Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park

An amazing treasure for Floridians and tourists alike, this living museum state park offers visitors a glimpse into the past as park rangers roam the park in period outfits and reenact daily life on this famous Florida cracker homestead. Guided tours are available for guest at the park for a fee of $3 adults and $2 for children 6-12 years old. Group tours for schools are especially popular. I went on a field trip in eight grade here many years ago.

The tour leads visitors on a trek through time to the mid 1930's when Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings was writing here many famous novels about life in early Florida history. As you travel through the various areas of the actual working farm, you mingle amongst chickens and pigs and wander through paths of fruits and vegetables. A small garden in the front still contains many plants that were planted by the famous author herself.

The tour enters the many buildings which make up the farm as well. The barn can be seen with period tools and wagons that were used to work the farm. A tour inside the house bears witness to withstanding the test of time. Many antique objects that were once used still rest about the museum quality kept homestead. Some of the objects are original like the pack of cigarettes she smoked and the porch coffee table where she worked. Reservations for the tour are required by calling in advance at (352)466-3672.

Once you're done with the tour, you can wander around the many trails that meander through the garden and into the deeper woods Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings called home. There are two trails, with each take about fifteen or more minutes to navigate. The wider trail-East Grove Trail-was once the road that lead to the orange grove Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings planted. It leads through the old grove and to the back of the river hammock. Behind the farm house-the Jungle Trail-leads guests along a narrow path through fern forests and cypress stands. A small trail leads from both areas to the parking area through the old citrus grove.

The grove and gardens along the old cracker home is carefully preserved, much of how it looked in the 1930's. A wide variety of ornamental plants, kitchen herbs, flowers, fruits and vegetables are grown here each year by park staff. Their efforts make aware for all-and future generations to understand and learn from life in Florida's past.

For more information on directions to the park, tour information or hours of operations, visit the official state park website here.