Today, the Kennon family, direct descendents of the Coopers, run the Coopertown ORIGINAL Airboat Tours. The Coopertown Airboat fleet. consists of seven airboats in operation, the largest airboat has a seating capacity of 24 people. The smaller two-seater has been hired for movie and documentary filming and fashion photo shoots for clients from all over the world.

More than 60 years later, the same exciting airboat tour is given with experienced, well-trained and informative everglades airboat guides. For some, it is a completely new and different experience. For the tourist who come back year after year and the local people who bring their friends and family along, it is always fun and educational.

Originally a Seminole Indian Village occupied by Jimmy Osceola and the other simple living Seminole Indians, Coopertown was founded by John Cooper and has remained with the Cooper family since. Originally from White Oak, Missouri where they came from a large farming family, the three Cooper brothers came to the Tamiami Trail from Melbourne, Florida, looking for better frog hunting in the Everglades.

By 1945, John Cooper had a small frogging boat along the East-West Canal (the Tamiami Trail). Passing motorists noticed it and would ask for a ride in the interesting looking airboat. John obliged. At first it was a few people, but as more and more curious people stopped, John built a small passenger airboat to accommodate them. As the traffic down the Tamiami Trail grew, so did Coopertown.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE