Cold at Koreshan

January 15-29, 2025                                                           Most Recent Posts:
Koreshan State Park site 8                                              Florida Scrub Jays
Estero, Florida                                                       Alafia River After the Holidays

The trip from Oscar Scherer to Koreshan was the perfect distance in my opinion, an hour and a half.  I stopped and got gas which is always a thrill since I have to use the gas pumps for cars rather than the bigger size spots for diesel pumps.  But by 3:30, I pulled into site 8 for two weeks.   Love not having to pack up and move for anything shorter than that.

I felt a tad guilty for rewarding myself for such a short trip but I justified it with the gas stop.   Estero has a Mellow Mushroom and it was a Holy Shitake pizza for me and Pooh.  It’s not only delicious but I think it’s quite artistic.

The Trail

Koreshan is one of my favorite parks for several reasons. I love their river trail,  I love the amazing story of the park and the preservation of the settlement buildings. I can tie up my kayak at the boat launch and go out every morning unlike now at Oscar Scherer.  (hiss boo to whoever changed that)

Walking the river trail every day was no problem regardless of the temperature. It’s a wonderful sandy path that goes through lovely pine flatwoods and majestic live oaks.

In its beautification efforts, the Koreshan Unity planted bamboo they got from Thomas Edison and of course bamboo has a mind of its own and is now a forest of its own as well,  especially along the river.

The Settlement

I’ve talked a great deal in previous posts over the years about the Koreshans and the settlement they created in the swamps here.  They and what they created, the gardens, the bridges, the buildings, the businesses,  really are amazing.

Most of the interesting things that that I saw during my stay were not in the campground other than this Great Blue Heron.  I can’t imagine what he was doing one night at dusk up in a tree in the middle of the loop.  Herons do roost in trees but they roost in groups.  Maybe he was a scout, looking for a new spot who knows.  But it was great fun looking out and looking up and seeing him there.

Do you see him standing up tall on the branch drooping down on the right?

The animal I saw the most was the gopher tortoise.  A fair number of them have burrows along the sandy trails and in the settlement itself.

Unfortunately all of the settlement buildings were not able to be saved.  The most beautiful is known as The Planetary Court built in 1904.  You just have to read the history to believe this stuff.   Cyrus Teed, the founder, also known as Koresh, chose 7 women to run the settlement (commune by our definition).   Everyone else lived in dormitories, men’s and women’s, but those 7 women lived here.

The inside of the building isa  show place of craftsmanship.

The other remaining large building was called Founders House.  Teed and his chosen second in command, Victoria, lived in separate quarters on the ground floor.  Victoria was in charge when Teed was traveling to spread the message and recruit new members.

The ground floor now has an exhibit of the furniture that was in the house at the time and an audio visual presentation history you can sit and watch.  This is the very best thing to do when first coming to the park so you can understand at least some of the history of these people.

This was once a grand avenue lined with Royal Palms on both sides.  Royal Palms  are native to Florida though they do not grow north of Tampa.  They can reach 100 feet tall.  Must have been quite majestic in its day.  Over time and hurricanes only one royal remains, that tall skinny tree in the distance.

As you all know, most better than I, the weather turned very cold for most January.  I was  glad that I was at my furthest park south for this year in Florida.  Estero is exactly half way between Fort Myers to the North and Naples to the South.   I’d have had to go down to the Everglades or out to the keys to be warmer.   Still it was uncharacteristically cold for Florida and everywhere else.  39 degrees is not weather to go out kayaking in at 7:30am.  Thus I wasn’t able to get on the water until the last 4 of my 14 days.   I was concerned for the flora here at the park in these temperatures.

As the temperatures began to warm up slightly, then it rained and I was stuck inside for a couple of days. 

After the rains I was very happy to see that the Resurrection Ferns, perfect name for them,  on the trail had not died from the cold and with the rain had sprung back to life.  These ferns are epiphytes and do not take anything from the trees they live on.  They get the water they need from rain and shrivel up when there is not enough.  They too are native to Florida.  Here you can see them on the branches of the Live Oaks.

My last 4 days I spent on the water every morning finally.  I was lucky enough to be able to join a private tour a ranger was giving to the campground volunteers about the history of the Koreshan use of the river.   It was a great tour and we all learned quite a bit.  

                   Hitchhiker

The river was the way they originally accessed the property and for many years after its founding.  We were able to see a number of old landings and steps that went to various building on the 7500 acres with 70 buildings that they ultimately owned and built.   Sadly, only 11 buildings and 300 acres remain.

Other folks also on the river.

On the way back to the settlement, we found an engagement picture being taken on “the bamboo landing” which was the large dock on which the Koreshans put on plays and musical performances for people who came up river and watched from their boats.  It was the “formal” entrance to the community.  Otherwise you used the one at the store. I’ll talk about that later.

I was happy for the couple and wondered if there are still newspapers which publish engagement and wedding photos as they used to.   Anyone know or have a local paper that does?

I did actually leave the park a few times for groceries and to meet Cindy and Gay who have a winter home down here.  We went kayaking several times in Vermont here one day we went to the Royal Scoop for lunch and mostly for ice cream.    Of course no pictures of the lunch or the ice cream.

Another outing is one I always do here.  David’s favorite restaurant was Ford’s Garage so I have lunch there in his honor.

                                                  Great door handles.

Though I am primarily a vegan,  I cannot pass up a mushroom and swiss burger.
Notice the clamp napkin ring.

My two last days at the park I went out on the water.  First I went down stream toward the mouth of the river.

That end is more developed as the river moves toward Estero Bay and then the Gulf of Mexico.

Wading birds like these herons don’t seem to be bothered by the development along the water.

I must admit I was surprised to see this pelican on top of a boat dock.

There remain some protected sections.

Same Pelican, on the way back. Guess his nap is over.

The next day I kayaked up stream away from the Gulf and toward the Source of the Estero River in the Wild turkey Strand Preserve.   No I did not make it there.  You’ll see why.

This house on the other side of the river from the park was built in 1917 by the son of one of the original Koreshans for her to live in. she was possibly done with dormitories but that’s just my thought.  The house was recently purchased by the state to add to the park.  I’m very interested to see what they do with it in the future.  It has been modernized from the outside look of it.

Great Blue overhead.

The river is so beautiful.

It narrows as you go further up stream.

And becomes more shallow.  Eventually, I was forced turn around.   I wonder if there is a trail in the swamp that leads to the head springs of the Estero.  Somehow I doubt it.   I’d love it if it had something like ItascaState Park in Minnesota  has for the Mississippi.

Heading back.

The Ranger had shown us these steps which I had never noticed on previous trips on the river.  But then sun was worse than today. The steps are behind  what is left of the original dock to the general store which you can barely see in the background.   The dock was used less and less after the construction of the original dirt road Tamiami Trail (Now US 41) from Tampa to Miami.   As you can see the dock has fallen away though some parts of it remain but the steps must be close to 150 years old.   The Koreshans had a concrete works among their businesses and it looks like they knew what they were doing.

Behind the red mangroves is the original, and thus the oldest,  building on the grounds.  It was the home of Gustave Damkohler who gave the property to the Unity when he joined.  His son was none too happy about it and thought Cyrus Teed was a huckster.  What happened there is a whole story in itself.  This park is full of stories.

The above river trip was my last one, the day before I had to move on.  Too few days on the river this trip because of the weather.

Remember the rainy picture out the RV window?  If not, scroll up and look.  In that picture the kayak was on the car for traveling.  Here’s what happens when I’m loading it up to leave.  

Next stop back to Oscar Scherer for another 2 weeks of hopefully warm weather.  Or at least warmer than other places I could be.