The Indian Key Massacre: Florida’s Forgotten Island Tragedy

In the turquoise waters of the Florida Keys once stood a thriving island community — Indian Key. It was a place of wreckers, riches, and rising fortunes. But on one August night in 1840, paradise turned into a nightmare. The island burned, blood was spilled, and history nearly forgot the survivors who lived to tell the tale.In this episode of The Unearthed Archives, we uncover the story of the Indian Key Massacre — a forgotten chapter of Florida history where ambition, war, and vengeance collided. You’ll hear about Dr. Henry Perrine’s unlikely path to the island, the community that rose on coral rock, and the Seminole attack that left the island in ruins.This is not just history. It’s a cautionary tale about greed, survival, and the haunting echoes of a night that changed the Keys forever.