It is amazing to see how much Immokalee has grown and changed in a little over a century. Indians moved there for the hunting and food, and for the high dry ground where they kept their cattle and farmed. But people began moving there during the wars, and they started raising cattle on top of Gopher Hill, cattle ranching was a huge part of what was and still is Immokalee, the climate alone on top of Gopher Hill due to the fact that it in the highest place on south west Florida, a mere 40 feet or so, it helped the ranchers and the cattle raising. Today the Seminole tribe of Indians is one of the largest cattle companies in the United States. When the Roberts came down to Immokalee at around the turn of the century there was barely a dozen families loving there. The rail road was brought to Immokalee in 1935 and it was a lot of what helped the economy, lumber became a major export .Immokalee is still the heart of agriculture in south west Florida. Immokalee has transformed from a place with tons of hardships to a place that is a haven for people who want acres and acres of wide open spaces.
I think Immokalee is an example of the old American dream, people working hard and starting new lives in new places. In ten years Immokalee will still be a large agriculture and cattle community I think. The population will have grown but not nearly as much as somewhere like Fort Myers will grow, the residents will still be the old Floridians who farm and live off of the agriculture. Cattle and farming will be what pushes Immokalee forward and keeps its economy going, also due to the Seminoles who still live there the casinos and gambling will be something that brings in money to Immokalee.
I grew up in Fort Lauderdale, between Immokalee and there it is such a huge difference. Fort Lauderdale is very populated and over developed. We do not live off what our land provides for us in Fort Lauderdale. There is not much open area for farms to even be built. South Florida alone is more populated and more developed then Immokalee is and more then I think Immokalee ever will be.
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I agree with your last paragraph since I grew up in Ft. Lauderdale as well. Fort Lauderdale like Immokalee in one way though, they too have a seminole casino which is extremely profitable.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with you on the point that Immokalee is part of the old American dream. Right now, people settle in Immokalee to start their lives off on the right page. Its a small, rural town, with some very beneficial jobs. Immokalee seems like a place where you could start a family and make a pretty good income to support them. Give Immokalee a good 20-25 years and they could give a couple big towns, like ft. lauderdale, a run for their money.
ReplyDeleteEverything you said I agree with, at least for the most part anyways. . However, I do not believe Immokalee to represent the “Old American Dream.” You said; “... people working hard and starting new lives in new places...” I will have to say that I think that is exactly why it is part of the “New American Dream.” Back in the day, people could not just decide to move somewhere to start a new or different life. Now, we have the opportunity to do that. We have the freedom to choose where and how we want to live. I hope you are right when you say that Immokalee will not ever be as populated as most of the towns and cities here in South Florida. There should be at least one place where you can still see, and enjoy nature for what it is. There should be more places like this all over the world. If only.
ReplyDeleteI agree, i think for right now it is a small town and will stay a small town for at least 20-30 more years. With all the wildlife and wetlands we have around this part of Florida it will take a while to produce into a city like Jacksonville or Tallahassee, if that is what its coming to.
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