Henderson Beach State Park

Originally belonging to Burney M. Henderson, this soon to be state park of 208 acres was bought for over 13 million dollars. Originally, before this family, it was owned by the government for timber in 1928. It was part of a goal to save the Floridian coast under Governor Bob Graham.

Originally a simple place for beach access and picnicking, the land developed into more of a tourist spot in 2000 by adding campsites and a playground. One can choose to swim, fish, or study the local foliage during their visit. It celebrated with its locals 25 years in 2016. One of the most memorable things is the huge collection of sand dunes that protects the nature present from harsh winds and heavy rains. Yearly, the park has over 500,000 visitors. It is also a way to connect kids in toen with the nature around them.

Blanks, Annie. Henderson Beach State Park celebrates 25 years, The Destin Log. July 15th 2016. Accessed February 3rd 2020. https://www.thedestinlog.com/news/20160715/henderson-beach-state-park-celebrates-25-years.

Florida DEP. (2018). History. Retrieved from Florida State Parks: https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/henderson-beach-state-park/history 

This source talks about the Henderson family from which Henderson State park was bought from in the early 1980s. Though amenities started out small, by march 2000, there were playgrounds and over 30 campsites. The nature trails let one view some of the last surviving coastal scrub areas. It also talks about how many visitors a year in estimates the park receives and its busy seasons. This source gives valuable information on why Henderson was created. It informs readers of Bob Graham and his conservation act named thee Save Our Coast Program of 1981. It was the first piece of land purchased under this new act and was opened in 1991.This state park is home to some very unique flora, fauna, and natural barriers like the sand dunes. It also explains the different amenities for campers who choose to stay on the grounds.

           This is a valuable source because it talks about the state park I am interested in and its history. It gives an account of the family that owned the piece of land before the conservation initiative existed. It also expands on the growth of the park from something very small to something that attracts a lot of tourist and nature enthusiast’s attention. It helps explain about the unique wildlife and land forms people come to see. I believe the source is credible because it comes from the Florida State park website where it talks about all of Florida's parks. 

Preepelka, b. (2020). Henderson Beach State Park. Retrieved from Scenic USA- Florida: https://scenicusa.net/050107.html

This source gives a history of the land before it was a park. It talks about when it was purchased and why. This area was a part of a program attempting to preserve Floridian wildlife. It originally only consisted of 6,000 feet of shoreline and has since grown. It also compares the beach to that of Siesta keys and the Bahamas. It restates the importance of this beach to the Emerald Coast area.

           I think this article is important because it expands more on the parks history before it was deemed a park. It gives furthered details on the Henderson family and estate which is what this piece of land used to be. It gives thee park's original dimensions and features of why it is so popular today. I think the source is credible because it comes from a cite that captures the history of important U.S. spots including this State park.