By Michele Williams

I won’t lie to you; only a half-mile walking trail and 1.5 miles of equestrian trails cut through the new Long Key Nature Center in Davie (with more on the way). But what the park lacks in length, it makes up for in natural and archaeological treasures.

I recently hiked the trail in 30 minutes, enjoying part of the 157 acres of hardwood forest and restored wetlands. This unique park highlights the Native American and natural resources that have made Long Key a great place to live for more than 3000 years. Remember that as recently as 100 years ago this section of Broward County was still Everglades so islands such as Long Key were places that the Tequesta, and later Seminoles, could safely live and harvest the riches of the Everglades.

Tequesta lived on this island from 1000 BC until nearly 1750 AD as evidenced by villages, mounds and middens (trash heaps) that archaeologists have found on the property. The Tequesta traveled between Long Key and coastal villages using dugout canoes. By the 1830s, Long Key was occupied by Seminole people and later was identified as Sam Jones’ (Arpeika’s) Island, making this one of the earliest Seminole sites in Broward. At least Seminole three campsites have been found here, and Seminole people lived on Long Key until they acquired their current reservation in Hollywood. The nature center’s new Exhibit Hall highlights this human history as well as the natural history.

So why is this history important to folks just wanting a good place to hike? Prehistoric and historic Native American sites give us an opportunity to see how humans and nature can (and did) co-exist in South Florida for thousands of years. Native American used these islands as bases for hunting, fishing, collecting wild plants and even campsites. In doing so they were able to utilize “multiple grocery stores;” the waters of the Everglades provided plenty of protein such as turtles, fish, alligators and waterfowl while the islands and hammocks were great sources of building materials, fruits, nuts and non-aquatic animals. Seminole people also used Long Key as an agricultural field for their corn, squash and other crops. Long Key continues this “use with conservation” concept into the 21st century.

Also significant were the later 20th century inhabitants of Long Key. After the Seminole gave up this land, it was used by the Baez family as a homestead and orange grove and the Chaplain Nursery followed in the 1950s. Finally, some of you might remember Long Key as the home of Pioneer City in the 1960s and the Kapok Tree Inn and Restaurant in the 1970s and 1980s, where many a South Florida family spent birthday or anniversaries.

What is unique about these later 20th century uses of the site is that they protected the natural environment instead of bulldozing it. The 100-year-old live oaks with their tangles of vines became a tourist attraction in and of themselves. It is through their care that we have the wonderful mature oak hammock at Long Key Nature Center today.

But back to what you will see when you visit! I spoke Broward County Parks naturalist Kelli Whitney about the park attractions, and she mentioned the active egret and heron rookery located just south of the entrance. Kelli has been surprised by the number of photographers who have “flocked” to the park for the chance to photograph this magnificent sight of nesting great and cattle egrets and little blue herons. During my half hour walk I saw at least five different species of birds, a half dozen butterfly species, one very well fed raccoon and a pond full of pickerel weed and other water plants festooned with apple snail eggs just waiting for the rainy season to begin.

Hiking at Long Key is free but admission to the Exhibit Hall costs $1. For more information call 954-327-8797 or visit Broward.org/parks.

Michele Williams, Ph.D., is director and terrestrial archeologist for the Southeast region of the Florida Public Archaeology Network at Florida Atlantic University in Fort Lauderdale.