In 1919, the National Parks Association was founded as an independent supporter of the National Park Service, to protect and enhance our park systems for generations to come. The NPA Board of Trustees was filled with prominent American conservationists, including Frederick Law Olmsted Jr.

By 1928 the campaign for a park in the Everglades got rolling, with Jr. focusing on the park’s functions and purposes rather than specific prohibitions, as many Florida Representatives wanted. In 1931, William P Wharton joined the fight for a national park in the Everglades.

Wharton was involved in the Massachusetts State Park System, National Association of Audubon Societies, and the American Forestry Association, a perfect match to join Olmsted Jr. in crafting the report for a proposed national park in the Everglades. Olmsted Jr. and Wharton would spend ten days walking extensively in the Everglades region, speaking with fisherman, guides, hunters, and trappers.

After their adventure, the two concluded the Everglades not only had all the qualities necessary for a national park but was also so different from any other in existence, having a “special force of novelty”. Olmsted Jr. and Wharton believed that coastal mangrove forests and “the abundance of many species of wild bird life not commonly found in other parts” made the Everglades highly desirable for a national park.

Despite not proposing any specific recommendations for park development, they firmly believed believing “that the primitive character of the region should be protected to the utmost.” Not only did they see the Everglades as providing recreational enjoyment, they also saw the importance it would serve as a study site for botanists, zoologists, and geologists.