Over the weekend, I made Ed get in the car with me. “Come on, let’s go on a short adventure and Diesel 🐾 can go too!” Ed reluctantly got in the car and we drove from Sewall’s Point the peninsula north to “see history”.

First up Indian River Drive looking for Captain Richard’s Pineapple plantation, remnants, which I was unsuccessful at finding.

“Oh well, I’m sure my mother can give me a landmark. She told me recently they knocked down the old Eden Post Office or something”. Ed looked at his phone not really listening.

I stopped at the intersection of Walton Road and Indian River Drive and read Ed the entire 1883 descriptive survey by B.A. Colonna out loud.

“What has gotten into you”? Ed asked.

“Well I am going to interview my mother on Monday and I want to do my homework.”

“About this 1883 survey you keep talking about? ”

“Yes”. I replied.

Ed actually enjoyed me reading the rare descriptive survey aloud as it is absolutely wonderful giving a peek into this area of Martin County long ago. It encompasses the historic coastal region from the Eden Post Office to Peck’s Lake.

We drove south on Indian River Drive and then up Skyline Drive. Ed said ” I used to run this”!

“Aggg.” I said. “That would be painful! When I was a kid, they called this KILLER HILL”.

“Those were great days, running…” Ed replied.

I parked the car at the very top of the highest ancient sand dune, 80 feet above sea level, now fittingly a church and could see miles in every direction. “Be careful”! Ed yelled from the passenger seat. Cars sped by. “This is where I saved the Gopher tortoise from the garbage truck”! I yelled.

~The Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Atlantic Ridge, Savannas and remnant forests to the west beckoned to an era long ago — before the asphalt, before the Dollar Stores, before the car repair shops, before the houses, and before the church.

“I think this may be Blue Hill” mentioned in the survey”, I said getting back into the car.

At this point, I figured I’d better do something “fun” with Ed and Diesel, forbid they never go on an unplanned historic weekend adventure again so I drove up Jensen Beach Boulevard to N.E. Savannah Road to visit Savannas Preserve State Park’s Hawk’s Bluff.

Ed and I had visited many times in the past 22 years with all of our other dogs (R.I. P. 🌈) but not with Diesel who is only a year and a half.

We entered and time seemed lost. Lake Eden of the Savannas was shining in the sun like an eternally beautiful old friend, the bench awaiting us.

“Don’t get too close to the water Diesel,” I teased. “Alligators will think you are a beanie weenie”! Diesel was so excited but on a leash.

For the first time ever, we met a Department of Environmental Protection ranger,  her name was  Kristen. She was super nice and told us all about the approximately one mile trial, a mixture of scrub, hammock, and savanna.

After a short hike, Ed and I made our way up the sugar sand hill and got back into the car. “Wow, I said. “So beautiful and peaceful and just a few miles away. History is cool, isn’t it”?

Ed smiled and I knew he had fun even if he wouldn’t tell me so. 🙂 Diesel always has fun if he gets out of the house!