| Florida Department of Environmental Protection | August 6, 2015 Newsletter |
August 7 Is National Lighthouse Day
~Visit one of Florida State Park's four beautiful lighthouses.~
Aerial view of the Cape Florida lighthouse at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park. | National Lighthouse Day is celebrated annually on August 7 in an effort to shed light on structures which have shed their own lights on ships and sailors for centuries. The first lighthouse in America was built in 1716 at Boston Harbor, using candles to light the way for sailors. As symbolic towers of guidance, safety and strength, lighthouses have been vital in guiding the way to shore for many ships and boats at sea throughout many centuries and wars.
While lighthouses have played a crucial role in Florida’s history, only 30 lighthouses remain along its 1,350 miles of coastline. Florida State Parks is proud to house four of these historic towers. One of the most well-known can be found at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park. Built in 1825, the 65-foot lighthouse remains the oldest standing structure in Miami-Dade County. The lighthouse was repaired and placed back in service more than 10 years after the Seminoles destroyed the lighthouse in July of 1836. In 1878, the lights of the tower went dark after a new lighthouse was built closer to the sea. One hundred years later, the Cape Florida lighthouse became a part of Bill Baggs State Park and now serves as a museum along with the keeper’s cottage and cookhouse.
More of Florida State Parks' lighthouses can be found at Gasparilla Island, Anclote Key, and Egmont Key state parks, each with their own special features. Visit these parks this weekend to celebrate National Lighthouse Day. Please note, Gasparilla Island State Park's lighthouse will be closed for the month of August. |
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Access For All In August
~Learn more about the Access for All initiative in Florida's state parks.~
The Access for All banner waving at Honeymoon Island State Park. | Since its inception in 1935, the Florida Park Service has cultivated and celebrated a culture of inclusion throughout Florida’s state parks. Access for All reflects Florida State Parks' commitment to further develop inclusive recreational activities for all visitors and we encourage park visitors to engage in the many accessible amenities we have to offer and continue to strive to accommodate you in a respectful and dignified manner.
Taking place for a full year beginning in July 2015, the Access for All campaign involves a variety of activities and benefits, which five of Florida’s state parks will participate in each month. Each park will display the types of access they provide to visitors in creative and innovative manners, while promoting the campaign with celebratory display banners and posters throughout the park. Park staff will be required to participate in a training program, reinforcing knowledge of the various elements of accessibility and ADA requirements.
The Friends of Florida State Parks have launched a $1 million Access for All campaign to increase access at individual parks. The campaign features a “1M Wish List,” which details specific accessible amenities parks have requested. Contributions to this wish list give parks the opportunity to provide unprecedented resource-based recreational experiences to visitors.
August will highlight five of Florida’s state parks, which include St. George Island State Park, Manatee Springs State Park, Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area, Skyway Fishing Pier State Park and Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park. Learn more about Access for All and check out the above parks during August. |
Annual Passes Are Now Available On The Web
~Get your Annual Pass now on the Florida State Parks Online Store.~
The Florida State Parks Annual Pass. | We know you and your family love visiting Florida State Parks year-round, so get your annual park pass now on the Florida State Parks Online Store. The Annual Pass makes a perfect gift for family, friends and yourself, and is honored at all of Florida’s 174 state parks, except for Skyway Fishing Pier State Park, where visitors can use the pass as a 33 percent discount.
Purchase your Individual Entrance Pass now for $60 or buy one for the entire family at $120. While individual passes only get the individual pass holder into Florida’s state parks for free, buying a Family Entrance Pass gets you and up to seven additional friends and family members into the park.
Visit the Florida State Parks Online Store to purchase your pass now. Learn more about the Annual Pass, including park exceptions, discounts and further information, by visitingFloridaStateParks.org. |
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