Green Swamp History
History: 6000 B.C.
While archaeologists report evidence of human activity in the Green Swamp dating back to as early as 6000 B.C., permanent ancient human settlements have never been discovered. However, it has always been home to an abundance of plant and animal life, making it attractive for human use. The land was used by ancient peoples for hunting and food gathering, as well as collecting material to make weapons.
History: 1513-1700's
Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto explored the area in search of riches. Since leaving Mococo Village, DeSoto had led his army northeast, away from Florida's sandy, unfertile coast, but was again thwarted by swampland while scouting northeast of Tocaste. His army discovered that the Green Swamp was so large that they had to move west to get around it.
The army passed through an area referred to as the Great Swamp, located at today’s Hillsborough River State Park. From there de Soto camped in Dade City, then traveled down the Withlacoochee River and through today’s Withlacoochee State Forest. The feral hogs populating Florida’s woods today are descendants of those brought in for food by Hernando de Soto.
The army passed through an area referred to as the Great Swamp, located at today’s Hillsborough River State Park. From there de Soto camped in Dade City, then traveled down the Withlacoochee River and through today’s Withlacoochee State Forest. The feral hogs populating Florida’s woods today are descendants of those brought in for food by Hernando de Soto.
The Seminoles were not originally a single tribe. They were an alliance of Northern Florida and Southern Georgia natives that banded together in the 1700's to fight the European invaders, including people from the Creek, Miccosukee, Hitchiti and Oconee tribes. Later the alliance became even closer, and today the Seminoles are a united sovereign nation.
The Timucua were a Native American people who lived in Northeast and North Central Florida and some parts of southeast Georgia. They were the largest indigenous group in that area and consisted of about 35 chiefdoms.
By 1595, their population was estimated to have been reduced from 200,000 to 50,000 and thirteen chiefdoms remained. By 1700, the population of the tribe had been reduced to an estimated 1,000. The last known Timucua Indian died in 1767, making the Timucuans (along with the Beothuk) one of only a few truly extinct American Indian tribes.
Close to us, the Mocoso were one of the tribes within the Timucua. The Mocoso of Tampa Bay lived near the area of the Safety Harbor culture. The Mocoso people were among the first inhabitants of Florida encountered by both the Narváez expedition in 1528 and the de Soto expedition in 1539.
Fifteen such towns have been identified along the Florida Gulf coast from Pasco County to northern Sarasota County, an area that includes the entire Tampa Bay area.
Another was the Ocale. It was a town in Florida visited by the Hernando de Soto expedition, and of a putative chiefdom of the Timucua people. The town was probably close to the Withlacoochee River at the time of de Soto's visit. A third was the Tocobaga. The chiefdom was centered around the northern end of Old Tampa Bay, the arm of Tampa Bay that extends between the present-day city of Tampa and northern Pinellas County.
The Timucua were a Native American people who lived in Northeast and North Central Florida and some parts of southeast Georgia. They were the largest indigenous group in that area and consisted of about 35 chiefdoms.
By 1595, their population was estimated to have been reduced from 200,000 to 50,000 and thirteen chiefdoms remained. By 1700, the population of the tribe had been reduced to an estimated 1,000. The last known Timucua Indian died in 1767, making the Timucuans (along with the Beothuk) one of only a few truly extinct American Indian tribes.
Close to us, the Mocoso were one of the tribes within the Timucua. The Mocoso of Tampa Bay lived near the area of the Safety Harbor culture. The Mocoso people were among the first inhabitants of Florida encountered by both the Narváez expedition in 1528 and the de Soto expedition in 1539.
Fifteen such towns have been identified along the Florida Gulf coast from Pasco County to northern Sarasota County, an area that includes the entire Tampa Bay area.
Another was the Ocale. It was a town in Florida visited by the Hernando de Soto expedition, and of a putative chiefdom of the Timucua people. The town was probably close to the Withlacoochee River at the time of de Soto's visit. A third was the Tocobaga. The chiefdom was centered around the northern end of Old Tampa Bay, the arm of Tampa Bay that extends between the present-day city of Tampa and northern Pinellas County.
The name Tocobaga means “the place of the gourds.” These Natives lived in small villages, each built around a central meeting place area. Wooden poles held up palm thatch roofs in their round houses. The Tocobaga hunted local wildlife, fished, and gathered shellfish as their primary source of food. They also supplemented their diet also with wild berries, nuts and fruit.
The Tocobaga disappeared sometime after the 16th century. No one knows exactly when because of a gap of 200 years between visits from the Spanish. The reasons are also unclear. They may have died from exposure to disease from the Europeans, killed in wars with neighboring tribes, or merged with other tribes.
The Tocobaga disappeared sometime after the 16th century. No one knows exactly when because of a gap of 200 years between visits from the Spanish. The reasons are also unclear. They may have died from exposure to disease from the Europeans, killed in wars with neighboring tribes, or merged with other tribes.
History: 1835-1842
The campaigns of the Second Seminole War are considered an outstanding demonstration of guerrilla warfare by the Seminoles. The thick forests of the Green Swamp provided the Seminoles refuge, as well as “perches of ambush” deep in the wilderness, in their battle against the United States. Historians claim some Seminoles remained in the Florida wilderness well into the 20th century, living in small traditional camps of cypress-frame/palmetto-thatch chickees.
History: 1920s-1950s
Throughout the 1920s, the Larkin family’s Two Rivers Ranch was a large ranching operation in the area. Millard and Overstreet Turpentine Company produced turpentine, a major Florida industry.
A plentiful supply of cypress and pine trees led to a profitable logging industry named The Cummer Sons Cypress Company (1922-1959), later known as the Cummer Company, in the town of Lacoochee. The people of the Green Swamp were able to make a living from timber production. A railroad was built through the middle of the swamp to transport the timber to the mill in Lacoochee. Due to the heavy logging, very few of the centuries-old cypress trees remain today.
A plentiful supply of cypress and pine trees led to a profitable logging industry named The Cummer Sons Cypress Company (1922-1959), later known as the Cummer Company, in the town of Lacoochee. The people of the Green Swamp were able to make a living from timber production. A railroad was built through the middle of the swamp to transport the timber to the mill in Lacoochee. Due to the heavy logging, very few of the centuries-old cypress trees remain today.
History: The 1960's
In 1960, a heavy rainy season, followed by Hurricane Donna, caused severe flooding throughout west-central Florida. This disaster led to the creation, by the Florida Legislature, of the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) as a flood-control agency. The District became the local sponsor of the Four River Basins (FRB), Florida Project, a plan developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to reduce flooding in the Tampa Bay area by building dams and water-retention areas. Initial purchase of the Green Swamp lands was to convert them into a series of flood-detention areas for the FRB. After controversy about disrupting a natural system, the District took a non-structural approach to flood protection by leaving the Green Swamp in its natural state.
As water needs changed and the population grew, the role of the District also grew. Today, District responsibilities include flood protection, management of water supply and water quality and protection of water-related natural systems.
As water needs changed and the population grew, the role of the District also grew. Today, District responsibilities include flood protection, management of water supply and water quality and protection of water-related natural systems.
History: 1974 to 1976
Early Floridians saw wetlands as worthless and nearly ten million acres of Florida’s swamps and marshes were drained. Demand to commercially develop the Green Swamp began in the early ’70s as Walt Disney World opened just to the east. However, the state of Florida recognized the hydrologic and environmental need to keep development under control, so in 1974, the state designated approximately 322,000 acres of Florida as an “Area of Critical State Concern.” This area included the Green Swamp. Even with this heightened state of concern, because Tampa and Orlando continue to grow on each side of the Green Swamp, the demand for its natural resources remains.
Established by the Florida Environmental Land and Water Management Act of 1972, and described in Chapter 380 of the Florida Statutes, the Area of Critical State Concern designation denotes areas that contain natural resources of regional or statewide importance, areas that are, or will be, significantly affected by major public facilities, or areas of major development potential. The Green Swamp satisfied all three criteria until the FRB project was declared inactive in 1984. This declaration was due to the Green Swamp no longer being threatened by major public facilities.
The Cummer Company sold some of the land to Agri-Timber, Inc. Under Agri-Timber management, lands were leased for hunting and cattle, a sawmill and mulching plant supported a timbering operation and sand, peat and limerock mines were operated in the area.
This same year a sailor from Taiwan, known as “Wildman,” spent six months hiding from the law in the forested swamp. He lived in a hollowed cypress tree and ate armadillo meat until he was captured.
Established by the Florida Environmental Land and Water Management Act of 1972, and described in Chapter 380 of the Florida Statutes, the Area of Critical State Concern designation denotes areas that contain natural resources of regional or statewide importance, areas that are, or will be, significantly affected by major public facilities, or areas of major development potential. The Green Swamp satisfied all three criteria until the FRB project was declared inactive in 1984. This declaration was due to the Green Swamp no longer being threatened by major public facilities.
The Cummer Company sold some of the land to Agri-Timber, Inc. Under Agri-Timber management, lands were leased for hunting and cattle, a sawmill and mulching plant supported a timbering operation and sand, peat and limerock mines were operated in the area.
This same year a sailor from Taiwan, known as “Wildman,” spent six months hiding from the law in the forested swamp. He lived in a hollowed cypress tree and ate armadillo meat until he was captured.
History: 1981-Present
In 1981, the Water Management Lands Trust Fund (WMLTF) was established for acquisition of lands. This fund, commonly known as the Save Our Rivers (SOR) program, is used by the five water management districts for the management, maintenance and protection of lands so that they may maintain their natural state and functions.In 1990, the Florida Legislature also passed the Florida Preservation 2000 (P2000) Act. The P2000 Act includes the preservation of fish and wildlife habitat, of lands in danger of development and of water recharge areas. Both SOR and P2000 lands are widely used for recreational activities.
The Florida Forever Act was passed as a successor to P2000. This act not only focuses on conservation and preservation, but also on water resources development, restoration and recreation. Over the next decade it will provide $3 billion to purchase land and water resources to preserve Florida’s quality of life. Each water management district is required to develop a Florida Forever Five-Year Work Plan. These work plans must incorporate the Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) plans, SOR plans, stormwater management plans, water body restoration projects and other projects that would lead to meeting the goals for the Florida Forever program.
The Florida Forever Act was passed as a successor to P2000. This act not only focuses on conservation and preservation, but also on water resources development, restoration and recreation. Over the next decade it will provide $3 billion to purchase land and water resources to preserve Florida’s quality of life. Each water management district is required to develop a Florida Forever Five-Year Work Plan. These work plans must incorporate the Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) plans, SOR plans, stormwater management plans, water body restoration projects and other projects that would lead to meeting the goals for the Florida Forever program.