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Featured Article: Highlands Hammock State Park

Highlands Hammock State Park
#HistoryTuesday - Tuesday April 14TH 2026
 
Early road maps of our local area were provided by service stations - back when you drove to them for fill-ups, check-ups under the hood, directions to your destination, and multi-folded road maps - all without even getting out of your car.

Before World War II a "Florida Botanical Gardens And Arboretum" appeared on pre-World War II road maps. (This is not to be confused with the present-day Florida Botanical Gardens adjacent to Largo Florida in Pinellas County.)

There were plans for such a place west of Sebring - west of Florida State Road 8 (the main north-south highway through the area at the time), but those plans didn't quite work out.

The area that was planned was actually merged in 1941 with neighboring Highlands Hammock State Park - which is essentially a large (9,000+ acre), natural, living arboretum.

The park itself was opened to the public in March 1931, and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was brought in to finish the park and to create the formal Botanical Gardens. It officially became a Florida State Park in August 1935. World War 2 brought an end to all construction plans and work in November 1941.

Nowadays between 100,000 and 200,000 people visit Highlands Hammock State Park each year. They host many educational and fun activities and events throughout the year for both tourists and locals. Their next big event is their 8TH Annual Earth Day Festival on Saturday April 25TH 2026 from 10 AM to 3 PM.
 
 

 

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