Florida Native American Heritage Trail - (Page 4) Willard S. Steele Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, Seminole Tribe of Florida Historic Preservation and Heritage Tourism: A Long Seminole Tradition before Europeans came to the area. It is easy to travel through Florida today without realizing that there were ever vibrant native communities here, or that there still are. ere are a number of reasons for this; disease was one. Some historians estimate that 21 out of every 22 native inhabitants were killed by the diseases brought by Europeans to the Americas. Florida’s prehistoric people constructed monumental architecture from dirt and shell, the most readily available and abundant construction material. If Florida temple mounds had been constructed of stone instead of dirt, a hundred structures as impressive as the Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine would remind people of the rich history that predates Spanish exploration. e populations of people of the Southeast were further devastated by conflicts between tribes, and colonial and U.S. governments that brought about numerous wars. Beginning in 1680, these wars continued with little abatement until 1858. is era terminated with the period of Indian removal, during which 98% of Florida’s surviving native population was sent to reservations west of the Mississippi River. It should be easy to understand the dismay that a Seminole or other Native American might experience when opening a history book to see Illustration of a Seminole patchwork based on Bial, see bibliography page 34. (by Patti Cross) ore than 12,000 years ago, Native American people entered Florida and made it their homeland. e total population in Florida when Columbus first landed in the “New World” was greater than it would be again until the mid-19th century. Most of Florida’s roads that were in use through the beginning of the 20th century were part of a transportation system developed by native people. If the history of the state was measured in time on a 12-inch ruler, the native people by themselves would be the first 11 inches, and would dominate the political scene up to the last 1/8 of an inch. 95% of Florida’s past occurred M Surviving, Adapting, and Flourishing in Florida Today: The Seminole Tribe of Florida and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida Built between 1915 and 1928, the Tamiami Trail cut through the Everglades and increased contact between Seminoles, Miccosukees and non-Indians that worked on the road. Some Seminoles and Miccosukees eventually opened Indian villages and craft shops along the new Trail. During this time, Miami was becoming a popular tourist destination. Two of the area’s tourist attractions, Musa Isle and Coppengers, invited a few Seminoles to set up Indian villages in which to live, make arts and crafts to sell in gift shops, give guided tours, and wrestle alligators. The combination was a hit, and these attractions continued to be successful for several decades. Many future Seminole and Miccosukee leaders were born and grew up during the “Seminole living on display” tourism era (1920s – 1950s), and they would carry this experience with them and reshape life for their people. In 1957, many Seminoles organized and gained federal recognition as the Seminole Tribe of Florida. This allowed the tribe to organize its administration in Hollywood, Florida and receive funding from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Recognizing the value of Native American tourism, the Seminole Tribe of Florida used this funding to develop the Seminole 4
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