Bulow Plantation

Understand

Bulow Plantation consists of two connected state parks rolled into one. Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park contains the ruins of the plantation, while to the south of the park, Bulow Creek State Park follows several miles of the shoreline of the Intracoastal Waterway in neighboring Volusia County. To the south of Bulow Creek State Park is Tomoka State Park and the city of Ormond Beach. To the northwest of Bulow Plantation is the city of Palm Coast, the main city in Flagler County, the southernmost county within the First Coast.

History

The region was inhabited by the Timucua before contact with Europeans, which took place during the early 17th century. The nearest known Timucua settlement was Nocoroco to the south in modern Ormond Beach, but the Timucua population died out during the 18th century due to disease. The first known European structure at the Bulow Plantation site is the Old Kings Rd, an 18th-century British colonial road connecting St. Augustine with settlements and plantations to the south of Bulow.

Bulow Plantation was built in 1821 by John Bulow and was a slave plantation. It lasted only 15 years when it, like neighboring plantations, was abandoned due to the outbreak of the Second Seminole War. The plantation was burned in January 1836 but, due to its brick and coquina construction, much of the structure has survived. Some other parts of the plantation have survived as fragmentary ruins. Bulow Creek, which passes the plantation on the way to the Halifax River, has since become a kayaking route.

The Florida state government has established the two state parks (listed above), which are connected by a 7 mi trail.

Climate

The regional climate is hot and humid and summer, and cooler in winter. The park, straddling the boundary of Volusia and Flagler Counties, is on the border of the semitropical region of Central Florida to the south and the somewhat temperate region of North Florida. As a result, cold snaps during winter are interspersed with subtropical, humid heat waves.

Get in

The U.S. interstate I-95 bypasses Bulow to its west, but there is an exit for the Old Dixie Hwy which crosses the interstate to its west and its east. The eastern side of the Old Dixie Hwy connects to Bulow Creek while Old Kings Rd to the north connects Old Dixie Hwy to the site of Bulow Plantation.

Get around

The main roads around Bulow Plantation are historic. The Old Dixie Highway is a historic part of US-1 that follows the East Coast, although the highway has been moved west since. The Old Kings Rd dates back to Spanish and British colonization of Florida prior to the construction of Bulow Plantation.

Eat and drink

If you want to bring food into the state parks, both Bulow Creek State Park and Bulow Plantation Historic State Park have picnic benches. Bulow Creek State Park has a pavillion that you can rent for $40 per day.

Stay safe

The only danger is alligators. Be careful near the rivers during nighttime or when kayaking.

Go next

• Flagler Beach across the Intracoastal Waterway to the east
• Hammock Beach across the Intracoastal to the northeast
• Ormond Beach to the south
• Palm Coast to the northwest