Billy Bowlegs III with family.
From and old postcard.
At the Fort Center site in ancient times was a charnel platform, or a platform where the dead were carefully wrapped and placed upon. Since it was over a pond, many of the remains eventually fell down into the pond and were preserved in an environment with little oxygen. All around the platform was placed animal effigies of all sorts of animals that are found in Florida: Herons, cats, otters, wolves, eagles, ect. 150 bodies were identified from the former platform.
This site was inhabited from 800-1000 B.C. until the Spanish contact period. There are fragments of copper objects found. Gold and Silver objects found were made out of metal brought in by the Spanish. These were probably made from gold and silver gained from shipwrecks, since the Spanish did not freely give gold and silver to the Calusa.
Billy Bowlegs III with family.
From and old postcard.
Billy Bowlegs III (1862-1865), also known by the Seminole name of Cofehapkee, was a long time resident of the county. He was a famous patriarch of the Seminoles, and a great friend to red and white alike.
The Ortona mounds are remains of ancient mounds, ramps, and circular earthworks. There are many of these sites in the Everglades, especially around Lake Okeechobee. The reason for these man-made earthworks is a mystery. It was first thought that they were raised platforms for agriculture, but they are built on a high sand ridge that is high enough that local agriculture doesn't need any mounds.
Ancient Floridians started building in the area as early as 500 B.C. The busiest activity was probably from 200-1000 A.D., and there is even indication that people lived here as late as 1700. Canals built by the ancient Floridians suggest that this was another trade center linked with other ancient sites in the Okeechobee area. The east-west orientations of the mounds suggest that they could have religious or astronomical significance. Whatever the reason, this area will be studied for years to come.
This is a county park that is well maintained by people who are seeking to preserve and restore the site. Not all the original earthworks have survived the mining and building in the area, but with the help of maps dating back to the Second Seminole War, an approximate reconstruction has been determined. An interpretive display tells about the ancient Floridians. Look for it on state road 78 between Moore Haven and LaBelle.
Brighton Seminole Indian Reservation:
Located on the northwest side of Lake Okeechobee. The Seminoles who live here are the Muskogee-speaking Seminoles. After the wars ended, these Seminoles could be found living on the north and west side of Lake Okeechobee, and the Kissimmee River all the way up to the present city of Kissimmee. The Muskogee language is considered the official trade and political language of the old Creek Confederacy, and most political and religious terms are from Muskogee. The big attraction here is the bingo hall and campground. Over the years, a very successful cattle and agricultural industry has been developed here. This is a quiet area and way off the beaten path to the big cities like Tampa, Orlando, and Miami. There have been plans to build a resort, but that it in the future.
An Indian identified as Creek.
From State of Florida Archives
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© 1998, 2002, 2003 Chris Kimball
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