Humans have been coming to Manatee Springs for thousands of years. Once a major Timucuan Indian village stood at the springs. The Seminoles hunted the forests and fished the rivers.

Europeans and Americans are the newest visitors to Manatee Springs. All cultures came for the same reason: the natural resources.

In 1949 the State of Florida began buying the springs and the adjacent land to forever preserve it. Manatee Springs opened as a state park in 1955 for the enjoyment of Florida residents and visitors.