Palatka Blossoms During Azalea Season

By Sandra Friend
Published: February 5, 2010
Last Updated On: March 07, 2011

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Palatka

The Northeast Florida town’s gardens, art and architecture exude beauty.

Spring is in the air, and a spring in my step as I cross the bouncing suspension bridge above a ravine painted in shades of purple and pink. All around me, the colors of spring in full bloom, the sweet scent of azaleas a natural aromatherapy as I walk along the Azalea Trail through a tunnel of living color, as if walking through an impressionist painting. It is March, the finest time to wrap yourself in nature at Ravine Gardens State Park in the historic city of Palatka.  

It's Azalea Season


In 1934, the Works Progress Administration came up with an ambitious plan to transform one of Palatka's natural steephead ravines along the St. Johns River into a botanical wonderland. Planting more than 250,000 ornamental plants and 95,000 azaleas, the attraction included walking paths, suspension bridges and a scenic circular one-way drive around the lip of the ravine.

To showcase the beauty, the Florida Azalea Festival was founded 64 years ago and now fills downtown Palatka with a delightful array of activities, including a hometown parade and an Azalea Queen Beauty Pageant, a slice of Americana during the peak of blooms, March 6-7, 2010.

Let a garden grow for 75 years, and grandeur emerges. To showcase the beauty, the Florida Azalea Festival was founded 64 years ago and now fills downtown Palatka with a delightful array of activities, including a hometown parade and an Azalea Queen Beauty Pageant, a slice of Americana during the peak of blooms, March 6-7, 2010. 

The Arts in Bloom


A cornerstone of the Florida Azalea Festival is the artists who call Palatka home. Walk the streets of downtown and marvel at the detailed murals showcasing colorful subjects like native flora and historic steamboats.

Dozens of murals await your discovery along St. Johns Avenue in the downtown business district. The Arts Council of Greater Palatka connects artists with their community through the Larimer Arts Center with a regular schedule of shows and special events in not just the fine arts but music and dance. Based in the 1884 Tilghman House along River Street, the Palatka Art League opens its doors to showcase local arts and crafts and to offer classes in the arts.

Arts and Architecture


Natural beauty, the arts and architecture blend well in Palatka. A drive along River Street, with a sweeping view of the St. Johns River, grand homes in the Southside Historic District range from classic Queen Anne Victorians to Craftsman bungalows.

In the Northside Historic District, one home stands out above them all: the Bronson-Mulholland House. Constructed in 1854, this Greek Revival mansion is one of the finest examples of Antebellum architecture in the United States. The cornerstone of a plantation that encompassed most of what is now Palatka, it was the earliest residence in the region. Guided tours of the home, its rooms filled with period pieces of furniture and art, whisk you back to a simpler time on the St. Johns River. Managed by the City of Palatka and the adjacent Putnam Historic Museum, the home offers free admission.

This article is brought to you by Putnam County Chamber of Commerce. For more information about Palatka, visit www.putnamcountychamber.org.