Falling Waters State Park

The sinkholes at Falling Waters State Park were used as a hideout by Indian warriors fighting against Andrew Jackson during the Seminole Wars.{{cite news | url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=dREOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=zXwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5985,5049853&dq=falling-waters-sink&hl=en | title = What next for a waterfall? What next for a state? | author = Gallagher, Peter B. | publisher = St. Petersburg Times | page = 10-D | date = 1985-02-13 | access-date = 2010-06-22}} {{Dead link|date=September 2010|bot=H3llBot}} The park is the site of a Civil War era gristmill.{{cite web | url = http://www.floridastateparks.org/history/parkhistory.cfm?parkid=29 | title = Falling Waters State Park: History | access-date = 2010-06-22 | publisher = Florida Division of Recreation and Parks}} The gristmill was powered by the waterfall in Falling Waters Sink. Later, in 1891, a distillery was constructed on the site. The park is also the site of the first oil well in Florida. It was drilled in 1919 based on information from local legends and a 400-year-old Spanish diary. The well, which reached a depth of {{convert|4912|ft}} never proved to hold a commercially viable amount of oil and was capped in 1921.

The park was deeded to the state in 1962 by the Washington County Development authority.{{cite news | url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-I4oAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZcoEAAAAIBAJ&pg=905,2302165&dq=falling-%20waters-state-park&hl=en | title = Florida news briefs | date = 1962-04-13 | publisher = Daytona Beach Morning Journal | access-date = 2010-06-22 | page = 6}} Park facilities such as a picnic pavilion and restrooms were constructed soon after.{{cite web | url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PXgjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=acoEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2440,4189926&dq=falling%20-waters-state-park&hl=en | title = New University Gets First Official | date = 1962-07-25 | publisher = Daytona Beach Morning Journal | page = 5 | access-date = 2010-06-22}} An archaeologic dig, led by the University of West Florida in 2007, revealed Indian artifacts that were between 1,000 and 1,500 years old.{{cite web | url = http://www.theledger.com/article/20071223/NEWS/712230427?p=1&tc=pg | title = Archaeologists Dig in the Panhandle | author = Morrison, Jeremy | page = B-5 | publisher = The Panama City News-Herald | date = 2007-12-23 | access-date = 2010-06-22}} Items found included bits of pottery, Indian arrowheads and what may be the only cave painting in Florida. The archaeologists noted that they thought the same thing that attracts visitors to the park today, the waterfall, also attracted Native Americans to the site. Remnants of the gristmill, distillery and oil well were also found by the team from the university.

Extended systems of underwater caves, sinkholes and springs are found throughout Florida. The limestone is topped with sandy soils deposited as ancient beaches over millions of years as global sea levels rose and fell. During the last glacial period, lower sea levels and a drier climate revealed a much wider peninsula, largely savanna.{{cite web |url=http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/UW208 |first=Ginger M. |last=Allen |author2=Main, Martin B |title=Florida's Geological History |date=May 2005 |work=Florida Cooperative Extension Service |publisher=University of Florida |access-date=2010-06-23}}

Falling Waters State Park lies atop a bed of limestone that has been eroded over the years by water which has created the sinkholes and caverns that are found throughout the park.

The waterfalls of Falling Waters State Park fall into a {{convert|100|ft|adj=on}} sinkhole known as Falling Waters Sink.{{cite web | url = http://www.floridastateparks.org/fallingwaters/ | title = Welcome to Falling Waters State Park | access-date = 2010-06-22 | publisher = Florida Division of Recreation and Parks | archive-date = 2010-05-24 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100524025242/http://www.floridastateparks.org/fallingwaters/ | url-status = dead }} The waterfalls are fed by springs that are dependent on rainfall.{{cite web | url = http://www.floridastateparks.org/fallingwaters/aboutthepark.cfm | title = About Falling Waters State Park | access-date = 2010-06-22 | publisher = Florida Division of Recreation and Parks | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100501075442/http://www.floridastateparks.org/fallingwaters/aboutthepark.cfm | archive-date = 2010-05-01 }} The water from the falls disappears into a large cavern at the base of the sinkhole. The sinkhole can be accessed by visitors by way of a paved trail and boardwalk.{{cite web | url = http://www.exploresouthernhistory.com/fallingwaters1.html | title = Falling Waters State Park | access-date = 2010-06-22 | publisher = Dale Cox}}

Falling Water State Park is open for year-round recreation including camping, fishing, hiking and swimming.{{cite web | url = http://www.floridastateparks.org/fallingwaters/activities.cfm#9 | title = Activities at Falling Waters State Park | access-date = 2010-06-22 | publisher = Florida Division of Recreation and Parks}} The park is noted for hosting campfire circles. Park rangers give interpretive talks at the circles and present a slide show. The main campground is on one of the highest hills in Florida at {{convert|324|ft}}. It has twenty-four sites that are equipped with electricity, fresh water, picnic tables and grills and a clothesline. Swimming and fishing are permitted in the {{convert|2|acre}} lake.

File:Chipley Falling Waters SP01.jpg|View from the Trail

File:View_down_into_the_sink.jpg|View down into the sink

File:Chipley Falling Waters SP05.jpg|View of Parking lot

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{{Commons category|Falling Waters State Park}}

• [https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/falling-waters-state-park Falling Waters State Park] at [https://www.floridastateparks.org Florida State Parks]

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{{Protected Areas of Florida}}

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Category:Parks in Washington County, Florida

Category:State parks of Florida

Category:Protected areas established in 1962

Category:Waterfalls of Florida