of Collier Co.,Fl.
On Chokoloskee Island, you will find one of the most historic buildings, The Ted Smallwood Store. It was built in 1906 by Charles Sherod "Ted" Smallwood, one of the areas early pioneers in Collier Co.. The building was used as a store, postoffice and an indian trading post.
In 2005 the Smallwood store suffered a lot of damage from hurricane Wilma, after which it was restored much like it had been for the past 100 years.
Ted Smallwood became a good friend of the local Miccosukee and Seminoles and became a good friend of Chief Tigertail.
The Smallwood store is now a musium operated by the Ted Smallwood Family,walking inside is much like taking a walk back into time, or into an old photo of the past, antiques from the early part of the century surrounds a life sized mannequin of Ted Smallwood,sitting in a rocker just like he did 60 years ago.
Ted Smallwood remained the area's postmaster until he retired in 1941 and the store was placed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. Resotration of the store as a museum was started in 1990 by the non profit Ted Smallwood Store,Inc.
( Special note )
A book comtaining some of Smallwood's reminiscences.
" The Story of the Chokoloskee Bay County"
by Charles W.Tebeau
back to Collier County home
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page prepared by Peggy McSwain
June 13, 2010