Florida ranks fifth in the nation for Mineral Commodities. The industrial mineral production value is around $1.92 billion. Florida’s minerals are utilized worldwide. Most locals think of phosphate as one of major minerals mined in Florida, which is, supplying one-quarter of the world’s phosphate needs. However another of Florida’s top minerals is Limestone. Florida ranks second nationally in production and fourth in consumption of crushed stone (limestone and dolostone). Most of the crushed stone is used for road construction. Limestone can undergo calcinations and can be used to manufacture Portland and masonry cement. Florida ranks in the top five states in production and consumption of Portland cement and is first in the production and consumption of masonry cement.
Early mining in Florida was done by Native Americans. They quarried the mineral chert from limestone for use in points and tools. In the 1500's, Spanish settlers and soldiers quarried coquina limestone near St. Augustine to form building blocks for their forts and homes. Builders in Florida have used Limestone sine Spanish times. Limestone is still an important industry in Florida supplying raw materials for cement and road base.
The land where Colt Creek State Park is located was purchased from the Overstreet Family in May of 2006, this 5067 acre park nestled within the Green Swamp Wilderness Area and named after one of the tributaries that flows through the property was opened to the public on January 20, 2007. For over 60 years this property was managed as a cattle ranch by the Overstreet family. Past activities on the land also included lime rock mining, timber harvesting, citrus production and turpentining. Comprised mainly of Pine Flatwoods, Cypress Domes and open pasture land, this piece of still pristine wilderness is home to many animal species including the American Bald Eagle, Sherman's Fox Squirrel, Gopher Tortoise, White-Tail Deer, Wild Turkey and Bobcat. The park is currently equipped with a lime rock entrance road, grass parking area, wheel chair accessible restroom, informational kiosk, picnic pavilion and several picnic tables and grills. Visitors are invited to fish, picnic, and hike or ride their horses on over 12 miles of trails and enjoy nature study at its finest.
The artificial lakes in Colt Creek range for four to 25 acres. These lakes are an artifact of a limerock mining operation while the land was still privately owned. While the park was being prepared to be open to the public the state ran into delays while laying electrical lines in the ground due to the amount of limerock in the area. They chose to bury the cable anyway to help keep the area as natual looking as possible. Limerock can still be seen through out the park along the trails. As trails were made and fire breaks created many large limerocks were unsurfaced. Some of the large ones are used throughout the park as barriers while many of them are still scattered around. Some of these will be the object of the requirements for this cache.
To receive credit for this EarthCache you must post two pictures in your found log and email your answers to question 1 to the email address located in my profile page. DO NOT post your answer in your log. Failure to complete all four questions completely will result in your log entry being deleted.
1. As you drive in toward Mac Lake you will drive past the information area. Stop and read the information. Email one interesting fact about the park that you were not aware of from the display.
2. At the Mac Lake parking area you will see some large lime rocks that are being used to prevent driving traffic from entering. Choose one of the large rocks and post a picture with your logs of the rock, you and your GPSr.
3. Find a "wild" lime rock while hiking the trails and post a picture of it with your log.
4. Measure the "wild" lime rock you found in #3 and post in your log the coordinates you found it and the estimated size in inches at the widest point visible. This cannot be a lime rock that has been used by the park rangers for barriers or roadways.
While you are at Colt Creek make sure you check out the many lakes in the park as most of them were results of limestone mining. Also be sure to check out the rest of the park caches for additional history/information about the park.
Information gathered regarding Florida mining came from Florida Department of Environmental Protection and personal knowledge of being a Florida Native.
This cache was placed by a member of the
Florida Geocaching Association