Mud Lake Canal
National Historic Landmark

Mud Lake Canal

Flamingo, Monroe County, Florida
Listed
September 19, 2006
Type
Site
Period
Pre Contact
Ref No.
06000979

About this property

The Mud Lake Canal is a prehistoric long-distance canoe canal near Flamingo, Florida, U.S. It is located at Cape Sable, in the Everglades National Park. At 3.9 miles (6.3 km), it is the longest of Florida's known prehistoric canals, believed to form a part of a sheltered travel route between the Florida Keys and the Ten Thousand Islands. On September 20, 2006, it was designated a National Historic Landmark and added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. Mud Lake Canal is about 3.9 miles (6.3 km) in length, and varies in width between roughly 10 and 30 feet (3.0 and 9.1 m). Its dug depth is about 2 feet (0.61 m), although there are variations due to topography. Portions of the canal are significantly overgrown, but it is typically with plant life that differs from the surrounding area. Its route is crossed five times by the 20th-century Homestead Canal, and by both old and modern alignments of the Ingraham Highway. The canal's northwestern end is at the southwestern outlet of Mud Lake, north-northwest of Flamingo. It runs generally southeasterly, with long straight sections interrupted by bends, mainly on account of the local topography. A major bend sends the canal around the Bear Lake Mounds, another major prehistoric site in the area. It appears to end in a network of streams on the shore of Snake Bight, east of Flamingo. In some places along the canal route are small shell middens. Early white settlers first brought existence of the canal to the attention of Smithsonian archaeologist Aleš Hrdlička in 1918. In 1921, a botanist discovered and described it, and an engineer working on construction of the Homestead Canal also described it the following year. It has been a subject of recurring archaeological interest since then, most significantly since the area became part of Everglades National Park. National Register of Historic Places listings in Monroe County, Florida

Location

Flamingo, Monroe County, Florida
25.17434, -80.93826
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Mud Lake Canal

This page lists Mud Lake Canal. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Mud Lake Canal report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Nike Missile Site HM-69
Modern
21.2 mi
Florida Keys Memorial
Listed
26 mi
Matecumbe Methodist Church
Industrial
26 mi
Matecumbe Methodist Church Cemetery
Listed
26.1 mi
Angustias Shipwreck Site
Listed
26.9 mi

Questions about this property

When was Mud Lake Canal listed on the National Register?

Mud Lake Canal was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 19, 2006.

What type of historic resource is Mud Lake Canal?

Mud Lake Canal is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Mud Lake Canal a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Mud Lake Canal has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Mud Lake Canal?

The period of significance for Mud Lake Canal is recorded as the pre_contact era.

Can I research the history near Mud Lake Canal?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Mud Lake Canal will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Monroe County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Monroe County.

Explore MonroeCounty ›

More historic places in Florida

Browse all historic places in Florida.

View Floridahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Florida history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Floridahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Mud Lake Canal will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report