Babcock Ranch Discovery Center Live Cam

Origins

Historical Land Stewardship

The land that now hosts the Babcock Ranch Discovery Center has a storied past, stretching back to the late 19th century when cattle ranching first took root in Southwest Florida. Vast tracts of pine flatwoods and wet prairies were managed as open-range pasture, with cowboys guiding herds through seasonal wetlands. By the mid-20th century, it became part of a sprawling ranch operation named for Edward G. Babcock, whose family maintained the property for decades. The legacy of working landscapes lives on in the Discovery Center’s interpretive programming, where visitors learn how historic cattle trails have given way to multi-use nature corridors.