I could see Monroe Station in the distance across the road on the south side. As I was approaching the drive and preparing to cross I saw that there was what appeared to be a Seminole Miccosukee Indian settlement back behind the trees and brush on my side.
There were a lot of different chickees of all sizes. In the 1920’s many of the Miccosukee Indians started living along the Tamiami trail. Because of this, they were able to get jobs helping to build the road.
I crossed over and walked into the wide dirt and gravel drive. On the right a road was entering the Tamiami Trail from the south. It was then that I realized that it was the intersection of the original Tamiami Trail which went through Monroe County, the Loop Road.
I crossed over and walked into the wide dirt and gravel drive. On the right a road was entering the Tamiami Trail from the south. It was then that I realized that it was the intersection of the original Tamiami Trail which went through Monroe County, the Loop Road.
I could see over on the far side of the cleared property lots and lots of swamp buggies. There were all kinds and sizes. I could see some tow cars, trucks and even some campers. There must have been at least 60 or more vehicles parked there.
I walked inside and came face to face with Mr. Dixie Webb himself! A legend in his own time. I really didn’t know just who I was talking to!
“Well look what we have here,” he said, “What are you doin’, and where did you come from?”
Hey, this guy looked like Buffalo Bill, with old cowboy-type hat, thick white hair down to his shoulders and a big white beard. He appeared to be 65 plus years, a real character.
“Just hiking from Georgia to Key West,” I said.
“ Well, glad to have you with us, young feller. Can I get you anything?”
“Thanks,” I said, “I’ll just look around.”
“If you don’t see it or we don’t have it, we’ll bring it in for you by alligator or dugout canoe,” he exclaimed.
I looked around. This sure was a wild place. They had all kinds of odds and ends, from a stuffed tusk-bearing, ferocious looking wild swamp hog to a sign stating:
OUR COFFEY WILL FREEZE YOU AWAKE
I bought a Pepsi and a moon pie, and then hollered good bye to a flamboyant man in an unorthodox place! He was already talking to a tourist couple that had just come in.
The entire place was a “Legend in its own time!
I walked inside and came face to face with Mr. Dixie Webb himself! A legend in his own time. I really didn’t know just who I was talking to!
“Well look what we have here,” he said, “What are you doin’, and where did you come from?”
Hey, this guy looked like Buffalo Bill, with old cowboy-type hat, thick white hair down to his shoulders and a big white beard. He appeared to be 65 plus years, a real character.
“Just hiking from Georgia to Key West,” I said.
“ Well, glad to have you with us, young feller. Can I get you anything?”
“Thanks,” I said, “I’ll just look around.”
“If you don’t see it or we don’t have it, we’ll bring it in for you by alligator or dugout canoe,” he exclaimed.
I looked around. This sure was a wild place. They had all kinds of odds and ends, from a stuffed tusk-bearing, ferocious looking wild swamp hog to a sign stating:
OUR COFFEY WILL FREEZE YOU AWAKE
I bought a Pepsi and a moon pie, and then hollered good bye to a flamboyant man in an unorthodox place! He was already talking to a tourist couple that had just come in.
The entire place was a “Legend in its own time!
About the Author: After getting out of the Army Bob Kranich backpacked from the Georgia border to Key West in a 40 day adventure walk across Florida. His recently published book A Walk Across Florida is available from his website or Amazon.com
I'd been wanting to read this, and after I read the bit you posted, I went over to Amazon and bought a copy for my own. I have been hiking the Florida Trail this past winter, in little small pieces and am interested in what he saw all those years ago. Tom Timmons, Okeechobee
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