Near Altoona in Lake County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
Florida Black Bear Scenic Byway
Discover the Wild Florida of the Naturalists
Marjorie Harris Carr - Tireless Conservationist
Marjorie Harris Carr's most prominent legacy on the byway was to halt the construction of the Cross Florida Barge Canal. Over the long 1962-1971 battle, she enlisted citizen's groups, formed an environmental group, and rallied the public to stand up for our precious local ecosystem.
”Why fight for the Ocklawaha River? The first time I went up the Ocklawaha, I thought it was dreamlike. It was a canopy river. It was spring-fed and swift. I was concerned about the environment worldwide. What could I do about the African plains? What could I do about India? How could I affect things in Alaska or the Grand Canyon? But here, by God, was a piece of Florida. A lovely natural area, right in my backyard, that was being threatened for no good reason.”
Marjorie Harris Carr
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)
This organization put many unemployed young men to work in the Great Depression, and National Forests all over the country benefited from their efforts. The CCC was responsible for the construction of 126,000 miles of roads and trails, planted millions of trees, built fire towers, and left permanent structures in the forest for visitors to use. This group helped make it easier for the public to access nature.
The Mill at Juniper Springs was one of the most unique projects the CCC built across the country. In 1935-36, the CCC built the Mill house to provide electricity in a location miles from other sources. They further developed trails and campgrounds in that area.
William Bartram - Dreamy Naturalist
William Bartram, a Quaker from Britain, fell in love with wild Florida in the late 1700s/early 1800s. A naturalist, painter, and visionary, he conveyed through his books a sense of the area as an Eden. This euphoric vision inspired Romantic poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge to produce great works like the poem Kubla Khan.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Charity & Public Work • Environment • Parks & Recreational Areas • Women.
Location. 29° 4.863′ N, 81° 34.674′ W. Marker is near Altoona, Florida, in Lake County. Marker can be reached from County Road 445, 5 miles east of State Highway 19 when traveling north. Marker is located at the Alexander Springs Recreation Area Visitor Center in Ocala National Forest. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 49525 County Rd 445, Altoona FL 32702, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 12 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. The Pitman Residence (approx. 6 miles away); Fort Butler (approx. 6˝ miles away); Astor: "The Jewel of the St. Johns River" (approx. 6.8 miles away); Volusia (approx. 7 miles away); William Bartram Trail (approx. 7 miles away); Birth of the Florida Trail (approx. 7.4 miles away); Robert M. McTureous, Jr. (approx. 9.3 miles away); Quarter's House (approx. 11.7 miles away).
Also see . . . Marjorie Harris Carr. Harris graduated from Florida State College for Women with a B.S. in zoology in 1936. Despite membership in various honor societies and the Florida Academy of Sciences, her applications to graduate programs in ornithology at both Cornell University and the University of South Carolina were rejected on the basis of her gender. Undeterred, Harris found work as a biologist at the Welaka Fish Hatchery, near the St. Johns River in North Central Florida, becoming the first female federal wildlife technician. It was in this position that she developed an intimate understanding of the ecosystems of the Ocklawaha River, a tributary of the St. Johns River that would become a main focus of her environmental activism decades later. (Submitted on March 15, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Credits. This page was last revised on March 15, 2019. It was originally submitted on March 15, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 328 times since then and 36 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on March 15, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.