Jonathan Dickinson State Park facts for kids

Jonathan Dickinson State Park is a fun Florida State Park and a historic place. It is located in Martin County, Florida. You can find it between the towns of Hobe Sound and Tequesta.

This park is special because it has many different kinds of natural areas. You can explore sandy areas with sand pine trees. There are also flat pine forests and mangrove trees. You will even find river swamps here. The beautiful Loxahatchee River flows right through the park. This river is very important. It was named a National Wild and Scenic River in 1985. It was the first river in Florida to get this special title!

Park History and Its Namesake

Who Was Jonathan Dickinson?

The park is named after a man named Jonathan Dickinson. He was a Quaker merchant. In 1696, his ship crashed on the Florida coast. This happened near where the park is today. Jonathan, his family, and others were shipwrecked. He wrote a detailed journal about their adventure. It described meeting local Native American tribes. It also told about their long journey up the coast to St. Augustine.

The Wildman of the Loxahatchee

A man known as Trapper Nelson lived in this area. He moved to the banks of the Loxahatchee River in the 1930s. He lived off the land by trapping animals. He would then sell their furs. People soon started calling him the Wildman of the Loxahatchee. Trapper Nelson passed away in 1968. After his death, the state bought his land. This land was then added to the state park.

The beautiful Loxahatchee River flows through the park.

Camp Murphy: A Secret Past

During World War II, the United States Army built a secret base here. It was called Camp Murphy. This camp was a top-secret radar training school. It was built in 1942. Camp Murphy had over 1,000 buildings. More than 6,000 soldiers and officers lived there. The camp was only used for two years. It closed down in 1944. Most of the buildings were taken down. But you can still see some of their foundations today. The land was given to the State of Florida in 1947. Jonathan Dickinson State Park officially opened in 1950.

Fun Activities at the Park

Jonathan Dickinson State Park offers many exciting things to do. You can go bicycling on the trails. There are also boat tours on the river. If you have your own boat, you can go boating. You can even stay overnight in cabins.

For water lovers, you can go canoeing or kayaking. If you like to fish, there are great spots for fishing. The park has many hiking trails to explore. You can also enjoy horse trails. There are nice picnicking areas for lunch. You can even go swimming in certain spots.

The park is a wonderful place for wildlife viewing. You might see many different animals! There are also full camping facilities if you want to stay longer.

Learning and Exploring

The park has a special place called the Elsa Kimbell Environmental Education and Research Center. This center has exhibits about the park's history. You can learn about its nature and culture. The park also offers boat tours. A 44-passenger boat takes visitors to Trapper Nelson's homestead. It's a great way to see where the "Wildman" lived!

Images for kids

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  Two white-tailed bucks on the Loxahatchee River

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  A Yellow-crowned night heron on Kitching Creek

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  An Ibis on the Loxahatchee River

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  A Pileated woodpecker on Kitching Creek

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  A Great blue heron on the Loxahatchee River

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  Raccoons are cute, but can be quite curious!

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  An alligator resting on the Loxahatchee River

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  The Jonathan Dickinson Missile Tracking Annex

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  A dirt trail winding through the park