Seminole Reservation in the Everglades
As a kid, I always had an interest in the everglades and the Seminoles. I have camped many times as a boy scout in
the everglades and around Lake Okeechobee which is the former headwaters of the everglades (pre sugar cane).
Nancy and I remember the Seminoles as just Indians selling crafts and wrestling alligators along US 41. They were
not a pretty picture and it has been very enlightening to see how well they are doing now. They were down to about
300 members at one point and are now at about 4,000. They have large cattle operations and their own brand of
beef, they have much citrus and rock mining. They have a great museum and Billies Safari which allows tourists to
see the everglades for a day. They haven't accepted government money in several generations. They were given
what was considered to be worthless plots of land by the government 70 years ago and have turned it into very
productive agricultural land. They have a very good work ethic and are teaching their children what it means to be a
Seminole. They normally speak their language to each other and English to others. They have tribal council that
runs everything and a chairman rather than a chief. They have free health care, elderly homes, and provide jobs for
the tribe members as well as over 4,000 nonindian employees. They are very successful. Around the reservation,
you see very nice homes and many Escalates, dually trucks, Hummers and SUV's. Almost all of the homes have a
chickee or native lodge in the back. The Indians we talked to were very smart and friendly. Our campsite was near
the airport and they have several large jets. This was our second trip and we will be back. We did see a Florida
panther crossing the road several miles from a panther underpass being put in. This was my first sighting after all
the times in the area. There are only about 70 or so left and western cougar have been bread in as their gene pool
was very interbred. They are on the come back now. The Seminoles are divided into matriarchal clans with the
panther clan being the biggest. Recently the tribal council purchased the two bankrupted Hard Rock Café and are
brining them back. They also have several casinos on tribal land and that is profitable for them. All in all, it was a
great trip.
the everglades and around Lake Okeechobee which is the former headwaters of the everglades (pre sugar cane).
Nancy and I remember the Seminoles as just Indians selling crafts and wrestling alligators along US 41. They were
not a pretty picture and it has been very enlightening to see how well they are doing now. They were down to about
300 members at one point and are now at about 4,000. They have large cattle operations and their own brand of
beef, they have much citrus and rock mining. They have a great museum and Billies Safari which allows tourists to
see the everglades for a day. They haven't accepted government money in several generations. They were given
what was considered to be worthless plots of land by the government 70 years ago and have turned it into very
productive agricultural land. They have a very good work ethic and are teaching their children what it means to be a
Seminole. They normally speak their language to each other and English to others. They have tribal council that
runs everything and a chairman rather than a chief. They have free health care, elderly homes, and provide jobs for
the tribe members as well as over 4,000 nonindian employees. They are very successful. Around the reservation,
you see very nice homes and many Escalates, dually trucks, Hummers and SUV's. Almost all of the homes have a
chickee or native lodge in the back. The Indians we talked to were very smart and friendly. Our campsite was near
the airport and they have several large jets. This was our second trip and we will be back. We did see a Florida
panther crossing the road several miles from a panther underpass being put in. This was my first sighting after all
the times in the area. There are only about 70 or so left and western cougar have been bread in as their gene pool
was very interbred. They are on the come back now. The Seminoles are divided into matriarchal clans with the
panther clan being the biggest. Recently the tribal council purchased the two bankrupted Hard Rock Café and are
brining them back. They also have several casinos on tribal land and that is profitable for them. All in all, it was a
great trip.
Nancy in a chickee with her leg. She fell and got a really
bad blood bruise on it due to the Plavix she is taking.
bad blood bruise on it due to the Plavix she is taking.
The Seminoles were hunted down and mostly killed during 3 Indian
wars, This statue depicts that.
wars, This statue depicts that.
Close up. It got really bad looking after this photo.
Bird of Paradise growing in a banana tree.
Chickie garage. The palmetto thatch last about 7 years we were told.
These are typical Indian houses on the reservation.
Tribal preschool building. Note the columns as crayons. They start
teaching their heritage here,
teaching their heritage here,
We had seen this last trip and I will link to it at the end of this web
page.
page.
The museum had a 1.4 mile board walk thru the jungle. We got to take
some shots of this young palliated woodpecker which is very rare. Most
were taken with 16 X zoom.
some shots of this young palliated woodpecker which is very rare. Most
were taken with 16 X zoom.
