The Everglades National Park was officially dedicated on this date. President Harry S. Truman attended the ceremony which was held at Everglades City. Efforts to preserve the fragile and unique ecosystem began in the early 20^th century after decades of drainage efforts and development. Eventually the Florida State Legislature established a commission to study the feasibility of establishing a national park and raising money to fund the endeavor culminating in the 1947 designation. The park currently encompasses over 1.5 million acres and welcomes almost 1 million visitors from around the world annually.