Rollin’ Down the River – Bellamy Bridge and Christoff’s Ferry

6/26/08
By Clint Cox, alias "The Panhandle Paddler"

After failed attempts to hit the river Saturday and Sunday, I finally made it to the water on Monday after work. I put my kayak (The Yellow Submarine) in at the Highway 162 bridge for a short trip down the Chipola River. The Highway 162 bridge launch site is used primarily by canoes, kayaks and lightweight boats as it does not have a concrete launch pad. It is also moderately difficult to access with a vehicle, especially during rainy weather.
The Sunday rains muddied up the water but made for easier paddling. There were one or two trees to maneuver around but nothing too difficult. About a 10 minute paddle down from Highway 162 I approached the rusty old iron structure known as Bellamy Bridge. Bellamy Bridge is most notably known as the centerpiece of our local legend "The Ghost of Bellamy Bridge." The central figure of the legend, Elizabeth Jane Bellamy, died in 1837 and is buried in a family cemetery not far from the current iron frame structure of Bellamy Bridge. Local Historian Dale Cox has researched and written about "The Ghost of Bellamy Bridge". You can check out his findings at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/bellamybridge. It is great reading, even if it does disheartened some of us local folks who grew up hearing about "The Ghost of Bellamy Bridge." (See Simply Put) Dale Cox has also lent his support to Rollin’ Down The River by agreeing to supplement this series with some brief historical information about the sites along the Chipola River.
Christoff’s Ferry, or Christoff Landing as it is noted on several local maps, was the take out point for this trip. It is located about 5 miles north of Marianna off Bump Nose Road on Christoff Ferry Lane. It has a well maintained concreted boat launch. There is ample parking as well as a primitive camping area just west of the landing that is part of the Upper Chipola River Management Area. Just a few feet to the north of the launch is where the Waddell Mill run enters the river. This run originates at the Waddell Mill Pond and flows several miles before meeting up with the Chipola.
Overall, this is a nice little run. I say little because it only takes about 1 ½ hours to paddle. For the most part it is free of any significant obstacles or trees to traverse. The river shows some signs of traffic (trash) but is still a fairly remote area. There is some high banking on the east side of the river, plenty of bird watching opportunities, good fishing and as always some beautiful scenery. Rollin’ Down the River is a weekly summertime feature of the Jackson County Times that highlights the Chipola River through pictures, stories and articles. For more photos, please see Freeze Frame on back page.

Bellamy Bridge & Christoff’s Ferry By Dale Cox The first Bellamy Bridge was built in 1850 by Dr. Samuel C. Bellamy under contract with the Jackson County Commission. It was an open, wood bridge. Bellamy, of course, was the husband of Elizabeth Bellamy about whom the ghost story grew. It was called Bellamy Bridge because his brother, Edward, owned the land there. The current iron structure was built sometime around 1900 and is one of the last surviving such structures in Jackson County.
Regarding Christoff’s, the first mention of it I have found is from 1826, before Marianna was founded. The original road or trail leading east to west through the center of Jackson County crossed the Chipola River at the Natural Bridge at Florida Caverns. This road was used by the Spanish at least as early as 1674 and it remained in use until after 1818. Then, as settlers began making their way into the county, a pretty large settlement grew in what was called the "Chipola District." This was the area basically from U.S. 90 North to Waddell’s Mill Creek and from the Chipola west to U.S. 231. These first settlers continued using the crossing at the Natural Bridge, but it proved difficult because the swamps there overflow badly when the river is high.
At some point between 1818 and 1826 they relocated the road slightly to cross at Cristoff’s Ferry. This provided a better approach to the river and allowed travelers to avoid the swamps around the Natural Bridge. The earliest record I have found is an advertisement by an inn keeper who placed ads in the Pensacola paper announcing that he was moving his inn from Cristoff’s Ferry on the Chipola to a hill about 1/2 mile west. It remained an important ferry until Marianna was established, then diminished in importance, although a raft or "flat" was kept there for years after.