Seminole man, children, and Edith Coventry, c. 1938
Item
Title
Seminole man, children, and Edith Coventry, c. 1938
Subject
Description
Man and two children in traditional Seminole dress with toy canoe with photographer Edith Coventry.
"Ugly Will Bill's Indian Village and zoo" opened in 1937, a roadside tourist attraction created by Bill and Bessie Meredith as an addition to their gas station was established. The "Indian village" included two married couples and several children. One of the men, Richard Osceola, demonstrated alligator wrestling. The tourist attraction also included a small zoo with an alligator (transported from Ward's Camp in Jensen Beach in 1937), monkeys, racoons, squirrels, possums, snakes, and a lion as well as a lunchroom and gift shop.
In 1939, it's noted that Osceola's infant daughter, Juanita, died in Tampa at the DeSoto exhibition, and that he was the official interpreter for the Brighton reservation. It is unknown if the "Indian village" part of the tourist attraction continued.
By 1941, Meredith encountered a series of issues, including Martin County wanting him to move his buildings back from the road for enlargement, a fired manager refusing to leave, the hotel inspector demanding rats and cockroaches be killed, and his old alligator killing a new alligator. By August 1944, it's mentioned that his main line of business was operating coin operated music and amusement machines, with an office in the Kruger Building. He and Bessie moved to Soperton, Georgia at the end of 1947, where he operated Peach State Music Company until his death in a car wreck in June 1949.
"Ugly Will Bill's Indian Village and zoo" opened in 1937, a roadside tourist attraction created by Bill and Bessie Meredith as an addition to their gas station was established. The "Indian village" included two married couples and several children. One of the men, Richard Osceola, demonstrated alligator wrestling. The tourist attraction also included a small zoo with an alligator (transported from Ward's Camp in Jensen Beach in 1937), monkeys, racoons, squirrels, possums, snakes, and a lion as well as a lunchroom and gift shop.
In 1939, it's noted that Osceola's infant daughter, Juanita, died in Tampa at the DeSoto exhibition, and that he was the official interpreter for the Brighton reservation. It is unknown if the "Indian village" part of the tourist attraction continued.
By 1941, Meredith encountered a series of issues, including Martin County wanting him to move his buildings back from the road for enlargement, a fired manager refusing to leave, the hotel inspector demanding rats and cockroaches be killed, and his old alligator killing a new alligator. By August 1944, it's mentioned that his main line of business was operating coin operated music and amusement machines, with an office in the Kruger Building. He and Bessie moved to Soperton, Georgia at the end of 1947, where he operated Peach State Music Company until his death in a car wreck in June 1949.
Source
Scan gift of Historical Society of Martin County.
Rights
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Format
Black and white negative; 5.4x3.2 inches
Language
English
Type
Still image
Identifier
HSMC-2023-012-5-HP2-089
2023.012
Coverage
Original Format
Negative
Collection
Citation
“Seminole man, children, and Edith Coventry, c. 1938,” Martin Digital History, accessed October 5, 2026, https://www.martindigitalhistory.org/items/show/2168.