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| 'William Bartram Trail' marker in Pensacola, Fla. |
This week’s featured historical marker is the “WILLIAM
BARTRAM TRAIL” marker in Pensacola, Fla. This National Council of State Garden
Clubs historical marker is located just off East Main Street in the William
Bartram Memorial Park.
This marker was erected by the Althea Garden Club in
cooperation with the City of Pensacola, the Architectural Review Board and
Florida Federation of Garden Club, Inc. Unlike most historical markers, this
marker doesn’t indicate when it was put in place. There’s text on both sides of
the marker, but both sides are the same. What follows in the complete text from
the marker:
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“National Council of State Garden Clubs, Deep South Region,
WILLIAM BARTRAM TRAIL, Traced 1773-1777: In 1775, William Bartram described
Pensacola and the hospitality he received when even Gov. Chester urged him to
be his houseguest. Erected by Althea Garden Club in cooperation with the City
of Pensacola, the Architectural Review Board, Florida Federation of Garden
Clubs, Inc.”
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Bartram
was a famous naturalist from Pennsylvania and he was noted for his detailed
drawings of plants and birds. He is perhaps best remembered for his four-year
scientific journey through what was then the British colonies that now make up
the Southeastern U.S. When he was done, he wrote a book called “Travels through
North & South Carolina, East & West Florida, the Cherokee Country, the
Extensive Territories of the Muscogulges, or Creek Confederacy, and the Country
of the Chactaws, Containing an Account of the Soil and Natural Productions of
Those Regions, Together with Observations on the Manners of the Indians.” Most
people know the book by its short title, “Bartram’s Travels.”
According to the Web site, www.bartramtrail.org, Bartram hadn’t
actually made big plans to visit Pensacola. “While waiting for a ship to take
him from Mobile to the Pearl River further west, Bartram decided ‘to fill up
this time’ by joining a boat destined for the Perdedo River ‘for the purpose of
securing the remains of a wreck.’ His subsequent arrival in Pensacola was
‘merely accidental and undesigned.’
“Although he ‘designed to conceal my avocations, Bartram was
soon introduced to Governor Chester of West Florida, who: ‘Commended my
pursuits, and invited me to continue in West Florida in researches after
subjects of natural history, etc. nobly offering to bear my expences [sic], and
a residence in his own family as long as I chose to continue in the colony…’
Although his visit to Pensacola was a brief one, Bartram was evidently
impressed by the city and gives detailed descriptions of it in his Travels.
Anxious to continue his trip to the Mississippi, Bartram returned by boat to
Mobile shortly after his arrival.”
Peter Chester was the governor of British West Florida from August
1770 until May 9, 1781. I was unable to find much personal information about
Chester, including when and where he was born and when and where he died. If
anyone out there has any more information about him, please let me know.
In the end, visit this site next Wednesday to learn about
another historical marker. I’m also taking suggestions from the reading
audience, so if you know of an interesting historical marker that you’d like me
to feature, let me know in the comments section below.
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