When Dr. Cyrus Teed founded a commune along the banks of the Estero River in 1894, he envisioned a utopia in the tropics. Koreshan State Park preserves that slice of history.
Resources
Overview
Location: Estero
Lat-Lon: 26.43117,-81.814781
Fees: $4-5 per vehicle. Tours $2 per person.
Open: 8 AM until sunset daily
Leashed pets welcome
Location
Details
Koreshan was planned as a “New Jerusalem,” a Utopia where women had equal rights with men and everyone lived by the Golden Rule. The commune slowly faded away, and the last few members deeded the property to the state in 1961. Learn its full story here.
The well-preserved village is now a major part of the park, where you can stroll the streets as they looked more than a century ago. Restored gardens with tall stands of bamboo line a walk between the community and the rest of the park, which includes nature trails and a campground.
Launch your kayak (or rent one at the outfitter outside the park gates) for a paddle into Estero Bay to see Mound Key, a man-made island of oyster shells rising 32 feet high and now a separate state park. This outstanding archeological site was was the capital city of the Calusa, where King Carlos received the Spanish explorers who came to his shores in the 1500s.
Explore the park
Florida’s Utopia - At the Koreshan Unity in Estero, Florida, a group of believers gathered in 1894 to build their paradise. It is now a National Historic Site and a Florida State Park. Walk the trails and streets of "New Jerusalem" to learn its story.
Mound Key Archaeological State Park - Launch your kayak from either Koreshan Historic State Park or Lovers Key State Park for a paddle into Estero Bay to see Mound Key, a significant Calusa archaeological site that is now its own state park.