Lake Tohopekaliga, a vast lake of almost 19,000 acres connected to the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes on whose northern shore the City of Kissimmee rests, has played an important historical and ecological role in the area. During the Second Seminole War in the early 1800s, the lake’s small islands provided protection that helped the Seminole Indians resist U.S. troops, and from this came the name Tohopekaliga, meaning "fort site." By the late 1800s, major development was underway as the first small outpost on the lake, Allendale, grew rapidly and eventually became Kissimmee. After extensive dredging of the lake and its connecting waterways, Kissimmee became an important trading center using steamships for cargo and passengers. Today the lake is known as one of Florida’s best bass fishing lakes, hosts several major bass fishing tournaments each year, and supports abundant wildlife including alligators, bald eagles, blue herons, snail kites, white tailed deer, bobcats, and turkeys.