The historic Collier-Seminole State Park was established by Barron Gift Collier with the intention of preserving the majestic royal palms. Over time, the park transitioned into a county-owned land, serving as a tribute to Barron Collier and the participants of the Seminole Wars.

It was in 1947 that the county generously contributed the land which eventually evolved into the renowned Collier-Seminole State Park.

Back in the 1700s, the Seminole Indians migrated from the Creek Confederacy to Florida. The relentless conflicts of the Seminole Wars were initiated to relocate the Seminoles from Florida to reservations.

Throughout the Third Seminole War, the Seminoles demonstrated fierce resistance, seeking refuge in the captivating swamps of southwest Florida. Military search efforts resulted in the creation of various maps, including a rudimentary 1857 military map portraying the Blackwater River and a region denominated as the “palm grove” – which presently forms a part of the park and houses the splendid royal palms.

During the flourishing 1920s era, Barron Collier, a prominent advertising mogul and groundbreaking developer, acquired nearly a million acres of land in southwest Florida.

In 1923, the region was officially designated as Collier County. Barron Collier markedly invested in the development of the Collier County segment of the Tampa-to-Miami highway, widely recognized as the Tamiami Trail.