In search of Florida’s ancient past

Archaeological treasures unburied:  over the past two months, I’ve had the good fortune to be working on a project that’s kept me busy moving about Glades County, learning about the unique archaeological finds near Lake Okeechobee. I was aware of the significance of Nicodemus Slough since my first Big O Hike, thanks to doing research for “Along the Florida Trail.”  Artifacts were discovered there by Smithsonian researchers near the turn of the last century, including a golden icon. Those artifacts are now showcased in the South Florida museum as part of the Tallant Collection room, and well worth a visit.

But back to the hikes. At the Ortona Mounds, the hike (of less than a mile) doesn’t look like much, but it leads you back to canals built over a thousand years ago to enable transportation across what was then an extensive marshland near the Caloosahatchee River.   Visit this hike

At Fort Center, newly opened to the public early this year, a 5-mile round-trip hike takes you out to an ancient village site, with fabulous interpretation of the layers of history surrounding this hammock along Fisheating Creek. There are significantly large mounds to see and explore, and I must say this is one of the most well-interpreted sites in Florida.   Visit this hike

To learn more about Glades County, visit www.visitglades.com