Trading posts once played very important roles in their communities, providing necessities to the fearless pioneers who dared to settle Florida’s wild frontier. Serving such a vital role for the community, trading posts provide important information about a certain time and place. This historic store served its community for decades before becoming the fascinating museum you can tour today.

The Smallwood Store sits like a time capsule in the 10,000 Islands area of the Everglades. This area is called Chokoloskee, but it has also been known as “Florida’s Last Frontier.”

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This is a ghost town in more ways than one. There have been many reports of paranormal activity in the store over the years, adding to its myth and mystery.

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Many of the stories swirling around the Smallwood Store are from the tumultuous times in the early 1900s.

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During that time, the store served as the center of town, whether folks were looking for necessities or just some gambling or gossip.

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It remained open and running as a store from 1917 to 1982, when it was passed down from generation to generation.

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Today it still remains in the same family and serves as a museum offering a unique glimpse into the Sunshine State’s wild and wonderful pioneer days.

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Stop by the store to learn about the larger-than-life characters that once inhabitied this area (and the spirits that some say still do). The Smallwood Store shows a side of Florida that is quickly vanishing.

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Check it out soon, because there is no guarantee that this historic landmark will be around forever. The Smallwood Store is located at 360 Mamie St, Chokoloskee, FL 34138. The store is now a museum, which is open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. every day of the week.

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Have you ever visited the Smallwood Store? What’s your favorite place to catch a glimpse of the Sunshine State’s fascinating history?

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