Near Ocala in Marion County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
Shangri-La Diggings
Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, February 25, 2021
1. Shangri-La Diggings Marker
High and Dry in the Sandhill
Look around — do you notice sandy soil and pine trees? This habitat is called sandhill. It grows on ancient sand dunes left behind when sea levels were higher. Sandhill is now exceptionally rare. It's ideal for building houses, shopping centers and golf courses.
In the 1930s, the high elevation of sandhill proved challenging for engineers tasked with building a canal across Florida. Canal workers either had to dig deep into the ground or design locks to carry barges up and over this central ridge like stair steps. On the trails, you can still see evidence of the original canal.
Wildlife and Plants Need Sandhill
Scattered longleaf pine and turkey oak trees grow in the sandhill. This is a dry habitat. The sandy soils don't hold water well. The prairie-like grasses that flourish here need fire — otherwise, hardwood trees would take over. Wildlife like gopher tortoise, southern fox squirrel, indigo snake, white-tailed deer, wild turkey and eastern diamondback rattlesnake call the sandhill home.
Erected by Florida State Parks.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Environment • Parks & Recreational Areas • Waterways & Vessels.
Location.
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 9 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Ross Prairie (approx. 3.4 miles away); Rest for the Weary (approx. 3.4 miles away); Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway (approx. 4.3 miles away); Landbridge West (approx. 4.3 miles away); Landbridge East (approx. 4.4 miles away); Florida Honors and Remembers our POW’s and MIA’s (approx. 5.1 miles away); Old Canal Landfill (approx. 6˝ miles away); Pruitt Trailhead (approx. 8.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Ocala.
More about this marker. Adjacent marker, "Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway," is replicated at multiple locations along the greenway.
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway
Also see . . .
1. Shangri-La Trailhead and Campground. Imagine what it must have been like during the Great Depression
State Archives of Florida
2. Marker detail: Barge Canal Perspective
Can you see the people standing on the edge of the canal? The 1960s barge canal was a huge undertaking.
2. Cross Florida Barge Canal (Wikipedia). The planned route of the canal followed the St. Johns River from the Atlantic coast to Palatka, the valley of the Ocklawaha River to the coastal divide, and the Withlacoochee River to the Gulf of Mexico. About 28% of the 107 mile project was built. (Submitted on February 28, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
3. Marker detail: Gopher Tortoise
The life of a gopher tortoise revolves around its burrow. Humans build houses in the same dry habitats that tortoise depend on.
4. Marker detail: Wild Turkey
Wild Turkeys are woodland birds that prefer open forests like this. A canal here would have divided their habitat.
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 25, 2021
6. Shangri-La Diggings Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on March 7, 2021. It was originally submitted on February 26, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 333 times since then and 44 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on February 28, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
