The pictorial history of Lafayette, Hamilton and Suwannee counties has arrived and a limited supply is available to the public.

Family reunions, political events, floods, rivers, people, places and things,...these are the photos that make up the wonderful history of the three North Florida counties of Lafayette, Hamilton and Suwannee and make this a historical piece that every resident of the three counties should have. Unfortunately, there is only a limited supply of these historical books available.

What better gift for this Christmas, a birthday, anniversary, graduation or some other special occasion than a book of history from the area we all live in and love?

This treasured gift will become a book that is talked about, shared, passed down among family members and its pages viewed through the years as a carefully preserved history of the area that has not been published as a whole any other place. The 10 1/4 by 7 3/4, hardback, glossy covered book with a sepia-colored front and back is just perfect for coffee and bedside tables and for gift giving. The cost is $29.95 plus tax and is available at Mayo Free Press, Branford News, Suwannee Democrat and Jasper News.

Staff members of the four newspapers have worked diligently to bring together these historical photos taken by ordinary citizens just like you and shared within these wonderful pages. For instance, Lafayette County Courthouse is pictured on page 91 from its early years, along with a view of SR 27 in downtown Mayo before traffic lights were put into place.

Did you know there was once a train depot in Day in Lafayette County? There was and a photo of it is on page 99 and a photo of the very first locomotive to run into Lafayette county in 1894 on page 102.

Take a look on page 7 at the view looking west on Ohio Avenue in Live Oak right after the snowstorm of Feb. 13, 1899, or on page 16 of the band strolling down west Howard Street in Live Oak in 1909. Or, on page 32 see how the local post office in Live Oak was built in 1915 using mules and wagons and lots of hand labor or on page 44 see a photo of the Belle of Suwannee steamboat that launched in December of 1889, only to sink in 1896 during a hurricane.

On page 67 the old two-story Branford School that housed grades 1-12 is pictured. On page 63, W. L. Irvine's Ferry at Luraville is shown in operation, along with Ware's Pharmacy in Branford on page 68.

In Dowling Park, a postcard told the story of the flood of 1928 as a photo on page 73 depicts the flooding. The Advent Christian Home and Orphanage at Dowling Park as the Advent Christian Village was once called is pictured on page 77 there's also a wide overhead view of the Dowling Park area on page 80 during the flood of 1948 where a train with its cars fully loaded can been seen on railroad tracks, placed there to hold the tracks steady during the flood.

In Hamilton County, a photo of the construction of US 129, circa unknown, is shown on page 116 with only trees, no asphalt and no cars. Wise's drugstore is pictured on page 120, along with historical buildings on pages 122-128.

Got your curiosity working? Good. Now, stop by the Mayo Free Press or The Dust Catcher in Mayo as soon as possible and purchase your copy or copies of Days Gone By and enjoy this wonderful piece of history your local newspaper has gathered and put into this historical book just for you.