Great interview by Craig Pittman (pictured above) with Lyn Millner who recalls the Koreshan cult, which, among other things, believed the earth was hollow and that their founder, Cyrus Teed, was immortal.
Continue reading “Podcast: Welcome to Florida: The Cult of Cyrus Teed”
Cyrus Teed married Fidelia (Delia) M. Rowe in 1859, and their son, Douglas Arthur Teed was born February 21, 1860. As an adult, Douglas became a respected artist, and some of his works still grace the walls of the Koreshan Unity’s Art Hall in the Historic Settlement area of Koreshan State Park. The above painting is one of his works, Parade Led by Elephants.
Continue reading “Cyrus Teed’s Family”
Above image is an aerial photo of the Koreshan Unity, Hwy. 41 and Estero Florida, ca. 1958.
In early Estero, author Quentin Quesnell wrote that when the Spanish came to Mound Key near the mouth of the Estero River in 1567, they found the thriving capital of the native Calusa Indians. By the 1700s, the dwindling Calusa had fled to Key West, then Cuba, leaving the area to Cuban fisherman, outlaws, and pirates.
Continue reading “The History of Estero, Florida”
Koreshan State Park, the historic home of the Koreshan Unity, has many unique specimens throughout the remains of its once-famous botanical gardens, including several varieties of mango, lychee and other fruit-bearing trees, eucalyptus, Chinese bamboo and other flowering trees and plants from around the world. Some even from the Ford and Edison Winter estates in Fort Myers. Here are just a few:
Continue reading “A Botanical Tour of Koreshan State Park”
