The Suwannee River (also spelled Suwanee River or Swanee River ) is a river that runs through south Georgia southward into Florida in the Southern United States . It is a wild blackwater river , about 246 miles (396 km) long. The Suwannee River is the site of the prehistoric Suwanee Straits that separated the Florida peninsula from the Florida panhandle and the rest of the continent. Spelled as "Swanee", it is the namesake of two famous songs: " Way Down Upon the Swanee River " (1851) and " Swanee " (1919).
12-450: Swanee may refer to: Suwannee River , re-spelled "Swanee" by Stephen Foster to fit the rhythm in " Old Folks at Home ", influencing subsequent uses of the word, such as: "Swanee" (song) , a song by George Gershwin and Irving Caesar, made popular by Al Jolson Slide whistle , also called a swanee whistle Swanee, a soft drink made by the defunct Bob's-Cola company Swanee (singer) ,
24-479: A #1 hit by Al Jolson. The river thus being internationally famous much beyond other rivers of its size and importance, the Suwanee is presumably the referent in the idiom "go down the swanny" (a variation of "go down the river"), meaning "finished, used up, gone to hell". "Swanee whistle", another name for slide whistle , is also probably based on "swanee" as a variant spelling of "Suwanee". The Suwannee River
36-466: Is a diverse and rich ecological space, hosting varied aquatic and wetland habitats. It is home to a large number of temperate and subtropical species, including unique and endangered ones. The Suwannee alligator snapping turtle , described scientifically only in 2014, is endemic to the Suwannee river basin. According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, "The Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge
48-400: Is unlike other refuges in that it was not established for the protection of a specific species, but in order to protect the high water quality of the historic Suwannee River." The Suwannee River Wilderness Trail is "a connected web of Florida State Parks, preserves and wilderness areas" that stretches more than 170 miles (274 kilometers), from Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park to
60-601: The Civil War , and the sulphur springs at White Springs became popular as a health resort, with 14 hotels in operation in the late 19th century. The Suwanee (given as "Swanee") is the locale of the protagonist's longed-for home in two famous songs: Steven Fosters 1851 " Old Folks at Home ", which is commonly called by its first line ("Way down upon the Swanee River") or just "Swanee River", and George Gershwin's 1919 song " Swanee " (partly inspired by Foster's song) made
72-586: The Gulf of Mexico . The Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge offers bird and wildlife observation, wildlife photography, fishing, canoeing, hunting, and interpretive walks. Facilities include foot trails, boardwalks, paddling trails, wildlife drives, archaeological sites, observation decks and fishing piers. Seminole (tribe) Too Many Requests If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include
84-607: The Okefenokee Swamp in the town of Fargo, Georgia. The river runs southwestward into the Florida Panhandle, then drops in elevation through limestone layers into a rare Florida whitewater rapid. Past the rapid, the Suwanee turns west near the town of White Springs, Florida , then connects to the confluences of the Alapaha River and Withlacoochee River . The confluences of these three rivers form
96-585: The Yustaga , who lived on the west side of the river; and the Northern Utina , who lived on the east side. By 1633, the Spanish had established the missions of San Juan de Guacara, San Francisco de Chuaquin, and San Augustin de Urihica along the Suwannee to convert these western Timucua peoples. In the 18th century, Seminoles lived by the river. The steamboat Madison operated on the river before
108-583: The Suwannee . Different etymologies have been suggested for the modern name. The Suwannee River area has been inhabited by humans for thousands of years. During the first millennium it was inhabited by the people of the Weedon Island culture , and around the year 900 a derivative local culture known as the Suwanee River Valley culture developed. By the 16th century, the river was inhabited by two closely related Timuca -speaking peoples:
120-470: The link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Swanee&oldid=1044190099 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Suwannee River The headwaters of the Suwannee River are in
132-541: The southern borderline of Hamilton County, Florida . The Suwanee then bends southward near the town of Ellaville , followed by Luraville, then joins together with the Santa Fe River from the east, south of the town of Branford . The river ends and drains into the Gulf of Mexico on the outskirts of Suwannee . The Spanish recorded the native Timucua name of Guacara for the river that would later become known as
SECTION 10
#1732780506880144-410: The stage name of John Swan, an Australian rock singer See also [ edit ] Sewanee (disambiguation) Suwanee (disambiguation) Suwannee (disambiguation) Swanee River (disambiguation) Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Swanee . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change
#879120