Growing up in the country gives you a chance to experience “old Florida” every day.  Backroads replace highways.  Rivers and lakes replace the “concrete pond” and parks become the playground of choice.

One such park sits at the intersection of U.S. Highway 17 and State Road 64 in Zolfo Springs in Hardee County – Pioneer Park.  Encompassing more than 115 acres, Pioneer Park offers a little something for everyone – from nature lovers to history buffs.

Peace River through Pioneer Park

The picturesque Peace River meanders 107 miles from just northeast of Bartow at the juncture of Saddle Creek and Peace Creek and to Charlotte Harbor in Port Charlotte.  Along the way it cuts through Hardee County and Pioneer Park, offering opportunities for lazy days of kayaking or canoeing.  Peace River is also a favorite hotspot for fossil hunters – both experienced and novice.

Campers can pitch their tents or park their RVs and wake up to beautiful views, not just of the river but also other wildlife. There are two lakes in the park – Rock Lake and Pioneer Lake.  Rock Lake sits just off the river and serves as a favorite fishing spot, not to mention a hangout for a gator or two.

Pioneer Lake is near the entertainment area at the park and besides also being a fishing hole, it is home to wildlife whether they are in plain view or hidden along the shore.

Hardee County Wildlife Refuge at Pioneer Park

Pioneer Park is also home to a wildlife refuge.  Located on Animal Way, visitors can walk along the boardwalk and get a glimpse of native wild animals in a natural habitat. Although it has been closed due to damage from Hurricane Irma in September 2017, all but the bear exhibit is now open.

Old Pool House at Pioneer Park

An old pool house once served as the hub of activity at the park, offering up snacks and drinks for those who spent their weekends swimming or just hanging out at the pool.  Built in the 1930s, the pool was part of the WPA (Works Progress Administration) under President Franklin D. Roosevelt and provided decades of fun to the area. It’s safe to say that many children who grew up in Hardee County learned to swim at the pool (myself included). Unfortunately, it was forced to close in the 1970s because of large cracks in the concrete.  The building now serves as a venue for birthdays and other events.  There is little evidence there was ever a pool here.

Cracker Trail Museum

For history buffs, the Cracker Trail Museum provides a look at pioneer life in Hardee County through more than 4,000 items, including photographs, farm implements, and household objects.  A separate area showcases a collection of old fossils and bones found along the Peace River. Many artifacts have been donated by local residents.

Pioneer Village

Step outside and into the Pioneer Village, an offshoot of the museum. The village began to take shape after the donation of a cane grinding shed and kettle, just one of several donations from residents of the county.

Another addition to the village was a 1914 wood burning Baldwin Locomotive Engine #3 (also known as the Loping Gopher).  It was donated in 1967 by K.D. Revell, who used it as his crate mill in Wauchula.  Recently repainted, this majestic engine can be seen from Highway 17 and State Road 64.

The C.A. Bryant Blacksmith Shop was moved to the park and reconstructed next to the museum itself.  Clarence Alvin Bryant operated the shop in Bowling Green from 1897 until his death in 1953. The blacksmith shop houses many of the original tools and implements used by the Bryant family.

One of the hallmarks to the Pioneer Village is the Hart Cabin.  Built in 1879 by William Henry and Mary Jane Hart, the cabin was originally located in the Lemon Grove section of Hardee County.  It is one section of the original house where the Harts raised seven children. The cabin was donated to the park in 1979 by Hart’s great-grandson Wendell Smith. Enclosed cases outside of the cabin provide snapshots of the Hart’s pioneer life.  Visitors to Pioneer Village can also take a look at an old outhouse that sits behind the Hart Cabin, as well as an old shed and the Cracker Trail Post Office.

Pioneer Park Days (Pioneer Festival)

The biggest event of the year at the park is held the first weekend of March. Pioneer  Pioneer Park Days started as a show for antique tractors and gasoline engines with about 50 people in attendance and soon grew into one of the largest events in the area.  Over the years, not only did the show include tractors and engines, but also antique cars, a flea market, Civil War Re-enactment, and a visit by the Budweiser Clydesdales. Park Days underwent a name change In 2023 to Pioneer Festival.

Newspaper Insert 1990 – Herald Advocate A bandshell was built to provide a larger area for entertainment and a postal station added to the event to provide a special philatelic cancellation stamp for anything mailed out of the park.

FM Note:  For more than 50 years, Pioneer Park Days (now Pioneer Festival) has provided a fun weekend for Hardee County residents and has attracted thousands of visitors from all over the country.  I grew up attending Pioneer Park Days with my Dad as coordinator from 1978 – 1992).

Nostalgia aside, Pioneer Park Days serves as a showcase event that draws thousands of visitors to the park and introduces them to its beauty and everything it has to offer.