The Caloosahatchee flows from near Lake Okeechobee for to its outlet at Fort Myers on the southwest Gulf coast of Florida. Eighty miles long and only a stone's throw across in some places, Florida's Caloosahatchee River once played an essential part in the transport of cattle, fruit, and other goods between Lake Okeechobee and Punta Rassa. Now the river, which has been dredged, deepened, and “improved" for decades, is the key to efforts to restore the Everglades to its natural beauty and balance. Discover the Caloosahatchee's colorful history and importance in this comprehensive guidebook. < See all of the books in this series Kevin McCarthy is professor emeritus and a distinguished alumni professor of Florida studies and English at the University of Florida in Gainesville, where he taught for 33 years. He has written many books for Pineapple Press.