Rebekah Sheats Contributor Birthdays are a wonderful time to gather with family and friends to celebrate the passing of one more year in a special person’s life. Some of us have had…
Category: History
Post Offices and Peanut Butter: A look at Monticello 90 years ago
Rebekah Sheats Contributor Well, we’ve officially entered the fourth quarter of 2022. As this year begins to draw to a close, let’s pause a minute and take a look at what was…
When Heaven holds a foot race
Heather Ainsley ECB Publishing, Inc. Life for James Wiley Roe began much like any other boy. He was born on Aug. 21, 1921, in Jefferson County at the “Old Cobb Place,” a…
Is it Columbus Day or Indigenous People’s Day?
Mickey Starling ECB Publishing, Inc. With all of the cultural confusion and conflict that is swirling these days, why not explore another area that is a hotbed of debate? Columbus Day, which is…
Do You Remember? A Look at September
Rebekah Sheats Contributor The days of September are quickly passing, and autumn is upon us. It’s a perfect time to stop, smell the freshness in the air, and reminisce about some of…
PRISCILLA COMES HOME
George M. Cole and John E. Ladson, III Aucilla Research Institute Attendees at the Monticello Watermelon Festival this year may have been surprised to see a large skeleton of a prehistoric animal…
Car Thieves, Kudzu, and the Chamber of Commerce
Submitted by Rebekah Sheats It all started a little over one hundred years ago. In 1919, residents of Jefferson County gathered to create a local body of individuals and merchants who could…
June was Black Music Month Black Female Musicians Valorized
Submitted by Rev. Gene Hall Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and…
Florida’s Forgotten Son? The Story of Otto M. Walker
Submitted by Rebekah Sheats In 1918, as a war raged around the world, a young Jefferson County son gave his life on a foreign battlefield far away, across the Atlantic Ocean. His…
A tribute to Fathers: History in action
Submitted by Rebekah Sheats A little over ninety years ago, in 1931, the Monticello News published a front-page article of particular interest to local families. The article featured comments and advice from…
Black Golfers: A rich heritage filled with intrigue and energy
Gene Hall Contributor For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7 I was proud to see Tiger Woods…
Garrett Proctor Sr. recognized as first black deputy in Jefferson County
Laura Young ECB Publishing, Inc. Garrett Proctor Sr. (1929-2007) was recognized during Black History Month by the Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners in a Proclamation detailing his historic role in the…
Black History program inspires and uplifts
Laura Young ECB Publishing, Inc. Hymns, prayers and devotional remarks began the Black History Program at the Jefferson Senior Citizens Center (JSCC) on Thursday, Feb. 17, creating a strong inspirational atmosphere for…
Livingston Place earns listing on National Register of Historic Places
Submitted by Brian Wiebler Tall Timbers The National Park Service added the 9,125-acre Livingston Place property in Greenville, Fla., to the National Register of Historic Places, making it one of the largest…
A mystery of history: Can you solve it?
Submitted by Rebekah Sheats History is full of mysteries and unanswered questions. Finding the answers is part of what makes history so interesting and such fun. Take, for example, a mysterious photograph…
A hidden historical treasure: Old Mt. Zion Cemetery offers the black community a connection to their past
Heather Ainsley ECB Publishing, Inc. Nestled in the vast acreage of the El Destino Plantation is a small parcel of land that holds within it a precious keepsake. Buried beneath the tall,…
International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the
Christian Peterson ECB Publishing, Inc. Jan. 27, has been a very important day in history for many years. For example, all the way back to 98 A.D., Trajan succeeded his adoptive father…
A tart taste and a colorful past
Devyn LeBlanc ECB Publishing, Inc. Cranberries, they’re tart and often pushed to the side in favor of sweeter berries such as strawberries and raspberries. During the winter holidays, however, the cranberry is…
4-H over the years
Devyn LeBlanc ECB Publishing, Inc. Since 4-H began more than 100 years ago, it has become the nation’s largest youth development organization. The 4-H idea is simple: help young people and…
Christmas in Jefferson County: A Window into the Past
Submitted by Rebekah Sheats Since Jefferson County’s inception almost two hundred years ago, Christmas has always been a festive occasion in every corner of the county, marked by joyous celebration and reverent…