Suwannee River, River system in Georgia and Florida, United States
The Suwannee River is a river that flows about 250 miles from its source in the Okefenokee Swamp through Georgia and northern Florida to the Gulf of Mexico. It winds through forests and wetlands before reaching the coast at Suwannee Sound.
Native peoples named this waterway Guasaca Esqui, meaning River of Reeds. The current name arose during colonial times through a shift from the term San Juanee.
Stephen Foster immortalized this river in his 1851 composition Old Folks at Home, which later became the official state song of Florida.
Much of the channel is navigable by boat, with tidal effects from the Gulf reaching the lower stretches. Trails and landings along the banks provide access to different sections.
Composer Stephen Foster wrote the song Old Folks at Home about this river in 1851, though he never visited it himself. The song later became the official state anthem of Florida.
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