Koreshan State Historic Site, Ft. Myers, FL:  Rained last night, but this morning dawned sunny and warm.  After our morning ablutions we took the riverside trail over to the historic Koreshan settlement.  The trail itself was a beautiful, primeval jungle of pines, palms, palmettos, and lots of huge bamboo right along the Estero River.  This group moved here from its beginnings in Moravia, NY, with its leader, Dr. Cyrus Teed.  They had some weird beliefs—like the entire universe existed within a giant, hollow sphere.  Although they were a commune, they practiced celibacy and the only children were ones brought in by existing and new members.  The entire community was run by 7 women, but they had to have a male spokesperson to represent the community in the surrounding settlements because at that time women didn’t even have the right to vote.  The industrious Koreshans built and operated a printing facility, boat works, cement works, sawmill, bakery, store and hostelry.  Their store was the only one on the Tamiami Trail between Ft. Myers and Naples for a long time. They also produced plays and musicals which were attended by a lot of the surrounding communities. Edison, Ford, and Firestone were frequent visitors.

 Estero River

Huge bamboo along the trail.  Seedlings or clippings were

brought here as a gift from Thomas Edison

Rustic Bridge

Victorian Bridge

Planetary Court--where the 7 women who ran the place lived.  Their male

"spokesperson" lived up in the cupola.  The womens' families lived in

the dormitories with the rest of the members 

Gopher Tortoise who lives in a burrow nearby.  I've read that wherever

there are these tortoises, there will be rattlesnakes and other critters cohabitating in his burrow.

I couldn't get Mike to stick his hand down into it to find out.

One of the little cabins in the community.  Just about everyone lived dormitory-style.

Only the more important members had their own cabins.

 Conrad Schlender Cottage--he lived here until his death in 1965--the last of the Koreshans