White Springs has 80 properties on the National Historic Registry and another two dozen non-contributing resources. Beyond the homes on the Walking Tour, there are a lot of artifacts and buildings that may not be registered historical (though a couple are), they are obviously historical.
Water Pumps
On the North side of the Suwannee Hardware & Feed store near the Bridge St. sidewalk, stand three water pumps. These types of pumps, often called "pitcher pumps," were commonly used on farms and in rural areas before the widespread adoption of electric pumps and indoor plumbing.
Kelvinator
Before Freon, the Adams Brothers Store had a Methyl Chloride Refrigerator from 1914 through 1929. It is located by the back door of Suwannee Hardware & Feed.
Landline
Inside Suwannee Hardware & Feed is an old landline phone. It is from a time before rotary dials. It doesn't send or receive texts and is not connected to Windstream at this time.
Potato Harvester
This plow is between the Produce building and the sidewalk. This machine was primarily used to unearth potatoes from the soil, typically leaving them on the surface for collection. Older models, like the one likely depicted, were often horse-drawn and operated by a ground-drive mechanism. A flat blade or "shoe" would run under the potato row, lifting the potatoes and soil onto a rotating or shaking mechanism (often a "reel" or chain of bars) that would separate the potatoes from the dirt and leave them on the ground.
Field Tools
There are several field tools on display around the Suwannee Hardware and Feed property. These types of implements were commonly used in the 19th and early 20th centuries for tilling soil and preparing land for planting before the widespread adoption of mechanized farm equipment.
Fairbanks Scale
The White Springs Historic District's one object, the cotton scale, was associated with the commercial operations at the Adam's store, and was accessed from Spring Street. The scale was used to weigh bales of cotton brought by farmers to sell or exchange for credit. The manufacturer's name, “Fairbanks Scale, Atlanta” is still present on the scale. The scale is protected by a metal roof supported on posts.
Wilson Frog
Don Wilson's Father created this sculpture at their farm. When the land passed, Don moved this father's creation to the Suwannee Hardware & Feed, under the Catalpa tree.
Gas Cans
This is a wall of old cans, and a few small pumps.
Old Tandem
An old tandem bicycle on the side of Suwannee Hardware & Feed.
Catalpa Tree
This is reportedly the largest Catalpa tree in Florida. It is located immediately North of the Blacksmith area.
Behind the Hardware Store is the Blacksmith Forge, which runs on pea coal and a hand-turned blower. It is still used by a few local blacksmiths, usually during Store events.
Small Forges
Beside the permanent forge structure are a pair of smaller portable forges. One is missing its blower. Neither has been used lately.
It was manufactured by the Buffalo Forge Company, founded in 1878 by brothers William and Henry Wendt in Buffalo, New York. The hearth, the circular pan in the image, holds the solid fuel (like coal or charcoal). The hand-cranked blower on the side, a key innovation by Buffalo Forge at the time, provides a forced air blast to the fire, increasing its temperature to a working heat suitable for shaping metal.
Grinding Wheel
This pedal operated stone was used to sharpen blades. It is located in the Blacksmith Forge building by Hamilton St. These tools were commonly used in the 19th and early 20th centuries for sharpening and grinding various tools like knives, axes, and farm implements. These pedal-powered grinders were an improvement over earlier hand-cranked or treadle-powered versions, offering greater efficiency and ease of use for sharpening tasks before the widespread adoption of electric grinders.
Sugar Cane
Sugar Cane used to be a big product locally, and Suwannee Hardware & Feed has a couple of old engines that were used to squeeze the cane and extract the sap. They also built a vat more recently for boiling the sap to make syrup.
Fry Pans
On the back wall of the Blacksmith building is an impressive collection of cast iron fry pans and other implements.
Old Store
Suwannee Hardware & Feed includes the main building, the Blacksmith building, several open storage areas, and the old store, facing Hamilton Ave. It may have been built around 1910.
Old Jail
At one time in the past, this was the White Springs Jail and Town Hall. It is located on Hamilton Street just West of Omalgalee Park. It is believed to have been built around 1912.
White Springs Diner
The White Springs Diner closed a decade ago, but the building dates back to 1912. A fire damaged the interior, though it is being restored by the owners, and may open again . They are trying to restore the mural around the main room.
Bridge Street
There are three homes on Bridge St that are currently unoccupied and are in disrepair. The two vernacular homes are from about 1900, while the third Georgian style home (the Edwards-Suty House) is circa 1850.
Fire Extinguisher
On the front porch of the Telford Hotel is a large, antique wheeled fire extinguisher, also sometimes referred to as a chemical engine or chemical fire extinguisher. These were large, wheeled units typically containing chemicals that would react to produce foam or gas to extinguish fires, predating modern pressurized extinguishers. They were commonly used by fire departments and in large industrial or public buildings in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Carver School
Carver High School located on Mill Street was built in 1954 and operated as first, a high school, and then an elementary school until full desegregation took place in 1970-71, at which time Black and white students merged into South Hamilton Elementary.
Read more at: https://valdostadailytimes.com/2017/09/08/around-the-banks-the-evolution-of-education-in-hamilton-county/
Eastside Cemetery
White Springs has had two cemeteries during its history. Riverside Cemetery was for the whites, and Eastside Memorial Cemetery was for the Black community. Adams Memorial Drive encircles the two adjacent grounds.