Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park is a
Florida State Park and historic site located on the former homestead of Pulitzer Prize-winning
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 ...
author
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings (1896-1953). A
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...
, it is located in
Cross Creek, Florida, between
Ocala and
Gainesville at 18700 South County Road 325.
Setting
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park is located on the eastern shore of Orange Lake, a short way south of the village of Cross Creek. The park is about in size, but is adjacent to public lands totalling about historically part of the Rawlings property. A public parking area and boat ramp are located south of the house, gardens, and outbuildings of the Rawlings home. The home is a rambling single-story wood-frame structure, whose central core is a
dogtrot house dating to the 19th century. Other buildings include a pump house, barn, and a small tenant house. Of these, only the pump house is also of 19th-century origin.
History
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, a native of
Washington, DC
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan ...
, and her husband Charles purchased a orange grove in 1929, including the old dogtrot house. They set about enlarging and adapting the house to their use, and both developed their careers as writers. Marjorie first achieved significant notice with stories published in ''
Scribner's Magazine'', and was awarded the
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made h ...
in 1939 for ''
The Yearling''. Her writing was infused with details from the central Florida region where she made her home.
[
Upon her death in 1953, the property was bequeathed to a foundation of the ]University of Florida
The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida, traces its origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its ...
. It has been managed by the state ever since, the house opening to the public in 1970.[
]
Park activities
Activities include hiking
Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...
and hourly tours Thursday through Sunday, at 10 a.m. 11 a.m. and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., except in August and September. Amenities include two short hiking trails and park employees that bring 1930s rural 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 ...
to life with period clothing and stories. In addition, guests are invited to pick and sample oranges
An orange is a fruit of various citrus species in the family Rutaceae (see list of plants known as orange); it primarily refers to ''Citrus'' × ''sinensis'', which is also called sweet orange, to distinguish it from the related ''Citrus × ...
from the many trees within the property.
Florida state parks are open between 8 a.m. and sundown every day of the year (including holidays). The cost is $3 per car to enter the park.
See also
* List of National Historic Landmarks in Florida
*
*Florida State Parks in Alachua County
There are 175 state parks and 9 state trails in the U.S. state of Florida which encompass more than , providing recreational opportunities for both residents and tourists.
Almost half of the state parks have an associated local 501(c)(3) non-pr ...
References
External links
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park
a
Florida State ParksMarjorie Kinnan Rawlings State Historic Site
a
WildernetAlachua County listings
a
Florida's Office of Cultural and Historical Programs
a
Historic Homes of Greater Gainesville
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rawlings, Marjorie Kinnan
State parks of Florida
Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Florida
National Historic Landmarks in Florida
National Register of Historic Places in Alachua County, Florida
Museums in Alachua County, Florida
Historic house museums in Florida
Farm museums in Florida
Biographical museums in Florida
Literary museums in the United States
Women's museums in the United States
Protected areas established in 1970
Parks in Alachua County, Florida
Houses in Alachua County, Florida
Historic American Buildings Survey in Florida
1970 establishments in Florida
Houses completed in 1890