A Florida governor in the early 1900s saw potential for the Everglades land but only if it was drained of its water.

Since it lacked the distinguishing features of dramatic landscapes, many doubted whether the Everglades was even worthy of being a national park. "A swamp is a swamp," scoffed respected zoologist ...

Everglades National Park is the third-largest national park in the contiguous United States. It preserves the southernmost 20% of the Everglades. It was the first park to preserve an ecosystem.