Ernest F. Coe 1866-1951
Protector of the Everglades
Ernest F. Coe loved to look at birds, orchids, and other natural wonders in Florida's Everglades. The Everglades are wetlands in southern Florida. Coe worried that many plants and animals there would die out if people did not protect them.
Coe started a group to try to open a national park in the Everglades. National parks help protect endangered plants and animals. Coe wrote a letter to the National Park Service asking them to create the Everglades National Park.
Because of Coe's work, scientists gave talks to members of Congress to convince them to set up the Everglades National Park. Coe gave the final presentation, showing slides of the Everglade's beaches, deer, orchids, and turtles.
The park opened in 1947, after years of work. Thousands of people, including President Harry Truman, celebrated the opening of the park. In 1996, the Everglades National Park named its visitor center after Coe, recognizing his work to protect the Everglades.
Critical Thinking
In what way has Coe's effort to protect the Everglades affected life in Florida?