Since I became interested in the Calusa tribe while researching my novel Shame of Kings, I’ve wanted to visit the Marco Island Historical Museum, and I so glad to have finally done it. Marco Island is down at the southwest tip of Florida, below Naples, and on the western edge of the Everglades. It was home to several important Calusa settlements for many centuries, and before them, the Muspa civilization.
Anthropologist Frank Hamilton Cushing led a research expedition to the area in the nineteenth century. In 1896, Cushing found the famous Key Marco Cat, now on display in the museum.
Scientists estimate the cat to be between 500 and 1500 years old. Cushing found it and other artifacts buried under a layer of muck, or mud. This layer contained very little oxygen, which preserved the wood.
The museum has many more Calusa artifacts, realistic displays, and informative signs. It’s a great place to visit for both casual tourists and people interesting in more thorough research. Here are some of the photos I took that day:
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