Torreya State Park
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Torreya State Park | |
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IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape) | |
Location | Liberty County, Florida, United States |
Nearest city | Bristol, Florida |
Coordinates | 30°34′08″N 84°56′53″W / 30.56889°N 84.94806°W |
Area | 13,735 acres (55.58 km2) |
Governing body | Florida Department of Environmental Protection |
Designated | December 1976 |
Torreya State Park is a 13,735 acre (56 km2)
It was named for the
Geography
With river swamps and high pinelands, extensive ravines and high bluffs along the river, the park has one of the most variable terrains of any in Florida. The high elevation of the park is about 300 feet at the top of Logan Hill. Many streams run through the park. [citation needed]
History
Torreya State Park is one of the original Florida state parks developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression. The park was named for the Florida tree Torreya taxifolia. Due to the river's importance during the Civil War, a six-cannon battery was placed on a bluff to prevent the passage of Union gunboats. These cannons never saw combat action at this location. The gun pits' remains can still be seen in the park.[1]
Prior Native American inhabitation has been confirmed by archaeological discoveries in the area.[2]
In 1818, General
Gregory House
In 1849, Jason Gregory built a
Not long after the Civilian Conservation Corps was established in 1933, they started work to create the park. Part of the project in 1935 was disassembling the old Gregory House, moving it across the river and reconstructing it in the park, where it stands today. Visitors can tour the Gregory House for a small fee.[3]
Natural history
Flora
The park is one of the few places in the country where the endangered species
The varieties of hardwood trees include
The endemic
Another critically endangered species found within Torreya State Park is the Florida Yew (Taxus floridana).[9] Also endemic to the east bank of the Apalachicola River, the Florida yew has a similar appearance to the Florida nutmeg. The yew can be differentiated by the shorter, blunt-tipped (not spine-tipped) leaves and the less strong smell of the crushed leaves.
Fauna
Many animals can be seen in the park. Some of the mammals there include
Recreational activities
The park has such amenities as
The Apalachicola River Bluffs Trail, a National Recreational Trail, is part of the park.
Gallery
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Entrance to Torreya State Park
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Gregory House at Torreya State Park
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View of the Apalachicola River in Torreya State Park
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View of the Apalachicola River in Torreya State Park
References
- ^ "History". Florida State Parks.
- ^ "Torreya State Park: Other Highlights - Liberty County, Florida". ExploreSouthernHistory.
- ^ "History". Florida State Parks.
- ^ Plant Profile for Croomia pauciflora
- ^ Florida's Native Plants - Protected: C-D
- ^ State Protected Plants in Florida
- ^ "The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
- ^ Barlow, Connie (April 2019). "At the Brink of Extinction — Why? Part 3. Assisted Migration of Glacial Relicts, Not Genetic Engineering". Torreya Guardians. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
- ^ "Torreya State Park: Other Highlights - Liberty County, Florida". ExploreSouthernHistory.
External links
- Official website
- Torreya State Park at Florida State Parks
- Torreya State Park at State Parks
- Torreya State Park Trails at Florida Department of Environmental Protection
- A Special Place at A Glimpse of Florida
- Explore Southern History: Torreya State Park – includes information on Gregory House