Cedar Falls at Petit Jean State Park - Magnificent Arkansas Waterfall

Cedar Falls at Petit Jean Mountain

One of the most spectacular waterfalls in the Natural State, Cedar Falls plunges 90 feet into Cedar Creek Canyon at Petit Jean State Park near Morrilton, Arkansas.

Fed by Cedar Creek, which flows from the top of Petit Jean Mountain and over the waterfall into a beautiful canyon surrounded by towering pluffs and natural rock palisades, Cedar Falls is perhaps the best known waterfall in Arkansas. A centerpiece of the state's oldest state parks, the falls have been photographed by untold thousands of visitors over the decades since Petit Jean State Park was created.

The area around the waterfall is unique because the impetus to preserve it came not from the state or federal government, but from a group of logging company executives who met there in 1907 to inspect the area's timber potential. After spending a weekend exploring the area and marveling at its stunning beauty, they unanimously agreed that its trees should be allowed to continue their natural growth and that the remarkable setting should be preserved for future generations.

View from Petit Jean Mountain

It would take many years for this dream to be realized. The U.S. Government turned down the land as a national park because the tract was not then considered large enough for park purposes. The effort to donate the land for public use then turned to the Arkansas State Legislature. After negotiating some red tape, the state acquisition of its first state park lands took place in 1921.

The development of Petit Jean State Park, particularly the area around Cedar Falls, was carried out largely by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression. Company 1781 was assigned to the park and spent the years from 1933 to 1938 building trails, roads, bridges, pavilions, cabins and the beautiful stone Mather Lodge (currently closed for renovation).

Ancient Indian Art

The park today preserves 2,568 acres of stunning mountain scenery. In addition to Cedar Falls and the spectacular canyon, there is a mountain top scenic drive, stunning overlooks, fishing lake, picnic area, miles of hiking trails and the fascinating Rock House Cave, where prehistoric art left by ancient Native Americans can still be seen.

The park is also famed for its legend of Petit Jean, which tells the story of a young French girl who followed her lover to the new world and died at the foot of the mountain. You can learn about the story of Petit Jean's ghost and more about the park and its attractions by visiting www.exploresouthernhistory.com/petitjean1.

Summer Escapes #9 - Florida Caverns State Park

With temperatures rising to around 100 degrees in July and August, a great way to escape the heat and humidity is by going underground.

There are numerous caves and cave tours in the South, Mammoth Cave in Kentucky being the most famous, but only one cave has been opened for tours in Florida. It is found at Florida Caverns State Park in the charming little city of Marianna.

Jackson County, where the park is located, has a large number of caves due to the unique topography of the region. Many of these are located inside the state park, which features guided tours of a magnificent underground wonderland as well as a chance to explore a smaller cave on your own, canoeing on the Chipola River, hiking trails, campsites, equestrian trails, picnic areas and swimming in clear and cold Blue Hole Spring.

The main tour cave was discovered during the late 1930s when Civilian Conservation Corps workers were building the park. A worker happened to look beneath the roots of an overturned tree and found a hole leading down into the caves. Closer inspection revealed a massive networks of caverns with pristine formations and miles of passages.

Guided tours now leave the visitor center five days a week (Thursday through Monday) with no tours being offered on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Visitors can also explore the smaller Tunnel Cave, located down one of the nature trails, on their own.

To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/floridacaverns.

Falling Waters State Park - Chipley, Florida

Our new page for Falling Waters State Park in Chipley, Florida is now online at www.exploresouthernhistory.com.

If you aren't familiar with this park, it is one of the most unique in the Sunshine State. Falling Waters protects the Florida's tallest waterfall. Seen here, the falls are created when a small stream flows over the edge of a deep cylindrical sink. The water plunges down 73 feet before disappearing into a cave.

Just a few minutes off Interstate 10 in Northwest Florida, the park is well worth a visit this time of year, when the waterfall is usually flowing well. (One note: like many Florida streams, the one feeding the waterfall flows better at some times of the year than others.)

To visit our new Falling Waters page and to see other points of interest around Chipley, Florida, please go to: www.exploresouthernhistory.com/washingtoncounty and look for the heading.

Mammoth Cave National Park - Kentucky

One of the natural wonders of the world, Mammoth Cave is also one of the most historic sites in the South.

Discovered thousands of years ago by early Native Americans, the cave system is known to include more than 300 miles of chambers and passages with hundreds of miles remaining to be explored. This length makes Mammoth Cave the longest cave in the world.

The huge cave system is also a noteworthy landmark in America's black history because many of the explorers and guides who opened the cave to public view during the 19th century were African American residents of the local area.

To learn more about Mammoth Cave National Park, please visit our new Mammoth Cave pages at http://www.exploresouthernhistory.com/. Simply follow the link and then scroll down the page to the Kentucky heading in the Index section.