Shortly after Florida became a state in 1845, its leaders began considering drainage of the swampy areas of south Florida to create prime farmland and encourage settlement. In 1850 Florida received title to all swamp and overflowed lands within its borders, but the state lacked funds to carry out drainage. In 1881 it reached an agreement with wealthy northerner Hamilton Disston, who would drain the Everglades in return for half the acreage he could reclaim. One of his projects improved the Caloosahatchee River and connected it to Lake Okeechobee by a canal entering the lake near here. A lone cypress tree at the canal entrance became a navigational aid for boatmen using the new waterways. In the early 20th century, the town of Moore Haven, named for founder James A. Moore, grew up around the Lone Cypress and the canal entrance. By then the state had assumed responsibility for drainage, and in 1917-18 it built a lock at the canal entrance. In recent years, state and federal governments have cooperated on drainage, flood control, and navigation, and the Caloosahatchee Canal and River have been continually maintained and improved.