Museum of History

When I walk into the Southwest Florida Museum of History I am greeted by a nice older gentleman. We talk for a few minutes and he sends me on my way. I round the corner and I am greeted by a large mammoth head and I definitely did not expect to see. I found myself standing there, amazed at it's size and in wonderment that something like that used to walk the very ground that I drive on.

O'Mara, H. (2010). Colloquium Pictures. Fort Myers, FL, United States.

I mosey along and stop and read some of the signs and learn about Indians, and the Myer's family. But I truly begin to slow down and enjoy the museum once I hit the Clyde Butcher exhibit. I have always been a fan of his pictures, but I have never really studied him. Once I walked into his exhibit I stopped at every picture and read every excerpt. His love for Florida and for the Swamp made me want to go deep into the Everglades and search for the elusive ghost orchid (my favorite picture of his).

O'Mara, H. (2010). Colloquium Pictures. Fort Myers, FL, United States.

At the train car I got to see how the richest people traveled back then. I was amazed at the architecture of the car and could not believe that it cost $80,000 a year to run it!!! That is a lot of money in today's world! I can't even imagine today's equivalent. I loved how the car was so beautifully layed out. They have put a lot of thought on how to use every inch of that car to their advantage (who cannot appreciate a chair/toilet?).

O'Mara, H. (2010). Colloquium Pictures. Fort Myers, FL, United States.

The museum wraps up with the cottage displaying how normal families resided. Seeing this cottage made me think of the book, A Land Remembered. "Being a Cracker", living in a small cottage, doing your cooking in a different area so not to attract animals, that was how everyone lived back then. How do we get back to that simplicity?