Morningside Nature Center facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Morningside Nature Center
IUCN Category V (Protected Landscape/Seascape)
Farmhouse in the Living History Farm at Morningside Nature Center
Morningside Nature Center Location in Florida
Location	Gainesville, Florida
Area	278 acres (1.13 km2)
Established	1970
Governing body	City of Gainesville

Morningside Nature Center is a fun 416-acre park located in Gainesville, Alachua County, Florida. It's a special place where you can explore nature and learn about history. The park is managed by the City of Gainesville.

Step Back in Time at the Farm

Morningside Nature Center has a unique living history farm. This farm shows what life was like for a family in North Florida during the mid to late 1800s. It's like stepping into a time machine!

Historic Buildings

The farm has an old cabin built around 1840 by Irish immigrants. It was moved to Morningside in 1976. You can also see a one-room schoolhouse, just like kids used to attend. Other farm buildings have been built to look just like they did long ago. There's even a field where they grow old-fashioned crops like corn, sugarcane, and cotton.

Meet the Farm Animals

The farm is home to special kinds of animals called "heritage breeds." These are the types of animals that would have lived on farms in the 1800s. You can see a Jersey cow, Ossabaw Island hogs, Dorking roosters and hens, and Gulf Coast sheep.

Farm Programs and Activities

• Monthly Farm Days: On the first Saturday of every month from September to May, volunteers dress in old-fashioned clothes. They teach visitors about what rural life was like in Alachua County many years ago.
• Barnyard Buddies: Every Wednesday afternoon from 3-4 pm (September through May), you can help feed the animals! Park staff provide hay and vegetables. This program is free, but donations of carrots, apples, or sweet potatoes are welcome. Remember to give food to the staff, not directly to the animals.

The farm is open Monday through Saturday from 9 am to 4:30 pm. It is closed on Sundays.

Explore the Nature Center

The nature center building is a great place to learn more about local wildlife.

What You'll Find Inside

Inside the education building, you can see live reptiles and amphibians. There are also taxidermy animals (animals that have been preserved) to look at. You'll find restrooms and maps for the trails here too.

Frogs and Friends Program

On the first Friday of each month from September to May, you can join the "Frogs and Friends" program. It takes place from 2:00 to 3:00 pm in the nature center and is free to attend.

Timucua Village

Behind the nature center, you can explore a replica of a Timucua village. The Timucua were Native American people who lived in Florida long ago.

Discover the Trails and Outdoors

Morningside Nature Center has several miles of hiking trails. These trails take you through different kinds of natural areas.

Types of Habitats

You can walk through sandhill ecosystems, which are home to endangered plants and animals. You'll also see pine flatwoods, bayhead swamps, and cypress domes. It's a great way to experience Florida's diverse natural beauty.

Park Facilities

Besides the 7 miles of hiking trails, the park has a public picnic area. This area includes restrooms and water fountains. There's also a covered open-air pavilion. This pavilion is used for environmental education programs for students on field trips and summer camps. It's also used for other park events. The pavilion is not available for public use.

Protecting the Park

Park staff use something called "prescribed fire" to help manage the park's sensitive ecosystems. This means they carefully set small fires to keep the land healthy.

Please note that dogs are not allowed in the park.