Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park is located 3 miles west of Flagler beach. It is a glimpse of life in a 19th century sugar mill and plantation. Although the mill is in ruins it is still atmospheric and you can still see the foundations, slave-cabins, wells and a truly unique spring house. These were built from coquina rock and it was the largest plantation and mill in east Florida.
You can walk from the Bulow Plantation to the Fairchild Oak at Bulow creek. There are also many hiking trails where you may see white tailed deer, owls, racoons and diamond backed rattle snakes. Also Catfaced pines from which they used to extract turpentine prior to 1940.
The park has a visitor centre and a picnic area with barbeque grills (so take a packed lunch). You can fish from the dock or a boat.
The canoe trail from Bulow Creek is really well worth doing (you can hire a canoe) and you are likely to see Bald eagles and even the occasional manatee.
A LITTLE ABOUT THE HISTORY
In 1821 Major Charles Wilhelm Bulow bought 4675 acres of wilderness bordering a tidal creek and using slave labour cleared 2200 acres and built the mill and plantation which grew cotton,sugar cane rice and indigo. Major Bulow died in 1823 and left the whole business to his teenage son, John.
John completed his education in Paris and then came back to run the business very succesfully. However,along came the second Seminole war and in 1836 it was raided, looted and burned down and a prosperous business was no more. Today, we are lucky to be able to visit this historical site and the wonderful surrounding nature.
The Bulow Plantation ruins site is open 9.am-5.pm. wed-mon only and costs around $4 for a car and up to 8 people.
Full address Bulow Plantations Ruins State Park, PO Box 655, Bunnell,Florida, 32110, Phone (001) 368 517 2084
While visiting this park, you may like to fit in a visit to one of these other nearby State Parks:
- Fort Mose State Park
- Anastasia State Park
- Faver- Dykes State Park
- Washington Oaks Garden State Park
- Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreational Area at Flagler Beach
- North Peninsula
- Bulow Creek State Park
- Tomoka State Park
- Dunns Creek
- Ravine Gardens State Park
Directions from the I 95
Exit 90 east to County road east 2001 (the old Kings Rd). A park sign on this road directs you to Plantation Road and that is the original Plantation entrance.
As always if you have a handicapped person in your party, phone ahead of your visit for advice.