Introduction
Fort Lauderdale, located on the southeastern coast of Florida along the Atlantic Ocean, is today a major urban center known for its tourism, boating canals, and cultural landmarks. Its history, however, stretches far beyond the modern cityscape, encompassing centuries of Indigenous settlement, European exploration, territorial development, and urban growth.
This article traces Fort Lauderdale’s history, exploring its early Native American roots, colonial encounters, 19th-century military significance, mid-20th-century development, and emergence as a modern city. The story of Fort Lauderdale illustrates the broader patterns of Florida’s coastal history and urban transformation.
Indigenous Heritage
The Original Inhabitants
Before European contact, the area that would become Fort Lauderdale was inhabited by the Tequesta people, one of Florida’s earliest Native American tribes. The Tequesta thrived along the southeastern coast, using the rivers, estuaries, and ocean for food and transportation.
Daily Life and Subsistence
The Tequesta were primarily fishermen and foragers, harvesting fish, shellfish, and turtles, while also cultivating small plots of maize and other crops. Canoes allowed them to navigate the intricate waterways of the region, including the New River and nearby estuaries.
Cultural and Social Practices
Tequesta society was organized into small communities led by chiefs. Spiritual and ceremonial practices connected them to the natural world, particularly water sources. Shell mounds and burial sites remain as archaeological evidence of their presence and way of life. shutdown123