Park Pick: Blue Spring State Park
Park Pick: Blue Spring State Park
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| "Please Take Nothing but Pictures; Leave Nothing but Footprints" The beginning of the boardwalk trail at Blue Spring State Park. |
It was an absolutely beautiful day
outside today in Central Florida! I decided to take full advantage of the
beautiful weather and pay a visit to Blue Spring State Park in Orange City. This Park truly has it all: beautiful natural landscape, a great historical site, and archaeological significance. I am excited to be able to share a little bit about the Park with you for this "Park Pick"!
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| Peering down from the boardwalk into the clear blue-green water of the spring. |
Blue Spring State Park is a
gorgeous example of natural Florida landscape. The park features a
crystal-clear spring that flows into the St. Johns River. The constant
73-degree temperature of the spring’s water make the spring a favorite winter
haven for manatees. Although the spring is open for swimming in the summer, the Park closes swimming access in the winter to make way for these gentle giants. According to the Park’s website, hundreds of
manatees can be viewed from the boardwalk that spans the length of the spring. Today
was no exception; take a peek at this lovely little guy who swam right up to
the boardwalk to take a breath of fresh air!
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| Hello little manatee! |
In addition to being stunningly
beautiful, Blue Spring State Park is a significant historical and
archaeological site. I was fortunate to be able to check out The Historic
Thursby House on my visit. In 1856, Louis Thursby, a former gold-rush
prospector who turned to growing oranges, purchased Blue Spring and moved into the area with his family.
Thursby’s “Blue Spring Landing” became a prosperous steam-boat landing that aided
in moving tourists and trade goods around Florida. The Historic Thursby House was
constructed in 1872, on top of a Native American shell mound. Visitors to the park can walk through the first-floor of the historic house for a self-guided tour.
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| The Historic Thursby House was built in 1872 by Louis Thursby. The House sits on top of a prehistoric Native American shell mound. |
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Inside the Thursby House, visitors can read about the Thursby family and see various antiques, historical records, and artifacts from the site.
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| A framed poster near The Historic Thursby House shows examples of the artifacts that were recovered during archaeological excavations in the area during the nineteenth century. |
After visiting The Historic Thursby House, you can walk along the boardwalk which leads all the way up to the head spring. It is a great walk, most of the the boardwalk is covered by natural Florida hammock. Informative covered posters punctuate the walk, providing information to curious visitors about the history of the area, the wildlife that can be observed there, and the natural mechanics of the spring itself.
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This trail is a nice walk through natural Florida hammock and leads to the head spring.
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For information on the park:
For information about the Thursby House:
The Historic Thursby House in the media (short article):
To learn more about the Native Americans who lived in this region during the St. Johns IIb period and beyond, check out the book "Archaeology of Precolumbian Florida" by Jerald T. Milanich.
References:
https://www.floridastateparks.org/sites/default/files/Division%20of%20Recreation%20and%20Parks/documents/bls-brochure.pdf
Archaeology of Precolumbian Florida. Jerald T. Milanich. Gainesville, FL: University Press of Florida. 1994
Archaeology of Precolumbian Florida. Jerald T. Milanich. Gainesville, FL: University Press of Florida. 1994