Park Summary for Print - Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park

Welcome to Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park

In 1836, the Second Seminole War swept away the prosperous Bulow Plantation where the Bulow family grew sugar cane, cotton, rice, and indigo. Ruins of the former plantation-a sugar mill, a unique spring house, several wells, and the crumbling foundations of the plantation house and slave cabins-show how volatile the Florida frontier was in the early 19th century. Today, a scenic walking trail leads visitors to the sugar mill ruins, listed on the National Register of Historic Sites. The park has picnic facilities and an interpretive center that tells the plantation's history. A boat ramp provides access for canoes and small powerboats to scenic Bulow Creek, a designated state canoe trail. Anglers can fish from the dock or a boat. The park is open Thursday through Monday from 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. daily. Located three miles west of Flagler Beach off County Road 2001(Old King's Road), between State Road 100 and Old Dixie Highway.

Contact the Florida Park Service Information Center for general inquiries.
For Information about Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park, please call 386-517-2084.

Hours of Operation

Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park is open Thursday through Monday from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. The park is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Driving Directions

Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park is located three miles west of Flagler Beach on C.R. 2001, south of SR 100.

Park Fees

$3.00 per vehicle for up to 8 people. Pedestrians, Bicyclists, Extra Passengers, Passengers In Vehicles With Holder of Annual Individual Entrance Permit, --Admission Fee $1.00. Pavilion Rental Fee--$30.00 plus tax

Activities at Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park

	Boat Ramp Boats more than 16’ are not recommended on Bulow Creek.
	Canoeing & Kayaking Bulow Creek is recognized as a State Canoe Trail. Each bend of the channel reveals new scenery and opportunity for wildlife sightings. Bald eagles, swallow-tailed kites, and Florida manatees are occasionally seen. Canoes can be rented by the day or hour from the park office which can provide a map. There is a boat ramp available to launch small powerboats.
	Facilities Restrooms are provided the picnic area and interpretive center.
	Fishing Visitors can cast a line for several salt and fresh water species. Do you need a Fishing License?
	Interpretive Exhibit Interpretive exhibits are available
	Nature Trails The Bulow Woods Trail is a 6.8 mile hiking trail that runs from the Fairchild Oak in Bulow Creek State Park to Bulow Plantation Ruins State Historic Site. The northern section near Bulow Ruins is recommended for half-day hikes. Starting from the parking area on Plantation Road, the trail crosses open woods before entering Bulow Hammock where the shaded path winds around massive trunks under the cathedral-like canopy of Live Oaks. White-tailed deer, barred owls, and raccoons are commonly seen, and, occasionally, a diamondback rattlesnake. The hiking trail is open for day use from 8:30 am to sunset. A primitive campsite is available to backpackers. An overnight permit is required for camping. The permit, trail maps and other information may be obtained at the park office of Tomoka State Park, 4.5 miles south of Bulow Creek State Park on Old Dixie Highway.
	Picnicking A small picnic area complete with grills is located along the scenic banks of Bulow Creek. There is a screened pavilion available for reservations for larger groups. This pavilion has become quite popular for family reunions and birthday parties. Pavilion Fee - Pavilion, Facility Rental $30.00 plus tax. Restrooms are provided the picnic area and interpretive center.

Special Events for Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park

There are no events listed at this time. Please call our park for more details on possible future events.

Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park History

In 1821, Major Charles Wilhelm Bulow acquired 4,675 acres of wilderness bordering a tidal creek that would later bear his name. Using slave labor, he cleared 2,200 acres and planted sugar cane, cotton, rice and indigo. Major Bulow died in 1823, leaving the newly established plantation to his seventeen year old son, John Joachim Bulow.

After completing his education in Paris, John Bulow returned to the Territory of Florida to manage the plantation. Young Bulow proved to be very capable. John James Audubon, the famous naturalist, was a guest at the plantation during Christmas week 1831. In a letter to a patron, Audubon wrote:

"Mr. J.J. Bulow, a rich planter, at whose home myself and party have been for a whole week under the most hospitable and welcome treatment is now erecting some extensive buildings for a sugar house." Bulowville, Florida December 31, 1831.

Bulow’s sugar mill, constructed of local "coquina" rock, was the largest mill in East Florida. At the boat slips, flatboats were loaded with barrels of raw sugar and molasses and floated down Bulow Creek to be shipped north. This frontier industry came to an abrupt end at the outbreak of the Second Seminole War. In January 1836, a band of raiding Seminole Indians, resisting removal to the West, looted and burned the plantation. It would never recover. Bulow returned to Paris where he died the same year.

Today, the coquina walls and chimneys of the sugar mill remain standing as a monument to the rise and fall of the sugar plantations of East Florida.

Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park Volunteer Information

Volunteers can do many things -- greet visitors, conduct tours, help rangers remove exotic plants or maintain the natural beauty of a beach, waterway or trail.