SITES THEN AND NOW IN THE WEST OKEECHOBEE AREA, SOUTH FLORIDA.

This article examines the significant destruction of five Native American earthwork sites located in Glades and Hendry counties, west of Lake Okeechobee in south Florida, using historic aerial photographs from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), recent images from Google Maps, and LiDAR-derived digital elevation models from the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The sites include the Pestle Earthwork (8GL43), Oxer Borrow (8GL79), Nicodemus Earthworks (8GL9), South Lake Mounds (8HN33), and Tony’s Mound (8HN3), all documented in archaeological surveys and reports. The comparison of historic and recent imagery reveals extensive damage from roads, buildings, canals, and agricultural development. The article highlights the urgent need for protection and preservation of these culturally significant earthworks in south Florida. [Extracted from the article]