Florida fact: 2 Withlacoochee Rivers?

Did you know? Florida is the only state that has two rivers with the same name – Withlacoochee in north central Florida (Madison County) and Withlacoochee in central Florida.

The Withlacoochee River in Madison County originates in Georgia and eventually merges with the Suwannee River. Known as the “Crooked River,” the other Withlacoochee originates in central Florida’s Green Swamp, east of Polk City. It flows west, then north, turns northwest and finally west again before it empties into the Gulf of Mexico.

The word “withlacoochee” likely stems from the Muskogean Native American language family and loosely translates to “little big water.”

– Jennifer Fennell, CoreMessage, Inc.