Flamingo

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This former settlement received its name in 1893, as the flamingo as the most distinctive bird seen in the area. While the flamingo did not breed in Florida, birds from Cuba and the Bahamas once traveled in large numbers to the area. Flamingos were last seen in large numbers in the area in 1902. The town post office was closed in 1909.

Life in Flamingo could be unpleasant. Leverett White Brownell, a naturalist, visited Flamingo in 1893. He described the village of 38 "shacks" on stilts as infested with fleas and mosquitos. He claimed to have seen an oil lamp extinguished by a cloud of mosquitoes. He also stated that flea powder was the "staff of life" and that the cabins were thickly sooted from the use of smudge pots. He added that tomatoes, asparagus and eggplant were the principal crops.

The residents of Flamingo were relocated shortly after the creation of the National Park. Through the second half of the 20th century, Flamingo consisted of the Flamingo Lodge (open year-round), a restaurant and cafe (open only during the winter months), a marina, a store, a gift shop (open only during the winter months), a few houses for park rangers and a campground. However, most of these facilities were severely damaged or destroyed in 2005 by storm surges up to 9 feet during Hurricane Wilma. The marina and store have reopened, but are currently limited to daytime activity only.

Currently there are three new plans to increase eco-tourism with improvements to Flamingo, two of which include rebuilding the destroyed facilities. Presently, there are still boat launches, camping, and cabins.Flamingo is one of the interpretive centers of the Everglades National Park. Trails such as the Snake Bight Trail, Christian Point Trail, Rowdy Bend Trail and Coastal Prairie Trail allow visitors to experience the buttonwood, mangrove and coastal prairie ecosystems.