Seminole and Miccosukee Tribes of Southern Florida

Download or read book Seminole and Miccosukee Tribes of Southern Florida written by Patsy West and published by Arcadia Publishing. This book was released on 2012 with total page 130 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Postcards of the Florida Seminole and Miccosukee tribes originated in towns where the Everglades and Big Cypress dwelling Indians came to trade. The natives' dress and accessories presented a novelty to southern Florida's early visitors. With Henry Flagler's Florida East Coast Railroad and hotels, tourism became a rising industry. During World War I, a failing hide market forced Indians to find a new livelihood, and the "Seminole Indian Village Attractions" began in Miami. Indians sold crafts and wrestled alligators, embracing tourism while keeping their culture intact. Tourist-attraction Indians (later organized as the Miccosukee Tribe) moved their Everglades camps to the Tamiami Trail. By the mid-1930s, many families had opened their own tourist attractions, becoming the first native entrepreneurs. Economic reinvention, especially through tourism, has sustained these tribal groups, most recently with bingo and gaming.