De Leon Springs State Park
Encyclopedia
De Leon Springs State Park is a Florida State Park
in Volusia County, Florida
. It is located in De Leon Springs, off CR 3.
spring
, flowing at a rate of about 20 million USgals (75,708.2 m³) a day, that remains 72 degrees Fahrenheit year-round and reaches a depth of 30 feet (9.1 m) at the spring boil.
includes alligator
s, white-tailed deer
, turtle
s and otter
s. Among the birds that can be seen are anhinga
s, egret
s, hawk
s, limpkin
s, osprey
s, vulture
s, American Bald Eagles, American White Ibis
, Belted Kingfisher
s and Great Blue Heron
s.
Seasonal sightings may include Florida black bear
s en route from the Ocala National Forest
to the Tiger Bay Wildlife Management Area, manatee
seeking relief from the cold during winter and migratory birds such as the swallow-tailed kite
, the sandhill crane
and teal
.
DeLeon Springs was first occupied as early as 8000 BC
(a dugout canoe dating back to at least 6000 BC
was found on the site) by local Native American
tribes. In the 16th century, Spanish
forces, possibly including Juan Ponce de León
, passed through. The Spanish would return in 1783 after regaining the land from England
(who had held it since 1763), granting land near the springs to settlers to establish a plantation called "Spring Garden" where corn
, cotton
, and sugar cane were grown. Sometime around this time the Seminole began to settle in the area.
The area came under American
ownership some time after Florida became a territory in 1821; Colonel Orlando Rees built a mill to grind the corn and sugar. Most of the facilities were destroyed by Union troops
during the American Civil War
; however, the waterwheel and building remain on the site to this day, now housing a pancake restaurant called "The Old Spanish Sugar Mill", owned and operated by local residents.
The Seminole tribe briefly regained the land during the Second Seminole War and sacked the plantation; General Zachary Taylor
led the U.S. Army forces to gain control of it in 1838.
The area drew tourists in the 1880s, when it was touted as a winter resort for the springs' alleged rejuvenating powers; it was advertised as a fountain of youth
.
In 1982 the State of Florida acquired the land for use as a recreational area.
ing, kayak
ing, and fishing
are permitted in the spring run; swimming is permitted only in designated areas. There is a five-mile (8 km) hiking trail popular for birdwatching (the park is part of the Great Florida Birding Trail
). One dead end of the trail leads to Monkey Island
, named after monkeys who had escaped from the circus and settled there. Amenities include an enclosed swimming area, pavilions, picnic areas with tables and grills, volleyball
courts, a playground
, fishing pier, a boat ramp and boat dock. Guided eco-tours are offered by boat from the park to the adjacent Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge
. A visitor center
providing historical, cultural and natural history information is operated by the Friends of DeLeon Springs State Park. The Old Spanish Sugar Mill is now a restaurant, specializing in pancakes which guests prepare on individual griddles at their tables.
Florida State Parks
The Florida State Parks encompass the majority of the lands that fall under the authority of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. There are 160 such entities, including nature reserves, recreation areas, and historic sites, which can be found in every corner of the state...
in Volusia County, Florida
Volusia County, Florida
Volusia County is a county located in the state of Florida. The U.S. Census Bureau 2010 official county's population was 494,593 . Its county seat is DeLand, and its most populous city is currently Deltona....
. It is located in De Leon Springs, off CR 3.
Geology
The park covers 611 acres (2.4 km²) of Volusia County, built around a natural sulfurSulfur
Sulfur or sulphur is the chemical element with atomic number 16. In the periodic table it is represented by the symbol S. It is an abundant, multivalent non-metal. Under normal conditions, sulfur atoms form cyclic octatomic molecules with chemical formula S8. Elemental sulfur is a bright yellow...
spring
Spring (hydrosphere)
A spring—also known as a rising or resurgence—is a component of the hydrosphere. Specifically, it is any natural situation where water flows to the surface of the earth from underground...
, flowing at a rate of about 20 million USgals (75,708.2 m³) a day, that remains 72 degrees Fahrenheit year-round and reaches a depth of 30 feet (9.1 m) at the spring boil.
Fauna
Park wildlifeWildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
includes alligator
Alligator
An alligator is a crocodilian in the genus Alligator of the family Alligatoridae. There are two extant alligator species: the American alligator and the Chinese alligator ....
s, white-tailed deer
White-tailed Deer
The white-tailed deer , also known as the Virginia deer or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized deer native to the United States , Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru...
, turtle
Turtle
Turtles are reptiles of the order Testudines , characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield...
s and otter
Otter
The Otters are twelve species of semi-aquatic mammals which feed on fish and shellfish, and also other invertebrates, amphibians, birds and small mammals....
s. Among the birds that can be seen are anhinga
Anhinga
The Anhinga , sometimes called Snakebird, Darter, American Darter, or Water Turkey, is a water bird of the warmer parts of the Americas. The word "anhinga" comes from the Brazilian Tupi language and means devil bird or snake bird.It is a cormorant-like bird with an average body length of , a...
s, egret
Egret
An egret is any of several herons, most of which are white or buff, and several of which develop fine plumes during the breeding season. Many egrets are members of the genera Egretta or Ardea which contain other species named as herons rather than egrets...
s, hawk
Hawk
The term hawk can be used in several ways:* In strict usage in Australia and Africa, to mean any of the species in the subfamily Accipitrinae, which comprises the genera Accipiter, Micronisus, Melierax, Urotriorchis and Megatriorchis. The large and widespread Accipiter genus includes goshawks,...
s, limpkin
Limpkin
The Limpkin , Aramus guarauna, is a bird that looks like a large rail but is skeletally closer to cranes. It is the only extant species in the genus Aramus and the family Aramidae. It is found mostly in wetlands in warm parts of the Americas, from Florida to northern Argentina...
s, osprey
Osprey
The Osprey , sometimes known as the sea hawk or fish eagle, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey. It is a large raptor, reaching more than in length and across the wings...
s, vulture
Vulture
Vulture is the name given to two groups of convergently evolved scavenging birds, the New World Vultures including the well-known Californian and Andean Condors, and the Old World Vultures including the birds which are seen scavenging on carcasses of dead animals on African plains...
s, American Bald Eagles, American White Ibis
American White Ibis
The American White Ibis is a species of wading bird in the ibis family Threskiornithidae. It occurs from the mid-Atlantic and Gulf coast of the United States south through most of the New World tropics...
, Belted Kingfisher
Belted Kingfisher
The Belted Kingfisher is a large, conspicuous water kingfisher, the only member of that group commonly found in the northern United States and Canada. It is depicted on the 1986 series Canadian $5 note. All kingfishers were formerly placed in one family, Alcedinidae, but recent research suggests...
s and Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron
The Great Blue Heron is a large wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, common near the shores of open water and in wetlands over most of North and Central America as well as the West Indies and the Galápagos Islands. It is a rare vagrant to Europe, with records from Spain, the Azores and England...
s.
Seasonal sightings may include Florida black bear
American black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
s en route from the Ocala National Forest
Ocala National Forest
The Ocala National Forest is the second largest National Forest in the U.S. state of Florida and covers approximately of Central Florida. It is located three miles east of Ocala and southeast of Gainesville...
to the Tiger Bay Wildlife Management Area, manatee
Manatee
Manatees are large, fully aquatic, mostly herbivorous marine mammals sometimes known as sea cows...
seeking relief from the cold during winter and migratory birds such as the swallow-tailed kite
Swallow-tailed Kite
The Swallow-tailed Kite is an elanid kite which breeds from the southeastern United States to eastern Peru and northern Argentina. Most North and Central American breeders winter in South America where the species is resident year round...
, the sandhill crane
Sandhill Crane
The Sandhill Crane is a large crane of North America and extreme northeastern Siberia. The common name of this bird references habitat like that at the Platte River, on the edge of Nebraska's Sandhills in the American Midwest...
and teal
Duck
Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
.
History
8th millennium BC
In the 8th millennium BC, agriculture became widely practised in the Fertile Crescent and Anatolia.Pottery became widespread and animal husbandry spread to Africa and Eurasia. World population was approximately 5 million.-Events:*c. 8000 BC—The last glacial period ends.*c...
(a dugout canoe dating back to at least 6000 BC
6th millennium BC
During the 6th millennium BC, agriculture spread from the Balkans to Italy and Eastern Europe, and also from Mesopotamia to Egypt. World population was essentially stable at approximately 5 million, though some speculate up to 7 million.-Events:...
was found on the site) by local Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
tribes. In the 16th century, Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
forces, possibly including Juan Ponce de León
Juan Ponce de León
Juan Ponce de León was a Spanish explorer. He became the first Governor of Puerto Rico by appointment of the Spanish crown. He led the first European expedition to Florida, which he named...
, passed through. The Spanish would return in 1783 after regaining the land from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
(who had held it since 1763), granting land near the springs to settlers to establish a plantation called "Spring Garden" where corn
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
, and sugar cane were grown. Sometime around this time the Seminole began to settle in the area.
The area came under American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ownership some time after Florida became a territory in 1821; Colonel Orlando Rees built a mill to grind the corn and sugar. Most of the facilities were destroyed by Union troops
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
; however, the waterwheel and building remain on the site to this day, now housing a pancake restaurant called "The Old Spanish Sugar Mill", owned and operated by local residents.
The Seminole tribe briefly regained the land during the Second Seminole War and sacked the plantation; General Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor was the 12th President of the United States and an American military leader. Initially uninterested in politics, Taylor nonetheless ran as a Whig in the 1848 presidential election, defeating Lewis Cass...
led the U.S. Army forces to gain control of it in 1838.
The area drew tourists in the 1880s, when it was touted as a winter resort for the springs' alleged rejuvenating powers; it was advertised as a fountain of youth
Fountain of Youth
The Fountain of Youth is a legendary spring that reputedly restores the youth of anyone who drinks of its waters. Tales of such a fountain have been recounted across the world for thousands of years, appearing in writings by Herodotus, the Alexander romance, and the stories of Prester John...
.
In 1982 the State of Florida acquired the land for use as a recreational area.
Recreational Activities
CanoeCanoe
A canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...
ing, kayak
Kayak
A kayak is a small, relatively narrow, human-powered boat primarily designed to be manually propelled by means of a double blade paddle.The traditional kayak has a covered deck and one or more cockpits, each seating one paddler...
ing, and fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
are permitted in the spring run; swimming is permitted only in designated areas. There is a five-mile (8 km) hiking trail popular for birdwatching (the park is part of the Great Florida Birding Trail
Great Florida Birding Trail
The 2000 mile long Great Florida Birding Trail is a collection of more than 400 locations in the U.S. state of Florida...
). One dead end of the trail leads to Monkey Island
Monkey Island
-Places:* Nanwan Monkey Island, a nature reserve in Hainan, China* Monkey Island, North Carolina, a remote, natural island located in Currituck Sound, North Carolina* Monkey Island, in the Grand Lake o' the Cherokees in northeast Oklahoma...
, named after monkeys who had escaped from the circus and settled there. Amenities include an enclosed swimming area, pavilions, picnic areas with tables and grills, volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
courts, a playground
Playground
A playground or play area is a place with a specific design for children be able to play there. It may be indoors but is typically outdoors...
, fishing pier, a boat ramp and boat dock. Guided eco-tours are offered by boat from the park to the adjacent Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge
Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge
The Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge is part of the United States National Wildlife Refuge System, located in north central Florida, twenty-five miles west of Daytona Beach, off U.S. Highway 17 in DeLeon Springs....
. A visitor center
Visitor center
A visitor center or centre , visitor information center, tourist information center, is a physical location that provides tourist information to the visitors who tour the place or area locally...
providing historical, cultural and natural history information is operated by the Friends of DeLeon Springs State Park. The Old Spanish Sugar Mill is now a restaurant, specializing in pancakes which guests prepare on individual griddles at their tables.