Train villians to blue angels

As I begin traveling through the panhandle of Florida in the perfect season of March, I notice there is an interesting presence of the past colliding with the present.  From History Markers to newly painted Water Towers I find myself wanting to dig up as much as I can about the the 'oldest town in America' - Pensacola. 

I am told the most famous train robber, 'Railroad Bill' is buried in the St Johns Cemetery.  Finding this tombstone took some work as there are over 20,000 folks buried here.  It was somewhat easy to identify with the engraved train at the top.  Morris Slater is his real name.  The earliest records teach us he began his showmanship working with a traveling circus.  One day Morris was literally thrown off of L and N Railroad moving train for trying to steal a ride.  He began a personal vendetta against the company forming a gang to rob their trains for the next six years.  He was finally killed by a bounty hunter.  Morris was so famous folks paid 25 cents to see his dead body displayed in two different states.  Today, Morris Slater 'Railroad Bill' rests in Pensacola.  Bob Dylan, an American songwriter icon, wrote a song about Morris Slater - 'Railroad Bill'.

Within a couple of blocks, I find a small museum which carries a huge weight of American history - the first black to reach 4-Star General status - Cappie James.  In front of the museum are the actual front steps of the first African American school founded in Pensacola.  His mother, Lilly James, founded and operated the school.  These concrete steps were saved as being the first steps Cappie James walked leading him to the prestige status of a 4-star general.  General Daniel 'Chappie' James Jr is buried at the Arlington National Cemetery located in Arlington, Virginia.  This beautiful monument is located behind the stairs.

In the same neighborhood stands a 1920's Ice House.  Before there was household refrigeration, folks would come to the Crystal Ice House for ice.  If you look closely, you will see an original plaque attached to the front.  The plaque instructed the customers how to use hand signals for the quantity desired - 1 finger for 100 pounds to 5 fingers for 12.5 pounds. This unique entrepreneurial enterprise of the past is added to the National Register of Historic Places and also is known as the, 'Seven Wonders of Pensacola'.

Traveling towards the shores I drive underneath the ever-so-popular 'Graffiti Bridge'.  Built in 1888, it is a changing landmark for Pensacola as local artists continually add and change their tags.  A real clash colliding together of the past and present.

Spending an entire day in Pensacola, one would sense their imagination running away with them, as dozens of brightly painted 450-pound pelicans fill their minds.  Seeing is believing as there are over 70 of these 6-foot large birds to find, if one wishes to do so, on the streets of Pensacola.  A great exhausting day for me as I find myself excited to retrieve to my home on wheels - my trailer - to rest my tired feet.