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The story of naming our city of Seminole began over 200 years ago when a group of the Creek tribe broke away from the main Creek nation and relocated to Florida in the early 1800’s. The word “Seminole” originates from the same Creek word that means “runaway”. At the time, Florida was under Spanish rule, and while it welcomed the Seminoles, it also offered a haven for freed and escaped slaves, who over time intermarried and adapted to the Seminole culture, becoming known as the “Black Seminoles” and also the “Seminole Negroes”. Florida became a U. S. territory in 1821 and what followed was almost 30 years of warfare against the tribes by the U. S. Army. In battle, the Black Seminoles proved to be especially fierce warriors, since they fought not only for the Seminole’s freedom, but also for their own. After decades of battles and broken treaties with the U. S. Army, the Seminoles and the Black Seminoles were relocated to Indian Territory in Oklahoma. In 1849 many of the Black Seminoles moved to northern Mexico where under an agreement with the Mexican government they settled and fought against raiding Comanche, Apache, Lipan and other outlaw bands, once again establishing themselves as extraordinary fighters, scouts, and trackers. You may ask “How does this bit of history relate to our city being named Seminole?”… please stay tuned for part 2…or you can drop by the Gaines County Museum to read the entire history for yourself.
