Moonshine on the Apalachicola

the old bridge

   Growing  up in Liberty and Calhoun counties , there was never a dull moment for us three kids. We lived on Pea Ridge road in Bristol and what an adventure! My dad was continually getting into trouble as it was his stomping grounds and he knew what trouble to get into. One memorable event was when my dad and a group of men decided they would go down the river in a houseboat and gave some lame excuse of playing cards or something to that effect. Hours and hours went by, it got dark and all the wives started getting worried and calling each other. Hours and more hours went by, still no husbands...... now the law was called, missing husbands on a fast moving river on a houseboat.... didn't sound good. Next thing was talk of dragging the river, had they drowned, tumped over? All gathered at the landing in nightgowns with sleepy and crying children , wives were on the verge of hysteria...... then way off in the distant they heard singing, we're not talking going down to the river music, we're talking somebody got ahold of some moonshine and went houseboating music! Dad later said they were having a grand ole time when they noticed all the wives and families gathered at the river crying and the law looking not to happy to be called out of bed and waiting on them! Needless to say, that was the last houseboat ride he ever took. Dad did all kinds of crazy things on that river like jumping off the bridge into the fast moving current and skiing on the river. I'm not recommending any of this. its just an example of what happens in a small town, on a Saturday night, when nothing is going on but a boat and a jar of moonshine and a fast moving river.       Suz

houseboats or" shanty boats" on river much like the one in question