
In April of 1923, a group of 24 adventurous automobile enthusiasts set out to prove it was possible to cross the Everglades in a car. This bold publicity stunt, conceived and promoted by advertising genius Barron Gift Collier, was staged to gain attention and garner support for the building of highway through the Everglades, connecting Ft. Myers and Miami. The expedition’s progress was reported by newspapers around the world, including many fictional accounts of the party’s demise. This talk will explore the facts and the fallacies of the event and how its questionable success ultimately contributed to the building of the Tamiami Trail.