06/03/2026
Have you ever wondered how the Calusa and other indigenous Floridians prepared for--and survived--hurricanes?
There is archeological evidence that a large hurricane hit Pineland around 300 C.E. A 1992 excavation found thin sand layers, as well as plant and animal remains, which show that seawater surged across the settlement.
While we can't know the specifics of how the Calusa handled this event, disturbances in the weather and changes in animal behavior would have signaled that a large storm was on the way. Calusa people may have been able to see the approach of the storm from the high mounds in Pineland.
The shell mounds could also have provided refuge from storm surge. Even today, the mounds are much higher than predicted flood levels. The Pine Island Canal, engineered and managed by the Calusa people, could also have facilitated movement away from the coast.
Indigenous architecture also helped. The Calusa and other indigenous people built dwellings thatched with palm fronds. These buildings were waterproof, resilient to strong winds, and cool in the summer. Calusa homes would have been similar to the traditional chickees built by the Seminole people.
Though now constructed with modern materials, open-sided palm structures are still popular in South Florida architecture, an adaptation with thousands of years of cultural history.
By Carrie Dilley, Visitor Services and Development Manager While we constantly aim to engage with and educate our visitors, we also strive to break down stereotypes and represent Seminoles as moder…
