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florida history

Koreshan State Historic Site: ‘The Ghosts of Florida’s New Jerusalem’

By Michael Warren

If the dream of Dr. Cyrus Teed had come true, the capital of the world would be located just south of Fort Myers, Florida. A century later, the fascinating remains of Teed’s failed utopia are preserved at the Koreshan State Historic Site. The story began in 1869 when Teed, a 30-year-old Chicago physician, had a revelation that he was the Messiah. He changed his name to Koresh (the Hebrew form of ‘Cyrus’), and in 1894 he led his wealthy followers into the muggy wilderness of Estero, where they founded a commune called the Koreshan Unity.

Filed Under: Featured, Florida History, Florida State Parks Tagged With: estero, florida ghost, florida history, Fort Myers, Ft. Myers, haunted florida, koreshan

Once Upon a Time at the “Theatre of Memory”

By Michael Warren

Back in the old days, the High Springs Opera House played host to countless itinerant vaudeville performers. They carted their trunks up the street from the rail depot, unpacked, then hopped the train again as soon as the curtain fell. Back then you could watch a silent movie in this place, or maybe quiver in […]

Filed Under: Florida History Tagged With: florida history, gainesville, high springs

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