Another Florida Website by Naples travel writer & real estate agent MARLENE GRAHAM www.mostinterestingwomanintheworld.com (239) 821-9046 marlenegraham@earthlink.net
Also check out www.NaplesHomefinders.com, www.NaplesTouristCenter.com, www.MarcoTouristCenter.com, www.KeyWestTouristCenter.com
I found Micanopy, Florida, recently by accident.
Many years ago when I spread open a map of Florida and pecked out a bunch of florida town "domain names" (purchasing the few that were still available for gradual integration into my real estate and tourism business), I didn't get Micanopy, Florida. The big towns and cities, were long gone of course, and the few towns not yet been registered became mine only because they had not yet caught the eye of a internet savvy entrepreneur. But not so with Micanopy Florida. For years MicanopyFlorida.com was owned by someone else. Then this year when it suddenly expired and went on the auction block, I took note of the name and following a bit of strategic bidding came out the winner.
Then a strange thing happened. Almost simultaneously I got to know Micanopy personally through an internet fluke. While searching the internet for last minute accommodations to the UF/FSU game I came across a bed and breakfast in Micanopy, managed to score the very last room, and as a result this "accidental tourist" has been raving about the hamlet ever since.
By the way, if you've ever watched the movie Doc Hollywood, you may have already visited Micanopy.
ABOUT MICANOPY
Micanopy is a town in Alachua County, just a hair south of Gainesville. The population is said to be approximately 700 give or take, and it has a very cool historic district with some pretty interesting "shoot from the hip" antique stores. Now generally speaking I'm not an antiquer, but visiting these stores was more like going to indoor yard sales. You just never know what you might find.
Or who might be sitting outside his shop strumming a guitar. Or who might be sitting inside a store, watching the register, but being more than willing to tell the story of Doc Hollywood coming to town.
But one of the things you have to get straight first is the pronunciation of this town: It is mick-a-no-pee. Once you have that down, you have one up on many folks who just don't have a clue.
According to the story, Micanopy was the first distinct United States town in Florida. Actually it was previously a Seminole village called Cuscowilla when visited by the exploring naturalist Willam Batram, who happened into the region in 1774. He was so impressed with these fertile lands and wrote so favorably in the area's regard that ultimately settlers arrived in the region. Settlement began in earnest after Spain ceded the territory in 1821 with two forts were located here in the 1800s: first Fort Defiance from 1835 till 1836, and then Fort Micanopy from 1837 to 1843. Micanopy was the name of a Seminole Indian Chief. Sadly this region was also home to someof the bloodiest battles of the Second Seminole Indian War.
In 1983 Micanopy was listed on the National Register of Historic Places and as mentioned earlier has been used as the location for several movies including Cross Creek in 1983 and Doc Hollywood in 1991. It has also been mentioned in a Tom Petty song "A Mind with a Heat of Its Own (Full Moon Fever album), and in the country music song "Seminole Wind."
Micanopy hosts a large arts festival in the fall.