The new changing exhibit in the Pensacola Historical Museum is Pine Woods to Port City. The exhibit is a collaboration between the Pensacola Historical Society and the Alger-Sullivan Historical Society in Century, Florida. This exhibit was funded by an International Paper Foundation Grant. The exhibit highlights the lumber industry that flourished in Northwest Florida. Longleaf Pine forests blanketed Northwest Florida and South Alabama. Artifacts on display include log dog, double ox yoke, peavey and log drag of the Alger-Sullivan Historical Society.
That said, at first I was not excited about the prospect of this exhibit. I didn't feel the muse, and then a strange thing happened. I began to dream about Longleaf Pine trees. I began to worry that the pesky pine trees that were in my yard, forever dropping pine needles--which are now totally gone due to Ivan and Dennis--were Longleaf Pines. (an aside, mine weren't Longleaf) Who knew a Longleaf Pine could live for centuries and reach up to 80 feet high? That means, a Longleaf could possibly still be alive that witnessed the landing of Tristan de Luna in 1559. But of course that is only if it survived the lumber industry's aggression during the 1880's - 1920's. The forests were so abundant that early lumbermen did not even consider what would happen when the trees disappeared. Some later lumber companies did, but often it was too late for them to reap the benefits of reforestation. Today there are Longleaf Pine reserves scattered around the state.
The exhibt runs until July 3, 2009.
