Tracing John Welles in Arcadia, Florida: a Chronological Record Overview

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Reconstructing the paper trail of John Welles illustrates the broader challenges of unearthing local history in southwest Florida. What appears to be an ordinary name on a dusty title ledger represents the hard work of turning wild scrub into established towns. As local volunteers and state archivists continue digitizing brittle ledgers and fading surveys, the people who cleared the fields, navigated the Peace River, and founded Arcadia are finally taking their rightful place in the historical record.