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Safety Updates

Florida State Parks will follow local orders requiring facial coverings or masks to provide for staff and visitor safety. These requirements vary from area to area. Our main priority is the safety of our guests and staff. We will continue to review operations on a daily basis and make additional operational changes as may be deemed necessary for protection of public health. Please review individual park pages for specific information for each location.

View details about online payments, park and campground closures, park programs/events and facial coverings.

Limited Visitation at this Park

Effective Jan. 11, 2021: Koreshan State Park is open (see hours of operation and fee information below). The ranger station is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. To reduce contact, visitors can purchase single-day use admission online or provide cash for entry fees through a cash box system. Boat ramp and canoe/kayak launch is available. Canoe and kayak rentals are currently unavailable. One bathroom at the Art Hall restrooms in the Historic Settlement is closed for repairs. There are two other restrooms open in the Historic Settlement. Visitors are expected to maintain distances of at least six feet apart.

 

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History

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Throughout its history, Florida has welcomed pioneers of all kinds. Cyrus Reed Teed was probably the most unusual, bringing followers to Estero in 1894 to build the "New Jerusalem" for his new faith, Koreshanity.

Hallow Earth

Original Electric Hollow Earth Model in Art Hall

Dr. Cyrus R. Teed's utopian community of 200 followers relocated from Chicago to Florida in 1894.

Dr. Teed took the name "Koresh," the Hebrew translation for Cyrus, meaning shepherd.

The colonists believed that the entire universe existed within a giant, hollow sphere. They conducted experiments that seemed to confirm their beliefs. The Koreshans built and operated a printing facility, boat works, cement works, sawmill, bakery, store and hostelry.

Education, science and art also helped shape their community.

After the death of Dr. Teed in 1908 at the age of 69, membership of his religious group began to decline.

In 1961, the last four members deeded 305 acres of their land to the state. What remains of their once vibrant community are 11 beautifully maintained historic structures that date from 1882 to 1920, and landscaped grounds that include unique ornamental exotic vegetation from throughout the world.

The Koreshan Unity Settlement Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places.

  • Additional Information about the History of Koreshan
Koreshans

Costumed Koreshan Unity Members at the Tea House and Garden, c. 1925
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