Egmont Key : Digital Heritage and Engagement on the Disappearing Island

Documenting and interpreting the intersecting pasts of a historic island before they vanish under rising tides

Egmont Key, a small island at the meeting point of the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay, was a pivotal site in US history. Now a Florida State Park and a National Wildlife Refuge, it attracts visitors for its beaches and wildlife—but is steadily shrinking due to erosion and sea-level rise. This book explores Egmont Key’s historical significance, discusses the complexities of enacting sustainable tourism on the island, and demonstrates the role of technology in preserving its heritage.

In this book, contributors uncover Egmont Key’s little-known past as a nineteenth-century Seminole internment site, military outpost, and maritime beacon, tracing its evolution into a tourism destination and wildlife refuge. It highlights how digital heritage tools—such as lidar scanning, 3D modeling, and virtual reality—document at-risk landscapes, engage the public, and inform strategies to combat environmental threats. From the perspective of global sustainability frameworks, the book demonstrates how the UN Sustainable Development Goals and participatory action research can guide collaboration among scholars, Indigenous communities, and local stakeholders. Egmont Key offers a model for how digital innovation and community engagement can preserve vulnerable cultural heritage for future generations.