Tucked away under centuries old moss covered oak trees, the sleepy town of Micanopy, Florida offers a glimpse of the past with its historic storefronts, antique shops, and cafes. Located south of Gainesville at the intersection of State Road 441 and County Road 234, this little town of 630 or so people is a popular destination for antique lovers. Since Micanopy is only a two hour drive from where I live, it made for a nice day trip earlier this summer.

Micanopy is the oldest inland town in Florida. Founded in 1821, the site of Micanopy was originally an Indian trading post which had been visited in 1774 by the explorer William Bartram. The town was named after a Seminole Indian chief, and is pronounced, "mic-a-no'-pee." Just over 630 residents live within the town's one square mile area. I wonder if Mick and Opie live here? For such a small town, Micanopy is big on charm. Our first stop was for lunch at the Micanopy Cafe.

Besides being a popular antiquing destination, Micanopy's claim to fame is the 1991 movie, Doc Hollywood, a romantic comedy with Michael J. Fox and Woody Harrelson, which was filmed here. I didn't remember seeing that movie back in the day, so a few weeks later we watched the movie and enjoyed seeing the streets and storefronts which we had visited. Several inside scenes were filmed in this cafe. It hadn't changed too much. It seems that not much changes in Micanopy!

Sadly, this antique shop was closed the day we were in Micanopy. I would have liked to have seen the inside of the "hospital." Beside the house was an old tractor. I wonder if it was used in the movie?

We enjoyed browsing the different antique and gift shops along main street which was lined with canopied oak trees. It was a perfect day for strolling. Here are some of the curious and charming things we saw:

This little gift shop, Gallery Under the Oaks, is housed in a 1930s log cabin, which sits under another building. It is filled with locally made crafts, including handmade soap! 

Across the street are more unique shops, including Leonardo's Music and Antiques, which specializes in factory refurbished musical instruments.

We didn't have time to see everything in Micanopy, so we will return again another day to enjoy the charm and character of Micanopy, Florida. If you happen to be in the area, you might want to stop by for a visit, too! Tell Mick and Opie that I say, "hi!"

Just for fun, here is a video showcasing some of the soaps I've made so far this year. I enjoy the creative process from start to finish - formulating soap recipes, making soap from scratch, playing with color and texture, unmolding the soap loaf, cutting and setting the bars out to cure, taking pictures, printing labels and wrapping the soap bars. Making this video was just another part of the creative process. Enjoy!