Early & present history about Florida's St. Johns River.

A selection of writings from naturalists John and William Bartram, who explored Florida in 1765 In 1765 father and son naturalists John and William Bartram explored the St. Johns River Valley in Florida, a newly designated British territory and subtropical wonderland. They collected specimens and recorded extensive observations of the region’s plants, animals, geography, ecology, and Native cultures. The chronicle of their adventures provided the world with an intimate look at La Florida. Travels on the St. Johns River includes writings from the Bartrams' journey in a flat-bottomed boat from St. Augustine to the river's swampy headwaters near Lake Loughman, just west of today’s Cape Canaveral. Vivid entries from John's Diary detail the settlement locations of Indigenous people and what vegetation overtook the river's slow current. Excerpts from William's narrative, written a decade later when he tried to make a home in East Florida, contemplate the environment and the river that would come to be regarded as the liquid heart of his celebrated Travels. A selection of personal letters reveal John's misgivings about his son's decision to become a planter in a pine barren with little shelter, but they also speak to William's belated sense of accomplishment for traveling past his father's footsteps. Editors Thomas Hallock and Richard Franz provide valuable commentary and a modern record of the flora and fauna the Bartrams encountered. Taken together, the firsthand accounts and editorial notes help us see the land through the explorers' eyes and witness the many environmental changes the centuries have wrought.

First explored by naturalist William Bartram in the 1760s, the St. Johns River stretches 310 miles along Florida's east coast, making it the longest river in the state. The first "highway" through the once wild interior of Florida, the St. Johns may appear ordinary, but within its banks are some of the most fascinating natural phenomena and historic mysteries in the state. The river, no longer the commercial resource it once was, is now largely ignored by Florida's residents and visitors alike. In the first contemporary book about this American Heritage River, Bill Belleville describes his journey down the length of the St. Johns, kayaking, boating, hiking its riverbanks, diving its springs, and exploring its underwater caves. He rediscovers the natural Florida and establishes his connection with a place once loved for its untamed beauty. Belleville involves scientists, environmentalists, fishermen, cave divers, and folk historians in his journey, soliciting their companionship and their expertise. River of Lakes weaves together the biological, cultural, anthropological, archaeological, and ecological aspects of the St. Johns, capturing the essence of its remarkable history and intrinsic value as a natural wonder.

The St. Johns River is the longest river within the state of Florida. Flowing over 300 miles from Central Florida north to Jacksonville and then east to the Atlantic Ocean, it is a vital natural waterway. The river has both a rich past and a long-standing relationship with the wildlife living in, along, and around it. More than 3.5 million people reside on or near the river, including in the cities of Jacksonville, Green Cove Springs, Palatka, and Sanford. Exploring the St. Johns River shows the human history of this waterway--and the lakes in Central Florida that are part of the river--from early European explorations to the most recent developments of the 21st century. This book was created to showcase the history, ecology, and waterways of the St. Johns River.

St. Johns River begins in the swamps in southeast Florida, then passes 310 miles through many lakes, communities, forests, and swamps north towards the Atlantic Ocean near Jacksonville. As a resource, it has been enjoyed by millions, but few know its full and fascinating story. It was explored by both the Spanish and French, and hosted a thriving Steamboat trade. Today it has become a popular recreation and tourist site. Illustrated by 300 vintage postcards, this book takes a virtual tour from St. Johns River's source to its basin, with stories of its history, tributaries, cities, and attractions along the way.

In Trouble on the St. Johns River, the Johnson kids Joey, Bobby and Katy are up to their adventurous ways again. But this time, instead of exploring history, they're making it! Joey and Bobby start their summer vacation by setting out for their favorite fishing pond, but end up leading a crusade to clean up the environment instead.Finding the pond covered with green muck and dead fish, the brothers decide to do something about it. That leads to a close encounter with a manatee, a visit to a center that rehabilitates injured sea turtles, and a boat tour on the St. Johns River. What they learn through these experiences inspires them to create The Greenies and chart a course of action that captures the attention of many, including a local TV station. By the end of the story, Joey, who thought there was nothing kids could do to make a difference, realizes that perhaps they are the very ones who can. Its a story of awakening that will inspire young readers to become more aware of their environment and give them some ideas on how to preserve it.

"When Robert Fulton installed a steam engine in the side wheel boat North River Steamboat in 1807, the world changed forever. With this innovation, riversthe natural transportation arteries of the South - were opened as routes to transport travelers and goods to previously inaccessible areas. Today, the steamboat triggers romantic images of adventures on the Mississippi taken from Mark Twain. But the opening of the major rivers in Florida to steamboat navigation was vital to the state's development." "This history brings together the author's unique experiences traveling Florida's steamboat routes with the historical record of the innovations and explorations that led to the steamboat's reign as the preferred mode of transport before the dawn of the twentieth century."--BOOK JACKET.