The acquisition and development of the some 2000 acres now acquired into what is known as the Doris Leeper Spruce Creek Preserve and Recreation Area was begun in the mid-1980’s, and involved several individuals, conservancy groups, and state and local governments and agencies. Thanks in great part to the efforts of then County Councilman Clay Henderson, and State Representative Jack Ascherle, the legislature and Governor passed and approved legislation that brought the C(onsevation) A(nd) R(ecreational) L(ands) ranking process into being, and the Preservation 2000 Program as a funding mechanism. It was through these grant programs that most all of the major parcel acquisition purchases were made. From the first, protection of the natural resources was paramount, with public access and recreational use second in importance, and expectations were that the State would ultimately be the manager of the preserve.

Unfortunately, because of bureaucratic boondoggling, the acquisition process stalled somewhat several years ago. But thanks to the efforts of Doris Leeper, one of the key players in the creation of Canaveral Seashore, and founder of the world renown Atlantic Center of the Arts, and the Friends of Spruce Creek Preserve group that she formed to lobby all of the necessary parties and key players into action, in December 1997, the Spruce Creek Preserve Project enjoyed a re-ranking to 4th place overall in the whole State of Florida in the order of importance of preservation, once again opening the door to more State dollars for acquisition funding. The County of Volusia, the St. John’s Water Management District Board, the Trust for Public Land, the Audubon Society, the cities of Port Orange and New Smyrna have all pledged the important dollars of support that the State will match in bargain share. What this means is that the remaining significant parcels within the Preserve boundaries still under private ownership, can now be purchased, and the Preserve boundaries be made whole and complete. Following Ms. Leeper's death in 2000, the State renamed the Preserve in her memory, the Doris Leeper Spruce Creek Preserve.

Physically, Spruce Creek is a unique, natural blackwater stream that courses through the Spruce Creek Basin. There are few examples of this type of river left undisturbed in Florida. The term "blackwater" refers to the tannic acid staining caused by the swampy vegetation in the low-lying upper reaches of the creek.. The navigable portion of the river itself begins as a shallow cypress swamp some 10 miles upstream from its’ confluence with the Halifax river. This swamp gives way to a narrow stream that very gradually broadens downstream into Strickland Bay. As the river courses towards the coast, the associated aquatic habitats gradually change from typical freshwater hardwood swamp to freshwater marsh to saltwater marsh and mangrove swamp in a classic estaurine ecosystem. Spruce Creek enjoys a Class III water quality rating, and Outstanding Florida Waters designation due to its relatively undisturbed condition, and is also designated as an official State Canoe trail.

The river is host to a variety of endangered species and special wildlife areas, including: crab/shrimp nursery areas, diverse fish and invertibrate breeding and nursery areas, nesting areas for birds such as the American Oyster Catcher, the Yellow-Crowned Night Heron, the Florida Sandhill Crane, a variety of raptors, Red-Cockaded Woodpeckers, and the endangered wood stork. The rare Atlantic salt marsh snake has been observed, and of course, many Alligators. It is this diversity in aquatic habitat, flora and fauna that makes this river such a unique natural resource, and an excellent candidate for a public park setting. The biological diversity and contrast between upstream and downstream areas in the Spruce Creek watershed make this river an extremely unique, natural area that is ideal for many types of Public park related recreational uses such as boating, fishing, birdwatching, canoeing, camping, and hiking. Additionally, this natural area lends itself well to environmentally related research and educational activities.

When European explorers touched the shores of the New World in the late 15th century, - as documented by the drawings of the French artist Jacques le Moyne in 1564 - - what we now call Volusia County had been inhabited for thousands of years by indigenous peoples who were then called the Timucua. They were highly sophisticated, organized into complex social systems, towns and cities, who utilized a calendar, and whose knowledge of astronomy and medical practices were equal or superior to existing European. One of their larger habitations was believed to be nestled around the Spruce Creek basin, as evidenced by the wealth of archaeological sites and resources, many of which are still unknown to us, its present occupants. Among these resources are some of the largest and most extensive prehistoric shell mounds in the nation, many so high that they were used as major navigational landmarks during early colonial times. One of the largest prehistoric earthenworks in Florida, the Spruce Creek Mound, is located on the Creek on a high bluff. The site functioned as a major ceremonial and political center for the Timucuans, and lesser mounds are scattered throughout the surrounding areas. The colorful Timucuans left us a wealth of cultural remains, artifacts and sites.

The first significant European presence in the Preserve area is associated with Andrew Turnbull’s New Smyrna Settlement. Only subtle evidence of Turnbull’s planatation activities had existed in the field today, until the discovery last year, on a site sold by the City of New Smyrna and which is now a parking lot, of the significant remains of several structures of habitation, proven to be Turnbull colony era by several artifacts found onsite, including a china cup.

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