- Long Key State Park
Infobox_protected_area
name = Long Key State Park
iucn_category = Ib
caption =
locator_x = 233
locator_y = 172
location =Monroe County, Florida , USA
nearest_city =Long Key ,Florida
lat_degrees = 24
lat_minutes = 49
lat_seconds = 01
lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 80
long_minutes = 49
long_seconds = 12
long_direction = W
area = 965 acres
established =
visitation_num =
visitation_year =
governing_body =Florida Department of Environmental Protection Long Key State Park is a 965 acre Florida State Park located on Long Key, one of the Florida Keys, at mile marker 67.5 on U.S. 1, 67400 Overseas Highway.
History
Prehistoric
coral reef s grew here over the course of millennia, when thesea level was over 20 feet deeper. The remnants came to form Long Key, and the rest of theFlorida Keys .The climate and waters provided abundant plant and aquatic life for the
Calusa , who settled in the area long before Spanish explorers arrived."Cayo Vivora", or Rattlesnake Key, is what the first Spaniards called the island, since to them it resembled a snake with its jaws open.
By the early
twentieth century , Long Key became an important depot for the completed of theFlorida East Coast Railroad . The railroad's founder, Henry Flagler, also established theLong Key Fishing Camp , a resort that attracted the greatest saltwaterfishermen from around the world. But it did not last for long, when in1935 , the Labor Day hurricane devastated the Club, the railroad, and much of the Keys.The land that came to comprise the park was acquired between
1961 and1973 , with the official opening in1969 .Biology
Plant life here originated in the Caribbean or West Indies. There are many types of trees and shrubs, some being
mangrove ,mahogany , Jamaica dogwood ("Piscidia piscipula"), poisonwood ("Metopium toxiferum"), the gumbo-limbo ("Bursera simaruba") and crabwood ("Gymnanthes lucida").The shallow waters are a haven for saltwater fish and other marine life. Numerous wading birds can be seen, especially during the winter.
Wildlife gallery
Recreational activities
Activities include
swimming ,snorkeling ,canoeing , andpicnicing , as well asfull facilitycamping ,hiking , andwildlife viewing. Amenities include threenature trail s (one canoe, two on land), picnic areas, and 60 full-facility campsites.Hours
The park is open from 8:00 am till sundown year round.
External links
* [http://www.floridastateparks.org/longkey/default.cfm Long Key State Park] at [http://www.floridastateparks.org Florida State Parks]
* [http://www.stateparks.com/long_key.html Long Key State Park] at [http://www.stateparks.com State Parks]
* [http://www.abfla.com/parks/LongKey/longkey.html Long Key State Park] at [http://www.abfla.com Absolutely Florida]
* [http://areas.wildernet.com/pages/area.cfm?areaID=FLSPLK&CU_ID=1 Long Key State Park] at [http://www.wildernet.com Wildernet]
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