Most are surprised when I share there were over 80 major cotton plantations in Leon County alone.

Before the Civil War, the population of Leon County was almost 75% enslaved people.

This area between to Apalachicola River and the Suwanee is extremely fertile and therefore attracted cotton prospectors.

I look forward to seeing this documentary.

The first published was "From Cotton to Quail: An Agricultural Chronicle of Leon County, Florida, 1860-1967" about the transition from cotton plantations in Leon County to hunting plantations specializing in quail. While writing this book Mr. Paisley obtained access to original plantation records so he followed it up with "The Red Hills of Florida, 1528-1865" which covers the creation of the plantation culture dependent on slaves.

Both are excellent books and well worth pursuing. "Cotton to Quail" was published by the University of Florida, "The Red Hills" by University of Alabama. They are both still in print.

What I was surprised by was that the cotton plantations went very close to the coast in the Big Bend area. Where there are now planted pines was cotton plantations before the Civil War.

Are you in Leon County? I'm in the northeast part of the county.

I've read "The Red Hill of Florida".

Another lesser known book is Creating an Old South: Middle Florida's Plantation Frontier before the Civil War by Edward E. Baptist. Very well researched.

I live about a mile and a half from the Capitol in Woodland Drives (next to Myers Park) neighborhood... also once a plantation owned by Edward Houston. I think about that a lot as I'm out walking.

While it is not exciting, it covers the entire history of slavery in Florida. I'll have to look up the Baptist book, it sounds like a good addition to our collection.

I live off of Centerville Road, out towards Bradley's Country Store, right in the Red Hills. When we bought this place in 1978, it backed up onto Chemonie Plantation. Unfortunately, they traded the land behind us for a larger piece in Jefferson County and we now have Chemonie Crossing subdivision to our east.

I used to know your subdivision pretty good - I had a friend who lived on Old Fort Drive. I haven't been through there for maybe twenty years, but I bet it hasn't changed much.

It is hard to watch, but it's educational.