Royal Palm Visitor Center, Everglades National Park 1974

This authentic 1970s color photograph, captured in 1974, documents the Royal Palm area of Everglades National Park in Florida. The archival image features the mid-century modern aesthetic of the Royal Palm Visitor Center’s outdoor breezeway and vending area, which includes period-correct Pepsi and Coca-Cola machines. A park ranger in a traditional flat-hat uniform is seen walking near the structure, while visitors in 1970s attire navigate the parking area. The lot showcases a variety of vintage vehicles, most notably a white Ford Econoline camper van, a light blue station wagon, and a yellow compact sedan. Tall royal palms and dense subtropical sawgrass prairie vegetation characterize the background under a bright, cloud-filled sky. Royal Palm is one of the most historic sections of the park, formerly serving as Florida’s first state park before being incorporated into the National Park system in 1947. Today, the Royal Palm center remains a primary gateway for the famous Anhinga Trail and Gumbo Limbo Trail. While the facilities have been updated to modern park standards, the essential landscape and architectural footprint captured here remain recognizable to modern visitors. All our images are available as royalty-free instant downloads for use in books, media, and creative projects – or make your own prints for home, work, or as a truly unique gift.