Southwest Florida

Visit Ft. Myers and the Paradise Coast, home to ranchers, Native Americans and fishing communities. Explore cattle country in rural Florida and meet a family of migrant workers who now own the company that harvests the produce.

The Osceola family shares with Thomas the ways they have maintained their culture since European colonizers arrived in their ancestral lands. Their collection of family photos includes rare early photos of their ancestors captured by ethnographers and reporters over generations. Alongside images of everyday family moments, they share how their lives have differed from those on the reservations.

Southwest Florida has a long history of alligator wrestling, and over time it has become a popular tourist activity. Thomas gets up close and personal with a trainer and gator to find out more about this long enjoyed local tradition.

Thomas visits the Southwest Florida ranch of Clint Raulerson a fifth generation cowboy with a talent for poetry. Clint takes Thomas on a tour of the ranch and recites a poem inspired by his roots.