Entry # 16: Field Trip # 5-Southwest Florida Museum of History

On Friday, March 19^th I completed Field Trip # 5 to Southwest Florida Museum of History, as well as an exploration of historic downtown Fort Myers.

My visit to downtown Fort Myers and to the Southwest Florida Museum of History was by far the most educational field trip that I’ve embarked on this Semester. I honestly had never realized how rich in history the area is, considering how I thought it was relatively new as such. I was quite shocked to learn that people have been living here for over 14,000 years. I had no idea the number was that high, but I obviously wasn’t taking all of the Native Americans who have been here for ages into much consideration. This visit was very enlightening on my knowledge of the Calusa and Seminole Indians; Florida cattle farming; as well as the geographic, social, and economic changes that occurred in the area throughout time. I was really amused to learn how much the area had in fact changed, from what I learned was previously the entertainment Mecca of Fort Myers, to what it is today.

My favorite part of the field trip, and what impacted me the most from the experience, was undoubtedly the Museum. The museum contained a bunch of neat little historic artifacts that I was so interested to learn about. It was what made me realize how much history exists in my very own backyard! As for my favorite part of the Museum, I would have to say it was the entire fishing section. I was intrigued by how abundant fish once were here, and how what fishermen did in the past affected the future of Florida fisheries, and how all of the different sustainability laws were passed. I was also fascinated by the seashell collection of the museum-they were all so beautiful!

Photographs from the Museum are illustrated below:

Some of Florida's prehistoric creatures...

Sea Level Changes Over Time

Preserving Florida Fisheries in the Future

Seashells

Florida Scrub Cattle

Historic Downtown Fort Myers

In order to encourage more community engagement in the urban area, I would re-design it by providing high-density housing, ranging in affordability levels so that people of different incomes all have the opportunity to live in the area, eliminating/reducing segregation. I would also redesign the area to be more suitable for pedestrians, which would entail building a more walk able retail district, with a multitude of cultural facilities near by.

Overall, my impressions of the downtown area and the museum are that the area has undergone a lot of changes since its first inhabitants were alive 14,000 years ago. I enjoyed the overall learning experience very much so—which ranged from learning about Florida’s prehistory and its earliest inhabitants; the changes to the city and river; the economic and social changes; to the cattle farming and fishing.