River Phoenix's Family Home in Micanopy

It was 15 years ago on Halloween day that this 23 year old, talented actor died of a drug overdose on Halloween morning at the Viper Room in Hollywood. Throughout the years, tabloids speculated where the final resting place for this young man might have been. It seems that the Phoenix family owned a farm a few hours north of Orlando, just south of Gainesville in a historic little town called Micanopy and it is there at the farm where he spent part of his childhood that his ashes have been scattered.

I recently had the opportunity to visit Micanopy, a town that I drove by many times on my way to Gainesville. This small little obscure town is truly a treasure to behold. As Florida's oldest inland settlement this town was incorporated in 1858. The historic buildings and majestic ancient oaks transport visitors to another period of time. The unspoiled landscape and quaint town has been the backdrop of two popular movies, Doc Hollywood and Cross Creek, the story of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings who's farm home is now a State Park nearby.