| TALLAHASSEE-ST.
MARKS HISTORIC RAILROAD STATE TRAIL
Florida's first designated state
trail follows the abandoned railbed of the historic Tallahassee-St. Marks
Railroad. The trail runs almost due south from Tallahassee to the town of
St. Marks, which is at the confluence of the St. Marks and Wakulla rivers.
HISTORY
The Tallahassee-St. Marks Railroad
was the first railroad under construction in Florida and the first in
the nation to receive a federal land grant. Completed in 1837, the 20-mile
line connected the territorial Capital with the Gulf port of St. Marks.
Conceived and financed by leading planters and merchants, the railroad
transported the prosperous cotton crop of the region for shipment to East
Coast markets.
Initially, mules hauled open
freight and passenger cars loaded with naval store and timber industry
products. The rickety railbed prompted an earlier traveler to describe
it as "the worst that has yet been built in the entire world."
In the 1850s, the railroad was modernized and used to transport cotton.
The Tallahassee-St. Marks railroad was distinguished as Florida's longest
operating line, serving for 147 years. It is of rich historical significance
as a pioneer enterprise that stimulated the region's commercial development
and settlement.
In 1984, the Florida Department
of Transportation purchased 16 miles of the corridor to preserve the right-of-way.
The recreational trail was constructed and is maintained by the Florida
Park Service. Today, people of all ages, abilities and incomes can enjoy
using the trail.
ACTIVITIES
Activities permitted on the
trail include bicycling, walking, jogging, skating and horseback riding.
A paved surface is available for pedestrians and cyclists. Cyclists should
slow and give warning when approaching other users from behind. CAUTION:
Be alert for frequent vehicle crossings. Please be considerate of private
property owners adjacent to the trail.
An adjacent
trail is available for horses and their riders. Horseback
riding should be confined to the designated trial or shoulder areas to
avoid damaging the smooth bicycling surface.
The southern two miles of the
trail has been designated a segment of the Florida National Scenic Trail:
the Florida Trail continues across the St. Marks River to historic Port
Leon, and beyond.
A parking lot for the Tallahassee-St. Marks Trail is located on S.R. 363, just south of Tallahassee at the entrance of the trail.
Contact:
Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad State Trail
1022 Desoto Park Drive
Tallahassee, FL 32301
(850) 922-6007
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