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Desoto Tiger? Is That You?
Ever since I began researching the many wormholes of the Ashley Gang saga, the lack of photographs linked to the history gave me enough inspiration to want to create my own with a paint brush. In that process, I learned that very few photos exist of one of the key players. The tragic and truncated life of Seminole, Desoto Tiger, deserves way more recognition than what he is given. Tiger's death gets buried in 1911 by the overshadowing of the outlaw of the run; friend, guide,

Chessy Ricca
2 days ago


The Lumber Industry in Northern Palm Beach and Martin County: An Historical Overview of Corbett WMA and Hungryland WMA
The story of industrial-scale timber harvesting is what would become Corbett and Hungryland WMA's begins with one of the largest land purchased in Florida history. In 1902, the Southern States Land and Timber Company, a New Orleans-based firm, purchased approximately 2-million acres in the vicinity of Lake Okeechobee for .25 cents an acre. This massive acquisition made Southern States one of the largest landholders in the region and positioned the company to exploit the virgi

Chessy Ricca
Dec 29, 2025


The Wild Roots of Jupiter Farms
Jupiter Farms, located in western Palm Beach County, Florida, reflects over a century of development shaped by frontier transportation, pioneer settlement, and citrus agriculture. This history traces the evolution of the region through roads, groves, and local families whose efforts left lasting marks on the landscape. While the pioneer history of Jupiter Farms is short, the history of the area spans more than 5,000 years! The origins of Jupiter Farms' development are closely

Chessy Ricca
Jun 16, 2025


Florida’s Ashley Gang: Friends of the Everglades or Foes of the Moneyed?
The scandalous Ashley Gang of Florida, fabled to have been villainous, murderous robbers and bootleggers of the early twentieth century, were not as nefarious as the media portrayed them to be. Instead, based on current research and interviews, the close-knit family were modern day Robin Hoods, working hard to survive in the swampy conditions of early 20 th century Florida. A book written in 1928 by Stuart Hix set in stone the infamous reputation of the Ashley Gan

Chessy Ricca
May 2, 2019
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