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BEGINNING WITH THE VISIONS OF MCKEE AND SEXTON IN 1922, <br />PLANS BEGAN TO TAKE SHAPE FOR THE GARDENS. THE LANDSCAPE <br />ARCHITECT OF WORLD FAMOUS FAIRCHILD GARDENS IN MIAMI <br />SKETCHED NATURAL WALKING TRAILS THROUGH THE DENSE TREES AND <br />FOLIAGE. <br />MCKEE AND SEXTON INTRODUCED SPECIES AFTER SPECIES OF PLANT <br />LIFE FROM THE CORNERS OF THE GLOBE. <br />WALDO, OF COURSE, EMBELLISHED THE GARDENS WITH THIS UNIQUE <br />BRAND OF ARCHITECTURAL TREASURES. <br />THE COUNTLESS EFFORT THAT WAS POURED INTO THE GARDENS OVER <br />THE YEARS IS EQUALLY REMARKABLE - CREATING A PARADISE WITHIN <br />A PARADISE - A LIVING TEXTBOOK OF BOTANY. <br />JUST AS MCKEE AND SEXTON HAD INTENDED - IF THE TWO COULD <br />ACCOMPLISH LITTLE ELSE - THEY WOULD AT LEAST BE PRESERVING A <br />FEW SELECT PAGES OF PRECIOUS HISTORY FOR THEIR CHILDREN ... <br />AND THEIR CHILDREN'S CHILDREN. <br />MCKEE WATCHED AFTER THE METICULOUS CARE AND FEEDING OF THE <br />GARDENS - AN EFFORT THAT BROUGHT RAPID NATIONAL ATTENTION TO <br />THE ATTRACTION. <br />AND WHAT AN ATTRACTION IT HAS BEEN! <br />FROM THE PAGES OF NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TO THE NEW YORK TIMES <br />- ARTICLE AFTER ARTICLE HAVE LAUDED THE BEAUTY AND VARIETY <br />FOUND WITHIN THE GARDENS - A TOTALLY UNIQUE ENVIRONMENT <br />LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF YEARS IN THE MAKING. <br />THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, IN PARTICULAR, WAS QUICK TO ADOPT THE <br />GARDENS FOR A WIDE VARIETY OF REASONS. AFTER ALL...WHAT <br />BETTER PLACE TO LEARN OF PLANT COMMUNITIES THAN WITH SUCH A <br />COMPLETE ONE AS MCKEE... <br />WHAT BETTER PLACE TO SURROUND YOURSELF IN NATURAL BEAUTY - <br />TO GATHER YOUR THOUGHTS AND CREATE. <br />WHAT ASSET CAN WE PROTECT THAT WILL GIVE US BACK MORE <br />LASTING VALUE...OFFER US SUCH REWARDS...OR PROVIDE US WITH <br />AS MUCH MEANING IN THE FUTURE. <br />CERTAINLY NOTHING MORE THAN SUCH A NATURAL TREASURE. <br />HOW FORTUNATE OUR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN TO HAVE SUCH A JEWEL IN <br />OUR MIDST. <br />STILL, THE ECONOMIC TURBULENCE AND CHANGE OF THE SEVENTIES <br />DEALT A SEVERE BLOW TO THE GARDENS. <br />DURING THE MID -SEVENTIES, MCKEE JUNGLE GARDENS <br />EXPERIENCED TREMENDOUS GROWTH IN COMPETITION FROM MAJOR <br />ATTRACTION DEVELOPERS AS WELL AS A DECLINING DEMAND FROM <br />THE PUBLIC FOR PASSIVE RECREATIONAL FACILITIES. <br />AS A TOURIST ATTRACTION, MCKEE JUNGLE GARDENS WOULD HAVE TO <br />ADD MORE ACTIVE ELEMENTS OR REDEFINE ITS ROLE IN FLORIDA'S <br />TOURIST ATTRACTION COMMUNITY. <br />THE GARDEN'S MANAGEMENT, AWARE OF ARTHUR McKEE'S DESIRE TO <br />KEEP THE ATTRACTION AS NATURAL AS POSSIBLE, WOULD NOT <br />CONSIDER "TURNING THE GARDENS INTO A HIGH-TECH CIRCUS" <br />APR 2 5X989 <br />13 <br />POOK. 76 FAGE683 <br />