Jonathan Dickinson State Park

Jonathan Dickinson State Park was named after a Quaker merchant whose vessel shipwrecked near Jupiter Inlet in 1696. Jonathan Dickinson’s journey began after an earthquake devastated their home in Port Royal, Jamaica. After four years, Jonathan Dickinson set sail on his vessel, the Reformation, with his wife, child and 21 other passengers, including 12 slaves. The son of a wealthy English Quaker with commercial interests in Jamaica, Dickinson was carrying valuable cargo to establish his family business in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; however, on the way, their vessel encountered a disastrous September storm that left them shipwrecked near the Jupiter Inlet.

The survivors of the wreck came face to face with the Jobe Indians who were quick to identify them as English, although the party feigned to be Spanish, believing it would save their lives. Although they were known to be English, the Indian chief of the Jobe tribe let them live and moved them to the area known today as DuBois Park right on the Inlet. Dickinson wrote a detailed journal describing their encounters with the local Indian tribes and Spanish settlers along the coast as they made their way on foot and small boat to St. Augustine. 

Farther upriver is the “Trapper Nelson Interpretive Site,” the restored homeland of a man named Trapper Nelson, who came to this area in the 1930s and lived off the land. He was most famous for trapping and selling furs on the Loxahatchee River. He became famous as the “Wildman of the Loxahatchee,” opening his “Trapper's Jungle Gardens and Wildlife Zoo” to the public. After his death in 1968, the state acquired his land, preserving his home and grounds for future generations to enjoy.

Later in the century, during WWII, the United States Army turned the area into the established site of Camp Murphy in 1942, a top-secret and heavily camouflaged radar training school that housed more than 6,000 officers and soldiers. Very few locals had any real information about what was going on, only that a secret Army base had been constructed upstream. The technology of radar was in its infancy, and the men that were trained there were sent out all around the world. However, despite its small successes in training soldiers, the camp only served its purpose for 2 years before it was deactivated by the United States government.

Following the deactivation of Camp Murphy, the property was transferred from the U.S. government to the State of Florida. The state decided to turn the area into a new state park, set to open in 1950. The park was home to many species of wildlife, including, but not limited to deer, raccoons, foxes, otters, bobcats, alligators, sand pine scrub, pine flatwoods, mangroves, and river swamps. Threatened and endangered species include Florida scrub-jays, gopher tortoises, manatees, and Eastern indigo snakes. Over 140 species of birds have been identified there, making Jonathan Dickinson a premier birding destination. Jonathan Dickinson is now an esteemed state park, welcoming in new tourists and campers since it first opened to come see its natural wonders along the Loxahatchee River.

“History: Jonathan Dickinson State Park.” Florida State Parks, Florida Department of 

Environmental Protection, 

www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/jonathan-dickinson-state-park/history. 

-This site provides a history of the park, including why it was built, how large it is, and the events that occurred within it. It offers other information, such as the park hours, fees, events, history of the park, and more. The extensive amount of information provided in the website allows the reader to gather a greater understanding about what the park is and how it came about.The Florida State Park website is a trusted, state run website, and can be reliable for using accurate information. This website was chosen because of its reliability and accuracy of a description of JDSP (including its history, hours, and other important information) that was included in the introduction and historical background sections of this entry.

“Jonathan Dickinson State Park Information and History.” Explore Jonathan Dickinson State 

Park, Hobe Sound, Florida, NSPC Jonathan Dickinson State Park, 27 June 2014, 

www.jdstatepark.com/park-information. 

-This site provides a history of the park, including why it was built, how large it is, and the events that occurred along the way. This website allows the reader to explore the wonders of Jonathan Dickinson State Park, rent areas to stay in, sign up for tours, and overall, learn more about the history of the park. The Jonathan Dickinson State Park website is a trusted site and a state run park, therefore, is reliable to get information from. This site was chosen because of its reliability, especially considering it is one of JDSP’s official websites. The helpful information found on the website was included in the introduction and historical background sections of this entry.

“JUPITER FLORIDA CAMPING | Jonathan Dickinson State Park | Florida Camping | Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse.” YouTube, uploaded by CampTravelExplore, 6 Sept. 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUTALHm4xx4&feature=youtu.be. 

-This video was uploaded by a traveling critic who visited the many wonders within and surrounding Jonathan Dickinson State Park. In his video, the user explains some of the wonders found in the park, as well as other natural beauties available to be visited outside the area, such as the Blowing Rocks Preserve along the coast and right across from the park. This video was chosen as a key source for this entry because of its fantastic description of JDSP’s beauty and the description of other historical sites surrounding it, as well as their locations around Jupiter, FL.

Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse and Museum. “Jonathan Dickinson.” Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse and Museum, 10 Dec. 2019, www.jupiterlighthouse.org/explore/history/jonathan-dickinson. 

-This website gives a wonderful insight into the history of the man named Jonathan Dickinson. It describes what him and his family were originally going to America to do, but somehow ended up near the Jupiter Inlet after a terrible storm. This website was chosen due to its reliability when it comes to accurate information on Jonathan Dickinson (it is from a state-made website) and its information was used in the historical content section of this entry.

Trail of Florida’s Indian Heritage. “Jonathan Dickinson State Park - Trail of Florida's Indian Heritage.” Trail of Florida’s Indian Heritage, 24 July 2017, www.trailoffloridasindianheritage.org/jonathandickinson-statepark. 

-This site offers a little more insight into what can be found within Jonathan Dickinson State Park. Many natural habitats within the park are also named in their description of the wonders within it. The website also provides a brief synopsis of the history behind the park, mentioning how it was named, Camp Murphy, and how it became a state park. It also mentions the amenities that Jonathan Dickinson offers to its visitors. This website was chosen because of its accurate description of JDSP’s wildlife and history, which was information included in the introduction and historical background sections of this entry.

Walker, T. “Jonathan Dickinson State Park.” State Parks, www.stateparks.com/jonathan_dickinson_state_park_in_florida.html. 

-This website provides the information to contact or make reservations with Jonathan Dickinson State Park, a description of where the park can be found, the history of the park, and more. It gives a brief summary of the nature found within the area as well as the other amenities provided to visitors wishing to camp there. This site was chosen for its extent of information on the wildlife, history, camping, and tourist information regarding JDSP. The information was used within the introduction and historical background sections of this entry.