The ancestors of the Miccosukees resided over Georgia and Florida, using large stretches of land for fishing and trading. Established villages were built in the 1700s in the Everglades, which were made up of Oconee, Hitchiti, Eufala and other Appalachicolan tribal towns.
After the Indian Removal Act of 1830, most of the Miccosukees were moved to Oklahoma. However, a small number of around 100 people moved to Big Cypress and the Everglades, evading capture. There are now 600 members of the Miccosukee tribe, all direct descendants of those who escaped capture.
In 1959, Buffalo Tiger, an important member of the tribe, travelled to Cuba to request a meeting with Fidel Castro. Castro granted the Miccosukee Tribe international recognition as a sovereign country within the United States. A few years later, January 11, 1962, the US Secretary of the Interior federally recognized the tribe.
The Miccosukee Tribe has a combination of traditional tribal government and modern management, with a General Council and a Business Council. The General Council deals with the development and management of resources and the day-to-day business activities of the Tribe, including those involving membership, government, law and order, education, welfare, recreation, and fiscal disbursement. It is currently led by Chairman Talbert Cypress, Assistant Chairman Lucas K Osceola, Treasurer Kenneth Cypress and Secretary William Osceola. These are also listed as the same names and positions for the Miccosukee Tribal Gaming Commission.
The Miccosukee Casino & Resort was opened in 1999 with a total construction cost of $45m. It’s located on the outskirts of the Everglades. The casino has 1,800 slot machines, a High Stakes Bingo Hall and a poker room with 20 tables. The Bingo Hall was built a few years earlier in 1990.
The resort has 256 hotel rooms and 56 additional suites. Guests can access a range of amenities, including pools, a fitness center and a sauna spa area.
The Miccosukee Golf and Country Club: The 27-hole, par 72 course is located nearby to the casino and is open daily. The Miccosukee Golf and Country Club is divided into three courses; the Dolphin and Marlin are the smaller two and are located above the Clubhouse, pool and Tennis Club, while the much larger Barracuda extends south.
The Miccosukee Indian Village Museum: This museum opened in 1983 and displays a variety of tribal artifacts, including native paintings, handcrafts, and photographs.
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