Cross Creek, Florida facts for kids
Cross Creek is a small, quiet community in Alachua County, Florida, in the United States. It's not a city with a mayor, but a special place known for its natural beauty. The community is named after Cross Creek, which is a short stream. This stream connects two large lakes: Orange Lake and Lochloosa Lake.
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Where is Cross Creek?
Cross Creek is located in the very southeastern part of Alachua County. It's about 20 miles (32 km) southeast of Gainesville, which is the main city in the county. It's also about 24 miles (39 km) north of Ocala. The community sits on a narrow strip of land between Orange Lake and Lochloosa Lake. This means water is a big part of life here!
History of Cross Creek
Cross Creek is famous because it was the home of a well-known American author named Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. She lived there and wrote several of her books about the area.
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings' Home
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings wrote four of her books while living in Cross Creek. One of her most famous books is The Yearling. This novel won a special award called the Pulitzer Prize. The Yearling was even made into a movie in 1946. She also wrote a book about her life in Cross Creek, simply titled Cross Creek. This book was also made into a movie in 1983.
Early Days in Cross Creek
People started settling in Cross Creek in the 1800s. Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings' house might have been built around the 1880s. When she moved there in 1928, Cross Creek was very small. She said only seven families lived there. The roads were not paved, and there was no electricity or ice.
Things started to change over time. Electricity came to Cross Creek in 1948. The main road through the community, Alachua County Road 325, was paved around the same time. Another road, the River Styx Road (Alachua County Road 346), was paved later in 1962.
Growth and Changes
In the 1950s and 1960s, Cross Creek began to grow. A local man named Ben Wheeler dug canals and built many houses, especially along the waterfront. More people started moving to "The Creek" from other places, including the northern United States. This changed the original, quiet feel of the community. By the end of the 1900s, it would have looked very different to Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings.
Even with these changes, Cross Creek still has a special charm. The unique natural surroundings and some of the older houses, like Mrs. Rawlings' home, help it keep its unique character. Her home is now a Florida State Park and a National Historic Site, which means it's protected and open for people to visit.
Education in Cross Creek
Students in Cross Creek go to public schools in nearby towns. The closest public high school and elementary school are in Hawthorne, which is about fifteen miles away. There is also a charter school in Micanopy, about nine miles from Cross Creek.
