Title:
Wildfire, hurricanes well documented
Accession#:
1996.01.00
Pubication Date:
June 12, 2004
Call#:
AC—0152
Object ID:
AC—0152
Collection:
KSHS Articles and Clippings
Additional Notes & Full Text:
Koreshan: More than just a
state park and campground
By MICHAEL WIDNER
Special to the Banner
In 1961, when the Koreshan
Unity donated land to the state
of Florida for the development
of the Koreshan State Park, it
consisted only of what we now
know as the Historic Site. It
wasn't until 1965 that the state
of Florida allotted funds for
the development of a camp-
ground in the park. What
began as 30 sites eventually
grew to 60 sites. Over time, the
camping facilities, boat ramp
and other activities seemed to
overshadow the historic na-
ture of the park.
Don't get me wrong, camp-
ing, boating and outdoor activ-
ities are great, but the real
heart of the Koreshan State
Park is in the Historic Site. It
seems that many visitors to the
park always ask, "What do you
have here?" and the park rang-
ers, who are well-versed in the
answer to that question, al-
ways try to convey the impor-
tance of the history of this
place.
Another one of the persist-
ent questions that park visi-
tors have relates to the whole
notion of communal living and
the conviction that Koreshans
held favoring a celibate life-
style. Just as the park is more
than camping, so too, Kore-
shans were more than celi-
bates.
In the late 19th century there
were numerous Utopian com-
munities in the United States.
From the Shakers (from which
the Koreshans modeled some
of their beliefs) to the Rap-
pites and from the Santifica-
tionists to the Brotherhood of
the New Life, communal socie-
ties flourished. Perhaps in
part because of the Industrial
Revolution, work in this coun-
try was changing arfd new
ideas and new technologies
abounded. Many labor-saving
devices were being invented,
and people found more time
for intellectual pursuits. As is
the case today, there were ex-
tremes in everything. Many of
the religious communities in
this country believed that all
of the upheaval in the world
KORESHAN
was a beginning of the end
times. This was particularly
true at the turn of the century.
Nowadays,'we look back and
think that these people were
crazy, but putting ourselves in
the context of the time makes
us realize that many of their
beliefs were well-founded.
Even though the Koreshans
had what we now consider odd
beliefs, they were certainly an
industrious lot. The Koreshans
applied for and received nu-
merous patents including a de-
vice that could twist wooden
rods into a rope form. They
made faux brownstone from
cement. They brought the civi-
lized world to the wilds of Es-
tero through music and drama.
Their belief in celibacy, al-
though it now seems to loom
larger than it was at the time,
was something that they clung
to as the ideal. Certainly, not
all Koreshans were celibate.
There were various levels of
membership in the Unity and
one of those allowed for mar-
riage.
The Koreshans also believed
in a communistic society. Long
before the word communism
took on a meaning associated
with the evil empire and the
Soviet Union, it meant living,
working and sharing in "com-
mon." The Koreshans had an
extensive set of rules and reg-
ulations, all of which were in-
tended to help individuals be-
come part of the community,
which in theory took priority
over the individual.
Koreshans also supported
equality between the sexes.
They saw God as being both
male and female. They were
also futurists who planned for
a New Jerusalem in which
eight to ten million people
would live in a society pow-
ered by electromagnetic cur-
rents and without the need for
money. With the rapid growth
of this area, founder Cyrus
Teed may have been right
about 10 million people living
here!
History has shown us that
communal societies have a
great deal of hardships to
overcome and that most fail.
The Koreshans were no excep-
tion. In a letter to one of his
assistants in Estero, in 1897,
Teed wrote, "Sustain the cour-
age of the weak and overcome,
so far as possible, the disaffec-
tion of those who can't or will
not apprehend my work and
the importance of trust in me."
Within 11 short years, Teed
would be dead, and his move-
ment would begin the long
process of falling apart. With
no charismatic figure to lead
them, the Koreshans began to
go their own ways. Eventually,
they realized that the donation
of their land to the state of
Florida, for the establishment
of a state park would be the
only way to help sustain the
memory of those early pio-
neers in Southwest Florida.
So the next time you pass the
corner of U.S. 41 and Cork-
screw Road, don't just think of
camping and canoeing, think
of those brave souls who be-
lieved in something larger
than themselves.
state park and campground
By MICHAEL WIDNER
Special to the Banner
In 1961, when the Koreshan
Unity donated land to the state
of Florida for the development
of the Koreshan State Park, it
consisted only of what we now
know as the Historic Site. It
wasn't until 1965 that the state
of Florida allotted funds for
the development of a camp-
ground in the park. What
began as 30 sites eventually
grew to 60 sites. Over time, the
camping facilities, boat ramp
and other activities seemed to
overshadow the historic na-
ture of the park.
Don't get me wrong, camp-
ing, boating and outdoor activ-
ities are great, but the real
heart of the Koreshan State
Park is in the Historic Site. It
seems that many visitors to the
park always ask, "What do you
have here?" and the park rang-
ers, who are well-versed in the
answer to that question, al-
ways try to convey the impor-
tance of the history of this
place.
Another one of the persist-
ent questions that park visi-
tors have relates to the whole
notion of communal living and
the conviction that Koreshans
held favoring a celibate life-
style. Just as the park is more
than camping, so too, Kore-
shans were more than celi-
bates.
In the late 19th century there
were numerous Utopian com-
munities in the United States.
From the Shakers (from which
the Koreshans modeled some
of their beliefs) to the Rap-
pites and from the Santifica-
tionists to the Brotherhood of
the New Life, communal socie-
ties flourished. Perhaps in
part because of the Industrial
Revolution, work in this coun-
try was changing arfd new
ideas and new technologies
abounded. Many labor-saving
devices were being invented,
and people found more time
for intellectual pursuits. As is
the case today, there were ex-
tremes in everything. Many of
the religious communities in
this country believed that all
of the upheaval in the world
KORESHAN
was a beginning of the end
times. This was particularly
true at the turn of the century.
Nowadays,'we look back and
think that these people were
crazy, but putting ourselves in
the context of the time makes
us realize that many of their
beliefs were well-founded.
Even though the Koreshans
had what we now consider odd
beliefs, they were certainly an
industrious lot. The Koreshans
applied for and received nu-
merous patents including a de-
vice that could twist wooden
rods into a rope form. They
made faux brownstone from
cement. They brought the civi-
lized world to the wilds of Es-
tero through music and drama.
Their belief in celibacy, al-
though it now seems to loom
larger than it was at the time,
was something that they clung
to as the ideal. Certainly, not
all Koreshans were celibate.
There were various levels of
membership in the Unity and
one of those allowed for mar-
riage.
The Koreshans also believed
in a communistic society. Long
before the word communism
took on a meaning associated
with the evil empire and the
Soviet Union, it meant living,
working and sharing in "com-
mon." The Koreshans had an
extensive set of rules and reg-
ulations, all of which were in-
tended to help individuals be-
come part of the community,
which in theory took priority
over the individual.
Koreshans also supported
equality between the sexes.
They saw God as being both
male and female. They were
also futurists who planned for
a New Jerusalem in which
eight to ten million people
would live in a society pow-
ered by electromagnetic cur-
rents and without the need for
money. With the rapid growth
of this area, founder Cyrus
Teed may have been right
about 10 million people living
here!
History has shown us that
communal societies have a
great deal of hardships to
overcome and that most fail.
The Koreshans were no excep-
tion. In a letter to one of his
assistants in Estero, in 1897,
Teed wrote, "Sustain the cour-
age of the weak and overcome,
so far as possible, the disaffec-
tion of those who can't or will
not apprehend my work and
the importance of trust in me."
Within 11 short years, Teed
would be dead, and his move-
ment would begin the long
process of falling apart. With
no charismatic figure to lead
them, the Koreshans began to
go their own ways. Eventually,
they realized that the donation
of their land to the state of
Florida, for the establishment
of a state park would be the
only way to help sustain the
memory of those early pio-
neers in Southwest Florida.
So the next time you pass the
corner of U.S. 41 and Cork-
screw Road, don't just think of
camping and canoeing, think
of those brave souls who be-
lieved in something larger
than themselves.
Author:
Widner, Michael
Summary:
Describes how history repeats itself. Using articles from the Flaming Sword, the article shows how wildfires and hurricanes beset the Koreshans just as they do today.
Category:
8: Communication Artifact
Object Name:
Newspaper
Subcategory:
Documentary Artifact
Phys Desc:
1 p.
Publisher:
Fort Myers News Press — Estero Extra
Publication Place:
Fort Myers, Fl.
Search Terms:
Weather
Hurricanes
Wildfires
News Press
Hurricanes
Wildfires
News Press
Subjects:
Estero, Florida
Weather
Wildfires
Hurricanes
Weather
Wildfires
Hurricanes
PDF File Attachment:
Click to Enlarge
Article image
News Press-June 12, 2004
Article image
News Press-June 12, 2004