Support the Anderson Family's Historic Site Recovery

On Thursday, September 26, 2024, and Wednesday, October 9, 2024, Hurricanes Helene and Milton drove 8 feet of powerful storm surge waters over the museum and seaside garden at the Jungle Prada Site and Anderson/Narváez Tocobaga Indian Mound. The surge of Helene followed by the record rainfall and 100+ mph winds of Milton caused catastrophic damage to the property. This privately-owned National Register of Historic Places location is where Discover Florida Tours conducts the Jungle Prada Site History Tour, and the home base of Sacred Lands Preservation and Education, a 501(c)3 non-profit that holds events at the site. I am David Anderson, both the owner/operator of Discover Florida Tours and the current President of Sacred Lands Preservation, and I am personally asking for your help.

Our beautiful deck overlooking Boca Ciega Bay, where we tell stories of Pinellas' early settlers, was smashed against the rocks. The greenhouse museum, where we hold regular gatherings, filled up with more than 5 feet of water, destroying everything inside, including all of our sound equipment and museum display cases. The entrance deck is mangled and broken, the outdoor kitchen is in ruins, and the small cabin was lifted off its foundation and caved in. This is the worst surge my father, Erik Anderson, has seen in his 78 years. Now, I am humbly reaching out for your support to help us recover and rebuild following this once-in-a-lifetime double disaster.

Discover Florida Tours has offered a guided history tour of the Tocobaga mounds and seaside garden since 2017. This tour has been attended by thousands and has ranked among the top-20 history tours in the United States on Tripadvisor.com for each of the last two years. Sacred Lands Preservation started in 2002. Its mission has been to preserve the past and enrich the future through numerous cultural and preservation-oriented events held at the property. Both are managed by members of the Anderson family, who have stewarded the Tocobaga mounds for three generations. Thanks to Happy and Frances Anderson's foresight, the Anderson/Narváez Mound is one of the best-preserved American Indian mounds in Florida.

We will use the money raised from this fundraiser to rebuild our museum and restroom facilities higher up on the property, converting the Native American library on the Tocobaga Plaza into the new museum building. We will rebuild our waterfront deck where many of our meditations and ceremonies are held, and we will replace the equipment we've lost in the old Greenhouse Museum. I am hoping to convert that space into a teaching and learning area for Florida-Friendly landscaping and hurricane resilience. Any money left over will be used on other projects such as restoring our seawall, planting native seaside plants, and properly curating artifacts found at the site.

If you have come on the Jungle Prada Site History Tour and gained something of value from the experience, or if you have attended a Sacred Lands Preservation event and were touched in some way, I encourage you to make a donation. Any amount, big or small, will help us repair our facilities and get back to our mission of sharing this historic landmark with the people.

Please see my tour website to learn more about the Jungle Prada Site and Anderson/Narváez Tocobaga Mound: https://www.discoverfloridatours.com

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