Flamingo history

Timeline

1. 1838 — Cape Sable plans. Dr. Henry Perrine receives a land grant at nearby Cape Sable; his settlement plans end with his death.
2. 1893 — Town named. Residents pick the name Flamingo to get a post office; Howell C. Low is appointed first postmaster on Dec. 13.
3. 1903 — Plume boom. Egret plumes are worth twice their weight in gold, and plume hunting drives Flamingo's economy.
4. 1905 — Guy Bradley killed. Audubon warden Guy Bradley, a Flamingo native, is shot by a poacher on July 8; the Flamingo visitor center now bears his name.
5. 1910 — 49 residents. The census counts 49 people in Flamingo and Cape Sable, mostly cane farmers, fishermen and charcoal makers selling to Key West.
6. 1947 — National park opens. Everglades National Park officially opens, 13 years after Congress designated it.

Sources: National Park Service — Pioneer Settlement · National Park Service — Preservation · National Park Service — Making a Living (Flamingo exhibit). Checked Oct 9, 2026.

Museums & historic sites

• Guy Bradley Visitor Center · 1 Flamingo Lodge Hwy, Flamingo (Everglades National Park)

  Park visitor center with exhibits on Flamingo and Florida Bay. Check hours and park entry fees on the NPS site.

  Hours & admissionDirections