Page 49 - Marina Del Palma

FLAGLERLIVE.COM
A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE —
WASHINGTON OAKS STATE PARK
Situated on A1A, Washington Oaks State Park is one of the state’s oldest parks. A historical site that was once owned by a relative of President George Washington, the tranquil park is most famous for its formal gardens. Flanked on both sides of A1A, the park is also the preserve for the original habitat of a northeast Florida barrier island. e park also preserves beach coastal scrub, coastal hammock, and tidal marshes.
e park’s land is rich in history, with early archives showing that natives found the area productive for hunting and shing. After the European settlement of Florida, the park had several owners and was used for various agricultural purposes. One owner was a survey- or named George Washington, a relative of President George Washington. In 1936, Louise Powis Clark, wife of the industrialist Owen D. Young, purchased the prop- erty as a winter retirement home. He devised the name “Washington Oaks” for the property and is responsible for developing the park’s formal gardens, citrus groves, and house. Mr. Young died in 1962 and Mrs. Young donated the property to the State of Florida in 1964. Her donation speci ed that the “gardens be maintained in their present form.”
e park has a variety of natural Florida vegetation that have been on the property for hundreds of years, including southern live oaks, magnolias, hickories, cabbage palmettos, and saw palmettos. e tranquil garden, planted by the Young family, are heralded for their award-winning roses, camellias and azaleas.
Visitors to the park can enjoy walking along a trail system that meanders throughout the grounds. Lots of native animals live among the park and there are many sightings of sea turtles, Florida gopher tortoises, manatees, white-tailed deer, raccoons, bobcats, bald eagles, and more.
e park o ers amenities and activities along the beaches on both the Matanzas River and the Atlantic Ocean including picnicking areas, bicycling, shing and hiking, as well as wildlife viewing. e original residence is now a visitor center with interactive exhibits.
CITY OF PALM COAST
– 47 –