What's in a Name?

We call it the Everglades...
Ever wonder why?

When the early explorers first viewed the Everglades long ago, they saw large fields of grass.

So they began to call it the Ever-Glades:

 

Ever from the word forever & Glades which is an old English word that means a grassy open place.

Other Names
The Native Americans who lived here named it Pa-hay-Okee which translates into "grassy waters."

Marjory Stoneman Douglas (journalist & writer) created another well known name for the Everglades, "the River of Grass." This name came from her famous book titled: Everglades: River of Grass.

What name would you come up with for the Everglades?

 

Name Calling
For many years, people were unsure what to think about the Everglades. Each person that came to visit this unusual place would describe it differently.

• Some people saw the Everglades as a bug-infested swamp crawling with snakes.
• Other people saw it as a valuable treasure chest that held many different plants and animals.

Each visitor has different expectations of the Everglades, which is why there are so many varying descriptions.

Regardless of what people called it, most would agree on three things:

1. It is an open grassy place.
2. It floods easily.
3. It's one of a kind!

How would you describe the Everglades?

 

To return to the main Welcome page click on
Learning about the Everglades.