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F rom swashbuckling tales of Spanish adventurers to Civil War battles and US astronauts' first ventures into space, Florida's history is an intriguing one. Visit coastal forts and lighthouses, museums, mansions and vintage hotels. Explore a variety of Native American, African American and Hispanic cultural sites that bring Florida's past to life. Myriad historic treasures are waiting to be rediscovered throughout the state. SOUTHEAST Thousands of years before the first European explorers arrived, Florida was populated by Native Americans such as the Tequesta people, who lived near the mouth of the Miami River. After an excavation uncovered the remains of a village, the state Division of Historical Resources has preserved the site as the Miami Circle Park. Other Native American tribes survived the incursion of northern settlers in the 1800s by moving into the Everglades, where they gradually rebuilt their societies. Now, visitors can learn about the Seminole and Miccosukee tribes, sample native cuisine, take a ride on an airboat or watch alligator wrestling at Billie Swamp Safari and other attractions along US 41 (Tamiami Trail) and I-75 (Alligator Alley). Clewiston's Ah-Tah- Thi-Ki Museum (meaning "a place to learn") is a living village of early Seminole culture and definitely worth a visit. To help mariners avoid rocks and reefs, several lighthouses, erected in this region in the 1800s, are open to visitors. For fascinating glimpses into Florida's past, tour the Garden Key Lighthouse at Fort Jefferson National Monument and nearby Loggerhead Key Lighthouse (both in Dry Tortugas National Park); the Cape Florida Lighthouse on Key Biscayne near Miami; and the 155- year-old Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse and Museum in Palm Beach County, where outdoor exhibits include the Lighthouse Keeper's Workshop, the Tindall Pioneer Homestead and a Seminole chickee. 20 2017 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA BY RICHARD WESTLUND A RICH HERITAGE H I S TO RY