Message from Our Director

Closing the Chapter on Summer 

And opening a book! 

If you’re a parent, you might be thinking about how to squeeze in one or two last days of summer fun before school comes back around. Fortunately, in Florida you don’t have to travel far to find a family-friendly adventure.  

Speaking of school, perhaps the Pulitzer-prize winning book “The Yearling” was in your child’s summer reading. If you’re familiar with the book, you probably know that it was written by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, a Florida homesteader who moved to rural Cross Creek in 1928 to find a home closer to the land and a place to write. Her cracker-style home and farm, where she wrote "The Yearling" and other wonderful works of fiction, has been restored and is preserved as Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park. Writers young and old have been inspired by the wildlife, scenery and people of Florida, and our state parks are honored to preserve the legacy of several influential authors.  

Florida’s history is on display at many state parks. This year, Florida is celebrating the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America, and in spirited participation we’ve added a new category to the Florida State Parks “Capture…the Real Florida ” photo contest: historic encounters. Visit a museum or historic state park, learn about the stories that have shaped our state and try your hand at photographing them!   

While summer is a time to be carefree, we can’t forget it’s also hurricane season. It's important to make a plan today. For more resources on hurricane preparedness, visit FloridaDisaster.org.  We monitor the weather very closely. If hazardous conditions like a hurricane are on the horizon, check the National Hurricane Center website for the latest information. And be sure to visit floridastateparks.org for up-to-date information on any park or trail closures. Have fun and stay safe!  

See you in the parks, 
Chuck Hatcher, Director
Florida State Parks