Chevelier, Florida facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chevelier, Florida
Planned community
Chevelier, Florida Location in Florida
Country	United States of America
State	Florida
County	Monroe County
Founded by	James F. Jaudon
Named for	Chevelier Corporation

Chevelier was a special kind of town in Florida. It was a "planned community," meaning someone designed it before it was built. This town was located near Chevelier Point and Chevelier Bay. Today, this area is part of the famous Everglades National Park. Chevelier is in Monroe County, Florida, in the United States.

The Story of Chevelier

The idea for Chevelier, Florida, began in 1916. A businessman from Miami named James F. Jaudon had this plan. In the early 1900s, many business people like Jaudon wanted to drain parts of Florida. They hoped to turn these wet areas into farmland.

A Big Plan for Farmland

Jaudon started a company called the Chevelier Corporation. This company was set up to sell land in his new community. They advertised Chevelier as perfect for growing sugarcane and other crops. Land there was offered for $20 an acre.

Advertisements claimed the area had a huge amount of land. They said it had half a million acres. It also had a lot of timber, which is wood from trees. The company even promised to keep a beautiful natural area nearby.

The Tamiami Trail's Role

At the same time, a new road was being planned. This road was called the Tamiami Trail. Jaudon thought this road would help his new town grow. He became very involved in getting the trail built.

The Tamiami Trail was finished in 1928. However, Chevelier did not grow as much as expected. The Chevelier Corporation faced financial trouble. In 1937, the company had to declare bankruptcy. This means they could not pay their debts.

Becoming Part of a Park

After the bankruptcy, the land was sold. It went to the federal government because of unpaid taxes. Then, in 1947, the area became part of the Everglades National Park. It has been a part of this important park ever since.