Bright Hour Ranch

the Parker land under conservation

Founded

1963

Evidence class

publicly verified operating

Place

Arcadia, DeSoto County

District

Peace River valley

Status as of 12 September 2026

Operating as ranch and conservation land; a 5,787 acre portion sells in 2020.

Connections

3 edges, 3 distinct neighbours · betweenness 0.030 (rank 46 of 243) · location and lineage only 0.000 (rank 103) · outside share 0.33

Confidence

High · sources: [FHBP] [LWPBH] [DEPBH] (register)

Nashville businessman Calvin Houghland buys the Parker Brothers Ranch in 1963 and renames it Bright Hour; from 1998 he places about 28,000 acres under conservation easement, described by the listing broker as among the earliest private easements in central Florida [FHBP][LWPBH]. The district's Bright Hour Watershed easement anchors the corridor east of Blue Head [DEPBH].

Connections

Location and lineage

• grew out ofParker Brothers Ranchthe sale to Calvin Houghland renames the ranch; roughly 80,000 acres continue1858 to 1963

Programs, permits and leases

• under program, permit or lease ofSouth Florida Water Management Districtthe Bright Hour Watershed conservation easement1998 onward

Collaboration

• collaborationBlue Head RanchFlorida Forever corridor anchors east and west of the prairieongoing