Peacock Places
PEACOCK BRIDGE - In the 1800's and up to the turn of the 19th Century, people who crossed the Chipola River, near the Sink Creek Community in South Jackson County used boats or barges. A wooden bridge was built about 1902 and it lasted until 1909 when it was destroyed by a flood. James Kinson Peacock was a Jackson County Commissioner at this time. Men from the community tried to protect the bridge by pushing drifting wood, logs and other debris away from the bridge with long poles. As the flood water rushed past the bridge, they were unable to save it and heard it crashing down during the night. Again barges and boats had to be used until a new bridge could be built in 1910. Since the new bridge was wider than the old one, more land was needed for the right-of-way. James Kinson Peacock donated the land for this purpose, so the bridge was named Peacock Bridge. The bridge lasted until 1963 when a larger concrete bridge was built. This bridge is still in use along with a boat ramp and picnic area.
When researching the Peacock Bridge in the Jackson County Commission Minutes, it mentioned Peacock Bridge and Peacock Bridge Road, but we could not find where it had actually been named Peacock Bridge officially, even though James Kinson Peacock owned the land surrounding the bridge and had donated the land and a team of mules and logs needed in the construction of the new bridge.
The James Kinson Peacock ancestors, who served on the PFAS Florida Committee, petitioned the Jackson County Commission to officially name the Peacock Bridge. Jeremy Branch, the Jackson County Commissioner from the district where the bride is located, brought our petition before the Jackson County Commission. On, June 11, 2007, Eugene and Barbara Peacock, Daisy Peacock, Nadine Peacock Standland and Mary Lou Peacock Taylor met with the Jackson County Commission and Jeremy Branch presented our request to the commission. They passed a proclamation to officially name the Peacock Bridge. The new sign was erected on July 13, 2007 and reads Chipola River, Peacock Bridge, designated by 2007 County Commission.
Excerpt for the PFAS Minutes. . .
On behalf of Jackson County Commissioner, Jeremy Branch, James Peacock of Grand Ridge, Florida, who served as a member of the PFAS 2007 Florida Reunion Committee, presented Stanley Peacock, President of the James Kinson Peacock Family Association, a Proclamation that officially named the bridge Peacock Bridge. This occurred during the Peacock Family Association of the South’s Annual Meeting which was held on Saturday, July 14, 2007, at the Panhandle Pioneer Settlement in Blountstown, Calhoun County, Florida.
