Yesterday, December 3, 2022, Ed and I drove to Flamingo in Everglades National Park for a very special day, the park’s 75th anniversary celebration. It was unforgettable! Today I share the event program, historic postage, and some of my photographs.

The event featured an open house of the newly renovated Guy Bradley Visitor Center, a rededication ceremony with a list of impressive speakers including ENP Superintendent Pedro Ramos, live music by once Artist in Residence in Everglades, Grant Livingston, historic re enactments of Marjorie Stoneman Douglas,  Ernest F. Coe, Guy Bradley, May Mann Jennings, Ruth Bryan Owens, and John Pennekamp. Under a  blue sky and perfect weather the crowd looked out over Florida Bay and could see white pelicans, brown pelicans, and a plethora of other wading birds in the distance. The mood was jovial led by ZooMiami’s Ron Magill -master of ceremonies. Throughout the day many noted the moving speech of President  Harry S. Truman at the December 6, 1947 dedication of Everglades National Park in Everglades City. We walk in the footsteps of giants…

-Historic time-stamped 1947 Everglades City envelope and stamp in celebration of the dedication of ENP. From the stamp collection of the late Thomas H. Thurlow Jr., courtesy of historian Sandra Henderson Thurlow.

“Not so often in these demanding days are we able to lay aside the problems of the times, and turn to a project whose great value lies in the enrichment of the human spirit. Today, we make the achievement of another great conservation victory. We have permanently safeguarded an irreplaceable primitive area. We have assembled to dedicate to the use of all the people for all time, the Everglades  National Park…” –President Harry S. Truman December 6, 1947

It was wonderful to participate in this historic day in 2022 that so many before us worked so hard to attain. We all hold the baton for remarkable  Everglades National Park!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY ENP! 

-Click on image to enlarge

-Order of the Day & List of Speakers -President Truman’s historic 1947 speech -Historic Figures  -Superintendent ENP, Pedro Ramos beaming on this special day! -with Craig Van Der Heiden PH.D and wildlife dept. Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida -With Ernest Coe as portrayed by Mr Lee Jacobs.-Manatee drinking fresh water running down seawall, Florida Bay.-Mr and Mrs Chauncey Goss, Chauncey is Chairman of the SFMWD -together with Sean Cooley, Communications Director for the SFWMD. Drew Bartlett, Ex. Dir, Libby Pigman, Reg. Rep., her husband, and fellow governing board members Ben Butler and “Alligator” Ron Bergeron also attended. -Juan Cueto, Executive Director, The Alliance of Florida’s National Parks, Superintendent Ramos, and Maimi-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava.-Col. Jamie Booth speaks on behalf of the ACOE.-Reenactment: Mary Mann Jennings presented the bill for Palm Hammock and Paradise Key in 1915. -Historic display showing Great Egret plumes- destructive fashion for ladies hats in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Guy Bradley was killed as Audubon’s first warden trying to protect wading birds from this terrible fate.-Great Egret photograph showing a bird extending its plumes during mating season, public domain. What a  sight to behold!-Video reenactment of Marjorie Stoneman Douglas who wrote the famous book River of Grass.

-Grant Livingstone and Ernest Coe. Ernest Coe, the major inspirer for the park, almost did not attend the 1947 dedication as he felt the park should have been larger as originally planned.-Tina Osceola, Sup. Ramos, Debbie W. Schultz, Shannon Estenoz, Talbert Cypress, Ron Magill right. (See program for titles)-Rep. Wasserman-Schultz, Superintendent Ramos, and Assistant Secretary of the Interior, Shannon Estenoz celebrate the rededication proclamation of ENP.