The Cross-Florida Barge Canal was an inland waterway project to be
constructed from the St. Johns River in Florida to the Gulf of
Mexico via the lower reaches of the Ocklawaha and Withlacoochee
River valleys. While plans to seek a route for a canal across
Florida began as early as the state's Spanish Territorial Period, a
complete survey of such a route was not completed until the early
twentieth century. In 1935, the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers was
authorized to construct the "Florida Sea Level Canal," but plans
were abandoned in 1943. At that time, the Corps of Engineers issued
a project report, "The Cross-Florida Barge Canal," which was
presented as a World War II defense measure. An appropriation was
requested, but Congress did not enact it.
While serving on the U.S. Senate Committee on Inter-Oceanic
Canals prior to U.S. involvement in World War II, Senator Claude
Pepper noted that the "Atlantic-Gulf Ship Canal" would be an
important national defense resource that would make direct and safe
navigation possible from the East coast to the Gulf of Mexico. It
was believed the Canal would be more economical for shippers that
traditionally used the longer route through the Florida Keys. At
the same time, Pepper was sensitive to the interests of
agricultural and horticultural workers by supporting the
construction of the Canal, if it were not economically and
environmentally harmful to these industries.
In late 1963, Congress approved an appropriation to start
construction of the Cross-Florida Barge Canal, and work began in
1964. In 1970, the Environmental Defense Fund and the Florida
Defenders of the Environment organized opposition to the canal. The
Florida Defenders of the Environment presented evidence
demonstrating the need for further investigation into the continued
construction of the Cross-Florida Barge Canal. Faced with a court
challenge, President Nixon asked for a review of the project and
its environmental impact. Then in 1971 he signed an executive order
stopping the work with only one-third of the Canal completed and
$70 million spent. Congress de-authorized the canal in 1986, and
four years later, the Florida Legislature approved a state
de-authorization bill. In November of 1990, President Bush
de-authorized the federal project and the 110-mile corridor of
Canal lands were reverted to Florida. This land became the Cross
Florida Greenway State Recreation and Conservation Area.
Marjorie Harris Carr worked tirelessly to stop the canal. The
first small victory came in 1971 when President Nixon called a halt
to construction of the canal. For the next several years Marjorie
wrote letters, wrote articles and gave speeches in order to make
the construction halt permanent. She rallied thousands of citizens
to the cause. She petitioned the state. In 1990 - after 20 years of
effort - the Cross Florida Barge Canal Project was finally
de-authorized. In honor of Ms. Carr's unswerving commitment the
area was officially named the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida
Greenway in 1998.
To learn more, please visit the following links:
To claim credit for this cache you must do the
following:
- Proceed to the Earth Cache site. You will turn off of Hwy. 19
at N 29* 33.551 W 081 43.957. Follow the drive East. You should
find yourself at the front door of the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross
Florida Greenway Visitor Center-East. If not, consider purchasing
another GPSr.
- Hours of Operation are 7 days a week, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00
p.m.
- You MUST visit this site. No ‘Photoshopped’
images will be accepted.
-
Please submit at least one picture of
yourself (w/GPSr clearly visible) at the Front of the Visitor
Center (see example above). Solo cachers may submit a shot of the
front porch and your hand holding your GPSr in the
picture.
- Next, you will need to go inside the Visitor’s Center to answer
a few questions. No ‘Googling’!
- Locate the “Model of the Buckman Lock”. You will find two
buttons that operate the exhibit. What color(s) are they?
- Find a display entitled “Boating and Fishing…” How many fish
are pictured under the plaque?
- A special device was used to clear the timber from the area
that would eventually become the Rodman Reservoir. How heavy was
the device?
- Email your answers to this
address . Please do
NOT post your answers in your log, even if
encrypted.
- Log your find and post the required pictures promptly. 2 hours
should be sufficient time.
- By now, I’m sure you are familiar with the rules of caches of
this type. Logs without the requisite pictures or follow-up email
will be deleted without notice.
Please stop in and say "Thank You" to Park
Manager Adele Mills for her cooperation in setting up this
Earthcache!!!