Sunday Favorites: History of Myakka River State Park

Today the Myakka River is a vital waterway known for its scenic beauty and ecological significance. Flowing for approximately 72 miles from its headwaters near the Hardee-Manatee county line, it meanders through diverse landscapes, including prairies, marshes, and forests, before emptying into Charlotte Harbor.

Baby Snooks was one of several deer cast in the movie "The Yearling."

The river is a crucial component of the Myakka River State Park, one of Florida's oldest and largest state parks. Established in 1934, this park encompasses around 37,000 acres of wetlands, prairies, hammocks, and pinelands. The river's slow-moving waters create a unique habitat that supports a variety of wildlife, including alligators, turtles, wading birds, and numerous fish species.

However the origins of the park reflect its historical significance. Before 1850, the Myakka River was known as the Asternal River on English maps. In the 1850s, a Seminole Indian reportedly informed a surveyor that the river's name was Myakka, according to the park’s history.

From the 1850s to the 1930s, cattle grazed on the dry prairie, a vast landscape of grasses, forbs, palmetto, and other low shrubs, dotted with thousands of wetlands.

In 1910, Bertha Palmer, a progressive businesswoman from Chicago, bought a large amount of land in Sarasota for cattle and pig ranching. Originally known as Meadow Sweet Pastures, Betha introduced fencing and dip vats to Florida ranching.

Shortly after the Great Depression struck, President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal was implemented to revive the economy. One of its programs, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), led to Florida purchasing over 17,000 acres of the Palmer estate to develop Myakka River State Park. Myakka is one of eight Florida State Parks developed by the CCC during the 1930s.

The CCC had lasting impacts both nationally and locally. More than 5 million young men were enlisted to help preserve natural areas across the nation. This employment allowed them to earn money to send home to their families.

Myakka River State Park was formally dedicated in 1941 and was officially opened to the public. Many of the CCC structures built in Myakka are still used today, such as the visitor center, two picnic pavilions, five rental log cabins, roads, and trails.

In an 1991 interview with Joe Crowley, the Manatee County Historical Society reported that Joe’s father Allen Crowley was hired by the park service in 1941, moving the family onto park property. Joe believed Allen may have been the first park ranger hired. At the time, Joe recalled being in the 4th grade.

At that time, there were no turkeys or deer in the county or nearby counties as they had been hunted to near extinction. It was Allen's dream to re-stock the park with these animals. Allen had a contact in the Everglades who sold him two hen turkeys and a gobbler for $15 each. With no park budget at the time, Allen had to pay for the birds out of his pocket, which was a significant expenditure given his salary of only $76 per month.

They built a huge pen made of field wire off what is now known as Ranch House Road. The fence was about 8 feet high and covered 6 acres. The turkeys were placed in the pen to breed.

The same man who sold him the turkeys later contacted him about a young fawn he found in the woods. Allen brought the fawn back to the park, and the family bottle-fed her. They named her "Baby Snooks" after a popular radio star of the day.

Allen purchased three more deer from Bonita Springs Animal Gardens: one buck and two does, which he placed in the 6-acre pen. Each year, twin fawns were released from each of the does. Soon, about 35 deer were grazing on Big Flats.

Baby Snooks remained the darling of park visitors and nearby residents. She would often catch the school bus with the children, and the bus driver would have to call someone to come pick her up at the school in town.

When the movie "The Yearling" was filmed in Florida, the producer obtained five animals needed for the movie from Bonita Springs Animal Gardens. However, they did not have a young fawn, so they referred the filmmaker to Allen  at Myakka River State Park. Thus Baby Snooks became the star of “The Yearling.”

Allen Crowley’s dedication to reintroducing wildlife to the park, notably through the charming story of Baby Snooks, reflects the personal commitment and community involvement that have shaped Myakka River State Park into what it is today. The park not only serves as a habitat for wildlife but also as a cherished recreational area for visitors who come to enjoy its serene landscapes and rich biodiversity.