Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park
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| Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park | |
|---|---|
| Myakka Park | |
  | |
| Location | North Port, Florida |
| Coordinates | 27°07′07″N 82°11′46″W / 27.118700°N 82.196050°W |
| Area | 168 acres (68 ha) |
| Established | 1989 |
| Etymology | Mikasuki: Myakka-hatchee (the river of the big water - Myakka River) |
| Operated by | Sarasota County |
Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park is a 168-acre (68 ha) heavily wooded park in North Port, Florida, north of Interstate 75.[1][2]
In the 1970s and 1980s, new residential subdivisions were being built in North Port with development by General Development Corporation (GDC). In 1982, construction crews found unearthed artifacts and human remains while constructing roads. This led to the Myakkahatchee Creek Archaeological Site, located on the western part of the park.[3]
The Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park was acquired in 1989 with two Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program (FRDAP) grants.[4] The land was used as pastureland for cattle grazing before its acquisition.
The name Myakkahatchee comes from the Seminole language: "miarca" meaning "big water" and "hatchee" alluding to "river."[4]