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Bartram Gardens & Trail Stetson

Bartram Gardens & Trail

Along the St. Johns River at Lake Beresford, discover the river anew through William Bartram’s eyes as he recorded his observations of alligators, fish, and flora in 1774

Stetson University  |  DeLand
( 29.000718, -81.355957 )      

2.6K shares

While participating in an Bartram Adventure Tour in Palatka, we heard that the efforts to interpret the Bartrams’ travels between 1765-1774 would extend up the St. Johns River.

That time has come. On May 14, 2020, Stetson University and the Institute for Water and Environmental Resilience announced that they have opened the Bartram Gardens & Trail in DeLand.

Much of the impetus behind the project came from Tony Abbott, PhD, professor of environmental science and studies at Stetson.

He’s a Bartram scholar who saw the need for mapping the natural landscape along the St. Johns to William Bartram’s descriptions.

Bartram Gardens Tony Abbott, PhD, professor of environmental science and studies at Stetson University, contributed his William Bartram expertise to the Bartram Gardens & Trail and created a Bartram paddle map for one of the large kiosks. Photo credit: Stetson University/Ciara Ocasio


Essential to that mapping are the sketches Bartram made along the St. Johns, which are used for interpretation on site.

Members of the Bartram Committee in Putnam County, including Dean Campbell and Sam Carr, who we met in 2018, told us how they were able to acquire the illustrations from the Natural History Museum in London.

Contributions from Bartram experts, naturalists, the Bartram Committee in Putnam County, and designers from Sailforth Productions also added to the landscape design and site interpretation by Stetson faculty, students, and staff.

Bartram Gardens This Bartram Gardens & Trail sign panel features pen-and-ink drawings of fish that William Bartram had drawn while traveling on the St. Johns River. Photo credit: Stetson University/Ciara Ocasio


Resources

Resources for exploring the area surrounding the Bartram Gardens & Trail

50 Hikes in Central Florida 5 Star Trails Orlando Central Florida Orlando Explorers Guide book cover Complete Guide to Florida Wildflowers

Disclosure: As authors and affiliates, we receive earnings when you buy these through our links. This helps us provide public information on this website.


Overview

Location: DeLand
Trailhead: 29.000718, -81.355957
Address: 2636 Alhambra Ave, DeLand, FL 32720
Fees: Free
Restroom: Across from the parking area
Land manager: Stetson University
Phone: 386-822-7300

Open daily from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset. No smoking. Access may be restricted during special events.

Leashed pets welcome. You must pick up after them. Fishing is allowed on the pier or shore, FWC freshwater license required.

Do not swim or wade along the shore. Alligators and cottonmouths may be present. Children should not be left unsupervised.

Alcohol and glass containers are prohibited.


Directions

 
From Interstate 4, take exit 114. Drive towards DeLand on SR 472 for 3.5 miles to where it meets US 17/92 south. Exit towards DeLand and make the left onto SR 15 (DeLand bypass) after 1.6 miles. Turn left on W Beresford Ave after 1.8 miles. Turn right on S. Beresford Ave after 1.5 miles. In a quarter mile, make a sharp left on Old New York Ave. Drive 0.9 mile west to Hontoon Rd (CR 4125). Continue 0.9 mile to Alhambra Ave and follow it east until it ends. The parking area and entrance to the gardens is on the north end of the property after the road makes a sharp left turn past the Aquatic Center complex.

About the Gardens and Trail

Set along the shoreline of Lake Beresford at the Sandra Stetson Aquatic Center, the new Bartram Gardens & Trail offers a new perspective on the lake.

It features trails through the forested shoreline out to observation points on the lake, as well as a fishing pier and canoe and kayak launch.

Bartram Gardens The Bartram Gardens & Trail features a lush, tree-lined path that leads to Lake Beresford.
Photo credit: Stetson University/Ciara Ocasio


William Bartram paddled into Lake Beresford in 1774, describing it and other locations along the river in his Travels, published in 1779.

Along the pathways are informative kiosks about Bartram’s descriptions of the area as well as interpretive information about native plants mentioned by Bartram.

Bartram’s illustrations accompany the detailed information on plants and animals.

Bartram Gardens The Bartram Gardens & Trail sign panel features pen-and-ink drawings of fish that William Bartram had drawn while traveling on the St. Johns River. Photo credit: Stetson University/Ciara Ocasio


A wide open lawn under the grand live oaks showcases the beauty of Lake Beresford, which previously had no public access on its western shoreline.

A broad, accessible paved walkway leads to the overlook on Lake Beresford and to the large pavilion.

Bartram Gardens The Bartram Gardens & Trail includes six large, interpretive kiosks that feature literary descriptions and pen-and-ink drawings and paintings of the creatures, fauna and plants William Bartram encountered while exploring the DeLand area. Photo credit: Stetson University/Ciara Ocasio


Bark chip trails meander through the wooded hammock at the north end of the gardens.

An adjoining stormwater pond is being renovated to recreate a native pond with aquatic plants and a rain garden at the outfall.

A nearby pollinator garden that was Garden Club of DeLand’s Garden of the Month this past February is another campus beauty spot designed by faculty and maintained by students.

Paddlers can put in at the canoe and kayak launch to explore Lake Beresford sites mentioned by Bartram and noted on the paddling map.

This site is part of the River of Lakes Heritage Corridor in Volusia County.

Bartram Gardens The Bartram Gardens & Trail is situated on the shore of scenic Lake Beresford.
Photo credit: Stetson University/Ciara Ocasio


Gardens Map

Bartram Gardens The sign panel provides information about the Bartram Gardens & Trail.
Photo credit: Stetson University/Ciara Ocasio


Paddling Map

Bartram Gardens Stetson University students, history aficionados and water enthusiasts can canoe or kayak to areas where William Bartram traveled during his expedition along Lake Beresford and other waterways as well as visit the Bartram Gardens & Trail. Photo credit: Sailforth Productions


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Bartram in Volusia River of Lakes Official Website

Category: Access by water, Campuses, Gardens, Hikes, Launch Points, Nature Trails, Paddling, Parks, TrailsTag: Accessible, Bartram Trail, Birding, Deland, Dog-friendly, Family-Friendly, Fishing, Historic Sites, Lakefront, St. Johns River, Wildflowers, Wildlife Viewing

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