Back in 2006, a beautiful 5,067-acre piece of land known as Colt Creek State Park officially joined the family of Florida state parks. The acquisition of this land was made possible through a collaborative effort involving the Southwest Florida Water Management District, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and Polk County Natural Resources division, with the Florida Park Service taking the lead as the managing agency.

One of the key reasons for acquiring this land was its crucial role in the floodplain of the Green Swamp region, as the water flowing off the property eventually feeds into four major rivers of Florida – Withlacoochee, Hillsborough, Peace, and Ocklawaha.

Decades ago, the land was bought by Charlie Mack and Stanley Chick Overstreet from John Keen in 1940. Over time, Charlie Mack took full ownership of the land and, along with his son Mark, ran it as a cattle ranch, incorporating activities like beef cattle production, pine tree cultivation, and hunting.

During the 1990s, the Overstreets ventured into lime rock mining on the property, creating several large pits, some reaching depths of over 50 feet. These pits now serve as natural-looking lakes, offering a habitat for a variety of bird species, aquatic plants, and animals, adding to the park’s ecological diversity.