Celebrating Florida State Parks’ 85th Anniversary
Join us in celebrating the 85th Anniversary of Florida State Parks! Each week in 2020, we will celebrate the birthdays of our parks.
Parks across Florida will be hosting celebration events with food, games and storytelling. Florida State Parks 85th Anniversary Celebrations will be happening all year long. View upcoming events and check back to see additional celebrations added throughout 2020.
Why were Florida State Parks created?
From the passage of the first state park act in 1925, the legislative intent of the state park system was to acquire lands for the "preservation of natural beauty and historic association." Opportunities for partnerships with the federal government and a growing interest in Florida tourism fostered an ideal situation for the birth of a state park system. In 1935, the Florida Legislature created the Florida Park Service.
The CCC Corps, a Great Depression-era public works program, and the National Park Service helped acquire the land, design and build facilities for the first Florida State Parks. The CCC built Highlands Hammock State Park, Myakka River State Park, Hillsborough River State Park, Torreya State Park, Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park, O'Leno State Park and Florida Caverns State Park.
A comprehensive state parks act passed in 1949 set forth the idea that state parks should "emblemize the state's natural values" and conserve them for all time, and that historic sites and memorials should be perpetually preserved.
The Real Florida℠ today
Today, 175 Florida State Parks welcome 30 million visitors a year and protect almost 800,000 acres of unique natural landscapes and historic landmarks. With more than 3,500 campsites and cabins, 2,200 miles of trails and 100 miles of sandy beaches, Florida State Parks are Florida’s best places for connecting with nature and history, getting active and enjoying the outdoors.
Today's state parks represent 85 years of planning for the visitor’s enjoyment and for the protection of wildlife and the environment.
This article was published in the Real Florida ℠ Connection, the Florida State Parks e-newsletter. Sign-up to get updates and stories from your state parks the first week of every month.
