ative ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁islands ▁is ▁split ▁between ▁Col lier ▁County ▁and ▁Mon roe ▁County . ▁ ▁Arch ae ology ▁The ▁Ten ▁Th ous and ▁Islands ▁were ▁used ▁and ▁occupied ▁by ▁Native ▁Americans ▁for ▁thousands ▁of ▁years . ▁Ev idence ▁of ▁former ▁living ▁sites ▁can ▁be ▁found ▁under ▁as ▁much ▁as ▁four ▁feet ▁of ▁water . ▁A ▁number ▁of ▁shell ▁rings ▁and ▁other ▁shell ▁complex es ▁have ▁been ▁identified ▁in ▁or ▁adjacent ▁to ▁the ▁Ten ▁Th ous and ▁Islands . ▁The ▁Hor r ' s ▁Island ▁arch ae ological ▁site ▁at ▁the ▁northern ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁Ten ▁Th ous and ▁Islands ▁was ▁occupied ▁year - round ▁ 3 , 5 0 0 ▁years ▁ago , ▁and ▁other ▁sites ▁are ▁pres umed ▁to ▁have ▁been ▁in und ated ▁by ▁a ▁rise ▁in ▁sea ▁level . ▁The ▁material ▁culture ▁of ▁the ▁Indians ▁living ▁in ▁the ▁Ten ▁Th ous and ▁Islands ▁was ▁distinct ive ▁enough ▁to ▁be ▁class ified ▁as , ▁at ▁least , ▁a ▁sub - area ▁of ▁the ▁Gl ades ▁culture ▁area . ▁ ▁Dem ography ▁Al most ▁all ▁of ▁the ▁Ten ▁Th ous and ▁Islands ▁are ▁currently ▁un in hab ited . ▁The ▁largest , ▁Ch ok ol os kee ▁Island , ▁which ▁is ▁connected ▁to ▁Ever gl ades ▁City ▁by ▁a ▁cause way , ▁has ▁about ▁ 4 0 0 ▁permanent ▁residents . ▁Other ▁islands ▁have ▁been ▁sp or ad ically ▁inhab ited ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁and ▁ 2 0 th ▁centuries ▁by ▁individuals ▁or ▁families . ▁ ▁Rec