To hell and back: the legend behind Florida's oddest-named state forest.
Let's face it, Tate's Hell is a rather odd name for a state park, particularly if the concept of the state park system is to entice people to want to visit. Leave it to Florida to never shy away from the strange and memorable.
As it turns out, at least in the case of Tate's Hell, the name is born from local legend. Folklore, if you will.
It is said that back in 1875, a farmer by the name of Cebe Tate headed into the forest searching for a Florida panther that was killing his livestock. Armed with a shotgun and accompanied by his hunting dogs, Cebe went missing for seven days. At which time after, a snakebitten, delirious Cebe emerged from the woods and collapsed in a clearing near Carrabelle, Florida. He lived barely long enough to whisper these final words to the local farm boys who found him: "My name is Cebe Tate, and I just came from Hell."
Now, whether or not Cebe experienced hell during those torturous seven days and seven nights, or if Cebe was even real, is debatable. What is not debatable is the rich history of this pristine and protected area, now enjoyed by many visitors from around the country.
A park with a past
- People of the Apalachee lived in the area since at least AD 1000, their numbers totaling around 60,000 before European contact.
- In 1862, the Union blockade ship Sagamore encountered a group of Carrabelle citizens, who dubbed themselves the "Carrabelle Irregulars." During the battle that followed, 17 of the 21 Union soldiers aboard the Sagamore died.
- The Crooked River Lighthouse was built in 1895 to replace the Dog Island lighthouse destroyed by a hurricane in 1875. The lighthouse led boats safely through the channel for 100 years, until the U.S. Coast Guard decommissioned it.
- The year 1900 brought a hurricane that destroyed Carrabelle's coastal downtown. It was so bad, the town decided to rebuild inland.
The boom times of the lumber industry began in 1875, the same year as poor Cebe's demise. It's believed that the sudden influx of people, combined with the folklore being passed around to the masses, is the reason his legacy lives on.
Pine was harvested and planted throughout the area. In the 1960s, planting and production of pine ramped up. The ditches and logging roads began to change the natural movement of water dramatically. Heavy use of phosphorus and nitrogen fertilizers also began to alter and impact Apalachicola Bay and surrounding waterways.
As part of an effort to restore the health of Apalachicola Bay, Florida purchased these 202,000 acres in 1994, and in a nod to local lore, christened it Tate's Hell State Forest. The land is between the Apalachicola and Ochlockonee rivers and contains more than 35 miles of rivers, creeks, and streams.
Instead of Hell, you'll find rollicking rivers, miles of hiking trails, beautiful campsites, and one rare tree.
A popular area in Tate's Hell is the Ralph G. Kendrick Boardwalk. This boardwalk and observation tower overlooks a large area of rare dwarf cypress. The cypress trees there date back 150–300 years, yet only grow to a maximum height of 15 feet. It's speculated that a clay shelf prevents the cypress from reaching its typical height of 60–80 feet. As some evidence, forestry officials have even grown normal-sized cypress from the seeds of these dwarf trees.
Also found in Tate's Hell are rare wildflowers, grasses, and pitcher plants. The white birds-in-a-nest wildflower grows in only four Florida counties. Thick-leaved water willow, Florida bear grass, Chapman's butterwort, and the small-flowered meadow beauty are other endangered plants that thrive in Tate's Hell. Surrounded by the sounds of insects and birds, it isn't hard to imagine how wild and formidable this forest must have been during the unfortunate times of Mr. Tate.
Primitive and RV campsites criss-cross the state forest, many with gorgeous waterfront views. Park rangers are also putting the finishing touches on a canoe trail, to give visitors a guide for exploring the waterways. According to the rangers, large areas of the forest are dead zones for cell phone coverage, which might very well sound like hell to some. For others, it's precisely why they make the trek to get away.
The ballad of Tate's Hell
Tamara Allen, with the Carrabelle History Museum, shared her favorite version of the Cebe Tate legend. It just so happens to be in the form of a song, written by the late Florida folk singer Will McLean (1919–1990). In it, Old Tate leaves Sumatra at dark with two big dogs and a puppy named Spark, chasing a panther deep into the titi and bramble. The dogs don't come back. The mist comes in. A rattler catches him above the knee, and he cuts and binds the wound with moss and string. When he's finally found, he manages one line before he's gone.
Recordings and books are available through the Will McLean Foundation.
While you're in Carrabelle
- Carrabelle History Museum — 106 Avenue B SE, Carrabelle
- Crooked River Lighthouse Park — 1975 Hwy 98 W, Carrabelle
- Camp Gordon Johnston WWII Museum — 1873 Highway 98 W, Carrabelle
- The World's Smallest Police Station — featured on The Today Show, Ripley's Believe It or Not, and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
- The Big Bend Scenic Byway
Originally published in Beach Happy Magazine, Issue 3
