The Story of Highlands Hammock...

The Story of Highlands Hammock.... . , In 1881, Jonathan Skipper settled in this forest known as “Hooker’s Hammock.” He and wife Letitia, purchased claim to this property, cleared land for their home, planted orange trees, and built livestock holding pens. He also gave five acres of land to his cousin Cordie and her husband, W.L. Eiland, to ensure ongoing help. , Jonathan and Letitia, with their ten children and extended family, rounded up cattle for market and herded them to Cuban-bound ships on Florida's west coast. By 1920, Jonathan's son Chesley A. Skipper owned several hundred acres of the hammock. , In 1929, the hammock's botanical wonders inspired ideas about creating a national park here. These plans floundered, but the idea to create this park continued, funded by private donations. , Donald Roebling heard of the hammock’s preservation plans while buying an airplane from George E. Sebring, Jr., who was the son of the town's founder. Donald later flew his parents, John A. and Margaret Shippen Roebling, over the property. Greatly impressed with its beauty, Mrs. Roebling donated $25,000 to purchase the first 500 acres. A corporation was formed in 1930, and plans began in earnest to create the park. Landowners joined the effort with Chesley A. Skipper donating a 320 acre block to the project. Construction of roads, bridges and foot trails soon began. Highlands Hammock opened to the public in March 1931. Four years later the land was acquired by the state and became one of Florida's first state parks. , [captions] , . Jonathan Skipper , . The Skipper Family, 1903 , Exhibit sponsored by Highlands County Historic Preservation Commission and the Friends of Highlands Hammock State Park. Special thanks to the Skipper and Eiland families.