The Online Catalog allows searching and browsing of information about the Florida State Archives’ holdings of over 48,000 cubic feet of state and local government records and historical manuscripts. The catalog provides descriptions of over 3,400 collections and lists the contents of containers and folders in many of those collections. For assistance with accessing and using State Archives collections, call our Reference Staff at 850.245.6719 or email us at archives@dos.myflorida.com.
The Florida Park Service was originally created in 1935 as the Board of Parks and Historic Memorials (Chapter 17025, Laws of Florida) and administered within the Board of Forestry. The Park Service's first eight parks were designed and built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. In 1949, the Park Service became an independent agency, the Board of Parks and Historic Memorials (Ch. 25353, Laws). Its purpose was to administer and control the operation and development of the state parks and historic sites of Florida. In 1969, the Board was merged with the Outdoor Recreational Development Council (Ch. 63-36, Laws) to form the Division of Recreation and Parks (Ch. 69-106, Laws) under the Department of Natural Resources. The Division eventually moved to the newly created Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) in 1993 (Ch. 93-213, Laws). One of the major functions of the Board of Parks and Historic Memorials was the identification and marking of historic sites. Such sites might include early towns, roads, banks, military forts, or historic events such as Civil War battles, constitutional conventions, or significant inventions. The historical marker program was administered by the Board's Chief of Information and Education. In the 1960s, Ralph Hager served in this role. Once a site was selected, a short historic essay was written, often authored by well-known Florida historians such as Samuel Proctor, William Warren Rogers, and Dena Snodgrass. Finally, a two-sided metal plaque would be erected on or nearby the historic site. Often a community or town would solicit such a marker from the Board.
Summary:
Each file in this series documents a specific marker, including records such as correspondence, marker text and drafts, historic research, and sign specifications. Each file is labeled with the marker's title, marker number, and the county the site was located within. Along with historical information for each site, the records also provide a sense of popular perceptions of Florida history in the 1960s. The majority of the markers concern the Civil War and other military-related sites. The series is not complete: only files from Alachua through Gulf counties are present.
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Florida Park Service. Florida. Board of Parks and Historic Memorials. Parks and Historic Memorials, Board of.
Historic sites Florida Fortification Florida Historical markers.
United States History Civil War, 1861-1865
for detailed listing.