05/13/2026
A Piece of Florida History Washed Ashore
This massive deadhead cypress log was pulled from the Apalachicola River — one of the many “sinker cypress” treasures hidden beneath Florida’s tannic waters for over a century.
Back in the late 1800s and early 1900s, loggers hand-felled giant old-growth cypress (some over 1,000 years old) using only axes and saws. They’d dry the logs for up to two years before rafting them down rivers like the Apalachicola to sawmills. But not all made it. An estimated 10-20% became waterlogged, sank into the riverbed, and were preserved in the cool, oxygen-poor mud — earning them the name “deadheads.”
Today, with a state permit and careful environmental practices, families and small operators in Northwest Florida continue this unique tradition: locating, floating, drying, and milling these historic logs into stunning, rot-resistant lumber. The tight growth rings, rich color, and incredible durability make it some of the most beautiful wood you’ll ever work with.
Although I’m not currently painting, I’m fully living a creative lifestyle — bringing these river treasures home and giving them new life as functional art right here in Apalachicola. Some traditions (and creative passions) are just too good to let sink away.
