Framed in forests of mangrove trees, the shell mounds and ridges of Mound Key rise more than 30 feet above the waters of Estero Bay. Prehistoric Native Americans are credited with creating this island's complex of mounds with an accumulation of seashells, fish bones, and pottery.

Mound Key is believed to have been the ceremonial and political center of the Calusa Indians when the Spaniards first attempted to colonize southwest Florida. Archaeological investigations indicate that Mound Key was occupied at least 2,000 years ago. In 1566, the Spanish governor of Florida established a settlement on the island with a fort and the first Jesuit mission in Spanish Florida. The settlement was abandoned three years later after violent clashes with the Indians. The island features outdoor exhibits that explain the lifeways of the people who built the mounds as well as nature trails to the top of the mounds.

Interpretive displays can be found along a trail that spans the width of the island. Located in Estero Bay, several miles by boat from Koreshan State Historic Site or Lovers Key State Park

Information provided by Florida Department of State.

Image courtesy of Florida State Parks.