My grandfather Elmer Summerall lived in Lacoochee Fl. and worked for this company until it no longer cut trees there. My dad would tell me stories of when he’d work with him. He said grandpa would move the snakes away with his ax or a stick, never worried about them or alligators. Dad would fish or look for berries to eat for lunch. It was really hard work. Thank for this video. Hope you can have it digitally cleaned up someday. Again thank you
Very interesting. I live in Franklin County Florida right near the mouth of the Apalachicola River (Eastpoint ,FL.). There are still artifacts around this area.Some smaller private mills between Apalachicola and Eastpoint . of course there are still some structures around made of cypress or have cypress in them. I always wondered how it was harvested and now I see.Thank you very much for posting the video I really enjoyed it. Very awesome!
My dad grew up in laccochee and my grandfather worked in the mill all his life. Remember going there and the place was a very very important part of my and my brothers life. Have played on the 104 many times. The engineer that operated it was my grandparents neighbor. Have nothing but great great memories of all this. Was there the day the mill shut down.
This film is a treasure. I hope it's been archived somewhere. The 1958 Steam is great. Next time your whining about your job at the Latte counter...well you know the rest.
Fascinating! If the original film still exists it would be amazing to see them rescanned and processed with modern technology. I bet a lot of the shots could be enhanced quite impressively. VHS never could capture the same detail as film.
@Jeff Miller Thank you for this! I'm from Dade City and remember the Cummer Sons Cypress Company and Lacoochee well. My mother's 1st job teaching here was in the 1 Room Schoolhouse in Lacoochee. Thankful they moved it to The Pioneer Museum in Dade City. Mr. Lewis Abraham is loved and missed by so many of us locals. He did a wonderful job narrating this film. Thankful to you for posting this.
Does anyone know if this was the loco on display just south of Dade City back in the 60's and 70's? There was also a flatcar with 3 huge cypress logs on it coupled to the tender.
The sound of the 104 is absolutely beautiful @ 31.35 to the end of the video!!!... This sound may one day again be heard as the Florida Railroad Museum works to raise funds to thoroughly inspect the Locomotive for viability of restoration to Operational condition... You can donate to the cause during your ticket purchase or donate directly to the #FireUp104 movement at www.FRRM.org
I guess your being sarcastic. They thought it was an inexhaustible resource. The cypress were done by the late 1940s. Inexpensive lumber drove the country.
I grew up between Dade City and Lacoochee and this brings back many memories. I am 74 years old.
My grandfather Elmer Summerall lived in Lacoochee Fl. and worked for this company until it no longer cut trees there. My dad would tell me stories of when he’d work with him. He said grandpa would move the snakes away with his ax or a stick, never worried about them or alligators. Dad would fish or look for berries to eat for lunch. It was really hard work. Thank for this video. Hope you can have it digitally cleaned up someday. Again thank you
Very interesting. I live in Franklin County Florida right near the mouth of the Apalachicola River (Eastpoint ,FL.). There are still artifacts around this area.Some smaller private mills between Apalachicola and Eastpoint . of course there are still some structures around made of cypress or have cypress in them. I always wondered how it was harvested and now I see.Thank you very much for posting the video I really enjoyed it. Very awesome!
Valuable insight into a bygone era.
.Good hard working men. Credit to them. Great post.
My dad grew up in laccochee and my grandfather worked in the mill all his life. Remember going there and the place was a very very important part of my and my brothers life. Have played on the 104 many times. The engineer that operated it was my grandparents neighbor. Have nothing but great great memories of all this. Was there the day the mill shut down.
Howdy neighbor im up in citrus county... and I'm pretty sure my uncle billy carlton worked there for a long time .60s 70s???. Do you recall him
Fascinating and sad at the same time. Thanks Jeff.
This film is a treasure. I hope it's been archived somewhere. The 1958 Steam is great. Next time your whining about your job at the Latte counter...well you know the rest.
That is awesome. Appreciate the video man
Tough men having their way with mother earth. It’s so good being at the top of the food chain.
The 104 now resides at the Florida Railroad Museum in Willow.
Fascinating! If the original film still exists it would be amazing to see them rescanned and processed with modern technology. I bet a lot of the shots could be enhanced quite impressively. VHS never could capture the same detail as film.
I have the same wish. The only copy I have ever come across is this VHS tape, probably several generations of dubbing, so that is what I used.
@Jeff Miller Thank you for this! I'm from Dade City and remember the Cummer Sons Cypress Company and Lacoochee well. My mother's 1st job teaching here was in the 1 Room Schoolhouse in Lacoochee. Thankful they moved it to The Pioneer Museum in Dade City. Mr. Lewis Abraham is loved and missed by so many of us locals. He did a wonderful job narrating this film. Thankful to you for posting this.
thank you very much.
"This is something OSHA would frown upon" thats an understatement lmao
Does anyone know if this was the loco on display just south of Dade City back in the 60's and 70's? There was also a flatcar with 3 huge cypress logs on it coupled to the tender.
I remember seeing that. Not sure if it was the 104 though
Thank you for sharing..
Amazing video thank you!
Have you seen the old camp kitchen in the Withlacoochee State Forest near the old mill. I have a video cooking there.
So I volunteer at the Pioneer Florida Museum, we have #3 a 4-6-0 locomotive from their railroad l.
The sound of the 104 is absolutely beautiful @ 31.35 to the end of the video!!!...
This sound may one day again be heard as the Florida Railroad Museum works to raise funds to thoroughly inspect the Locomotive for viability of restoration to Operational condition... You can donate to the cause during your ticket purchase or donate directly to the #FireUp104
movement at www.FRRM.org
my daddy talked about this Bill McKinstry(sp?) a lot....
Wonder where most of the lumber sold retail? Up north?
A lot of this wood would've went to Fernandina or St.Augustine for shrimp boat building.
Yep Yankees took. Most of them north for furniture and building houses
Cypress trees throw false rings so you can’t count the radius for an accurate date.
Can I post this video to our channel?
Go read the book, “Land of Dead Giants”. It’s about the felling of the great cypress in Louisiana. (Fiction)
Is there any old surveys of the Cummer tracts?
Tough way to earn a buck.
Way2go white man.
I guess your being sarcastic. They thought it was an inexhaustible resource. The cypress were done by the late 1940s. Inexpensive lumber drove the country.
Yep they did provide a job
Sam you are an angry, jealous, aggrieved liberal. 😂 Don’t change. Stay miserable you pos.
when white men would still work