Edgar (E.J.) Watson was a historic person born in 1855 who lived through the horrible Florida hurricane of 1910. He was a hero to some and a villain to others. Matthiessen takes snippets of history and an assortment of folks who supposedly knew the story of Watson to give readers all the possibilities. The eyewitnesses disagree about the circumstances surrounding Watson’s life and death in southwestern Florida. However, we learn much more about the thinking of the time and the Florida land before it is developed. The area and people are portrayed as wild and primitive. So many disregard nature by attempting to conquer and control it. The author includes descriptions of inaccurate weather forecasting, surviving and succumbing to hurricanes, and their aftereffects. In general, many humans were misguided in thinking they could destroy humans, animals, vegetation, and whatever was in the way without consequence.
Some of the places depicted include:
Ten Thousand Islands
Everglades
Okeechobee
Chokoloskee
Possum Key
Monroe County
Lee County
Some of the distinguishing characteristics, traits, features or hallmarks of “old Florida” include:
Counties and governorship
Deputies
Sheriffs
Crackers, Baptist Crackers
Draining Okeechobee
The Calusa: “The Shell Indians” shell mounds
Calusa mounds
Natives, Blacks, Biracial people
Chain gangs
Posses
Wild bird eggs
Reconstruction
Seminole wars
Harvesting skins
Plume wars
