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Operational study administrative and correspondence files, 1950-1952.
Amount:
0.25 cubic ft.
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Organization/Arrangement:
Unarranged.
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Biographical/Historical:
The Board of Parks and Historic Memorials, commonly known as the Florida Park Service, was originally created in 1935 (Ch. 17025, Laws of Florida) and was administered within the Board of Forestry. 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). Between 1948 and 1969, the Florida Park Service's administrative staff consisted of a Board comprised of five governor-appointed citizens, a director, assistant director, fiscal agent, publicity chief, and various stenographers. The first director was Charles H. Schaeffer, who served in that position from 1935 to 1937. He was followed by H.J. Malsberger (1937-1940) and Lewis Scoggin (1940-1952). After Emmet Hill's tenure (1953-1960), the board saw two more directors -- Walter Coldwell (1960-1963) and N.E. "Bill" Miller (1963-1969) -- before merging into the Division of Recreation and Parks in 1969.
In 1950, the Board hired lawyer J. Kenneth Ballinger to inspect the Florida Park Service's operations, including the director's office, park procedures and visitation, as well as the acquisition and planning of new state park properties. Ballinger then reported back to the Board his findings and made recommendations concerning personnel, procedures, budgetary matters, and legislation.
Summary:
This series contains the administrative and correspondence files generated by Board attorney J. Kenneth Ballinger during the course of his study of Florida Park Service operations. Included are confidential trip reports, correspondence with individual board members, and director's office memoranda. The records also provide information on many of the early state parks and other recreational areas such as Little Talbot Island, Fort Pickens, Torreya, Hugh Taylor Birch, and St. Andrews state parks, Dade Battlefield, and Stephen Foster Memorial. Issues include African American park visitation, budgets, marketing, legislation, and re-organization of the park service.
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Folder listing available. 0
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Subject Access Fields:
Hill, Emmet, 1902- Scoggin, Lewis, 1899-
Florida Park Service. Florida. Board of Parks and Historic Memorials. Parks and Historic Memorials, Board of. Florida. State Road Dept.
Parks Florida Budget Florida Legislation Florida African Americans Florida.
Little Talbot Island State Park (Fla.) Myakka River State Park (Fla.) Jacksonville (Fla.) Sarasota (Fla.) Santa Rosa Island (Fla.) Fort Pickens (Fla.) Torreya State Park (Fla.)
for detailed listing.