Williston fascinates me. I drive through there frequently; I used to visit several business locations for my job, I attend religious services in Williston, and I head there for food shopping at Winn Dixie and delicious eating at restaurants like The Ivy House. Williston is also home to the yearly Peanut Festival, a quaint little small town festival that I love going to.
What fascinates me about this place is that it's a land of contrasts. It has places like the Blue Grotto and Devil's Den where people can swim, snorkel and dive. But there are parts of the town where I feel like I'm gonna get shot. It also has a somber downtown area that looks like it's straight out of a Stephen King movie. Every single time I drive through there I think of Children of the Corn. Half of the buildings look abandoned and the others, the up and running ones, need a serious makeover. It screams of a small town that has a lot of promise but no money to keep up appearances. It's just so run down looking. But a short drive away there is such beauty. I've driven around taking pictures of trees and fields and horses and cattle. It's so beautiful and yet so dreary. I really think it's the perfect location to film a horror movie. I mean that as a real compliment.
Williston also has plenty of restaurants when compared to nearby Bronson or Archer, towns that may look better in places but have almost nothing to do. Williston has one of my favorite area restaurants, the aforementioned Ivy House and a darling little ice cream shop called Flamingo Freeze.
Part of me wishes they'd fix up the downtown area but the other part, the beauty in decay part, really hopes they leave it as it is. read more