steam mill was operated on the bluff for a short time, and because it was near the old home site of pioneer Grandfather Neil Campbell. This landing was also near the "Gaylor" old home site.
    8. Betts Lake Landing, so named because a man be the name of Betts owned the land upon which it was located. This landing was half a mile north from the place where the Winding River Road crossed the Edgely Creek, later known as the Barrow Creek land, still later called the Bray Creek. It was also not far from the home site of two sturdy pioneers, Uncle Tom Sunday and Uncle Louis Jones.
    9. The Fortner Lake Landing, so named because it was located near the home site of pioneer Robert Fortner, the man who owned and operated the Pollard Ferry for many years. This landing is a few hundred yards north of the Florida-Alabama state line in Alabama. It is mentioned here because thousands of logs and big sticks of hewn timber were hauled to this landing from Florida soil by Florida citizens.
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    If you want to check out these landings for yourself, just hire our "Guide Extraordinaire", Jerry Fischer. You could do a float trip down the Escambia River, or follow the Winding River Road.
    Next week we'll tell you about the various mills along the way, so be sure to get your copy of The Tri-City Ledger for this next segment.