BAGDAD — Santa Rosa County will host a grand opening celebration for the Bagdad Mill Site Park. The event is 10 a.m. Monday, May 16 at the park. There will be guest speakers, unveiling of a historic marker and light refreshments provided.
The 21-acre Bagdad Mill Site, located at the union of Pond Creek and Blackwater River in Bagdad, was previously the location of the Bagdad Land and Lumber Company Saw Mill, which operated from 1840 through 1939.
The State of Florida board of trustees acquired the site in 2000 and leased it to Santa Rosa County for development in 2004 as a passive recreation area. The Bagdad Waterfronts Florida Partnership Inc. has served as a catalyst for progress following a community visioning and master planning process in 2006.
Following the grand opening program, there will be a brief overview of Arcadia Mill's evolution to Bagdad Mill, and live enactment with period-dressed actors representing early Bagdad including a reverend, postmistress and mill worker.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Bagdad Mill Site Park grand opening scheduled