For the past few week’s our Yesteryear feature has spot lighted “Catgut Canyon”. And our readers have enjoyed it so much that several have called or e-mailed with their recollections of this area. The old saying says you gotta strike while the iron is hot (See Simply Put) so we’ll continue with more Catgut Canyon this week.
Frank Rooks called to say that he had a lot of fond memories of Catgut Canyon. He recalled the canyon as being north of the current Watson drive although Watson drive was not there during his canyon days. Some of his fondest memories are of spending time there with his friend Jackie Finlayson. “We fought many a war against each other back in that canyon when we were youngsters. I also remember that we used to squirrel hunt back in those woods on a regular basis. There was some good squirrel hunting in there,” said Rooks. Finlayson and Rooks went on to become a tag team duo in the Marianna’s football and basketball programs in the late 40’s and early 50’s.
Earl Mayhall sent in an e-mail when our first Yesteryear feature came out. He had “googled” the location as best as he remembered it and sent the google map to me. Mayhall had this to say about the canyon. “Best I remember it was North and West of Watson Drive. (Of course Watson Drive wasn’t there at the time). I remember going down there a few times - it was a great adventure! (We were in our early teens). I seem to remember an abandoned swimming pool down the hill on the left of the trail that is now College Street, and an old abandoned cabin or house on the right at the top of that hill (about where the old Chipola field house is) where some of the teenagers used to go to smoke. Also, the squirrel hunting in that area was pretty good before civilization moved in. Now most of the squirrels seem to have moved to town.”
Still trying to zero in on the exact location I contacted Charles Reiff. I knew he and his family had lived in this neighborhood for more than 50 years and I was hoping he might have heard of Catgut Canyon, even though he was younger that most of the folks I’ve been talking with. “Oh yeah, I know just where Catgut Canyon is,” said Reiff when contacted. “It is north of Watson Drive and ran up toward the old Chipola Gym (current Performing Arts Center). We used to ride mini-bikes back in there when we were kids,” said Reiff. He went on to say that they were told that Harwell Watson was the one that named the canyon. “Legend has it that he (Watson) saw a dead cat in the canyon that had its’ guts hanging out and so the name Catgut Canyon was born,” said Reiff. He also, like Mayhall, recalled a swimming pool down on the left of current day College Street and that folks used to get stuck on the little dirt road that eventually became Watson Drive. Reiff also recommended that I contact Lucien Watson, which I did.
Lucien Watson is very familiar with Catgut Canyon. His family owned most of the property in the area and as a child he spent many a day romping through the woods and Catgut Canyon. It was indeed Watson’s brother, Fred Harwell Watson, that named the canyon as described by Charles Reiff. Lucien Watson described the canyon as being north 50-75 yards northwest of the little stream / branch that runs under Watson Drive. “Four or five of us boys (Watson, Sanders Hodges, MD Albright, a Holman boy) used to swim in a little stream back up in their in our birthday suits,” he laughingly recollected. Two of his memories are more painful to recall. “We used to ride some horses up in there and I remember getting bucked off one time,” Watson remembered. He also agreed the squirrel hunting was excellent, but that also was a painful memory. “I was squirrel hunting one day and lost my hearing in one ear due to a limb breaking off and hitting me in the ear.” All that said you could hear in his voice that Catgut Canyon stills holds a special place in his heart.
Send or drop off any pictures of your favorite sports memories to the Jackson County Times.
E-mail:
clintcox@jacksoncountytimes.net
Fax: (850) 526-1505
Phone: (850) 209-7319
Office: 2866 Madison St. Marianna
Frank Rooks called to say that he had a lot of fond memories of Catgut Canyon. He recalled the canyon as being north of the current Watson drive although Watson drive was not there during his canyon days. Some of his fondest memories are of spending time there with his friend Jackie Finlayson. “We fought many a war against each other back in that canyon when we were youngsters. I also remember that we used to squirrel hunt back in those woods on a regular basis. There was some good squirrel hunting in there,” said Rooks. Finlayson and Rooks went on to become a tag team duo in the Marianna’s football and basketball programs in the late 40’s and early 50’s.
Earl Mayhall sent in an e-mail when our first Yesteryear feature came out. He had “googled” the location as best as he remembered it and sent the google map to me. Mayhall had this to say about the canyon. “Best I remember it was North and West of Watson Drive. (Of course Watson Drive wasn’t there at the time). I remember going down there a few times - it was a great adventure! (We were in our early teens). I seem to remember an abandoned swimming pool down the hill on the left of the trail that is now College Street, and an old abandoned cabin or house on the right at the top of that hill (about where the old Chipola field house is) where some of the teenagers used to go to smoke. Also, the squirrel hunting in that area was pretty good before civilization moved in. Now most of the squirrels seem to have moved to town.”
Still trying to zero in on the exact location I contacted Charles Reiff. I knew he and his family had lived in this neighborhood for more than 50 years and I was hoping he might have heard of Catgut Canyon, even though he was younger that most of the folks I’ve been talking with. “Oh yeah, I know just where Catgut Canyon is,” said Reiff when contacted. “It is north of Watson Drive and ran up toward the old Chipola Gym (current Performing Arts Center). We used to ride mini-bikes back in there when we were kids,” said Reiff. He went on to say that they were told that Harwell Watson was the one that named the canyon. “Legend has it that he (Watson) saw a dead cat in the canyon that had its’ guts hanging out and so the name Catgut Canyon was born,” said Reiff. He also, like Mayhall, recalled a swimming pool down on the left of current day College Street and that folks used to get stuck on the little dirt road that eventually became Watson Drive. Reiff also recommended that I contact Lucien Watson, which I did.
Lucien Watson is very familiar with Catgut Canyon. His family owned most of the property in the area and as a child he spent many a day romping through the woods and Catgut Canyon. It was indeed Watson’s brother, Fred Harwell Watson, that named the canyon as described by Charles Reiff. Lucien Watson described the canyon as being north 50-75 yards northwest of the little stream / branch that runs under Watson Drive. “Four or five of us boys (Watson, Sanders Hodges, MD Albright, a Holman boy) used to swim in a little stream back up in their in our birthday suits,” he laughingly recollected. Two of his memories are more painful to recall. “We used to ride some horses up in there and I remember getting bucked off one time,” Watson remembered. He also agreed the squirrel hunting was excellent, but that also was a painful memory. “I was squirrel hunting one day and lost my hearing in one ear due to a limb breaking off and hitting me in the ear.” All that said you could hear in his voice that Catgut Canyon stills holds a special place in his heart.
Send or drop off any pictures of your favorite sports memories to the Jackson County Times.
E-mail:
clintcox@jacksoncountytimes.net
Fax: (850) 526-1505
Phone: (850) 209-7319
Office: 2866 Madison St. Marianna
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