The Koreshan State Historic Site in Estero, Florida is one of the most peculiar historic sites in the American South. This state park showcases the life of Dr. Cyrus Teed, the founder of Koreshanity. Those who joined this religious and scientific movement sought immortality through celibacy and believed the entire universe existed within a giant, hollow sphere. The Koreshan Unity has been dubbed “one of the most bizarre” communal utopian societies organized in the 19th century. They were forced to relocate several times until they found a permanent home in the swamplands of southwest Florida.
FOLLOW AND LISTEN: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Pandora | RSS Feed
Want more Southern Mysteries?
Hear the Southern Mysteries show archive of 60+ episodes along with Patron exclusive podcast, Audacious: Tales of American Crime and more when you become a patron of the show. You can immediately access exclusive content now at patreon.com/southernmysteries
Recommended Reading
Waco: David Koresh, the Branch Davidians, and A Legacy of Rage by Jeff Guinn
Episode Sources
- WGCU Gulf Coast Life: The connection between Cyrus Teed and the Koreshans and David Koresh and the Branch Davidians. March 14, 2023.
- The Koreshnans: Archives of former holdings of the Koreshan State Historic Site.
- Florida State Parks: Koreshan State Historic Site
- World Religious and Spirituality Project: Koreshans by Lyn Millner
- WGCU: Florida History: Koreshan Unity: A Quest for Utopia | Untold Stories | Florida History
- US Department of the Interior: Preserving America’s Utopian Dream, 2001. “Dr. Cyrus Teed and the Koreshan Unity Movement” by Catherine Anthony Ohnemus.
- Florida Rambler: Koreshan State Park is Florida’s strangest historic site. August 3, 2024.
Episode Music
Out of the Mines, courtesy of Ross Gentry, Asheville, North Carolina.