LuLu, FL

By: Nikki Douglas, Country Rivers Realty

Lulu began when the Georgia Southern Florida Railroad came through the area and Robert Gillen, an original 1869 settler, convinced them to put a station there. The town was first named Hagen but mail got confused with another ghost town in Alachua County called Hague. Walter Gillen was the Postmaster who renamed the town Lulu after his girlfriend Lula. There were two cotton gins, railroad depot, a one room school, three churches, and seven different stores (from 1900 until 1918) and two barber shops. The citizens of Lulu had hoped that their community would become a thriving town but the boll weevil came and destroyed the cotton business. The depression did a lot of damage of course and reforestation ended the free roam of the range land for livestock. The town currently is just a community of proud residents who have now lost their only general store and post office.

“The funeral was quite an event as the community carried his casket from his house (approximately 4 miles south of LuLu on CR241) all through the streets of the community so Joe could see LuLu one last time.”

Also, there is a Slave Cemetery located approximately 1/4 mile east down hwy 100 on the north side of the road (east of the now demolished general store). This cemetery is for Slaves and descendants of Slaves. The last burial was approx 3 years ago. The funeral was quite an event as the community carried his casket from his house (approximately 4 miles south of LuLu on CR241) all through the streets of the community so Joe could see LuLu one last time. The upkeep of the cemetery was his labor of love. This cemetery is now maintained by the local community of LuLu.

Call to Artists

Old Florida Celebration of the Arts “Feathered Friends” Design Contest

Entries due Aug. 1st to cedarkeyartsfestival@gmail.com

Seahorse Key Artist Experience Application available on our website due Aug. 1st to cedarkeyartscenter@gmail.com

July 10-21 -- Summer Elementary & Teen Art Program (Elementary in morning, Teens in afternoon)

Registration Forms Available at Cedar Key School & Cedar Keyhole Artist Co-op. Register early, space is limited.

Exhibit of Children’s Art – Friday, July 21, 2023.

August 1 – September 15 – Cedar Keyhole Y’Art Sale

Open Daily 10 am – 5 pm, Upstairs at the Art Center

2023/2024 Gallery Schedule

October – Cathie Christie Collection

November/December – Curated Metal Works Exhibit

January – Donna Leeward (Painting)

February – OPEN COMMUNITY EXHIBIT

Theme – Feathered Friends

March – Cindy Burkett (Collage)

April – Frank Morgan (Photography)

Check out the Workshop Schedule on our Website Full Schedule of Workshops begins in November.

Old Florida Celebration of the Arts April 6 & 7, 2024

More Information at www.CedarKeyArtsFestival.com

Hello hidden coast family!

Hope everyone is staying dry, as I’m writing this we have a had a insane amount of rain. It’s definitely effecting the scallops and the fishing but we are getting by.

The trend scallops usually do when we’ve had a lot of rain is to get in some deeper water so just remember if we’ve had some recent down pours start deep and work your way in. Also the same can be said for trout.

With redfish i like to go as deep in a creek as I can when we’ve had allot of rain and work my way out. So almost the opposite of trout. Remember shiny vibrations when it comes to dirty water reds.

Alright guy that’s all we got for you give us a call if you want to get out and get after some fish or scallops

Catching Up With Reel Native Fishing Charters