Florida Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

“The history surrounding Florida State Parks provides education and resources to explore Florida’s past,” said DEP Secretary Colleen M. Castille. “By learning about Florida’s Hispanic heritage, visitors can discover significant events and achievements throughout the state’s cultural history.”

Parks such as De Leon Springs State Park have an expansive cultural history dating back to the indigenous people of Florida. Established as a state park in 1982, local folklore claims that Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon discovered the Fountain of Youth on the site in 1570. Prior to the Spanish settlers, Native Americans lived in the area in 5,000 B.C. and historical records tell of a British company trading with the Seminole Indians as early as 1779. Today, the Old Spanish Sugar Mill Restaurant at the park commemorates construction of the original sugar mill by early settlers. In addition, Civil War re-enactments of an 1835 Second Seminole Indian War honor the site’s historical events. Visitors can also enjoy recreational activities such as boating, canoeing, kayaking, nature trails, wildlife viewing and picnicking.

Ybor City Museum State Park, housed in the historic Ferlita Bakery Building, is another state park with significant Hispanic heritage. From the opening of the first factory in 1886, Ybor City has always been a historic Latin community. In the late 1800s, Don Vicente Martinez Ybor came to the frontier near Tampa and built a city that became the ‘Cigar Capital of the World.’ Tampa’s first industry, the Ybor Cigar Factory was the largest in the world, employing more than 4,000 of the 20,000 workers in Ybor City. Competition from machines, popularity of cigarettes and the Great Depression combined to bring about the decline of the cigar industry in Ybor City. However, visitors can still visit the museum that traces the rich cultural history of the area as well as La Casita, a restored cigar worker’s house.

Florida’s state park system is one of the largest in the country with 159 parks spanning more than 725,000 acres and more than 100 miles of sandy white beach. From swimming and diving in rivers and springs to birding and fishing or hiking and riding on natural scenic trails, Florida’s state parks offer year-around outdoor activities for all ages. Battle reenactments and Native American festivals celebrate Florida’s unique history, while art shows, museums and lighthouses offer a window into Florida’s cultural heritage.

For more information on Florida State Parks, visit www.floridastateparks.org.