Makinson Island is one of three islands in

Lake Tohopekaliga Lake Tohopekaliga, Tohopeka (from tohopke meaning fence, fort); Tohopekaliga (from tohopke meaning fence, fort + likv meaning site), also referred to as Lake Toho, West Lake, or simply Toho, is the largest lake in Osceola County, Florida ...

, Osceola County,

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

. It was purchased by the State of Florida on December 31, 1998, in cooperation with the

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is a Florida government agency founded in 1999 and headquartered in Tallahassee. It manages and regulates the state's fish and wildlife resources, and enforces related laws. Officers ar ...

(FWC),

The Trust for Public Land The Trust for Public Land is a U.S. nonprofit organization with a mission to "create parks and protect land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come". Since its founding in 1972, the Trust for Public Land has compl ...

and Osceola County. Ownership was transferred to FWC on October 6, 1999. The park is managed by Osceola County as a natural refuge with trails, primitive camping sites, and a pavilion. The island was planned to developed into time-shares before it was purchased by the state. The island came with a derelict 34-passenger boat that was restored by

Walt Disney World Resort The Walt Disney World Resort, also called Walt Disney World or Disney World, is an entertainment resort complex in Bay Lake, Florida, Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States, near the cities of Orlando ...

and

Mercury Marine Mercury Marine is a marine engine division of Brunswick Corporation headquartered in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. The main product line is outboard motors. It also produces the MerCruiser line of sterndrives and inboard motors. Some manufacturing ...

and named "Spirit of Osceola".Osceola County Parks. "Makinson & Paradise Island". 2001-11-30.

References

External links

Osceola County Parks Brochure
Islands of Florida {{OsceolaCountyFL-geo-stub