Although this looks like an empty field in the middle of a neighborhood, there is a lot of history…read morehere. In the middle of the field is a mysterious granite obelisk. Upon closer inspection you see that it is a grave for five soldiers who died during a skirmish with the Seminole Indians. The monument reads "A group of United States Army soldiers led by Lt. Carlton engaged the Seminole Indians in what is known as the Willoughby Tillis battle in this vicinity on June 14-16, 1856. These five men who lost their lives in this engagement are buried here." The battle took place in this vicinity on June 14-16, 1856. The five men who lost their lives were Lt. Alderman Carlton, Lott Whidden, and William Parker killed June 14, 1856 and Robert F. Prine and George Howell killed June 16, 1856. Not exactly what you expect to find in your neighborhood park. The Seminoles are a Native American tribe that originally lived in Georgia. On May 28, 1830, Andrew Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act Forces, declaring that all Native Americans had to move west of the Mississippi onto reservations. The Maskókî, also known as Creek by white settlers resisted the move and traveled down to Florida to join with the descendants of other Native Americans who had lived in Florida for thousands of years. They thought of themselves as siminoli, meaning free people. White America called them Seminoles. Wars took place between the U.S. Government and the Seminoles as they tried to round up 5,000 Seminoles to oust them from Florida and send them on the Trail of Tears out to Oklahoma. They were successful in capturing and removing some Seminoles but ultimately a small band of 200 were able to head into the Everglades and evade capture. The government finally gave up and the Seminoles were the only Native American tribe never to sign a peace treaty with the US government. In their efforts to remove the Seminoles during the Second Seminole War, the US government set up a military road between Tampa and Fort Pierce. They set up forts along the trail including Fort Meade which became the town of Fort Meade. During the Third Seminole War, Willoughby Tillis and his wife Cecilia and seven children had heard of engagements between the Seminoles and white settlers so they moved from Tampa to be closer to Fort Meade. Travelers to the farm reported attacks by the Seminoles so the family moved within a mile of the fort and shared a house with Mr. Underhill who owned a pine log home and who was also seeking safety from his own primary residence. An account of what happened was given by son James Dallas Tillis and printed in a journal article. One Saturday morning, Cecilia Willoughby was out checking the cattle, and she saw the 30 to 50 Seminoles along the fence. They had planed to kill Mr. Willoughby and Mr. Underhill when they went out to tend the cattle in the morning but Mr. Willoughby had been up all night with the sick baby so Cecilia could rest, so instead she and the children went out in the morning. The family ran for safety in the house as they were fired upon. Luckily the cattle came between the Seminoles who were shooting and the family which gave them the time to escape. Mr. Underhill and Mr. Willoughby returned fire from the house. At one point one of the children who had been in the hay loft had to make a run for the house in a hail of bullets when the Seminoles tried to burn the barn. All of the families horses were shot and stabbed. The soldiers stationed at Fort Meade were alerted by a young boy who heard the shots and came to investigate. The seven soldiers were outnumbered but they charged the Seminoles anyway. Lt. Alderman Carlton, Lott Whidden, and William Parker were killed along with several Seminoles. Daniel Carlton in a fury to avenge his father's death rode to Fort Fraser where Cecilia Willoughby's brother was in command. He returned the next day with Captain Durrance and 50 soldiers. Durrance and his soldiers pursued the Seminoles and in the ensuing battle, 2 soldiers were killed along with 15 Seminoles including their leader and medicine man. Some of the remaining Seminoles were able to escape into the pine barrens. It is believed that this was the last engagement in the Third Seminole War. The bodies of the soldiers from the battle are buried underneath the obelisk. As long as they had not been touched by white soldiers, the Seminole would have taken their dead with them. It is believed the marker may be incorrect, because it was Florida Militia who participated at the battle, not members of the army. There is also a marker to the local veterans in the park along with a table and benches. You would not expect to find a graveyard in the middle of a park and the history here is fascinating and on the day I visited the beautiful azaleas were blooming.

Quiet, serene, honorable, mature trees, green grass, monuments, breeze, small walks. This park…read moreprovides a space to think, appreciate, and reflect. So many things happened to people over time; but the energy to create a space by the descendants is incredible.

This historical marker about Kissengen Spring is located in Mossaic Peace River Park across from…read morethe restrooms. Once located about a mile north of the park, Kissengen Spring was a natural flowing spring outside the town of Bartow, the county seat of Polk County. Sadly it no longer exists. Floridians love their springs. There is something so tranquil about their cold crystalline waters. Many Native People thought of the waters as being sacred and having healing properties. They established villages near the springs. One such natural spring used to exist n Polk County at the basin of the Peace River. It was originally named DeLeon Springs after famed Spanish Fountain of Youth explorer, Ponce DeLeon. In 1883 the springs were purchased by medical doctors named Huddleston. They wanted to turn the springs into the kind of spas and therapy facilities you see in Europe. The name "Kissengen Springs" was taken from the baths in Bad Kissengen in Bavaria, Germany. The spring produced more than 20 million gallons of water a day that discharged into the Peace River and it became a natural attraction to the people of southern Polk County. People with ailments would seek the spring where they enjoyed picnicking, boating, and swimming. There was a pavilion for parties and dancing. In the 1930's political rallies were held here. After WWII soldiers came to the spring to recuperate. In the 1950's the spring stopped due to phosphate mining in the area. Mossaic Peace River Park is on the land that used to be the phosphate mine. The springs of Florida are such a treasured resource that is truly terrible to learn about the destruction of one. There is a moving song about the demise of the spring. https://youtu.be/J5GWp2x6xik The song is performed by Dennis Mader, a member of People for Protecting Peace River.

Dj was a great guide for our group. Went into detail about all the different species, had…read moreextensive information on a few of them and he seemed to enjoy his job. This was a great experience with some opportunities to hold some of the stars at Croc Encounters. I definitely would recommend.

Great time, lots of gators,Monitors, turtles etc - Be hydrated it's hot, if there's no breeze it…read moregets pretty stuffy..

Opened in 2011, Heritage Peace River Landing is a park that was created as part of a plan to…read moreincrease the public access to bodies of water all over Polk County. The park is located on the east side of the Peace River south of County Road 640. It was added to already existing boat launches in Bartow and Fort Meade. This park provides access to the upper Peace River. The idea for putting a boat launch here dates back to 2003. It was finally accomplished through a public and private partnership. Clear Springs LLC lent heavy equipment and brush was cleared by ACT and the Dick Pope Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association. A boat launching area was then created and a pier was added. The creation of this boat launch helped to extend the paddling trail on the Peace Rive, north from Fort Meade to Bartow. With more people using the river for recreation it is hoped that they will want to protect the river. During the Seminole Wars there were many settlements along this section of the river and to this day it attracts a great variety of wildlife. The river provides drinking water for people downstream and it contributes to the health of the Charlotte Harbor estuary. Heritage Peace River Landing is open 7 days a week from 7 am to 7 pm. In addition to the boat launch and fishing pier there is also a parking lot and picnic shelter. Admission is free. Come out and enjoy the natural beauty of the area by paddling down the Peace River.

This place is tucked away from everything making it a great spot for a picnic, fishing, or just sit…read moreand enjoy nature. Unfortunately there is trash lying around including a bloody looking shirt. People parked on the boat ramp made it inaccessible. There was also a man asleep at the wheel in his truck with his door open and constantly dinging. What could be a beautiful spot is a little to "creepy" for me. We did enjoy hearing two barred owls calling to each other while briefly there and watching a hawk flying overhead.

My family and I took a beautiful boat ride with Captain Dennis and his first mate Dennis Jr. They…read morewere pleasant, professional and fun! We saw all the gulf beaches and Dennis pointed out attractions and restaurants to enjoy during our visit. Their rates were fair and the scheduling experience was easy. We will be back for sure!!

From the owner: We offer private boat charter trips to Egmont Key, Shell Key, Passage Key and Intercoastal…read morecruising. We also offer inshore fishing charters , Captain Dennis is a master captain who has been boating the area for over 40 years.

Bryce made our day. I thought I knew a lot about Florida, but Bryce filled in the gaps. Great…read morepersonality, wonderful trip.

We went on this boat, the boat tour guide guy was great, and friendly.. had a great time on the…read moretour.. hope to come back soon..

These guys showed is SO MUCH Hospitality!! Had a blast and saw like 30 gators!! Would definitely…read morerecommend!!

Captain Mike is AWESOME! He's born and raised in the area and is very knowledgeable. We really had…read morethe best time and are so glad we chose him!

We used Zain for service to and from Disney World and the airport. It was a pleasure to ride with…read morehim. He met us inside of the airport to guide us to his vehicle. He was courteous and friendly. We arrived in a safe and timely manner. We would definitely use his services again and recommend him to everyone. His rate was very reasonable!

From the owner: Private Pre arranged Passenger Transportation Commercially…read moreInsured and Permitted Port Canaveral Cruises MCO Airport Disney Theme Parks SFB Airport MLB Airport TPA Airport MIA Airport Universal Theme Parks Sea World Theme Parks Gator Land Theme Park Lego Land Theme Parks International Drive Downtown Orlando These are just a few names of the locations that we service but also many more of the surrounding areas of all these locations. Reliable Airport, Hotel, and Theme Park Transportation for Families and Groups – EveReady Transportation Services Looking for pre-arranged passenger and luggage transportation services to and from airports, theme parks, hotels, or resorts? EveReady Transportation Services offers safe, reliable, and comfortable transportation options that cater to families and large groups. Whether you’re traveling for a family vacation, business trip, or special event, we ensure you and your luggage arrive at your destination with ease and comfort. Our professional services are designed to take the stress out of travel, allowing you to focus on enjoying your trip.