Everglades National Park Turns Sixty

On December 6, 1947, President Harry S. Truman traveled to Everglades City, Florida, to dedicate Everglades National Park as the first national park set aside for its biologic uniqueness. The event represented the culmination of an effort of more than 20 years duration to create the park and was attended by 4,000 people.  Those present included well known names in Florida including John D. Pennekamp, Senator Claude Pepper, Senator Spessard Holland, Governor Millard Caldwell, Marjory Stoneman Douglas, Ernest F. Coe, May Mann Jennings, and Daniel Beard (the park’s first superintendent) along with many other governmental dignitaries and community leaders.

Everglades National Park, the third largest national park in the lower 48 states, is a vast expanse of a million and a half acres between Miami, Key Largo, and Naples. This unique subtropical wetland is the hydrologic connection between central Florida and the marine systems of Florida Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. The park provides the public an opportunity to experience wilderness, an oasis in the middle of a highly urbanized peninsula with nearly seven million residents.

Everglades National Park is very diverse, with many distinct habitats within its   boundaries, including freshwater marshes, tropical hardwoods, pine rocklands, coastal prairies, mangrove estuaries, and sea grasses. These habitats support a diverse mixture of tropical and temperate plants and animals that provide foraging and breeding habitat for more than 400 species of birds and serve as a primary corridor and refuge for migratory and wintering wildlife populations. The park also includes archeological and historical resources spanning 5600 years of human history, revealing adaptations to and  exploitation of this unique environment.

The park scheduled several events to commemorate 60 years of resource stewardship and visitor enjoyment with family friendly events held around the park. Events began with a kick-off ceremony December 1st that was highlighted by a special conversation with Congressman Mario Diaz Balart and Superintendent Dan Kimball and a special dedication of the Mud Lake Canal National Historic Landmark by Paul Hartwig, associate director from Southeast Region.  Other events include a photo exhibit of the 58 of America’s National Parks (on display through Saturday, February 2nd); special talks by those studying the cultural heritage of the park; and a rededication ceremony in Everglades City. Anniversary events concluded on December 8th with a birthday party at the Royal Palm Visitor Center and a special swearing in of new junior rangers.

“I encourage everyone in the south Florida community to bring their families out to attend these events in the park and observe the vast array of habitats and wildlife  species, the likes of which exist nowhere else in the world.” said Kimball. “Please, join us in celebrating the 60th anniversary of this very special place.”