When Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma tore through the Gulf of Mexico in 2005, most of the attention was properly focused on the thousands of residents who lost their homes. But an icon of the Everglades was also lost. Now the Park Service is looking to reenvision the site for the next generation of visitors.
The Flamingo Lodge was constructed more than 50 years ago, on the southern tip of the park, where people have fished for centuries, and visitors still enjoy some of the best birding in the Everglades. As the only overnight accommodations inside the "river of grass," Flamingo beckoned travelers every year, and it was a favorite among locals, too.
"Park Superintendent ...