The park was originally known as Jungle Park, as 5.5 acres (2.2 ha) were set aside in 1913 by a group of individuals to preserve what is now one of the last remaining tracts (along with Alice Wainwright Park and a spot on Virginia Key) of Brickell Hammock, a tropical hardwood hammock which once ran from the Miami River to Coconut Grove.

[1] In 1927 the park's name was changed in honor of Miami botanist and conservationist Charles Torrey Simpson.

In 1940 an additional 3 acres (1.2 ha) of adjacent hammock was incorporated into the park.

A building known as the Charles Torrey Simpson Garden Center was constructed on this addition in 1941.

In September 2017, the park was closed for months after its canopy was heavily damaged by Hurricane Irma.