Princess Place Preserve is located in the Palm Coast area, where Pellicer Creek and the Matanzas River converge, nestled in the northeast corner of Flagler County. It occupies 1,500 pristine acres of Florida landscape. This vast expanse, officially incorporated as a public park in 1993, has been a significant preservation project. This hidden gem boasts a rich history.

In 1788, Minorca-born Francisco Pellicer received a 1,105-acre plot as a Spanish land grant. Mr. Pellicer and his family lived here for thirty-eight years, supervising the cultivation of cotton, corn, and cane. In the early 1800s, H.C. Sloggett acquired the property and renamed it Cherokee Grove, using the land to cultivate one of Florida's first orange groves.

Henry Cutting, an affluent 24-year-old Dutchman, purchased the hunting lodge in 1886. He subsequently bought Cherokee Grove and adjacent land parcels, expanding his property to about 1,500 acres. Cutting had well-connected friends, including Henry Flagler, who had started several construction projects in the area. Cutting enlisted artisans that Flagler had brought to St. Augustine to construct his Adirondack-style lodge between 1886 and 1888. This architectural landmark, fashioned from local coquina rock, features Florida's first in-ground swimming pool, fed by an artesian well that still flows today, though it's no longer used for swimming.

Cutting married Angela Mills in 1888. They split their time between the lodge and a house in St. Augustine. In 1892, Cutting died suddenly. Nine years later, in 1901, Angela remarried J. Lorimer Worden, a wealthy New York stockbroker. After a bitter divorce in 1922, Angela met and soon married an exiled Russian prince, Boris Sherbatow, in 1924, gaining the title of Princess. They lived at Cherokee Grove for a quarter of a century, though Prince Boris preferred spending time in St. Augustine. Once Angela Cutting Worden Mills became royalty, people started calling the property Princess Place.

As visitors explore the park's 7 miles of hiking trails or pause by the tranquil waters of Pellicer Creek, they walk in the footsteps of Timucuan natives, Spanish explorers, and turn-of-the-century socialites.

From salt marshes teeming with wildlife to majestic live oaks draped in Spanish moss, Princess Place Preserve offers a chronicle of Florida's natural and cultural heritage, inviting everyone to enjoy the area. With its diverse offerings, there is something for everyone.

ADDRESS: 2500 Princess Place Rd, Palm Coast, FL 32137

ESTABLISHED: MAY 2, 1997.