Cross Creek park preserves historic Florida home of Pulitzer Prize winner Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
Weaving Florida into America's literary history
A historic state park in Florida preserves the legendary orange grove and home of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. FOX 13's Corey Beckman has the story.
CROSS CREEK, Fla. - A historic state park in Florida preserves the legendary orange grove and home of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings.
Florida literary history impact
What we know:
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings relocated to an orange grove during the 1930s to launch her career in writing. She gained widespread recognition after publishing her book "The Yearling," which earned a Pulitzer Prize in 1939.
Ashley Lear, a professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, stated that Rawlings successfully captured the authentic experiences of local subsistence farmers. These residents cultivated crops, relied heavily on the land and frequently migrated to find available food.
"She found among these people a type of authenticity and a true American experience that she didn’t find anywhere else," Lear said.
Cross Creek park preservation
The backstory:
The author discovered a unique American experience among the local people that she could not find anywhere else. During that era, many people viewed Florida as one of the final frontiers within the United States.
Her former environment inspired deep personal authenticity and shaped her prominent historical narratives. The surrounding landscape directly influenced the classic stories she created.
Historic state park features
Big picture view:
Currently, the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park maintains the author's legacy for the public. Guests can explore her barn, a tenant house, her home and the active orange grove.
The interior rooms of the farmhouse closely mirror their original appearance from the 1930s and 1940s. The site features her personal writing desk, a historic kitchen and her porch.
Lear explained that the property provides an immersive look at the environment that fueled Rawlings' creativity. The destination aims to inspire a brand new generation of authors to document natural regional wildlife.
"This park lets you see what that experience would have been like for her and can inspire a new generation of Florida writers to write about the natural flora and fauna of their world as well," Lear said.
Cross Creek park schedule
Local perspective:
The historic grounds remain open to the public seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Guided tours of the historic farmhouse run from Thursday-Sunday.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from Ashley Lear, an Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University professor, who explained how Rawlings' environment shaped her writing, as well as the official park operations schedule.