| Hendry
Counties |
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Hendry
County was named for a cattleman named Captain Francis A. Hendry,
who first came to the Fort Myers area in 1854. Almost two decades
later, he and his family moved into the small building at Fort Thompson,
following the Seminole Wars. They kept cattle in the nearby forests,
and Hendry became recognized as one of the most famous ranchers
in south Florida. Also, Hendry brought improvements to settlements
at Fort Myers; for example, he set up the first school in the town
and paid its first teacher’s salary.
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Hendry
County |
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This
website relates information about tourism in Hendry County.
visithendrycounty.com/ |
Clewiston
Museum |
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Clewiston;
109 Central Ave and collocated with the Clewiston Chamber of Commerce;
features displays about the area’s history and heritage including
agriculture, Seminoles, the Number 5 British Flying Training School
and more. Viewing of seashell and paleontology collections available
by reservation. clewiston.org/museum. clewiston.org/museum
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LaBelle
Heritage Museum |
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Downtown
LaBelle; 150 Lee Street, south of FL 82; museum reflecting
the history of a small town along the Caloosahatchee, housed in an
historic pioneer home, with guided tours provided by volunteers. This
building will soon be moved to another piece of city property, but
now it is across from the city planning offices. |
Captain
Hendry House |
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512
Fraser Street in LaBelle - This was the home of the founder of LaBelle,
and it is privately owned. |
Historic
Fort Denaud Bridge |
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Just
west of LaBelle; This is a swing bridge (it swings to the
side to allow for boat traffic to pass through), one of the very few
left in the state. This area also was the location of a nineteenth
century Army camp. |
Ortona
Indian Mounds |
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LaBelle - Called “Larry Luckey’s Ortona
Indian Mound Park,” in honor of the man who worked to acquire
and research this important site. Short interpretive trail with
signs near several mounds possibly related to interior sites of
the Calusa Indians. Three mounds are known to be there. |
Fakahatchee
Strand State Preserve |
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West
of Copeland along SR 29 floridastateparks.org/fakahatcheestrand
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Okeechobee |
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This
is the giant lake in central Florida, which borders
Glades and Hendry counties, as well as others. Okeechobee is the Seminole
word for "Big Water." The lake covers almost 700 square
miles
of central Florida. |
Ortona
Cemetery |
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Along
SR 78 just east of Ortona; This is an historic cemetery somewhat associated
with the ancient mound site; it is reported that some local people
continue to use this general area as a cemetery.
geocities.com/Heartland/Prairie/
6173/cemortonaa-f |
Harlem |
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This
community located southeast of Clewiston was populated by temporary
sugarcane harvesters in the 1920s. Most of these workers were African
American men, and Harlem quickly turned into a year-round settlement,
complete with a school (Harlem Academy). After desegregation, this
school suffered in attendance. Recently though, the Harlem Academy
Library was established. A Brown Sugar festival is held here each
May. Several photographs and displays about the early days of this
community are housed at the Clewiston Museum. Advertisements used
to lure workers to the region emphasized the good fishing in the area,
and some of these are also on display there. |
LaBelle |
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The
town was named after Civil War hero Captain Francis Hendry's daughters,
Laura and Belle. There is an interesting historic district just north
of SR 80. The historic district is in the 300 block of North Bridge
Street |
Ah
Tha Thi Ki Museum |
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Open
since 1997, this museum is managed by the Seminole Tribe. The name
of the museum means, “A place to remember, “or “I
forgot, but now I remember,” or “a place to learn,”
depending on the source you consult in the Seminole language. Displays
about numerous traditions are located here, and a mile-long trail
runs through the 60 acre property. Rare artifacts also are on display,
and interested researchers may be able to gain access to museum collections
upon request. This website is the official museum site, updated regularly
as to event and exhibit information www.ahtahthiki.com/
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Billie
Swamp Safari |
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Here,
members of the Seminole Tribe provide guided tours of some of the
extensive Big Cypress reservation lands (some 2,200 acres) owned
by the tribe. This attraction is located about 40 miles south of
Clewiston on C.R. 833 (1-800-949-6101)
www.seminoletours.com
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Sugarland
Tours |
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This
tour group is operated by the Clewiston Chamber of CommerceTours of
Clewiston and Lake Okeechobee visits to sugarcane and citrus farms
and processing centers. A guided tour includes lunch at the historic
Clewiston Inn 109 Central Avenue, Clewiston (877) 693-4372 www.clewiston.org/sugarlandtours.htm |
Lake
Trafford |
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This
site relates information for tourists at Lake Trafford, a 1500 acre
lake located west of Immokalee and west of 29, along Lake Trafford
Road. Information about the marina and available tours is provided
here. www.laketrafford.com/
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Thanks
to M. C. Bob Leonard, Professor of History, Hillsborough Community
College for information from unofficial websites. |
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