5 /5 Ariel W.: Lewis Landing Park in Ft. Lauderdale has quite an amazing history. Archaeological items relating to the Tequesta including animal bones, pottery shards,and shells were found in the park in 2010 indicating a village was here from 800 to 1200 A.D.. The Tequesta were Native Americans who lived along the New River for at least 5,000 years. They used dugout canoes to travel the river from the Everglades to the Atlantic Ocean. When Spain claimed Florida there were thousands of Tequesta but by the time they gave Florida to England in 1763 there were less than 300 left having been wiped out by disease and sold as slaves to Cuba.
The park is named for the Lewis family who came from the Bahamas in 1792 and settled on the banks of the New River. They lived on a farm growing coconuts, guava, limes and oranges until 1824. It was believed that their farm served as a way station for the British who were trying to subvert Spanish control. In 1830, Frankee Lewis now a widow sold the land for $400.
Ten years ago the park was a vacant residential property. It has now been turned into a river front park with gazebos, a jogging path, a fishing dock, an observation deck, park benches, picnic tables, and a water fountain. The only drawback to the park is that parking is extremely limited with one car parking spot and one handicapped.
On January 24, 2015 a statue of a Tequesta Indian sculpted by artist Nida Comas was added to the park. Plaques on the pedestal of the statue provide information about the Tequesta people who are now extinct.
This beautiful park is the perfect place to exercise, enjoy a picnic or just take in the beautiful water view. It is also a wonderful place to sit and contemplate the people who came before us who once canoed down the waterways.
