Forgotten Park

Larry R. Luckey’s Ortona Indian Mound Park officially opened in 1989. An informative pavilion and a connecting boardwalk were constructed to educate the public about the history of the Ortona’s indigenous people. Today, it is neglected and covered in debris.

"Forgotten Park" Series unearths Ortona Indian Mound Park's history

Tara Calligan

"Forgotten Park" explores the unexpected role a Glades County sugarcane grinding festival plays in preserving one of Florida's most important archaeological sites while honoring early agricultural traditions.

Cultural Affairs

Forgotten Park Episode 5: The Future of Ortona Indian Mound Park

Tara Calligan

Archaeologists have proven that Ortona Indian Mound Park in Glades County is one of the most significant prehistoric sites in Florida, dating back to 400 A.D. Yet remaining evidence of the area’s ancient civilization is fading due to time and a lack of attention. What will it take for this site to be further protected?

An unkempt information kiosk is all that stands in Ortona Indian mound Park to educate the public about the park's significance.

Top Story

Forgotten Park Episode 4: The State of Ortona Indian Mound Park

Tara Calligan

The annual Sugarcane Grinding Festival in Glades County continues to celebrate pioneer life while inadvertently protecting what remains of the land's indigenous heritage. Explore Ortona Indian Mound Park today and hear the community's hopes for honoring both the site’s ancient significance and preserving more recent agricultural history.

A close up photograph of an image depicting the native Ortona civilization. This and other interpretative drawings can be found at Ortona Indian Mound Park's pavilion explaining the indigenous history of Ortona in Glades County.

Cultural Affairs

Forgotten Park Episode 3: Unearthing Secrets

Tara Calligan

Ortona Indian Mound Park in Glades County may be known for its annual Cane Grinding Festival, yet the legacy of the park’s land dates back to A.D. 400, revealing life of an advanced, ancient civilization.

Larry Luckey displays newspaper clippings from early sugar cane grinding festivals held in Ortona. This story spotlights the 1983 Cane Fest (above). It mentions Marvin Williams (Dorinda Williams-Campos father) as the master chef for that year's Cane Grinding Festival.

Cultural Affairs

Forgotten Park Episode 2: Cane Grinding Traditions

Tara Calligan

In episode two of “Forgotten Park," dive deep into the traditions rooted in Glades County's annual Cane Grinding Festival, and uncover the legacy of Larry R. Luckey and the surprising archaeological revelations tied to Ortona Indian Mound Park.

The Ortona Indian Mound Park in Glades County, Florida is home to an extensive network of hand-dug canoe canals, some of the oldest and longest ever constructed by indigenous people in North America.

Cultural Affairs

Forgotten Park Episode 1: Forgotten Grounds

Tara Calligan

A park in Glades County, Florida holds evidence of a crucial archaeological discovery that’s been remarkably preserved in an atypical way—an annual celebration of sugar cane grinding. 'Forgotten Park,' a WGCU radio series by Tara Calligan delves into the history of native and pioneer Glades County, Florida. Episode one takes us deep into the heart of Glades County.