Micanopy: The Town that Time Forgot

A Saturday visit to Micanopy demonstrated the laid back way of life in this small Florida town.  Closing in on 10:00 a.m., the streets were void of cars and the shops had not yet opened.  The only life in this little town at that time of the morning was at the Coffee n’ Cream Café.  Guests sat outside on the porch, having their morning coffee and catching up on each other’s lives.  They were the early birds.  We were told most people didn’t start showing up in town until sometime between 10:00 a.m. and noon.

Micanopy is the oldest inland community in Florida and was named for Seminole Indian Chief Micanopy.  The town started out as an Indian trading post in 1821.  When a 45-mile road from present-day Palatka to Micanopy was built in 1822 by a select group of settlers and craftsmen from New York, it opened the area up to what would become a vegetable growing hub and busy market town in this section of the state.

The town fell into some hard times during the Second Seminole War in the 1830s and had to be rebuilt. Some of those buildings are now on the National Register of Historic Places.

 

Known as “The Town that Time Forgot,” Micanopy is home to about 600 people.  The main street through town, Cholokka Boulevard, is lined with gift shops and antique stores, from the eclectic to the traditional.  Those shops are a draw for tourists.

Another draw is The Herlong Mansion Historic Inn and Gardens which epitomizes the charm of Micanopy.  A long brick sidewalk leads to the front doors of this bed and breakfast.  Built in 1845, the mansion now hosts a series of suites, rooms and cottages.

The charm of this little town has also been the backdrop for a couple of movies.  Micanopy was the setting for Cross Creek in 1985 and then in 1991 turned into Grady, South Carolina for a few short months during the filming of Doc Hollywood, starring Michael J. Fox.  If you look close enough, you can see where the building that served as the garage where Dr. Stone’s car was repaired.

Not everything is always quiet here.  One weekend out of the year, the town transforms into a two-day arts and crafts festival which draws in tens of thousands of people into the small downtown area.  The main boulevard is closed off for vendors from around the state for the Micanopy Fall Festival.

Food, crafts and art.  A winning combination for Micanopy.

Once the festival ends, the town goes back to the way it was:  one of those little gems that can be found off the main highways.  If you want to get out early on a Saturday to do a little antique shopping, wait until after 10:00 a.m.  But if you’re looking for a quiet way to start the day, this little town is the perfect place.

A quaint little town.

This antique store is permanently closed. FM Facts

The 42^nd Annual Micanopy Fall Festival will be held Saturday and Sunday, October 28 and 29, 2017.