An Interesting Early Account of Florida Caverns State Park

Marianna – One of the earliest recorded accounts of the caves within the limits of today’s Florida Caverns State Park was a description of the Natural Bridge Cave (now closed to the public) written in 1842 by the editor of the Tallahassee Floridian:

…Its entrance is on the side of a small hill, the mouth sufficiently large to admit two persons at a time in a standing posture. After furnishing ourselves with lighted candles we commenced our “exploring expedition.” A few steps led us into a large subterranean hall, of very irregular and curious structure. Its floor was quite uneven; and its roof thickly studded with glittering stalactites, forming a splendid arch, apparently supported by finely chiseled pillars of solid rock. After proceeding some distance, clambering over rocks, jumping ravines, now ascending land, anon descending, we at length reached a fine, cool spring, which gushed forth from a cleft in a large rock situated in a remote corner of the first apartment.

Unable to fathom that centuries of dripping water had hollowed out the cavern, the writer puzzled over what cataclysmic upheaval could have created the cave. He mentioned that local residents had explored a number of similar caverns in the area, including the Arch Cave west of the Chipola and the Rock Cave on the plantation of Dr. Samuel Bellamy.

After drinking cool water from the natural pool, the editor and his fellow explorers continued deeper into the cave:

…We pursued our uneven course into the net apartment, which presented much the appearance of the first. Having by this time become somewhat fatigued – the atmosphere being rather oppressive – we retraced our steps, and once more emerged into the light of day without meeting any accident. We think the position of the cave we explored was about 150 yards in length and ranging, in height, from 6 to 16 feet.

Such descriptions helped stimulate Florida’s first tourism industry, bringing visitors from across the country to Marianna to explore the caves and experience the beautiful scenery. Early accounts describe how visitors to Marianna were taken out to the natural bridge in wagons or carriages and given torchlight tours of the cavern. The process continues to this day, albeit in more modern form. If you would like to learn more about Florida Caverns State Park, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/floridacaverns.

Note: This article is excerpted from The History of Jackson County, Florida: The Early Years by Dale Cox. The book is available in Marianna at Chipola River Book and Tea on Lafayette Street downtown or online at www.amazon.com.

Florida Caverns Cave Tours are Closed Again

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection reports that the cave tours at Florida Caverns State Park in Marianna have once again been forced to close.

Heavy flooding along the Chipola River has forced the park to close its cave tours, Hickory picnic area, campground and Blue Hole swimming area.

Here is the latest list of Florida State Park closures from the DEP:

TALLAHASSEE — Fourteen of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s state parks are experiencing closures today after severe weather recently caused flooding. These are temporary closures and services will resume once conditions allow.

Continued state park closures include:

Adams Tract River Camp
C/o Troy Springs State Park
674 N.E. Troy Springs RoadBranford, Florida 32008
*Closed until further notice.

Holton Creek River Camp
C/o Suwannee River State Park
3631 201st Path
Live Oak, Florida 32060
*Closed until further notice.

Dowling Park River Camp
C/o Suwannee River State Park
3631 201st Path
Live Oak, Florida 32060
*Closed until further notice.

Fanning Springs State Park
18020 N.W. U.S. Highway 19Fanning Springs, Florida 32693
*Docks, boardwalk and swimming area closed until further notice. The cabins and park remain open for day use visitors.

Ichetucknee Springs State Park
12087 S.W. U.S. 27
Ft. White, Florida 32038
*River is closed to tubing until further notice. Some portions of the park are closed to visitors due to high water.

Lafayette Blue Springs State Park
799 N.W. Blue Spring RoadMayo, Florida 32066
* Closed until further notice.

Madison Blue Springs State Park
8300 N.E. State Road 6Lee, Florida 32059
*Closed until further notice.

Manatee Springs State Park
11650 NW 115th Street
Chiefland, Florida 32626
* Closed until further notice.

Peacock Springs State Park
12087 SW US Highway 27
Ft. White, Florida 32038
*Closed until further notice.

Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park
U.S 41 North
White Springs, Florida 32096
* Hiking trails and some portions of the park are closed to visitors until further notice.

Suwannee River State Park
3631 201st Path
Live Oak, Florida 32060
*Campground is now open, but some portions of the park remain closed.

Troy Springs State Park
674 N.E. Troy Springs RoadBranford, Florida 32008
*Closed to swimming and diving until further notice. The park remains open for day use visitors.
Topsail Hill Preserve State Park7525 W. Scenic Highway 30ASanta Rosa Beach, Florida 32459*The isolated day use area accessed by Topsail Road, off of Highway 98 is closed until further notice. The rest of the park remains open for day use and overnight visitors.

Florida Caverns State Park
3345 Caverns Road
Marianna, Florida 32246
*The campground, cave tours, Blue Hole use area and Hickory picnic area are closed until further notice. The visitor center is open for day use visitors.

Visitors can contact state parks directly for the most up to date information on park closures, or visit http://www.floridastateparks.org/. For additional information on flood conditions, visit http://www.floridadisaster.org/, or visit http://www.fl511.com/ for traffic updates.

Florida Caverns Cave Tours are Operating Again

One of the state parks forced to largely close as a result of flooding last week has reopened. Florida Caverns State Park in Marianna returned to full operation this morning.

One of the most amazing natural and historical attractions in the state, the park operates the only tour cave in Florida and also features a wide array of other attractions including canoeing on the Chipola River, the historic Natural Bridge of the Chipola, Blue Hole Spring, hiking trails, picnic areas, campsites and a Robert Trent Jones designed golf course.

The park is extremely rich in history. Spanish explorers and missionaries followed a trail leading across the Natural Bridge in the park as early as 1674. Andrew Jackson followed the same trail when he passed through the park in 1818 during the First Seminole War. Local legend holds that Native Americans hid among the rocks and caves of the park and watched his soldiers as they passed.

The caves in the park were popular with early settlers of the county who came to picnic and explore, but the large tour cave was not discovered until the Great Depression when W.P.A. workers noticed a hole beneath a fallen tree as they were working to build the park. The hole opened into a magnificent network of caverns that are strikingly beautiful.

To learn more about Florida Caverns State Park, including the remarkable story of Florida's Rip van Winkle, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/floridacaverns.

Flooding Impacting a number of Florida Historic Sites

Severe flooding is causing problems at a number of Florida state parks and historic sites. Rivers across much of the state are out of their banks as a result of heavy rains that have fallen over the last two weeks.

Florida Caverns State Park in Marianna has been forced to close its popular cave tours as well as its Blue Hole swimming area and Hickory picnic area. The park's Visitor Center remains open.

Suwannee River State Park near Live Oak, which protects a number of historic sites, has been completely closed due to flooding. The U.S. 90 bridge over the Suwannee River adjacent to the park is also closed.

Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park in White Springs has closed nature trails and some other areas of the park.

Here is the complete list of full and partial closings as of today from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection:

Continued state park closures include:

Adams Tract River Camp
C/o Troy Springs State Park
674 N.E. Troy Springs RoadBranford, Florida 32008
*Closed until further notice.

Holton Creek River Camp
C/o Suwannee River State Park
3631 201st Path
Live Oak, Florida 32060
*Closed until further notice.

Dowling Park River Camp
C/o Suwannee River State Park
3631 201st Path
Live Oak, Florida 32060
*Closed until further notice.

Fanning Springs State Park
18020 N.W. Highway 19Fanning Springs, Florida 32693
*Closed to swimming until further notice. The cabins and park remain open for day use visitors.

Madison Blue Springs State Park
8300 N.E. State Road 6Lee, Florida 32059
*Closed until further notice.

Lafayette Blue Springs State Park
799 N.W. Blue Spring RoadMayo, Florida 32066
* Closed until further notice.

Manatee Springs State Park
11650 NW 115th Street
Chiefland, Florida 32626
*The Usher Boat Ramp, swimming and diving are closed until further notice. The park remains open for campers and day use visitors.

Peacock Springs State Park
12087 SW US Highway 27
Ft. White, Florida 32038
*Portions of the park, including swimming and diving, are closed to visitors until further notice.

Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park
U.S 41 North
White Springs, Florida 32096
* Hiking trails and other portions of the park are closed to visitors until further notice.

Suwannee River State Park
3631 201st Path
Live Oak, Florida 32060
*Closed until further notice. Adjacent U.S. 90 bridge is also closed to traffic.

Troy Springs State Park
674 N.E. Troy Springs RoadBranford, Florida 32008
*Closed to swimming and diving until further notice. The park remains open for day use visitors.

Florida Caverns State Park
3345 Caverns Road
Marianna, Florida 32246
*Campground, cave tours and the Blue Hole use area, and hickory picnic area are closed until further notice. The visitor center and is open for day use visitors.

Topsail Hill Preserve State Park
7525 W. Scenic Highway 30A
Santa Rosa Beach, Florida 32459
*The isolated day use area accessed by Topsail Road, off of Highway 98 is closed until further notice. The rest of the park remains open for day use and overnight visitors.

Visitors can contact state parks directly for the most up to date information on park closures, or visit http://www.floridastateparks.org/. For additional information on flood conditions, visit http://www.floridadisaster.org/, or visit http://www.fl511.com/ for traffic updates.

Florida's Rip Van Winkle

One of the more bizarre legends handed down by Florida's early pioneers is a "Rip Van Winkle" like tale about a sleeping man found in the caves of today's Florida Caverns State Park in Marianna.

The caves at what would become the park were popular with early residents of Jackson County and they often rode out from town to picnic and explore. On one such expedition, according to the legend, a party of young people were exploring the Natural Bridge Cavern in the park when a wall suddenly gave way and exposed a previously unknown chamber.

As they climbed inside through the dust and debris, the explorers were stunned to find an old man stretched out on the floor of the new cave. At first they thought he was dead, but then to their surprise he began to stretch and wake up. He was dressed in skins with a coonskin cap by his side. He spoke a strange Spanish dialect but after some trying the explorers were finally able to understand what he was saying. When they told him the year, however, he became highly alarmed and announced that he had been sleeping for 100 years!

Panic stricken, the man ran out into the vast swamps of the Chipola River and was never seen again.

To learn more about this fascinating story that first appeared in newspapers as early as the 1850s, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/floridacaverns8. A longer version of the story can also be found in my recent book, The History of Jackson County, Florida: Volume One. It is now available at Amazon.com. Just follow the link for more information.

Florida Caverns State Park - Marianna, Florida

Florida's fascinating karst topography means that the state is rich in caves, caverns, sinkholes and springs. The best place to explore these without crawling through the mud and braving snakes and other wild animals is Florida Caverns State Park in Marianna.

Established during the Great Depression, the park contains Florida's only tour cave, a beautiful cavern that is toured by tens of thousands of visitors each year.

In addition, the state park preserves a phenomenal natural setting of towering hardwood trees, limestone bluffs, flood plains, a beautiful spring and numerous smaller caves. One of the other caves, the "Tunnel Cave" on the park's nature trail, can be toured without a guide.

The park is rich in Florida history. Early Spanish explorers crossed the Natural Bridge of the Chipola River here, as did later British and American explorers. Andrew Jackson's army crossed the bridge in 1818 as he marched overland to Pensacola during the First Seminole War.

A visitor center in the park displays artifacts recovered there and interpretive panels provide information on the rich natural and cultural history of the area.

To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/floridacaverns.