Catching up – Florida

Our journey to Fort Myers was a bit convoluted involving connecting through Denver and Houston, unfortunately snow in Denver meant our bags didn’t make the connection before we left the gate for de-icing.   I had visions of us spending our time in Florida wearing trousers and fleece jackets thankfully they arrived on the next flight!   

 

We took I75 then 29 to Everglades City, the town hall was decorated for Christmas, Santa is hiding behind a palm tree.

Everglades City is a place we’ve wanted to visit ever since we read Totch: A Life in the Everglades, about Totch Brown’s life, as among many other things, an alligator hunter. 

“Pit Pan” the small boat used by Totch Brown.

Ted Smallwood’s Store, which is on the National Registry of Historic Places, was established in 1906 at Chokoloskee Island which is a Calusa Indian Shell Mound.   The store served this remote area buying hides, furs, and farm produce also providing goods in return, it remained open and active until 1982.

The store counters have an inverted slant this enabled women with hooped skirts to stand next to the counter without their skirts billowing out behind and exposing their lower leg.   Although hooped skirts went out of fashion before 1900 Ted Smallwood drew on his childhood memories when building the store.

Until 1955 the only way to get to the store was by boat, something you don’t think about as you whizz down the road in air conditioned comfort. 

It’s an interesting area there is also a very nice RV park in Chokoloskee that we hope to return to.

Have fun, we are!