Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Koreshan Historic Site

We spent the last four days at the Koreshan State park in Estero, Fl. The site was established by Dr Cyrus Teed in 1894 who moved a group of cultish followers from Chicago. Teed who had taken the Hebrew name "Koresh" planned to construct his New Jerusalem at Estero. He had hoped it would become a great city where people would come to practice his religion of Kreshanity, he also taught that the earth surface was concave on the inside of a sphere. Teed and his followers believed he was immortal , he died in 1908 at the age of 69. They put his body in a bath tub expecting him to resurrect, after 10 days and growing mold the state forced the group to bury him. His body was washed out to sea during a hurricane some years later and he has still not returned. The last Koreshan member died in 1982 and donated 305 acres of the holdings to the state of Florida. The Koreshans were industrious people and established stores, limber mills, machine shops, power generating stations, etc. for the settlement and neighboring community. Quite an interesting place to visit, for more info do a google search on Koreshan Unity.





The founders house, Dr Teed or Koresh





Machine shop, all tools powered by the one gas engine in the side room





Teed's model of the Earth, earths surface on inside of sphere, center is sun, moon and planets





Diesel engine driving generator for electricity





Members cottage

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