Backroads of Paradise
Backroads of Paradise
A Journey to Rediscover Old Florida
In the 1930s, the Federal Writers’ Project sent mostly anonymous writers, but also Zora Neale Hurston and Stetson Kennedy, into the depths of Florida to reveal its splendor to the world. The FWP and the State of Florida jointly published the results as Florida: A Guide to the Southernmost State, which included twenty-two driving tours of the state’s main roads. Eventually, after Eisenhower built the interstates, drivers bypassed the small towns that thrived along these roads in favor of making better time. Those main roads are now the state’s backroads—forgotten by all but local residents, a few commuters, and dedicated road-trippers. Retracing the original routes in the Guide, Cathy Salustri rekindles our notions of paradise by bringing a modern eye to the historic travelogues.
Salustri’s 5,000-mile road trip reveals a patchwork quilt of Florida cultures: startling pockets of history and environmental bliss stitched against the blight of strip malls and franchise restaurants. The journey begins on US 98, heading west toward the Florida/Alabama state line, where coastal towns dot the roadway. Here, locals depend on the tourism industry, spurred by sugar sand beaches, as well as the abundance of local seafood. On US 41, Salustri takes us past the state’s only whitewater rapids, a retired carnie town, and a dazzling array of springs, swamps, and rivers interspersed with farms that produce a bounty of fruit. Along US 17, she stops for milkshakes and hamburgers at Florida’s oldest diner and visits a collection of springs interconnected by underwater mazes tumbling through white spongy limestone, before stopping in Arcadia, where men still bring cattle to auction. Desperately searching for skunk apes, the Sunshine State’s version of Bigfoot, she encounters more than one gator on her way through the Everglades, Ochopee, and the Skunk Ape Research Headquarters.
Following the original Guide, Salustri crisscrosses the state from the panhandle to the Keys. She guides readers through forgotten and unknown corners of the state—nude beaches, a rattlesnake cannery, Devil’s Millhopper in Gainesville—as well as more familiar haunts—Kennedy Space Center and The Villages, "Florida’s Friendliest Retirement Hometown." Woven through these journeys are nuggets of history, environmental debates about Florida’s future, and a narrative that combines humor with a strong affection for an oft-maligned state.
Today, Salustri urges, tourists need a new nudge to get off the interstates or away from Disney in order to discover the real Florida. Her travel narrative, following what are now backroads and scenic routes, guides armchair travelers and road warriors alike to historic sites, natural wonders, and notable man-made attractions—comparing the past views with the present landscape and commenting on the changes, some barely noticeable, others extreme, along the way.
This book will remind you why Florida is considered paradise, just in case you had forgotten.'—Tampa Bay Magazine
[Salustri] delights in letting people know that to really discover Florida, you have to turn off the congested interstates and explore the state’s towns and cities.’—New York Times
Salustri’s enthusiasm for Florida is evident and contagious. . . . You are sure to be intrigued, if not in love, by the time you finish.’—Florida Book Review
The ultimate Florida road-trip. . . . Anyone who shuns interstates for backroads in order to rediscover old Florida should rush to buy this lovely book!’—Tallahassee Democrat
Provides a perspective different from the theme park and beach images most commonly associated with Florida.’—Library Journal
Across 5,000 miles of Florida back roads, Salustri shows readers the state’s hidden gems, uncovering anything from sugar sand to working oyster boats. With Salustri, readers will gain an in-depth look at the Florida that isn’t often seen in travel brochures.’—Booklist
A handy road companion for any tourist, newcomer, or longtime Floridian who wants to get off the beaten path and travel back in time.'—Bobby Braddock, Country Music Hall of Fame songwriter
This delightful trip through space and time gives us glimpses back and ahead at our ever-evolving Florida. Salustri stops along the way to mourn the parts of paradise we’ve lost and to celebrate what’s still around to enjoy.'—Craig Pittman, author of Oh, Florida! How America’s Weirdest State Influences the Rest of the Country
A compelling, bittersweet odyssey across seventy-five years of Florida changes, a trip filled with dreams tarnished now by overdevelopment but still harboring a few unspoiled pieces of paradise.'—Brian Rucker, author of Treasures of the Panhandle: A Journey through West Florida
In staccato bursts of frenzy and passion, Salustri has written a modern love story affirming her tangled relationship with the Sunshine State. Retracing the routes of 1930s guidebooks, she re-creates the great Florida road trip.'—Gary R. Mormino, author of Land of Sunshine, State of Dreams: A Social History of Modern Florida
Cathy Salustri is the owner of The Gabber Newspaper, the oldest independent weekly newspaper in Florida. Salustri writes about her travels through Florida on her website, the Great Florida Road Trip, and is cohost of The Florida Spectacular podcast. She lives in Gulfport.
“Funny, salty . . . informative and poignant.”—Creative Loafing Tampa
