Join Us!

Culture Must Be Supported by Community

The Bartram Trail Society of Florida is a grassroots organization sustained by grants, government support, supporter dues and private charitable giving. Our base membership is FREE, because we don’t want any barrier to getting involved.

You Have Seen Our Impact

What started in 2012 as the dream of a small group of people in Palatka has spread across Florida and connected us with the Bartram community in the U.S. Piecing together grants and donations across the past decade, the Bartram Trail Society has:

• Brought the national Bartram conference to Putnam County in 2013
• Presented about Bartram’s legacy in Florida at the Bartram Conference multiple years
• Sam Carr, chair of the Bartram Society of Florida, served as President the national Bartram Trail Conference from 2018-2022
• Created an annual event, the Bartram Frolic & Festival, which has drawn tourists to the small town of Palatka for 12 years as of 2026
• Partnered with educators to present Bartram’s story to children
• Developed a recognized identity and created videos, brochures, and interpretation to guide travelers along the Bartram Trail
• Conducted hiking, biking, and paddling interpretive tours on the Bartram Trail, as well as bus and pontoon tours
• Created a National Recreational Trail in Putnam County
• Reached out to counties where Bartram visited to start the process toward recognition and connection of all Bartram sites in Florida
• Partnered with scenic byways & universities, including River of Lakes Heritage Corridor & Stetson University in Volusia County
• Provided Society representation at numerous historical, environmental, and cultural events throughout NE Florida

The Bartram Trail Creates a Better Place to Live

The Bartram Trail, like scenic byways and showcase trails, develops a sense of identity and pride for the communities it touches. Many in Palatka consider the Bartram Trail something they want to share with visitors and friends. The trail raises awareness of the precious natural and culture resources in our own backyard wherever Bartram traveled.

We Impact Children’s Understanding of the World

The Bartram Trail often partners with educational organizations. The Putnam County School System, for instance, assists with staffing, transportation, and videography annually at the Bartram Frolic. The Bartram Trail Society in conjunction with the St. Johns River Water Management District, the St. Johns RiverKeeper, and other governmental and civic groups, conducts tours on the St. Johns River. Bartram Tours have provided the first opportunity for local children to go out on the St. Johns River. At the Annual Bartram Frolic, there are historic re-enactors who play Bartram, Job Wiggins, The Long Warrior, and others in the colorful cast of characters from Bartram’s iconic book, Travels.

Children glow in the presence of this live history. Learning about Bartram can lead in many directions, as he was a brilliant artist, poet, & naturalist.

BTSF is a Nonprofit Organization

Gifts to the Bartram Trail Society of Florida are tax deductible. As a 501C3 nonprofit organization, any profits received must go back into the organization to further its mission. Contributions made to the Society and supporter dues are used to develop the Bartram Trail in Florida, create signage, interpretive kiosks, historical markers, updates to the website, and support other activities of the Society, including participation in cultural and historical events across the state.