Florida
Eden Gardens State Park
Eden State Gardens
The beautiful old mansion at
Eden was restored during the
1960s by heiress Lois Maxon.
Eden Gardens State Park
Point Washington, Florida
|
Once the centerpiece of a timber
empire, Eden Gardens State Park is
now a quiet place of reflection just
removed from the bustling white sand
beaches of Northwest Florida.
Point Washington has been a
settlement on Choctawhatchee Bay
for more than 150 years. Located
near where the Choctawhatchee
River flows out into the bay the site
was of vital commercial importance
during the lumber industry days of the
late 1800s. The mansion at Eden
was built during this era by the
Wesley family, which controlled
significant timber interests in the area.
The old mansion was in a run down
and dilapidated state in 1963 when it
was purchased by heiress Lois
Maxon who restored it as a
showplace for her family heirlooms
and collectibles.
Now owned and preserved by the
state, the home contains the second-
largest collection of Louis XVI
furniture in the United States.
Eden Gardens State Park is located on
County Road 395, just off U.S. Highway 98, in
Point Washington, Florida (between Panama
City Beach and Destin).
The park includes the house, which is open
for guided tours, the grounds and gardens, a
picnic area, and a spectacular setting of
beautiful old oak trees.
The grounds are open from 8 a.m. until
sunset. (Closed Tuesday and Wednesday).
