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Jackson County, Florida
Historic Sites and Research
Historic Sites and Research
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Sneads
Located on the high grounds just west of the
original confluence of the Flint and Chattahoochee
Rivers, Sneads is one of Jackson County's oldest
communities. The history of settlement here, in
fact, far predates the establishment of the town
itself.
Archaeological research has revealed that the
Sneads area was rich with Native American
settlements long before the arrival of the Spanish in
Florida. Identified sites in the area include mounds,
villages and campsites occupied over a span of
thousands of years.
By 1674, an important Native American trail
crossed the Apalachicola River at roughly the site
of today's Victory Bridge connecting Sneads and
Chattahoochee. The Chacato people, who lived
along the upper Chipola River, used this trail to
trade with the Spanish who by then occupied the
Apalachee Province around what is now
Tallahassee.
In that year a mission, La Encarnacion a la Santa
Cruz de Sabacola, was established just across from
the later Sneads site in the forks of the
Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers (within today's
Seminole County, Georgia). After a brief revolt
forced Spanish missionaries to evacuate the
missions of San Carlos and San Nicolas west of the
Chipola, a group of Christian Chacatos relocated to
the high bluff overlooking the forks in order to
maintain their ties with the Spanish.
In 1680, missionaries established a new doctrina or
mission post in this village, naming the
establishment San Carlos de Chacatos after the
earlier mission west of the Chipola. Consisting of a
church and surrounding village, this establishment
stood on the site of today's West Bank Overlook
adjacent to the Apalachee Correctional Institution.
The Spanish remained here until the mission was
destroyed by Alibamo warriors in 1696. The
survivors of the village relocated to a new site near
today's Tallahassee.
By the mid-1700s, a new Creek village of
considerable importance was established just south
of the San Carlos site. Called Tomatley, this town
stood on the Jackson County Port Authority site
just east of Sneads. By the late 1700s, Tomatley
was the site of a trading post operated by James
Burgess, a white man who had married a woman of
the village (along with other wives in other villages).
The warriors of Tomatley allied themselves with
the United States during the First Seminole War of
1817-1818. By this time, the village was the home
of an African-American trader known as the "Black
Factor" or "Mulatto King." He was still living here
when Florida was transferred from Spain to the
United States and, under the terms of the Treaty of
Moultrie Creek, was granted a small reservation at
the Port Authority site in 1823. The site remained
occupied until the 1830s when the people living on
the reservation complied with government requests
that they relocate to new homes west of the
Mississippi.
Long before the people of Tomatley left, however,
a white trader named William S. Pope had
established a settlement not far from their town.
Pope earned his living at the time by farming and
trading with the Native Americans. He also served
on the 1825 council to select a county seat location
for Jackson County.
original confluence of the Flint and Chattahoochee
Rivers, Sneads is one of Jackson County's oldest
communities. The history of settlement here, in
fact, far predates the establishment of the town
itself.
Archaeological research has revealed that the
Sneads area was rich with Native American
settlements long before the arrival of the Spanish in
Florida. Identified sites in the area include mounds,
villages and campsites occupied over a span of
thousands of years.
By 1674, an important Native American trail
crossed the Apalachicola River at roughly the site
of today's Victory Bridge connecting Sneads and
Chattahoochee. The Chacato people, who lived
along the upper Chipola River, used this trail to
trade with the Spanish who by then occupied the
Apalachee Province around what is now
Tallahassee.
In that year a mission, La Encarnacion a la Santa
Cruz de Sabacola, was established just across from
the later Sneads site in the forks of the
Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers (within today's
Seminole County, Georgia). After a brief revolt
forced Spanish missionaries to evacuate the
missions of San Carlos and San Nicolas west of the
Chipola, a group of Christian Chacatos relocated to
the high bluff overlooking the forks in order to
maintain their ties with the Spanish.
In 1680, missionaries established a new doctrina or
mission post in this village, naming the
establishment San Carlos de Chacatos after the
earlier mission west of the Chipola. Consisting of a
church and surrounding village, this establishment
stood on the site of today's West Bank Overlook
adjacent to the Apalachee Correctional Institution.
The Spanish remained here until the mission was
destroyed by Alibamo warriors in 1696. The
survivors of the village relocated to a new site near
today's Tallahassee.
By the mid-1700s, a new Creek village of
considerable importance was established just south
of the San Carlos site. Called Tomatley, this town
stood on the Jackson County Port Authority site
just east of Sneads. By the late 1700s, Tomatley
was the site of a trading post operated by James
Burgess, a white man who had married a woman of
the village (along with other wives in other villages).
The warriors of Tomatley allied themselves with
the United States during the First Seminole War of
1817-1818. By this time, the village was the home
of an African-American trader known as the "Black
Factor" or "Mulatto King." He was still living here
when Florida was transferred from Spain to the
United States and, under the terms of the Treaty of
Moultrie Creek, was granted a small reservation at
the Port Authority site in 1823. The site remained
occupied until the 1830s when the people living on
the reservation complied with government requests
that they relocate to new homes west of the
Mississippi.
Long before the people of Tomatley left, however,
a white trader named William S. Pope had
established a settlement not far from their town.
Pope earned his living at the time by farming and
trading with the Native Americans. He also served
on the 1825 council to select a county seat location
for Jackson County.
| Sneads Town Pump One of Jackson County's most unique landmarks,the Sneads Town Pump is the center one of a beloved local legend. |
Due to its location adjacent to the crossing point
on the Apalachicola, Pope's Store slowly
developed into an important settlement. Among
the early residents was Dr. John Gorrie, a
physician better noted for his time in Apalachicola
where he invented a machine for making ice. Gorrie
is one of two Floridians honored with a statue in
the U.S. Capitol.
Pope's was the precurser of Gloucester, which in
turn was renamed "Snead's Store" when a voting
precinct was established there during the 1870s.
The arrival of the railroad in 1883 spurred the
growth of the community as an important shipping
point for cotton and lumber. The local population
boomed and the Town of Sneads was incorporated
the following year. The town was named in honor
of Dr. W.R. Snead, a prominent dentist.
One of the most popular local legends in Sneads is
that of the old town pump. Supposedly, anyone
who tastes water from the pump will always
return. For many years, a popular wedding day
tradition in Sneads was the taking of non-local
grooms to the pump for a head dunking to make
sure they would always come back.
The pump, along with a historic marker detailing
some of the history of the community, is located
on the Old Spanish Trail in the old downtown area.
Today, Sneads serves as Jackson County's
gateway to Lake Seminole, a 37,500 reservoir
formed by the Jim Woodruff Dam. Outstanding
recreation facilities and access points are available
at Sneads Park and Three Rivers State Recreation
Area.
The community also owes much of its economic
success to the presence of Apalachee Correctional
Institution, the ACI West Unit, Gulf Power
Company's Plant Scholz, and the Florida State
Hospital and River Junction Correctional
Institution just across the river in Chattahoochee.
on the Apalachicola, Pope's Store slowly
developed into an important settlement. Among
the early residents was Dr. John Gorrie, a
physician better noted for his time in Apalachicola
where he invented a machine for making ice. Gorrie
is one of two Floridians honored with a statue in
the U.S. Capitol.
Pope's was the precurser of Gloucester, which in
turn was renamed "Snead's Store" when a voting
precinct was established there during the 1870s.
The arrival of the railroad in 1883 spurred the
growth of the community as an important shipping
point for cotton and lumber. The local population
boomed and the Town of Sneads was incorporated
the following year. The town was named in honor
of Dr. W.R. Snead, a prominent dentist.
One of the most popular local legends in Sneads is
that of the old town pump. Supposedly, anyone
who tastes water from the pump will always
return. For many years, a popular wedding day
tradition in Sneads was the taking of non-local
grooms to the pump for a head dunking to make
sure they would always come back.
The pump, along with a historic marker detailing
some of the history of the community, is located
on the Old Spanish Trail in the old downtown area.
Today, Sneads serves as Jackson County's
gateway to Lake Seminole, a 37,500 reservoir
formed by the Jim Woodruff Dam. Outstanding
recreation facilities and access points are available
at Sneads Park and Three Rivers State Recreation
Area.
The community also owes much of its economic
success to the presence of Apalachee Correctional
Institution, the ACI West Unit, Gulf Power
Company's Plant Scholz, and the Florida State
Hospital and River Junction Correctional
Institution just across the river in Chattahoochee.
| Now Available! |
| Two Egg, Florida: A Collection of Ghost Stories, Legends and Unusual Facts by: Dale Cox The latest book from Southern writer and historian Dale Cox is now available! Two Egg, Florida is a unique collection of legends and "tall tales" from Northwest Florida. |
| Available in both Hard and Soft Cover |