Got the 4th and last of the current series for this stamp on a visit today to the Naval Live Oaks VC in Pensacola, Florida, which is actually part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore Unit.
Won't get "credit" for this one, since it is a "duplicate" and not allowed under the rules. At least there were 3 out of the 4 that were unique to the trail.
This Visitor Center is just down the road from the Pensacola Air Museum, on the base at Pensacola Air Station.
Due to the sequester, or that is what it was blamed on, this VC is only open on the weekends now, rather than being open daily. When I got there, it was locked! My heart sank, but I found a Rangerette cleaning the bathroom, and she said the other Ranger just forgot to unlock the door. Geesh!!
Got the one stamp that was available here.
This part of the park is actually what used to be the "black beach" up until desegregation:
Pensacola's black community continued to prosper in spite of segregation and “Jim Crow” laws imposed at the end of the Reconstruction Era that continued into the 20th century. Segregation was extended to the beaches, and Pensacola Beach was "whites only." Among the few beaches open to African-Americans was Rosamond Johnson Beach on Perdido Key, now a part of the Seashore.
Private Rosamond Johnson, Jr. was killed on July 26, 1950 during the Korean Conflict. Having carried two wounded men to safety under enemy fire, he was killed going back for a third, becoming the first African-American from this area to die in that conflict.
How many of the visitors enjoying Johnson Beach today notice the modest memorial to this man? How many know that Johnson joined a long roll of African-Americans who have fought for this country in every war since the Revolution? The contributions and experiences of African-Americans in Pensacola are a bigger part of our history than many suspect. Theirs is a remarkable tale of contributions and successes in the face of constant struggles and overwhelming obstacles.
I was able to get the site stamp here, which was located at the entrance station.
I had previously visited one half of this park, which is split between the Pensacola Florida area and two locations near Biloxi Mississippi. Fort Pickens is located in the greater Pensacola area. We are actually camped at the National Park Campground on the grounds of the park.
Super park, has Oceanside and bayside access, by walking, and good water and electric.
It's about a 15 mile drive or so over to downtown Pensacola- The other parts to this park are Naval Live Oaks, which I will visit on Monday, Fort Barrancas, which I will go to tomorrow, and a section called Perdido Key, which has the Rosamond Johnson Beach, which I will also see tomorrow. There is another section, the Opal Beach Ranger Station, but it is not now staffed due to sequestration.
The park brings to mind Cape Hatteras National Seashore or Padre Island NS as well- has a 8 mile or so stretch of beach, with no development.
I got the two stamps that were offered at Fort Pickens- so it was a good stamping day- I also got 5 pins and 4 hiking medallions plus some postcards.
Looking forward to exploring the other parts of the park in the next two days.
Today, June 1st, I was able to get the Florida Scenic Trail Stamp at the Fort Pickens VC location- Fort Pickens is actually part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore.
I now have 3 of the 4 available locations for this stamp, will get the Naval Live Oaks VC stamp on Monday when that VC is reopened for the week.
On the way to Pensacola to start this year's trip, I stopped in at the USFS office in Tallahassee, and got a Florida Scenic Trail Stamp.
The office was located on John Knox Road, but it took a bit to actually find the office, since it was in the back of the building, and not very well marked.
There are a total of four sites for this stamp- I already have Big Cypress Oasis VC, and will get Fort Pickens and Naval Live Oaks VC's from Gulf Islands NS locations by Monday.
This was a revisit to this park on our way up to Greenwood to visit the grandsons before our big trip for 2013. My last visit to this park was on September 5, 2010, when I visited with Grandson Cooper on our way to a Charleston SC weekend.
Today was frankly a stamp and run visit, since I had as my goal to get impressions of the "new" to me stamps since my last visit.
It went as planned, as I got all 5 of the stamps I had been missing for this park.
As you can see from the map, the Park is roughly in the center of the state. It is actually an example of a "living swamp" indigineous to South Carolina.
The last time we were here, Cooper and I walked the entire length of the 2.6 mile nature walk!
Being in a swamp, they provide you with a "Mosquito Meter" at the Visitor's Center before you head out, which is handy.
I got a new for me pin and also a new for me hiking staff medallion here today-
Also got some postcards for my nephews and for the collection.
Here's the stamps for the day:
Mission accomplished!
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