The major purpose of the Expedition was to travel from Fort Myers to Miami across the Everglades, the tropical wetlands that comprise the majority of South Florida. The Expedition party, led by James E. Ingraham, hoped to determine if the Everglades could be drained and the land "reclaimed" for agriculture and other development. The Expedition was backed by railroad magnate Henry Plant, and another purpose was to determine if the railroad should be extended to the southern part of the state. Plant eventually opted not to extend his railroad down the west coast, but Ingraham was hired by Henry Flagler soon after the Expedition and Ingraham convinced Flagler to expand southward.
John W. Newman gave a speech to the men before departing Fort Myers in which he explained the purpose of the Expedition. He states: "... if this land can be rendered fit for cultivation it will be the most productive of any in this state. It is rich with the vegetable mould of centuries, has the mildest climate on this continent, and once drained could be put into cultivation at a small cost. It might support an immense population, and would doubtless supply the United States with sugar, rice and the fruits adapted to the climate. With the money spent on hotels in the city of St. Augustine to gratify the luxurious tastes of our millionaires I believe this land could be drained, and the promoter of such a scheme would have the right [to] be considered the greatest philanthropist of his age. It would be a glorious undertaking, for [charity] could ask no nobler enterprise, ambition no higher glory and capital no greater increase than would result from the redemption of this land."
The core group of the Expedition party consisted of Ingraham, Wallace R. Moses, Sydney O. Chase, and John W. Newman (captain of the Expedition). This group traveled from Sanford to Port Tampa, then to Fort Myers and across the Everglades to Miami. While in the Miami region, they visited Cutler, Lemon City, and Cocoanut Grove. They then traveled north along the Atlantic Coast to Fort Lauderdale, Lake Worth, Juno, Jupiter, and Titusville, before returning to Sanford.
Links below open in a new browser window.
For other topics referenced in the Expedition texts, please refer to the Index to Subjects and Names.
1892 Everglades Exploration Expedition : Three Digital Texts, 2015