Torreya State Park - Florida

One of the most beautiful settings in Florida can be found on the high bluffs of Torreya State Park.

Overlooking the Apalachicola River between the towns of Chattahoochee and Bristol, Torreya preserves thousands of acres of unique natural and historical settings and is one of Florida's premier state park facilities.

The park takes its unique name from the presence here of the extremely rare Florida Torreya tree. According to local legend, the Torreya is the gopher wood from which Noah built the Ark. It is an interesting legend because botonists know that the Torreya is one of the oldest and rarest species of tree on the earth. It is just one of a number of rare and unique plants that live in the park.

Torreya is also the home of the restored 1849 Gregory House (seen here). One of the finest examples of antebellum architecture in Florida, it is one of the few such structures in the state that are open to the public. Nearby can be seen the earthworks of Civil War artillery emplacements.

To learn more about Torreya State Park and to see additional pictures, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com and look for the heading on the main page.