Why Is Florida Home to the First U.S. Underwater Park? | The Story of Florida's State Parks

The second part of our documentary series dives into the dramatic transformation of Florida’s parks during and after World War II. Learn how the Civilian Conservation Corps laid the foundation for early parks, only to see their efforts diverted as CCC camps were converted into military training grounds. As war reshaped the nation, Florida’s leaders—including Governor Leroy Collins and journalist-turned-conservationist John Pennekamp—pushed forward, fighting to protect land and legacy. They both had pivotal roles in the creation of the nation’s first underwater park, and the expansion into iconic sites like Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park. Discover how battling development pressures and pioneering conservation laws forged the foundation of Florida’s remarkable park system. Watch Part 1: https://youtu.be/2W8y_HoPTMY Watch Part 3: https://youtu.be/sfP26B4hKUs South Florida documentaries - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLr4S3PqZjXgllk0qd4y709FmUzHS5JH7O ------------------------- We couldn’t do this without you! Support South Florida PBS by donating here: https://bit.ly/SupportSFPBS Subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@SouthFloridaPBS Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wpbt2/ Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@southfloridapbs Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/southfloridapbs.bsky.social ------------------------ 0:00 — Introduction 1:15 — WWII Reshapes Florida's State Parks 7:02 — Post-War Boom & Florida’s Tourism Explosion 13:00 — John Pennekamp & the First Underwater Park in the U.S. 15:00 — Cape Florida: A Beach Almost Lost to Development 18:00 — Caladesi Island & the Fight for Coastal Preservation 21:00 — The Legacy of Preservation ------------------------ #floridastateparks #history #documentary #floridaparks #conservation #floridahistory #historydocumentary #floridanature #naturelovers