the universe inside a shell.

Somewhere I have visited three times to date is Koreshan Unity Settlement, located in a little nitch many seem to drive past without a thought. On the corner of Corkscrew and U.S. 41 is a state preserved historic sight that holds many stories that I discovered during my visits to take photos.

The Koreshans were a community that believed that the universe was actually located inside the Earth; the Earth being a hollow shell. The devout followers of the man who started the community, Cyrus Teed, settled on this land in Estero in 1893. A woman I met while I was taking some photos of the surviving homes and structures told me an interesting tale of their celibacy that made me wonder how smart these individuals really were.

Seeing as how they lived celibate lives from the moment they settled onto this land in Estero, Florida, I'm not quite sure if the Koreshans had functioning minds. The last time I checked, in order to have a "well-oiled" settlement, you would naturally want to have offspring to continue the "legacy," if you will. Making sure no surprise baby bumps appeared, the women actually had separate homes from their husbands and existing children (from before they came to settle at this location). Having no contact with the outside, the Koreshans provided for themselves, excluding the delivery via-boats of supplies that came every once in a while.

Much to everyone's surprise, by 1961, the last surviving Koreshan donated the land to the state shortly before they died, leaving us with the Koreshan Unity Settlement. Even though the settlement itself raises a lot of questions, it provides a great place for photo opportunities, not only of the old buildings, but of the surrounding foliage.