Welcome to Southwest Florida Public Radio & Television
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Writer/Producer: Chelle Koster Walton
Southwest Florida’s history has taken some unexpected twists and turns through the decades. At the end of the 19th century, one of the strangest chapters was written when Cyrus Teed led his cult of visionaries to the banks of the Estero River to examine the world from the inside out. Today, a state historic site allows visitors to peek in on this unusual settlement. On Useppa Island, history comes in layers, from the island’s ancient Calusa mounds to its training site for Bay of Pigs operatives. Barbara Sumwalt Museum takes visitors through the intriguing eras. In modern times, Solomon’s Castle near Arcadia is a quirky monument to one man’s imagination and recycling artistry. Howard Solomon’s creation continually grows to thrill pilgrims to this out-of-the-way attraction.
Resources:
Koreshan State Historic Site:http://www.floridastateparks.org/koreshan/
Useppa Island History:http://www.useppa.com/history.html
Barbara Sumwalt Museumhttp://www.useppa.com/society.html
Solomon’s Castle:http://www.solomonscastle.org/