Near Ocala in Marion County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
Old Canal Landfill
Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, February 11, 2021
1. Old Canal Landfill Marker
Landfill Legacy
Nearby is a landfill that was used during the construction of a massive canal across Florida. Engineers and workers operating huge machines dug about a third of the canal in the 1960s. The project was never completed, but its remains have had a long-lasting impact on the land.
The Florida Park Service aims to restore the habitat here. Scientists tested the soil and groundwater and determined there was no serious environmental threat. However, leftover trash and equipment make the landfill unsafe for humans and wildlife. In the future, the area will be restored like the rest of the former canal lands that make up the greenway.
The Things We Leave Behind
As you can see along the greenway, the things that humans leave behind can influence the landscape for decades. What are some things you've left behind? It could be something big — like a wall or structure you built — or small, like trash or the ashes of a campfire. How long might they last?
Erected by Florida State Parks.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Environment
this page online
Location. 29° 3.838′ N, 82° 8.151′ W. Marker is near Ocala, Florida, in Marion County. Marker is on Florida Trail, 4˝ miles south of Southeast 80th Street (County Road 328), on the left when traveling south. Marker is located along the Florida Trail, about 4.5 miles southwest of the Santos Trailhead. The Santos Trailhead is located at 3080 Southeast 80th Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Ocala FL 34476, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Landbridge East (approx. 2.1 miles away); Landbridge West (approx. 2.2 miles away); Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway (approx. 2.2 miles away); Florida Honors and Remembers our POW’s and MIA’s (approx. 3.8 miles away); History: Cows & Horses (approx. 3.8 miles away); History: Monkeys & Boars (approx. 3.8 miles away); Cat Face (approx. 3.8 miles away); Green Monsters (approx. 3.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Ocala.
More about this marker. Access to the marker is via foot, bicycle or horseback on the Florida Trail. Adjacent marker, "Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway,"
Courtesy University of North Florida, Thomas G. Carpenter Library
2. Marker detail: Cross Florida Barge Canal Diagram
This diagram shows the full plan for the 1960s Cross Florida Barge Canal, most of which was never built.
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway
Also see . . .
1. Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway. One of the nation's largest incomplete public works projects has been transformed into the diverse Cross Florida Greenway, spanning Central Florida from the Gulf of Mexico to the St. Johns River. (Submitted on February 14, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
2. Cross Florida Barge Canal (Wikipedia). It is named for the leader of opposition to the Cross Florida Barge Canal, Marjorie Harris Carr, and was originally a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers canal project to connect the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean across Florida for barge traffic. Two sections were built but the project was ultimately cancelled, due to local opposition related to environmental concerns... (Submitted on February 14, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Courtesy Jacksonville Public Library Special Collections
3. Marker detail: Canal Perspective
The man at the bottom of the canal is tiny compared to the high walls.
Courtesy Jacksonville Public Library Special Collections
4. Marker detail: Workers Clearing Land
Workers, hired by the federal government during the Great Depression, sweated through the Florida heat to clear land for the ship canal.
5. Marker detail: Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway
The Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway sits on land purchased in the 20th century for a shipping canal across the state. The prolonged political struggle over the canal shows how dreams of progress and preservation shaped Florida.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, February 11, 2021
6. Old Canal Landfill Marker
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, February 11, 2021
7. Old Canal Landfill Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on March 7, 2021. It was originally submitted on February 12, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 320 times since then and 138 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on February 12, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on February 14, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
