The Koreshan Unity Settlement

First formed in Chicago in 1869, Dr. Cyrus Teed created the Koreshan Unity after an "illumination" he claimed to have. In 1894, Teed and his followers came to Estero, Florida to create a settlement know as "New Jerusalem". Here he intended to create a utopia where, based on a communistic goal, "everyone worked for the good of all". In the Unity, there were two kinds of members. Those of the Cooperative Order who bought shares in or worked in the Koreshan Industries. These members could live outside of the "Utopian" settlement and still remain loyal to their family unit. The members who joined under the Religious Order who remained celibate were required to live on the settlement and work for the goal of creating the New Jerusalem. Residents of the settlement had financial security, equality between men and women, and the availability of cultural activities and entertainment.
This was not my first visit to the Koreshan State Park but the experience was entirely different. On my first visit, I camped out and did not really care about the history of the land I was surrounded by and who had settled there previously. On this trip, I was more focused on the history and the culture of the Koreshan Unity and what they believed. They were an extremely devout culture with no deviation from what they believed to be true. I would definitely recommend everyone who gets the chance to visit this local settlement that shaped the Estero culture for the years it existed and the history it created for the area.