|
Look Into the Past
Peace River
|
|
 |
The Peace River's history is representative of the other rivers' pasts. For that reason alone its history is worthy of study. The Peace is known today as a relatively unimportant, small and
winding river in central Florida whose upper reaches shrink in the dry winter months to a mere stream of water. Looking at the river today, it is hard to believe that the Peace was once a
frequently traveled route which connected central Florida with the Gulf of Mexico. Before the advent of modern transportation networks of rail and road, the Peace River was used during at least a portion of the year as a highway.
The story of the river's usage begins at least three thousand years ago when natives used the Peace River system up into the Green Swamp north of present-day Lakeland as a highway for their dugout canoes. There is evidence that the Seminoles also used the river as a form of transportation. Because of the Indians' reliance on the river as a means of travel it follows that when the soldiers of the Third Seminole War moved into the area, they too would use the river in order to find the elusive Seminoles. Later as the threat of Indian attack subsided, settlers began moving into the area which ironically lead to the disuse of the Peace River. As the population grew, the building of roads and railroads brought a more reliable and direct means of traveling. and made river transportation of lesser importance. Like most other Florida rivers the Peace
River was eventually forgotten as a transportation route. Today only those who enjoy fishing and
canoeing have ever seen this beautiful stream except when crossing its bridges in their cars.
|
