Notably, Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the “Little House” series of books lived in the Popular Head Community of Westville for a short time in 1891. The story goes, on October 1, 1890, three of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s relatives, including her cousin Peter Franklin Ingalls began a trip from Stockholm, Wisconsin down the Mississippi River on a sailboat named “Edith.” They took the trip in high hopes of finding new places to settle. They recorded this trip daily in a diary. They came to their stopping point in Westville, known then as Webb Mill. Laura Ingalls Wilder, her husband Almanzo James and their daughter Rose lived at this homesite from October 1891 to August 1892, little less than a year. Laura’s daughter, Rose, later wrote a short fictionalized story about her family’s time spent in Florida titled “Innocence.” The story has been featured in Harper’s Magazine and won an O’Henry prize in 1922.

Another notable former resident of Westville was George William Curry, also known as Uncle Willie. He was born June 24, 1888. Around 1920, Uncle Willie opened a ferry as a way of transportation from the west side of the Choctawhatchee [chok-tuh-hach-ee] River to the east side, known as Curry’s Landing. A person could load their horse and wagon onto the ferry that was stabilized with a cable and Uncle Wille could pull them to the other side.

Before the flood in 1929, Uncle Willie’s store was a place where people did their trading. People would come from miles around on covered wagons pulled by an ox. Things one could purchase from his store were coffee and sugar.

Portions of Westville lie within the floodplain of Choctawhatchee River. The Choctawhatchee River Blueway is a Florida Designated Paddling Trail. Along the trail, you will find springs, places to camp, boat ramps, picnic facilities, Florida conservation lands, and wetlands. Take in the cypress trees and parts of the regular North Florida flora and fauna. Wildlife includes alligators, and sturgeon are known to frequent the river during spawning.