Lake Tohopekaliga


Lake Tohopekaliga Tohopeka ; Tohopekaliga , also referred to as Lake Toho, West Lake, or simply Toho, native name meaning "we will gather together here", is the largest lake located in Osceola County, Florida, United States. It is the primary inflow of Shingle Creek, which rises in Orlando. It covers, and spans in circumference. It is linked to East Lake Tohopekaliga by Canal 31. The canal is long and runs through western St. Cloud. South Port canal is located at the southern tip of the lake and links it to Cypress Lake. It is long. Lake Toho is bordered on the northern shore by Kissimmee, on the eastern shore by Kissimmee Park, and South Port on the southern shore. Lake Tohopekaliga is known for its bass fishing and birdwatching. Lakefront Park is located at the North end of the lake and borders Lakeshore Blvd. Lakefront Park has a scenic walking path with benches where visitors may view the area's wide array of waterfowl, alligators, turtles and others. Lakefront park also has a miniature lighthouse, a children's playground area, and is bordered on its west end by Big Toho Marina.
Tohopeka
Tohopekaliga
The Seminole Tribune 2 March 23, 2001
On Misinformation
The Partin Ranch borders Lake Tohopeliga and gives birth to the great Kissimmee. The
name Kissimmee originated between the 1750s and 1850s when
soldiers were pursuing Seminoles along the shore of Lake
Tohopekaliga and commenced to massacre the Indians when a
brave Seminole woman began screaming “Kish-a-me. No kill.
Kish-a-me. No kill!”
Miraculously, the soldiers did heed to her offer and this
lady sacrificed herself to save the remaining Seminoles who
escaped to the wild lands along the shores of what is now known
as “kish-a-me” or Kissimmee River.
This lake is also the origin of the Seminole’s legend of
the Kissimmee River. It is about a man who eats a fish found in a
hollow log away from the water. Though he is warned never to eat
anything out of place, he eats the fish and turns into a huge snake.
He crawls down to Okeechobee Lake and then to the Gulf, leaving
a winding river in his path.
The towns known as Orlando, Hollywood, Apopka,
Leesburg, Ocala, Lakeland, Winter Haven, Winter Park, Mount
Dora, Avon Park, all the way up to Gainesville are all areas where
people known as Seminoles and Miccosukees and Tequestas – and
many other groups of indigenous peoples – used to inhabit.
— James E. Billie has been publisher of the Seminole Tribune
and chairman of the Seminole Tribe of Florida since 1979.
http://www.semtribe.com/SeminoleTribune/Archive/2001/Seminole%20Tribune%20~%20March%2023,%202001.pdf