The Freshwater Frontier: That's what they call the six counties that make up south central Florida, a land of fertile swamps, fragile ecosystems and bass-filled lakes.

My journey to this part of the state took me to a small-town heartland with deep agricultural roots, roadside attractions and cottage industries that have survived the dual tests of time and billion-dollar competitors. I went in search of gators and untamed nature. What I didn't expect was an aluminum castle, a town of murals and clowns, and the sweetest place in America.

The Frontier is aptly named: Its counties are home to 289 lakes, each larger than 10 acres. Among them is Lake Okeechobee, or ''The Big O,'' the second largest freshwater lake in the United States.

Even though these towns are easily accessible from major roadways, this remains one of Florida's less visited regions. After all, competing with neighbors like Disney World and Miami Beach takes its toll. But for people like me, who relish the unbeaten paths and down-home charm of a place that recalls another era, the Frontier offers a bounty of riches that collectively form part of The Real Florida.

GATORAMA

U.S. 27 was my passport into the Frontier. Not long ago, it was the primary road connecting Miami to Tampa. It was once lined by roadside businesses, and the best of them, Gatorama, is still standing in Palmdale, north of Moore Haven.

Opened in 1957, the park boasts the largest collection of big alligators and crocodiles in the country. The highlight is the daily gator feedings, when owner Allen Register tempts his pets by dangling raw chicken quarters above them. It's amazing how far out of the water they can leap to grab the bait. Some of these stunts are close calls, as Register's missing finger will attest.

After Gatorama, I continued north and stopped by the Archbold Biological Station near Lake Placid. The research center is worth the detour to learn about a threatened natural treasure: the Lake Wales Ridge. The ridge is the highest territory in Florida and the sole remnant of a network of paleo-islands formed over a million years ago by receding oceans. Once little more than a sandbar, the ridge has one of the oldest and rarest collections of plant and animal species in the country.

Now, a caveat: Those of you expecting a safari of exotic creatures will be disappointed. Among the species to be found here are the Florida scrub-jay, sand skink and scrub lizard -- hardly easy creatures to spot. But the history and evolution of the area is fascinating, and a trek along one of the nature trails outside the station might help you appreciate this brittle, vanishing natural resource.

ARTSY FOLK

From here, it was a short drive up Route 27 to Lake Placid, where I heard an unusual tale of reinvention through art. In the early 1990s, Lake Placid, like many American small towns, was struggling. Two members of its Chamber of Commerce learned about a town in British Columbia called Chemainus, which had been in similar straits until it manufactured a tourist trade by painting murals throughout the town. The people of Lake Placid followed suit, creating an outdoor art gallery.

Today, the town boasts 40 murals. At the Visitor Center, I picked up a guide and went mural-hunting, pausing at the colorful depictions of the area's history, environment, and most influential citizens. Lake Placid took the concept one step further, converting ordinary garbage cans into creative artworks that complement its murals.

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