Field Trip #5: Southwest Florida Museum of History

Even though I do not live very far from Ft. Myers I have not really been there very much. I have driven up the coast but I have not seen historical Ft. Myers. I have always associated Ft. Myers with office buildings and legal offices. There seems to be many state and county office buildings that, in my experience, have overshadowed the historical side of Ft. Myers. I never really thought about the history of Ft. Myers and how Calusa indians used to live in this area. Giant sloths walking around and mammoths roaming the land never crossed my mind when I thought about Ft. Myers. I did not know that Caloosahatchee River means river of the Calusa. It make a lot of sense I just never realized it before. The cattle industry in this area I did know about because of reading A Land Remembered. There is so much history in this area. I really enjoyed the museum. It was the first historical museum that I have ever been to and it made me want to go to more. By far, my favorite part was the very beginning where the bones were. The first picture is of a giant sloth and it is kind of scary because it is so big when you are standing right next to it. I am pretty sure that the second picture is a mammoth skull or something like that because of the size of the head and tusks. I liked how the museum provided devices that told you all about things in the museum. Whenever you came across a picture of a sound symbol and a number you just typed the number in the device and listened. My cousin enjoyed the firefighter section the most. She thought it was cool that there was a old fire truck in there and all of the tools they used to use were hanging on the walls. It was an interesting exhibit. The King Tut exhibit was very interesting but it does not really have much to do with historical Ft. Myers. I think the museum depicted Ft. Myers well and there was a lot to learn. The city has changed a lot over the years. The courthouse has been renovated and now holds the office of county commissioners. The downtown area has went from the hot spot to shop and party to an area concerned with sustainability. More places are within walking distance so the amount of toxins that cars release are lessened. The downtown area is a place where all types of people can come together. It has came along way from the Calusa indians and cattle industry days.