Everglades, FL

Everglades City sits at the mouth of the Barron River on Chokoloskee Bay, at the meeting point of mainland roads and the waters of southwest Florida. It became the first county seat of Collier County in 1923, and the town remained the seat until county offices moved to East Naples in 1960. In the 1920s, Barron Collier made the town his headquarters while the Tamiami Trail was being built across south Florida, bringing road construction and county power to a river town whose older life revolved around fishing and the bay.

ATTRjjron / GFDL 1.2

The Marjory Stoneman Douglas Visitor Center for Everglades National Park is located here, so the city still serves as a starting point for exploring the wetlands and Ten Thousand Islands country. A local legend says Seminoles planted potatoes along the Barron River during the Seminole Wars, adding a memorable story to the waterfront. Collier County public schools serve local children. The 2020 census counted 352 residents, down from 400 in 2010, while the river remains the town's most recognizable main street.