The Hidden History of
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Excerpt from book available
in the new Florida History Bookstore by Maureen Sullivan-Hartung What comes to mind when you hear of Everglades City and its surrounding areas mentioned? Yon probably think of fishing and the Everglades National Park, because that's usually the response we hear; and those answers would indeed be correct. Perhaps even Barron Gift Collier, too, our county's namesake, if you've heard anything about the history of Collier County. And maybe you've even heard of the historic Rod & Gun Club that's been around for years, hosting both numerous dignitaries and former presidents. What I want to know, though, is whether you have ever heard about the Storter family, the Smallwood family, or the Janes family? What about Totch Brown, A.C. Hancock, C.G. McKinney or Annie Mae Perry and many others who were also pioneers in this region of southwest Florida? They may not have the name recognition of Collier, but their lives have indeed been an important thread in the creation and development of this county. As you cross over the Barron River Bridge, you find yourself entering Everglades City, touted as Florida's Last Frontier. Located forty-five minutes south of Naples, this former county seat has remained relatively laid-back and unpretentious, as in the "olden days." While fishing and tourism are presently the major economic factors of this small town of about five hundred year-round residents, the town has a colorful reputation and some very deep roots. There are numerous historical sites located within walking distance of one another with several situated around the town circle. As you enter the town, you'll notice on your left the Seafood Depot Restaurant, which actually housed the former Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Depot that opened in 1928. Imagine passenger and freight trains coming and going from this rural spot and heading over to Immokalee during its heyday. |
This subtropical wilderness of mangrove coast, hardwood hammocks, pine forests, cypress swamps and sawgrass prairies is like no other in North America. Right on the town circle stands Everglades City Hall, the former Collier County Courthouse--until 1962. On the next block stands the former Bank of Everglades building that opened in 1923. Along the picturesque Barron River is the famous Everglades Rod & Gun Club, and across the street is the former laundry for Collier's company town that is today home to the Museum of the Everglades.
Clearly, one of the greatest assets of Everglades City today is its proximity to nearby Everglades National Park, which opened in 1947. This subtropical wilderness of mangrove coast, hardwood hammocks, pine forests, cypress swamps and sawgrass prairies is like no other in North America. From here, visitors can enter by boat the vast mangrove estuary of the Ten Thousand Islands. Narrated sightseeing boat tours allow you to get a closer look at ospreys, pelicans, dolphins, bald eagles and, oftentimes, rnanatees. "There are no other Everglades in the '"world," wrote the late environmentalist Marjorie Stoneman Douglas in her bestseller, The Everglades: River of Grass. It was Douglas who would bring the world's attention to this unique ecosystem, back in 1947. Without question, Collier's incredible investment of both time and money have without a doubt put Everglades City on the map, and we are grateful indeed for his foresight into this once forsaken territory. |
To read more about Everglades City and Collier County,
click here to purchase The Hidden History of Everglades City
click here to purchase The Hidden History of Everglades City