tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20842694988899733052024-03-16T11:50:25.661-07:00Jane's History Nook A different look at the history of Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Palm Beach and neighboring towns
Jane Feehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171168025854524758noreply@blogger.comBlogger422125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2084269498889973305.post-20245304766569250932024-03-10T10:29:00.000-07:002024-03-10T16:22:19.873-07:00Hollywood Beach Hotel and its descent from splendor <p> </p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZBm7VDIAUG8mjucoUgmdanOrRcnG9GrueGX8dXMzgXyX74xyPTYK7toBc7nM2VHIsf5nY8W9J5U1DomtLHC55VchFzapEQmCHe0zbCqkp6CbWq8DgIJT_pGKh7aRkZWpZ0CSVTjHq0TdrVy10kT-wFW82BSRQTW4x6Qke6enrazEbvX3OxXh5_Nkd1xQ4/s3888/Hollywood%20Beach%20Hotel%202024.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2273" data-original-width="3888" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZBm7VDIAUG8mjucoUgmdanOrRcnG9GrueGX8dXMzgXyX74xyPTYK7toBc7nM2VHIsf5nY8W9J5U1DomtLHC55VchFzapEQmCHe0zbCqkp6CbWq8DgIJT_pGKh7aRkZWpZ0CSVTjHq0TdrVy10kT-wFW82BSRQTW4x6Qke6enrazEbvX3OxXh5_Nkd1xQ4/s320/Hollywood%20Beach%20Hotel%202024.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Hollywood Beach Resort 2024</i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">By Jane Feehan<br /><br />Joseph W. Young planned a whole community for land he purchased north of Miami in 1920. Hollywood-by-the-Sea would include a broad boulevard to the ocean from a 10-acre landscaped circle, a train depot, schools for year-round residents and several hotels for visitors. <br /><br />Ground was broken in 1920-21 for his town. The boulevard he promised was reportedly the widest in the state at 120 feet. He built 25 bungalows for “regular” residents and later a tent camp near Dixie Highway for winter visitors. <br /><br />Perhaps the building with the widest impact on publicity for the town was the Hollywood Beach Hotel. Construction began at Young’s request in early 1925 for the impressive 500-room beachside structure. Its architects Rubush and Hunter had also designed Carl Fisher's Flamingo Hotel on Miami Beach.<br /><br />The $3 million plus, seven-story hotel, featuring fireproof, “Spanish-type” architecture would also hold a shopping arcade of 28 stores to draw both guests and customers from the street. A large, $30,000 pipe organ from Chicago’s W. W. Kimbell Company was installed, thousands of pieces of Bavarian dinnerware were purchased, and a driveway for “motor cars” (an unusual hotel amenity at the time) was built. The structure spanned 525 feet along the ocean front. <br /><br />According to news accounts at the time, 100 trucks were spotted on the project one day and workers “labored day and night” on the project in December 1925 to complete it for the opening event in January 1926. Not to be hindered by building supply shortages due to inadequate rail capacity throughout South Florida, Young set up a “private fleet of boats” to do the job, which included delivering boatloads of cement made in Norway. <br /><br />Lower rates than those at other hotels were promised. “This is the rather humanitarian idea of Mr. Young, believing in its business-building effect,” reported <i>The</i> <i>Miami Herald</i>. <br /><br />Opening night – a date later than originally planned—was an informal affair in early February attended by a few hundred guests. Reservations for the entire winter season were already booked by residents from “up North.” It promised to be a busy first tourist season. It was the Roaring 20s after all. The roar, however, turned into a whimper months later with the Great Hurricane of September 1926. <br /><br />Many structures fell with that storm, but the Hollywood Hotel remained standing. Damage to the hotel was estimated to be about $400,000. They were insured for $1.2 million. But, within a few months, pages of local newspapers were again filled with reports on hotel visitors and social events.</span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOCuSuCH3TxJXAWTnZQAT_7rrukA6yEwmDzCpObXgWP2zckvy2dW1GpMZnxa3M_-bnEjGpfGIKhFHSfAi0oayWWoKab5yx6kXV_5GByeR7nsMLWNMZoPOmKDIb4uQP-48fc_FNO2oVt4XxQ9YMjbuG6OS9MdJw0htXcRdz9MOKD06AtKB-OvG9IVj-gCHQ/s600/Hollywood%20Beach%20Hotel%201930.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="385" data-original-width="600" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOCuSuCH3TxJXAWTnZQAT_7rrukA6yEwmDzCpObXgWP2zckvy2dW1GpMZnxa3M_-bnEjGpfGIKhFHSfAi0oayWWoKab5yx6kXV_5GByeR7nsMLWNMZoPOmKDIb4uQP-48fc_FNO2oVt4XxQ9YMjbuG6OS9MdJw0htXcRdz9MOKD06AtKB-OvG9IVj-gCHQ/w200-h128/Hollywood%20Beach%20Hotel%201930.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Hollywood Beach Hotel<br />1930 State Archives of Florida</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: medium;">The Hollywood Hotel, “Grand Lady,” became a fixture of South Florida tourism for decades. Unfortunately, its tale is one of a slow descent from splendor. According to accounts, tourists, including notorious mobsters, stayed there until at least the early 1940s, when it became a naval training school during World War II. It transitioned back to a hotel and tourists rediscovered it during the 1950s and 60s. During the 1970s it was home to Hollywood Bible College.</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">From the 1980s to today, the hotel (renamed Hollywood Beach Resort) has come under an assortment of owners – some at the same time—who converted hotel rooms into timeshare units and condos on some floors while re-making the street level floor into a shopping center and food court. Ramada Inn reportedly operated parts of the Grand Lady at one time. </span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Because of concurrent multiple owners, efforts to place the property on the National Register of Historic Places failed. News accounts indicate residents considered the hotel an eyesore by 2002. Electricity was turned off in parts of the building in 2003. <br /><br />Today, the 368-room property, with parts demolished, seems to be in legal limbo. A law firm is listed in property records as owner of most of the Grand Lady. Construction fencing circles the hotel and parts of its lot serve as fee-based public parking. With old beachfront properties falling to developers, this sliver of South Florida hotel history may be nothing more than a memory or a page in history books. A condo, no doubt, will eventually sit on this prime property.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Stay tuned for updates …<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6qdJNiVZXJROtyZcFEnKBmJS1bTkfjhU68twO8fGMgqrc1_HTId4WsgoAbZUf2n7i72Sl8COBiSBoKQ5O4HoGPndSNmPIno_vxzP6Q56LKWZhR3NNn242EADsn8e8HuX112-BXIiRDN_yWi01K5Nxkd3abNpE0O_1CMGVv5fO83mSG4KwNiWdpQpqZKDq/s600/Hollywood%20Beach%20Hotel%20Approach.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="393" data-original-width="600" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6qdJNiVZXJROtyZcFEnKBmJS1bTkfjhU68twO8fGMgqrc1_HTId4WsgoAbZUf2n7i72Sl8COBiSBoKQ5O4HoGPndSNmPIno_vxzP6Q56LKWZhR3NNn242EADsn8e8HuX112-BXIiRDN_yWi01K5Nxkd3abNpE0O_1CMGVv5fO83mSG4KwNiWdpQpqZKDq/s320/Hollywood%20Beach%20Hotel%20Approach.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Entrance from Hollywood Blvd., circa 1926<br />Florida State Archives</b></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Sources:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>The Miami Herald,</i> Jan. 28, 1923<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, April 8, 1925<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>The Miami Herald,</i> July 26, 1925<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Miami Tribune</i>, Sept. 25, 1925<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>The Miami Herald,</i> Nov. 8, 1925<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Miami Tribune</i>, Nov. 17, 1925<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>The Indianapolis Star</i>, Dec. 16, 1925<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><a name="_Hlk160964167">The Miami Herald</a>,</i> Dec. 27, 1926<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Fort Lauderdale News,</i> Feb. 4, 1926<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>The Miami Herald,</i> Dec. 31, 1926<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Miami News</i>, Sept. 30, 1926<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>The Miami Herald</i>, Jan. 9, 2000<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>The Miami Herald</i>, Jan. 9, 2000<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>The Miami Herald</i>, May 24, 2002<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>The Miami Herald</i>, Dec. 18, 2004<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>The Miami Herald</i>, June 5, 2005<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>The Real Deal</i>, May 22, 2022<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Commercial Observer</i>, May 13, 2022<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>The Miami Herald, </i>Nov. 26, 2023<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i>Tags: Hollywood Beach Hotel, Hollywood Beach Resort, Hollywood history, Joseph W. Young, </i></p></div></div>Jane Feehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171168025854524758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2084269498889973305.post-42782143385630514032024-03-03T12:12:00.000-08:002024-03-03T17:46:31.785-08:00Fort Lauderdale’s Yellowstone Park<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg0P0f7Ln1JvLVSRun-5JDPQ4ujPpv0jIuN4VYSpfBvSOmx8Rb59APfYXQ22n5vvtOThamhihX1oprnQXvjE3E1egQnhPDhEwKjDXvX4NFBqnXBDHg4-3Yrjmsj13jKPwayx7KUFlFFridfm_RCLftUyw2OB9tWgGrXJihcgX_9HTifmCDBIV0-6eZwAx9/s665/New%20River%20and%20Intracoastal.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="665" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg0P0f7Ln1JvLVSRun-5JDPQ4ujPpv0jIuN4VYSpfBvSOmx8Rb59APfYXQ22n5vvtOThamhihX1oprnQXvjE3E1egQnhPDhEwKjDXvX4NFBqnXBDHg4-3Yrjmsj13jKPwayx7KUFlFFridfm_RCLftUyw2OB9tWgGrXJihcgX_9HTifmCDBIV0-6eZwAx9/s320/New%20River%20and%20Intracoastal.jpg" width="289" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Fort Lauderdale 1917 - New River & Intracoastal<br />State Archives of Florida</i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p> <span style="font-size: medium;">By Jane Feehan</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"> Yes, Fort Lauderdale has a Yellowstone Park. Unless one lives there or has house hunted in the area, few are aware of this community first developed in the 1920s. The early subdivision sat off West Avenue and was bordered on the east by the New River off SW 17 Street. Parts of the community sit close to Croissant Park.<br /><br />M.A. “Al” Hortt, a former streetcar conductor and gold prospector from Utah developed Fort Lauderdale’s Yellowstone Park around 1925, aiming to build “the most complete subdivision of Broward County.” It sat three miles from the city hall at that time. Hortt installed sidewalks, curbs, gutters, paved streets, lighting, water lines and shrubbery. </span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">A successful developer and real estate entrepreneur who arrived in Fort Lauderdale in 1910, Hortt advertised lots in the 1925 community for $5,000 for a corner location, $4,000 for lots next to the corner and $3,500 for inside lots. He offered an interest rate of “8 percent on deferred payments.” Hortt touted “profits on resales.” <br /><br />Hortt had already developed the Colee Hammock, Beverly Heights, Idlewyld, Riviera and Lauderdale Shores neighborhoods. The 1920s were roaring for South Florida then and Hortt was particularly successful. <br /><br />In December1925 he announced 50 houses would be built at Yellowstone, averaging $10,000 each with prices ranging from $7,000-$12,000. Fort Lauderdale businessman Fred Maxwell was financing construction. Maxwell moved machinery into the tract to make cement for the new houses. The project was expected to “relieve the housing shortage in Lauderdale.” <br /><br />According to his autobiography, <i>Gold Coast Pioneer</i>, Hortt also accepted $25,000 for a group of 10 lots purchased by “building contractor Mr. Roach.” (I believe this was C.A Roach, a known contractor at the time.) Seven one-family and two duplexes were completed before the boom collapsed. <br /><br />The bust was delivered by the 1926 hurricane, which upended plans for continued building and damaged many houses; a few were repaired with insurance money. Most houses, however, were vacated after the storm and rented for as little as $10. I assume that was a monthly rate. By 1927, five-room houses were rented for $25-$35. Hortt bought back several lots from buyers who could not afford property taxes on the lots in the ensuing years. <br /><br />Hortt, who later served as a Fort Lauderdale city commissioner and mayor, shared a somewhat humorous, if not aggravating, ending to the 1925 version of Yellowstone Park. In 1928, after another hurricane, he sent an employee to see if houses were damaged. The employee was greeted by fresh tire tracks and missing plumbing fixtures in several houses. Hortt called the sheriff’s office and they tracked down and recovered the fixtures along with those from houses in Pompano being built by William L. Kester. Kester didn’t know the fixtures were missing. <br /><br />M.A. Hortt shifted focus to other land purchases, including some in Pompano Beach, where he died in 1958 at 77. <br /><br />Today’s Yellowstone Park houses, many of which were built in the 1950s and 60s, sell for $500,000 and up, often topping a million dollars. Boat access to the ocean via canals and the New River ranks as a strong selling point for the community. </span><br /><br />Sources: <br /><br />Hortt, M.A., <i>Gold Coast Pioneer</i>. New York: Exposition Press, 1955 <br /><br /><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, Oct. 12, 1925 <br /><br /><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, Aug. 17, 1925 <br /><br /><i>Fort Lauderdale News,</i> Dec. 16, 1925 <br /><br /><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, June 20, 1927<br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Tags: M.A. Hortt, Fort Lauderdale history, history of Fort Lauderdale, Yellowstone Park. Fort Lauderdale in the 1920s</i></span></span></p></div>Jane Feehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171168025854524758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2084269498889973305.post-10306617440606233072024-02-18T10:00:00.000-08:002024-02-22T13:19:25.057-08:00Interesting facts about Fort Lauderdale during the 1980s<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyUOcCPgk1cxh340rsVmORlsG2f0BHiNpGaF-S4-Qin5mkOlE9P6mrbIPViC_lA-lCoLgxI4qKZTCDeO1qUr45GaCoimLRx-O8pNktpyxGylitq_EXYETnN2HYlBHdl1jsg2UhUwjJnf_2HFqd2lQ6eQtXUsuUgOVYpYOES0z09OuVFGHjwKS35ahgeeIF/s600/Fort%20Lauderdale%201983%20.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="600" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyUOcCPgk1cxh340rsVmORlsG2f0BHiNpGaF-S4-Qin5mkOlE9P6mrbIPViC_lA-lCoLgxI4qKZTCDeO1qUr45GaCoimLRx-O8pNktpyxGylitq_EXYETnN2HYlBHdl1jsg2UhUwjJnf_2HFqd2lQ6eQtXUsuUgOVYpYOES0z09OuVFGHjwKS35ahgeeIF/s320/Fort%20Lauderdale%201983%20.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Fort Lauderdale 1983 Florida State Archives</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br />Below is a small collection of Fort Lauderdale-specific news items of the 1980s. Some may jog a memory or two or evoke surprise about that decade—one of change for this beachside city. <br /><br /><b>Merchants along Fort Lauderdale’s “strip” off A1A</b> near Las Olas Boulevard consider the “troubled area” 80 percent better than during the last few years of high crime. Two additional police officers were recently assigned to this popular spot across from the beach. 1980 <br /><br /><b>Mayor E. Clay Shaw sponsors an ordinance to permit high-density hotels</b> for two blocks at A1A near Las Olas to “prevent further deterioration of the beach area.” Merchants express new fear of being pushed out. 1980 <br /><br /><b>The Fort Lauderdale Strikers</b> draw 18,223 for a soccer game aired on ABC-TV June 8, 1980. They played the Tampa Rowdies. <br /><br /><b>Controversial ophthalmologist Dr. Frederick Blanton loses appeal</b> and is sentenced to five years in federal prison for dispensing Quaaludes to patients. He first gained attention during the 1970s for prescribing marijuana for patients with glaucoma. He was also accused of assault of a police officer after allegedly pointing a gun at a cop. Before sentencing he says he prefers a one-way ticket to Russia rather than go to jail. 1983 <br /><br /><b>Fire destroys one of Fort Lauderdale’s oldest buildings,</b> the Ship Apartments at 303 N. New River Drive West. Built in 1905 by Fort Lauderdale pioneer Philemon Bryan for his son, Reed Bryan in 1905, the 75-year-old building, next to the New River Inn, is vacant when the fire occurs. 1980 <br /><br />A six-month federal investigation reveals <b>mob ties to Heaven nightclub</b> at 3937 North Federal Highway. Activities involving New Jersey mobster Anthony Acceturro of the Lucchese crime family are cited in a report submitted in 1983<br /><br /><b>Beach residents rally to complain about Spring Break patrons of Penrod's</b> relieving themselves behind the popular nightspot. 1983<br /><br /><b>Sunday Brunch at the Galt Ocean</b> Mile Hotel advertised for $6.95. 1983<br /><br />The first <b>person is arrested</b> under a controversial <b>anti-vagrancy law</b> making it illegal to rummage through other people’s garbage. The violator was arrested for allegedly rummaging at an apartment building at SE 4th Avenue and 23rd Street. 1984 <br /><br /><b>The inaugural Greater Fort Lauderdale Film Festival</b> is approved by the city and held in late 1986. Realtor Patty Lombard serves as first president of the festival. <br /><br />New York businessman<b> Donald Trump’s $29 million, 282-foot yach</b>t <i>Trump Princess</i> will berth at the Best Western Motel off the 17th Street Causeway until March that year (1988). <br /><br /><b>Fort Lauderdale Water Taxi </b>begins service between Commercial Boulevard and Port Everglades October of 1988. <b>Bekoff Yachting Service launches its Canal Cabs</b> the same month. Rides on both are $2.50-$5.00</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Population of Fort Lauderdale in 1989 - about 148,500</b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />Fort Lauderdale <b>restaurants open for late-night eats </b>after night clubbing in 1989 (does not include chain restaurants):</span><p class="MsoNormal">Bahia Cabana</p><div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">Bootleggers<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">Boat House Bar and Grill<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">North Ridge Raw Bar and Restaurant<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">At’s a Pizza<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">Peter Pan Diner and <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">Joseph’s Restaurant and Lounge </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg7Q6GwV1O_jz3_pEbaBo1S1PIMdLf153ZwdNisakKD5ntHGIph2MHYv9KfHPKCAujOhUV_Luno58TB4SeIY3T48OoxIrvsCifwzv41pMnCgZSuLaVKyhBEBV-mgkbzHgwDgjRYGhFcl97J2gtzHdkC3_pTnHZbm5EBgrDXkfpYV60WejgwK_jBpQXRN2Eg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="212" data-original-width="320" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg7Q6GwV1O_jz3_pEbaBo1S1PIMdLf153ZwdNisakKD5ntHGIph2MHYv9KfHPKCAujOhUV_Luno58TB4SeIY3T48OoxIrvsCifwzv41pMnCgZSuLaVKyhBEBV-mgkbzHgwDgjRYGhFcl97J2gtzHdkC3_pTnHZbm5EBgrDXkfpYV60WejgwK_jBpQXRN2Eg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bahia Cabana circa 1996 Florida State Archives</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: medium;">Sources:</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><b>Fort Lauderdale News</b>:</i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Jan. 6, 1980<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Oct 23, 1980<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Jan. 9, 1980<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">March 30, 1983<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">April 3, 1983<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">April 17, 1983<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">June 4, 1983<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Oct. 11, 1984<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><u>South Florida Sun-Sentinel:</u></i></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">May 29, 1986</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">Oct. 8, 1988<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Dec. 30,1988<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Dec. 30, 1989<o:p></o:p></p><a href="https://www.biggestuscities.com/city/fort-lauderdale-florida">https://www.biggestuscities.com/city/fort-lauderdale-florida</a></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i>Tags: Fort Lauderdale during the 1980s, Fort Lauderdale History. history of Fort Lauderdale, Trump, Water Taxi, Penrod's, population of Fort Lauderdale</i></b></span></p></div></div>Jane Feehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171168025854524758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2084269498889973305.post-37369966629476881052024-02-04T11:06:00.000-08:002024-02-04T11:16:40.016-08:00 Jolly Roger Hotel and a pirate flag debate <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcpcECJm-PlhXGwg1-t7_GkfaGX_X2PLTk-0AJL54viM5KO6Uqa1xO_NFMymjHtzSWYLevJWGY8vanxwFjULYEzJ9KWHckdoBytXk3NwuAZ4H3wE_v_bc1nSPjZWNr0xKGLzT-UDqEi6Ii3-bPvFLhiCgqNjVqqH4FqoFOw1JZXAz-DO9mdtj1pufYpTTZ/s600/Jolly%20Roger%20Hotel%201953%20Louise%20Frisbe%20collection.jpg" style="clear: right; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="517" data-original-width="600" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcpcECJm-PlhXGwg1-t7_GkfaGX_X2PLTk-0AJL54viM5KO6Uqa1xO_NFMymjHtzSWYLevJWGY8vanxwFjULYEzJ9KWHckdoBytXk3NwuAZ4H3wE_v_bc1nSPjZWNr0xKGLzT-UDqEi6Ii3-bPvFLhiCgqNjVqqH4FqoFOw1JZXAz-DO9mdtj1pufYpTTZ/w200-h173/Jolly%20Roger%20Hotel%201953%20Louise%20Frisbe%20collection.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Jolly Roger Hotel 1953, <br />State Archives of Florida</b></i></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-PoOYWzN959UBMmavQZ_c5iMx2aiU6deJTntBe7MKaAgiHOdzfR1vEqgJHn6eR0sS6YepExvk679wXUdgguEGAVKh0aMAl1kP8HWhYl6RulP8E0OZtrKO8StTI-_H6h4YfJvXJXMJ3Onod3ak0udhSYLI0qkigTjajnQGek1ipcymXWB1vl5GgtkDnhz7/s640/Pirate%20Flag%20-%C3%85land_piratflagga.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="640" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-PoOYWzN959UBMmavQZ_c5iMx2aiU6deJTntBe7MKaAgiHOdzfR1vEqgJHn6eR0sS6YepExvk679wXUdgguEGAVKh0aMAl1kP8HWhYl6RulP8E0OZtrKO8StTI-_H6h4YfJvXJXMJ3Onod3ak0udhSYLI0qkigTjajnQGek1ipcymXWB1vl5GgtkDnhz7/w200-h149/Pirate%20Flag%20-%C3%85land_piratflagga.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;"><b><i>Pirate flag, Åland Maritime Museum<br />* See below for more </i></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">By Jane Feehan<br /><br />A flag controversy at the opening of the Jolly Roger Hotel in 1953 sparked outrage—and a tradition. <br /><br />The public was invited to opening night festivities at the 50-room, pirate-themed hotel, which included a display of treasure recovered from a Spanish galleon sunken off the Florida Keys. And what would a hotel named Jolly Roger be without a pirate flag, a jolly roger flag? Owner Bob Gill displayed the skull and crossbones pennant on a 75-foot mast along with the flag of the United States. <br /><br />The July 29 festivities appeared on WFTL-TV. Soon after, calls, many from boaters, came into the station and to the Fort Lauderdale News about flag placement order. It appeared the pirate flag was placed in prominence over the U.S flag. Not only that, but some also said the flag should not be flown at night. <br /><br />Gill was prepared, though the controversy didn’t end right away. The U.S flag can be flown at night if it was well illuminated, the hotelier said; lights were ablaze. Many said the two flags should not have been displayed together. <br /><br />On the order of placement, hotel management cited the 1949 edition of Charles F. Chapman’s Piloting, Seamanship and Small Boat Handling. “Honor for national colors on land is as follows: on a straight mast, at the gaff.” The hotel mast had a gaff or yardarm. (At sea, a chaplain’s flag may be flown over the US flag only during services conducted by a Navy chaplain.) <br /><br />Maybe it was the excitement of the festivities, the romance of piracy or the illumination of both flags, but overnight July 29-30, the skull and crossbones disappeared. Another pirate flag was on display a few days later; it was the first of many flag thefts and replacements. The pirate flag was grabbed again in 1955. Hotel management said the worst part of that incident was the car displaying it while cruising A-1-A in front of the Jolly Roger Hotel. <br /><br /><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i> wrote that the pirate flag “seems to catch the eye of tourists who get the urge to bring it back home as a souvenir.” <br /><br />It wasn’t just tourists who wanted that flag. Making off with it became a rite of passage for some kids. Many who grew up in 1950s and 60s Fort Lauderdale know of at least one jokester who stole the iconic flag. Known as the Sea Club Resort today, the hotel maintains a pirate theme, especially in the lobby. The hotel was given a historic designation by the city of Fort Lauderdale in 2009. <br /><br />For some fun, let’s bring that flag back. <br /><br /><b>Pirate flag background </b><br /><br />The jolly roger flag, so named by the British, is a skull and crossbones pennant first used in the early 1700s. Hoisted by pirates as an identifier in skirmishes or display of bravery or swagger, the traditional pirate flag was also raised by the British Royal Navy during World War II to indicate successful completion of a mission.
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgur_DxmVH-SbkzS2oGHjtNzK8ZNG7VSHm_1sOrh0_VX0WCof0QZot-PTW3tBEUSg4Z3O37LPIenOqxUBGQ9jJtU4st9Zr_VHiPNngrpY3PloKSWWCmNFDqgAJ3EZ0e6JqvOzFF-9qLKgnmRDBC204vnxMR7QSZo4Ptpm9eK-mW63AVSG-DA_czv7H-pUIV/s480/IMG_20120412_083454.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgur_DxmVH-SbkzS2oGHjtNzK8ZNG7VSHm_1sOrh0_VX0WCof0QZot-PTW3tBEUSg4Z3O37LPIenOqxUBGQ9jJtU4st9Zr_VHiPNngrpY3PloKSWWCmNFDqgAJ3EZ0e6JqvOzFF-9qLKgnmRDBC204vnxMR7QSZo4Ptpm9eK-mW63AVSG-DA_czv7H-pUIV/w200-h150/IMG_20120412_083454.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sea Club today</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p class="MsoNormal">* <b>Picture of flag above:</b></p><p class="MsoNormal">Pirate flag at the Åland Maritime Museum, one of two pirate flags that are considered authentic. The flag is about 200 years old and came to Åland from the North African Mediterranean coast, where piracy occurred right into the 19th century. It is made of cotton and was once dark brown. Now it is faded by the ravages of time, weather and wind. This photo has been color corrected by <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Blockhaj">user Blockhaj</a> to try to show the flag as it originally appeared.</p><div><span style="font-size: small;">For more on the Jolly Roger Hotel, see: </span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://janeshistorynook.blogspot.com/2020/07/trailblazing-jolly-roger-hotel-jaynes.html">https://janeshistorynook.blogspot.com/2020/07/trailblazing-jolly-roger-hotel-jaynes.html</a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br />Sources: <br /><br />Fort Lauderdale News, July 29, 1953 <br /><br />Fort Lauderdale News, July 30, 1953 <br /><br />Fort Lauderdale News, Aug. 1, 1953 <br /><br />Fort Lauderdale News, Aug. 4, 1953 <br /><br />Fort Lauderdale News, Oct. 22, 1955 <br /><br />Fort Lauderdale News, Jan. 17, 1955 <br /><br />Fort Lauderdale News, Jan. 22, 1958 <br /><br />Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, Jan. 29, 2009 <br /><br />Wikipedia</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Tags: Jolly Roger Hotel, Fort Lauderdale History, History of Fort Lauderdale, Jolly Roger flag, Bob Gill, Gill hotels, Fort Lauderdale during the 1950s</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Jane Feehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171168025854524758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2084269498889973305.post-80152424701512197402024-01-22T10:10:00.000-08:002024-01-22T10:29:58.401-08:00Where have Florida's oranges gone?<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDkd6EiciorXYqbIXrdIDLpEgfiTR4tC4MSRRLeoLcabvh7VIGDsCygnLEOuBMu_gSrsbdFA1dzB3w1X3iBKFj4o6KyN37yvJy_30dkV6jEkpGx8Jk3hOs7VGogdtYT2G_IjaSu9qDyXfoK-jgZALQgzyeyUWaGwKizxmfj_zazMO8I72EhHYPzUiKVyh6/s1009/Oranges%20postcard.jpg" style="clear: right; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1009" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDkd6EiciorXYqbIXrdIDLpEgfiTR4tC4MSRRLeoLcabvh7VIGDsCygnLEOuBMu_gSrsbdFA1dzB3w1X3iBKFj4o6KyN37yvJy_30dkV6jEkpGx8Jk3hOs7VGogdtYT2G_IjaSu9qDyXfoK-jgZALQgzyeyUWaGwKizxmfj_zazMO8I72EhHYPzUiKVyh6/s320/Oranges%20postcard.jpg" width="190" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Florida postcard 1907, <br />State Archives of Florida</b></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><br /><p><br /></p><span style="font-size: medium;">By Jane Feehan<br /> <br /><br />Florida oranges have seen better days. Today, they are hard to find at local grocery stores. Closely affiliated with Florida’s brand since the mid-20th century, the state’s citrus crop has been hit with disease and development the past few decades. <br /><br />Citrus is not indigenous to the Sunshine State. <br /><br />According to the state of Florida, oranges were brought and planted here during the mid-1500s, when Spanish explorers settled in what became St. Augustine. The orange, however, originally came from China. The first commercial citrus grove in Florida was established by Jesse Fish of St. Augustine in 1763. Though farmers in the Carolinas and Georgia started to grow oranges in the 1830s, their hopes for the new crop were dashed by a severe freeze in 1835.</span><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />Citrus fared far better in Florida in 1835, especially at Merritt Island (Brevard County) where grower Douglas Dummett planted oranges and developed a grafting process adopted by farmers around the state. Interest in Florida as a viable place to live and do business grew with rail service in the 1890s. Rail brought visitors and expanded commercial opportunities such as packing houses for fruit and vegetable transport. <br /></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Recurring freezing weather in 1894 and in 1895 shifted the citrus growing business southward for a time. Growers gradually adapted techniques to keep ice off citrus trees throughout the state during a freeze. Business boomed; postcards with images of oranges and orange groves were available by the early 1900s. Potential growers from other states were encouraged to move to Florida to enter the citrus business. Orange groves eventually dominated landscapes in Lake Wales, Winter Haven, Clewiston, Frostproof, Vero Beach and locations across Florida.</span></p><span style="font-size: medium;">Orange growing reached new heights with World War II and the production of frozen juice concentrate for soldiers to improve their nutrition while they were deployed to battle fronts. Florida orange juice advertisements in popular magazines such as <i>Life Magazine</i> and on television were ubiquitous by 1960. In 1967, orange juice was declared the state beverage by the Florida legislature (Fla.Stat.15.0.32). Florida and orange juice were entwined in the state’s branding efforts into the 1970s. (Side note: Brazil has ranked as world leader in production of orange juice concentrate for decades.)</span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br />At the height of the fruit’s popularity, orange grove acreage began its decline. As the state’s population grew so did pressure for housing and other development. A ride on Florida’s turnpike past Clermont, for example, reveals subdivisions where fragrant groves once sat. <br /><br />There’s more to the decline of Florida’s citrus business: the greening disease, also known as Huanglongbing or HLB to growers. China has dealt with the disease nearly 100 years. According to the <i>Christian Science Monitor,</i> HLB, a bacterial disease, was once deemed a bioweapon by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. USDA claims the greening disease as the “most serious citrus disease in the world.” The University of Florida reports HLB was first discovered to be in Florida as early as 1998. Other sources report the disease took off in 2004-2005 when it was spotted in Miami.</span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; font-size: large;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFftdab6kae0cKdRSK3PNdLEUjPwTufeJExu6VLSdPR4yUJNU6JRicHRkwQoZhq1nNeFeXDavt4BAuikhzRSqe4c1rHVY2H_9Wk-UMPSDoG7ZBW6uh4n6zCKK2ut_SbF11QnBHP_t3511hbbhbl9GzaPGIon1wX7S7mhBi3-NOZ2IrlyHZJEuwXB6s_HjQ/s600/Orange%20groves%20Clermont%20circa%201960.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="600" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFftdab6kae0cKdRSK3PNdLEUjPwTufeJExu6VLSdPR4yUJNU6JRicHRkwQoZhq1nNeFeXDavt4BAuikhzRSqe4c1rHVY2H_9Wk-UMPSDoG7ZBW6uh4n6zCKK2ut_SbF11QnBHP_t3511hbbhbl9GzaPGIon1wX7S7mhBi3-NOZ2IrlyHZJEuwXB6s_HjQ/w200-h125/Orange%20groves%20Clermont%20circa%201960.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Orange groves in Clermont, <br />off US 27 circa 1960<br />State Archives of Florida</i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p>
<span style="font-size: medium;">Because of the disease, many growers are considering other crops such as cotton, blueberries, alfalfa and sugar beets. Some, according to the <i>Christian Science Monitor</i>, are looking at the pongamia tree (pea family) as a possible protein alternative to soybeans and also to market as a biofuel. Some growers have abandoned their groves. There were 7,000 growers in 2004; in 2023 there were only 2,000. </span><div><br /></div><div>
<span style="font-size: medium;">Who is the state’s largest citrus grower? The answer may surprise Texans familiar with the name King Ranch and their cattle in south Texas. Florida’s largest orange grower is the King Ranch. According to the ranch, they are the top grower “with more than a dozen separate grove locations throughout the southern half of Florida and totals 40,000 tree-planted acres.” They are the largest producer of juice oranges in the U.S.</span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br />Many abandoned groves have become part of the Florida Power and Light Solar Energy Centers. Sixty three locations throughout Florida power 945,000 homes with thousands of acres of solar panels. Let’s hope they figure out a way to dispose of panels when they need to be replaced every four to five years. Some panels are composed of toxic (EPA can’t decide if all are toxic) materials, burying them in Florida soil would be another hit to the state’s agricultural industry—solar farms already mar the state’s natural beauty. <br /><br />The good news is citrus still brings $6.5 billion to the state’s economy and Florida produces (as of 2023) 73 percent of the Valencia oranges in the U.S. </span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p>Sources:</b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Christian Science Monitor</i>, March 2, 2023<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Treasure Coast News,</i> Nov. 9, 2023<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Florida Department of Agriculture<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">University of Florida Research and Education Center<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">U.S. Department of Agriculture<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">https://www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2022/12/09/Densification-How-Brazil-s-orange-juice-sector-produces-more-with-less#
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://king-ranch.com/operations/citrus">https://king-ranch.com/operations/citrus</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.visitflorida.com/">https://www.visitflorida.com/</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i>Tags: Citrus, Florida oranges, King Ranch, Florida agriculture</i></p></div>Jane Feehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171168025854524758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2084269498889973305.post-8358520420440252042024-01-15T12:09:00.000-08:002024-01-16T14:00:57.935-08:00The Biltmore Hotel in early Coral Gables: Florida's perfect kingdom of beauty and pleasure<p> </p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvVh7N2X2uXfc7lsdTDRdI55qE-NY4GU7oNAn6bOoeEgKm1hUBboneIYTE6gBrjPBRw3KfJ1Aog2K85G7Bg3NT102vvXSKaDBmFfkS5Wz9V-DBVlHtJ1AttRuz2rXUPEwXGd-8kGDXcYSbh5xWmLWdjBlGp5vSjKYYKM46gpobPODgVML8V9FXqhyphenhyphenskL_3/s600/Biltmore%20rendering%20A%201924%20.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="411" data-original-width="600" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvVh7N2X2uXfc7lsdTDRdI55qE-NY4GU7oNAn6bOoeEgKm1hUBboneIYTE6gBrjPBRw3KfJ1Aog2K85G7Bg3NT102vvXSKaDBmFfkS5Wz9V-DBVlHtJ1AttRuz2rXUPEwXGd-8kGDXcYSbh5xWmLWdjBlGp5vSjKYYKM46gpobPODgVML8V9FXqhyphenhyphenskL_3/s320/Biltmore%20rendering%20A%201924%20.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Biltmore Hotel rendering 1924, State of Florida Archives</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>By Jane Feehan<br /><br />Much has been written about the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables since it was proposed in 1924. Its story reflects an uneven timeline of openings and closings, owners and renovations, to its current state of world class elegance and hospitality. <br /><br />This post focuses on its provenance and concludes with a brief synopsis of its history to current status. <br /><br />George E. Merrick, developer and real estate promoter, established Coral Gables as a planned community—one of the first in the United States. His vision included a hotel at the town’s center. <br /><br />That vision transformed to reality through the efforts of world-renowned hotel magnate John McEntee Bowman. Bowman headed the Bowman-Biltmore Hotels Corp. A booming Florida, and especially the Miami suburb of Coral Gables, held high promise for an elegant hotel. On Nov. 25, 1924, Bowman and Merrick announced plans for developing the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables. <br /><br />The following month, land was platted for the hotel at the south end of Esplanade Columbus. A golf course and its country club sat adjacent to the project. The dominant architectural feature of the hotel was a tower, the Giralda Tower or campanile, inspired by the Giralda bell tower at the Seville Cathedral in Seville. Some suggested the hotel be named The Giralda. <br /><br />The hotel was expected to hold about 400 rooms and would cost $10 million. To ensure a ready date of January 1926, a $40,000 surety bond, the largest of its time in Florida, was purchased through Aetna Casualty and Surety Company to guarantee several million dollars for the project. Thompson-Starret Company of New York was tapped as builder and Schultze and Weaver, also of New York, chosen as the new hotel’s designer. The structure </span><span style="font-size: large;">was completed in only 14 months.</span><p class="MsoNormal"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtsJ0tHNJADLqB-4-6SiDi5N5bNB0VMp_3v1cEhn32am4H4uxRhrSqSv5kCj-ESBeO-d8FtgjU7UCpP87Buj6huD2sePDIP58IY_VJUlMQByyzExaSSk7Hlhzb01AwD27zLBY64A9JLQGJ8sJ6l8Ne91ut1pD_PqzhCA56gdf7OQaFJG9DReDUdXHfWbm8/s600/Biltmore%20Dining%20Room%201926.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="408" data-original-width="600" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtsJ0tHNJADLqB-4-6SiDi5N5bNB0VMp_3v1cEhn32am4H4uxRhrSqSv5kCj-ESBeO-d8FtgjU7UCpP87Buj6huD2sePDIP58IY_VJUlMQByyzExaSSk7Hlhzb01AwD27zLBY64A9JLQGJ8sJ6l8Ne91ut1pD_PqzhCA56gdf7OQaFJG9DReDUdXHfWbm8/w200-h136/Biltmore%20Dining%20Room%201926.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Biltmore dining room, <br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">State Archives of Florida</span></b></i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: medium;">This Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, a massive, but elegant structure, was lauded as the finest, perhaps largest Biltmore. On January 15, 1926, it opened its doors to an eager crowd of 1,500 elegantly attired party goers. They hoped to see if the hotel lived up to its maxim, “nothing is too good for a Biltmore.”</span><p></p>
<span style="font-size: medium;">According to news accounts, those hopes were met. An elevated ramp off Anastasia Avenue brought visitors to a main entrance flanked on each side by six smaller entrances. All led to a lobby 400 feet long and wide. Flood lights from the hotel roof illuminated the entire building, including the Giralda Tower, featuring a sculpted figure of the Roman goddess, Faith, carrying “the triumphant banner of Constantine.” <br /><br />An exceptionally tall three-sectioned ceiling twinkled with stars against a “liquid blue sky.” Upon entering, visitors experienced a Spanish motif, accented with “rare” Spanish and Italian furnishings and design elements from Persia, Egypt and the Mediterranean. The lobby opened to a large patio noted for tiles imported from Seville, Spain, an ornate Italian fireplace, two elegant chandeliers and heavy formal drapes that produced an “old world” ambiance. </span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The dining room held a dance floor lined with small Spanish tables. Chef Durand, brought in from the Westchester Biltmore, reportedly once served as chef to President Woodrow Wilson. <br /><br />A 250-foot pool sat between the golf course and hotel. Fifteen feet deep at one end, the pool held 1.25 million gallons of water. Colonnades graced the pool’s perimeter. Nearby, a playground and small pool welcomed future children guests. <br /><br />About 600 employees were brought in from a few of the New York Biltmore hotels to ensure a smooth grand opening. Some sailed in on the <i>Robert E. Lee</i>, a Clyde Co. liner. Later news accounts indicate a permanent staff of about 300 worked at Biltmore Coral Gables. The hotel expected to be busy with a booked winter season.</span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2HKXNx_QJlZdOLlTpfxrmfe1X3SC3FpmtIllWaui1xgQ5U7Jm3dTdV_MfY0bfLVkhP2JWVZZlLq58a31fdEKm9QT4DDZwQEGB9SW61UaWPRzxW_TtvJFN9gfGJUfROB6pk-H8imLOwWLdPqVtsYmo0wNxjuvqTZ26Yg2WnOacecN85M16NvRUwUNzPWyM/s969/Biltmore%20Bowman%20and%20Merrick%201926.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="969" data-original-width="600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2HKXNx_QJlZdOLlTpfxrmfe1X3SC3FpmtIllWaui1xgQ5U7Jm3dTdV_MfY0bfLVkhP2JWVZZlLq58a31fdEKm9QT4DDZwQEGB9SW61UaWPRzxW_TtvJFN9gfGJUfROB6pk-H8imLOwWLdPqVtsYmo0wNxjuvqTZ26Yg2WnOacecN85M16NvRUwUNzPWyM/w124-h200/Biltmore%20Bowman%20and%20Merrick%201926.jpg" width="124" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: medium;">Bowman (L) and Merrick<br />State Archives of Florida 1926</span></i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;">At the opening party, three orchestras played as patrons strolled through a staged fashion show in the dining room. Manikins donned with colorful evening wear, including jewels and furs, drew excited comments. Elevators were available to take guests to each floor on rugs and carpeting covering floors equal to a path 38 miles long.</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />The next day, newspapers were abuzz about the grand opening affair. The hotel “is a poem of architectural beauty.” It opened “amid a blaze of color” and the event was “formal to the extreme.” It would “usher Miami, its finest suburb, Coral Gables, and entire state of Florida, into a new era of magnificence” and be known as "Florida's perfect kingdom of beauty and pleasure." The Biltmore Hotel and Country Club in Coral Gables pointed to a stellar future. <br /><br />It was not to be—at least not for decades. <br /><br />The Great Hurricane of 1926 hit South Florida on September 18. Its 150 mph winds devastated much of Miami and surrounding areas. Stepping up to the emergency, the Biltmore housed and fed about 2,200 made homeless by the storm; it escaped major damage. <br /><br />By early January 1927, the Biltmore in Coral Gables was back to reporting or advertising its activities. Though the hotel was ready for a busy tourist season, the Miami area was not. It was the beginning of the end of Miami’s first building boom. Biltmore Coral Gables never fully recovered. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The Great Depression soon followed. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">In 1942, a year of war, the U.S. Armed Forces used the hotel as a military hospital; the Veterans Administration ran the place until 1968, when the General Services Administration assumed control.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />Ownership reverted to the city of Coral Gables via a federal act and a National Parks Program. In 1972, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">In 1992 Coral Gables leased the Biltmore Miami Coral Cables to the Seaways Group, headed by Gene Prescott, for 99 years. Under Prescott’s guidance, the hotel has been restored to its once former glamour.<br /><br />An interesting (to me!) side note: George E. Merrick died when he was nearly 56 years old in 1942; John McEntee Bowman died in 1931 also at 56.</span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcWjK1xp0GxWe4_PnpC9M2mtElNDtZU-rM-B6ldhQ-EG-Qnvc5KNYN4QWiJugh_XFMBrGBNYOvwlHQeTYb3CHh2JK2KfjXAWLSzpl6H3AA7lyrIre9i3PARW8Z99KROBcWRvNXXmzFQ1e7Bml-IEQ7K4JD56_g4EzRsBhimEg-IboAvEHvK95yPG5aizWY/s600/Biltmore%20after%201926%20hurricane.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="370" data-original-width="600" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcWjK1xp0GxWe4_PnpC9M2mtElNDtZU-rM-B6ldhQ-EG-Qnvc5KNYN4QWiJugh_XFMBrGBNYOvwlHQeTYb3CHh2JK2KfjXAWLSzpl6H3AA7lyrIre9i3PARW8Z99KROBcWRvNXXmzFQ1e7Bml-IEQ7K4JD56_g4EzRsBhimEg-IboAvEHvK95yPG5aizWY/s320/Biltmore%20after%201926%20hurricane.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><b>Biltmore after the 1926 hurricane, <br /><span>State Archives of Florida</span><br /></b></i><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">See index for William Jennings Bryan and his role in promoting Coral Gables.<br />
</span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">For more on Gene Prescott, see: <a href="https://coralgablesmagazine.com/the-passion-of-prescott/">https://coralgablesmagazine.com/the-passion-of-prescott/</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Miami News,</i> July 27, 1924<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Miami News</i>, Dec. 11, 1924<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Miami News</i>, Aug. 9, 1925<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Miami Daily News and Metropolis</i>, Jan. 15, 1926<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Miami News</i>, Jan. 16, 1926<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Miami Tribune,</i> Jan. 16, 1926<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Miami News</i>, Jan. 11, 1927</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><b>Tags: Biltmore Hotel Miami Coral Gables, Coral Gables history. George E. Merrick, John McEntee Bowman</b></i></span></p></div></div>Jane Feehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171168025854524758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2084269498889973305.post-88143583432570746182023-12-27T13:11:00.000-08:002023-12-27T14:35:30.507-08:00New Year 2024, meet Miami headlines from 1924<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxwWHFHfM8Nwr8rYqTy7KpenC9OytphsX9WY3ht2kFapnYLczloBiPlSJw4TyWe47Agixzc5hsAhvzCCQQwbcsxF1QSLhIzAxrHrS-aQKlWyZYrv0Dx0ozJPFpbnWbYkUYwOak5JwAkBL8S11bAS9SXfD1aNxlyNwQI-t9-m0P_rzmBYQ8BWeYC6WuxJkN/s600/Miami%201924.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="484" data-original-width="600" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxwWHFHfM8Nwr8rYqTy7KpenC9OytphsX9WY3ht2kFapnYLczloBiPlSJw4TyWe47Agixzc5hsAhvzCCQQwbcsxF1QSLhIzAxrHrS-aQKlWyZYrv0Dx0ozJPFpbnWbYkUYwOak5JwAkBL8S11bAS9SXfD1aNxlyNwQI-t9-m0P_rzmBYQ8BWeYC6WuxJkN/s320/Miami%201924.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span>Miami 1924 - State Archives of Florida/Romer</span></b></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><span style="font-size: medium;">Below is a sampling of <b>headlines</b> from sections of the <i>Miami News-Metropolis</i> of January 1, 1924. A mix of local and national stories show how some themes remain the same a century later.</span><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><b><i><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Panoramic view of Coral Gables from Water Tower Showing Development of Two-year-old Town</span></i></b></o:p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD8clqE7D9-gihIYoGnJ8Jq4BpKJKNI_vTSZ4SxX-zMyLMzOQqnEDudy_28kD9OkxL9JsdcZAYch9Ajgqh927kAQ5FRO3PshYapP7RyyKxATOrFHEBS6v3HCIQsHG1VnH9HJVEa5cBaSiiFfFTCFO0WvutA8CaA8n7AKb7R8rgVTMqcDh2CojxdisbiIa-/s600/Coral%20Gables%20from%20water%20Tower%201924%20two-year-old%20Town.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="365" data-original-width="600" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD8clqE7D9-gihIYoGnJ8Jq4BpKJKNI_vTSZ4SxX-zMyLMzOQqnEDudy_28kD9OkxL9JsdcZAYch9Ajgqh927kAQ5FRO3PshYapP7RyyKxATOrFHEBS6v3HCIQsHG1VnH9HJVEa5cBaSiiFfFTCFO0WvutA8CaA8n7AKb7R8rgVTMqcDh2CojxdisbiIa-/w320-h154/Coral%20Gables%20from%20water%20Tower%201924%20two-year-old%20Town.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Coral Gables from the water tower 1924</i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><br /><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Thousands See Monster Parade</i></span><i style="font-size: x-large;"> </i></span><i style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;"> - </i></b></o:p><span style="font-size: medium;">Seven
miles of floats pass<i> </i>in colorful array</span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Fruit and Flower Pageant</b> – 40,000 view the parade that stretched more than 100 blocks. It was a “typical June day in January.” Note: Miami held a variety of parades in its early days, including Labor Day, Shriner’s, Palm Fete and Orange Bowl parades. See index or search for Orange Bowl.</span><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><i><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Construction of Large Concrete Fronton at Hialeah
for Spanish Game of Jai Alai Introduced from Cuba</span> </i></b><span style="font-size: medium;">Opened Feb. 2, 1924 (see index for short history). Most are closed today, but one still operates in Dania</span><span style="font-size: medium;">.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p> </o:p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7CTIxzOtGyIHh3LgYSmZFR_i8RnBhcJ65IaShPxH00XCdLSDQb0-o9693JRa0BU43SuFlipo1GOoKz3fk0B8blMb94_fDz67KBNZ0xeLHtEA5ik3C3fDNkXHAThdtVVpL19gqNzV30LA_8hhyphenhyphenNrhGYHQGk_hmTDjXZGYT1Ww6vY77wcsYdlTyXXwlmga1/s600/Hialeah%20fronton%201924.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="459" data-original-width="600" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7CTIxzOtGyIHh3LgYSmZFR_i8RnBhcJ65IaShPxH00XCdLSDQb0-o9693JRa0BU43SuFlipo1GOoKz3fk0B8blMb94_fDz67KBNZ0xeLHtEA5ik3C3fDNkXHAThdtVVpL19gqNzV30LA_8hhyphenhyphenNrhGYHQGk_hmTDjXZGYT1Ww6vY77wcsYdlTyXXwlmga1/s320/Hialeah%20fronton%201924.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Hialeah Fronton 1924 State Archives of Florida</i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><i> <b>U.S. Stirred Over Obregon Lack of Force </b></i></span></p>
<span style="font-size: medium;">“Washington hopes <b>Mexican revolution</b> will be halted … disappointed over its failure to solve internal problems…policy limits supply of arms.” <b>Alvaro Obregon</b> served as president of Mexico from 1920-1924. Deemed a centrist and peacemaker, he was assassinated in 1928.</span><br />
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><i>Mystery Marks Liquor Supply in Washington </i></span><i><o:p></o:p></i></b></p>
<span style="font-size: medium;">“Unusual conditions for guzzlers.” Why has so much illicit liquor appeared during the holiday season, the reporter asks (<b>Prohibition</b> – <b>18th Amendmen</b>t, 1920 – 1933). Conflict arose between local police and federal agents about enforcing the law against liquor. Confiscated liquor disappeared or mysteriously “turned into water.”</span><br />
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdeNOK7WqtjYxk8BmwaZHHIrNXCyTxXfC6tZoRluvm_U5Gsg_dVF75MKMPODs8x07yjkN8Ro4dQksASr4FIDFXRh4CPepPIkinyh8zZ734f-n_1nYQL0gwGXJgwciAP39LU4_Ot9bnvPYH8SHRYIQHaTEFEqyEcHvo27uXGpViM6VccPDk2Rkvp7VvvK50/s818/Prohibition%20-%20man%20in%20fake%20liquor%20booth%201925%20Miami%20Beach.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="818" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdeNOK7WqtjYxk8BmwaZHHIrNXCyTxXfC6tZoRluvm_U5Gsg_dVF75MKMPODs8x07yjkN8Ro4dQksASr4FIDFXRh4CPepPIkinyh8zZ734f-n_1nYQL0gwGXJgwciAP39LU4_Ot9bnvPYH8SHRYIQHaTEFEqyEcHvo27uXGpViM6VccPDk2Rkvp7VvvK50/s320/Prohibition%20-%20man%20in%20fake%20liquor%20booth%201925%20Miami%20Beach.jpg" width="235" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span><b><i>Man with a drink in tourist photo booth at Hardie's Bathing Casino <br />during Prohibition 1920-1933 State Archives of Florida</i></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #cc0000;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><b><i>Democrats See Chance to Win in 1924 Election</i></b></span></p>
<span style="font-size: medium;">“Politically the coming year holds more at issue than is usually the case.” <br /><br /><b>Calvin Coolidge</b>, Republican, succeeded <b>Warren G. Harding</b> as president when he unexpectedly died in 1923. A booming economy and world peace favored Coolidge, who won the 1924 election as the second vice president tapped as president via circumstance who later won the presidency in an election.</span><p class="MsoNoSpacing"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizFlmalU74FDcFtrQD5JWMiyz9MZg7V32HFy3YbxQGW1vmKSrh-qqmu9aPpK6SSqJ47f-NCrE-YsGak7XcaWoaC3uOGWhO6OKIDAkrPmRh2f0CqwcXt3Fjn7iHAy9zLrrohzDP1o4yv0xJrlvhPTXeaZLO1tH4gLCTroi_nMnj8oK2vGDRRm8GVYQeZfYl/s600/Calvin%20Coolidge%20and%20wife%20Grace.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="443" data-original-width="600" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizFlmalU74FDcFtrQD5JWMiyz9MZg7V32HFy3YbxQGW1vmKSrh-qqmu9aPpK6SSqJ47f-NCrE-YsGak7XcaWoaC3uOGWhO6OKIDAkrPmRh2f0CqwcXt3Fjn7iHAy9zLrrohzDP1o4yv0xJrlvhPTXeaZLO1tH4gLCTroi_nMnj8oK2vGDRRm8GVYQeZfYl/s320/Calvin%20Coolidge%20and%20wife%20Grace.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>President Calvin Coolidge and wife Grace<br />State of Florida Archives</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><b>Tags: Miami in the 1920s, Miami Jai Alai Fronton, Fruit and Flower Pageant </b></i></span></div>Jane Feehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171168025854524758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2084269498889973305.post-83513642650344543102023-12-17T11:39:00.000-08:002023-12-17T21:37:04.551-08:00Progresso Plaza: a stroll through early Fort Lauderdale history<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBdQDUGopRc4jX-zPLnRx2b9no9Wc6owcMNZyEgVquGT_9amcYBDvi3So6tgBW_9ZA72sHFZVjqpmQ3ZsXCqU3NcCV6CUcccazc6dTbTBk2bxJv4G-F-vlHh4jXp4R52kWgV8mR6wZVrXk3LQbkqhFzia62wn6GqtOhs09mWnRIJ3j6quzK9B5UmSiAnRK/s3734/20231212_143946.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1638" data-original-width="3734" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBdQDUGopRc4jX-zPLnRx2b9no9Wc6owcMNZyEgVquGT_9amcYBDvi3So6tgBW_9ZA72sHFZVjqpmQ3ZsXCqU3NcCV6CUcccazc6dTbTBk2bxJv4G-F-vlHh4jXp4R52kWgV8mR6wZVrXk3LQbkqhFzia62wn6GqtOhs09mWnRIJ3j6quzK9B5UmSiAnRK/w400-h175/20231212_143946.jpg" width="400" /></a> </p><br /><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Progresso Plaza <br />901 Progresso Drive <div>Dixie Highway<br /><p class="MsoNoSpacing">By Jane Feehan </p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">Those of us who grew up in Fort Lauderdale have driven
frequently by that Spanish-tiled building on Dixie and NE 3<sup>rd</sup> Avenue
without a glance. Progresso Plaza has been so much a part of the city’s landscape
that it remains unnoticed. It would, however, be missed if it disappeared. A trip
into its past may cast a different perspective about its significance.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">The story began during Fort Lauderdale’s first land boom
of 1910-1911, when hopes for draining the nearby Everglades for farming superseded
reality. </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">Lots were sold sight unseen to people
around the country who eyed quick profits. Promoters threw in free lots with an
Everglades purchase of 10 acres. Those free lots sat in what became the
Progresso area of the city. The boom proved to be a bust when Everglades draining attempts
failed. Buyers, according to news accounts, also discovered the free lots were in
a swampy area without a road (a road was built in 1914). They also found out the
free lots were only 25 feet wide.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiipxmD3wwmslvj375VeLRuq1xKzk2NppP1CdBDDENeyeg4nAoPKaL53_sg9HHxtYF8kuxiQcgZnwOaqAiuJUmnn9qL2eAdBhQOFy0v-mxUEtBEyQPIrDJXbaGRDv4i7YWCE6gr1J2N08CvJhokzVjOSTt87vBX5YkMhmcq4KGwu1Qsm2sIZcy6LVQ9XYqa/s4000/20231211_134445.jpg" style="clear: right; display: inline; float: right; font-size: large; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiipxmD3wwmslvj375VeLRuq1xKzk2NppP1CdBDDENeyeg4nAoPKaL53_sg9HHxtYF8kuxiQcgZnwOaqAiuJUmnn9qL2eAdBhQOFy0v-mxUEtBEyQPIrDJXbaGRDv4i7YWCE6gr1J2N08CvJhokzVjOSTt87vBX5YkMhmcq4KGwu1Qsm2sIZcy6LVQ9XYqa/w200-h150/20231211_134445.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">A second, more significant boom occurred in the mid-1920s.
Many who owned free lots given them in the 1911 Everglades purchases sold these
properties for $500-$12,000 in cash during 1925. House construction soon
followed. Realtors advertised a four-bedroom house on one lot selling for $2,500.
Two houses on one lot were offered for $2,350. The Progresso community grew
rapidly. In 1926 the <i>Fort Lauderdale Daily News</i> claimed it was “the most
densely populated and fastest growing section of the city.”</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-size: medium;">Adding to interest in the new community was its location adjacent
to the Florida East Coast Railroad tracks along Dixie Highway. Rumors abounded about
Seaboard Air Line Company (not an aviation company) and their interest in a
freight and passenger stop at Progresso. A new building could serve as a train
station, a market – or a much-needed post office annex. Whatever the motivating
factor, the city decided to build a post office annex and trading center, the
Progresso Arcade.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL0gRa0frf5Te_PgeZ_uw6ISpd9pm322M9USdDdTZCY2ZBV_WqwndOl5Ho1eL0ngvQ4brUNA3xbQ4ZsFEX2_Gw8PzH9y7clmrlu2O7hbVSei8zNj_gsH_8D3nidRrWVR35lepZ8YJP2bYv2Kf3BZK4ctYR9CjYnKRhY3GcNAnPwszYdXv4k95bSTBF6l4V/s4000/20231211_134730.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL0gRa0frf5Te_PgeZ_uw6ISpd9pm322M9USdDdTZCY2ZBV_WqwndOl5Ho1eL0ngvQ4brUNA3xbQ4ZsFEX2_Gw8PzH9y7clmrlu2O7hbVSei8zNj_gsH_8D3nidRrWVR35lepZ8YJP2bYv2Kf3BZK4ctYR9CjYnKRhY3GcNAnPwszYdXv4k95bSTBF6l4V/w150-h200/20231211_134730.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>A legal notice in June 1926 indicated the owner and
builder of the arcade (at North Dixie and Avenue D) was </span><b>Stetson Company</b><span>.
Its principals (J.V. Slaughter, president) were from Philadelphia, PA; they operated
from an office in the Palm Court Arcade in Fort Lauderdale. </span><b>Frederick C.
Arnold</b><span> from the George H. Gillespie office at the Palm Court Arcade served
as architect. John R. Hogan was tapped as contractor and engineer for supervising
construction. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>The </span><i>Fort Lauderdale Daily News</i><span> reported the arcade was
completed by late June and the post office would be finished by July 17 (timing
of the legal notice earlier in June remains curious).</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM1Upk6vqDE2l7zQ6GSHPJURRVTzSmsykY8Nq0o_rI0STDxWD3RGBKqJc6C9zCtUBcsAnVLCHiAEm7BIr7OImri34WB5rC_BV6TB_Gp9NCMPYafT2DIuMJJ_kNAll48Ib3RzF8ls182RISsMcToHyOIHpk_01kNXfwmtxM_M7vJFmWKiaFPDY1no7n25tL/s4000/20231211_134351.jpg" style="clear: right; display: inline; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM1Upk6vqDE2l7zQ6GSHPJURRVTzSmsykY8Nq0o_rI0STDxWD3RGBKqJc6C9zCtUBcsAnVLCHiAEm7BIr7OImri34WB5rC_BV6TB_Gp9NCMPYafT2DIuMJJ_kNAll48Ib3RzF8ls182RISsMcToHyOIHpk_01kNXfwmtxM_M7vJFmWKiaFPDY1no7n25tL/w200-h150/20231211_134351.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p><span> </span></o:p><span>After a delay in receiving building supplies, the post
office opened in August 1926 and was recognized as Fort Lauderdale’s first post
office annex or substation. </span><span> </span><span>The arcade was
marketed as a community and trading center. The post office occupied 1,300
square feet, with 640 post boxes and $10,000 of equipment and parking—an
unusual amenity at the time. </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>The “Triangle building” as it was referred to, featured a
triangle footprint with 265 feet of frontage on Dixie Highway, 180 feet of
frontage on Twenty First Street, and 170 feet on Avenue D. The building was
made of concrete and stucco with “ten [sic] modern apartments each with a kitchen,
living room, dining room and bath to be rented by renters of the 10 stores.” </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span>Design of the arcade reflected a 16</span><sup>th</sup><span>-century
motif with “three towers, a Cuban tile roof, arches supporting the arcade, a
courtyard and dark-colored sidewalk …”</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">Other than the post office substation, tenants included
Gordon Delicatessen, a Sunoco filling station, a hardware store, barber shop
and fruit and vegetable market.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Great Hurricane of 1926 occurred a month after the
arcade opened. Most concrete structures, as this was, made it through the
storm. Businesses were less resilient. By November 15 realtors were still
seeking tenants for the apartments.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Fast forward only 23 years and the arcade had hit hard
times. The building was condemned in 1949, but realtor H.S. Ratliff bought the
building and, according to the </span><i>Sun-Sentinel</i><span>, rented the 10 apartments at
boarding-house low prices and opened a few retail spaces to artists. The building
was sold again in 1979 to Bill Capozzi who renovated it. The Progresso Arcade
or Plaza (by this time) was vandalized and sold again. A subsequent owner,
Julio A. Ruiz restored the building and earned recognition with a 1986
Community Appearance Award. The stepson of Ruiz, Tony Ropiza, purchased Progresso
Plaza in late November 1986, hoping to open a Spanish restaurant. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">Today, the
Progresso Plaza (about 6,100 square feet) is owned by Brian Parenteau who operates the Patio Bar and Pizza
there.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ_8KjYHKk5z9zWkN_nvH9iM_ylPr-91L3IY-FD1OjrJlFaAGJmxn5jviNSzH0x8eD7tmSC4nslNhKcxZFG_sNNxI5aTy8JendJOW42W2joJwqZMQSDIGSK1YDXh7aBGe_8wPfJ4_1ScFVKQMtk9clSLSLRx0YnvAaj9vFnzR_NQ1ZiIhyFTIZ-sAfLNap/s4000/20231211_134817.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ_8KjYHKk5z9zWkN_nvH9iM_ylPr-91L3IY-FD1OjrJlFaAGJmxn5jviNSzH0x8eD7tmSC4nslNhKcxZFG_sNNxI5aTy8JendJOW42W2joJwqZMQSDIGSK1YDXh7aBGe_8wPfJ4_1ScFVKQMtk9clSLSLRx0YnvAaj9vFnzR_NQ1ZiIhyFTIZ-sAfLNap/w150-h200/20231211_134817.jpg" width="150" /></span></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">I spoke to a tenant recently who told me Progresso Plaza
is now a “busy place.” She said there are four bars, a few hair salons, her tanning
salon and a few pottery or ceramics studios. Parking in a rear lot is easy. A
walk through this historic building provides a view of authentic architectural elements
of the 1920s. Its history reflects that of Fort Lauderdale.</span></p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipybbo-mcu0202yT5TFvuhoxu95BjYp1Igz5jZ-EfpYxGuScmYK5kK2QiiMDrLjRlxhjif02a6TtqoVrm2rY38G7d5b9Ywaxgk3QL8u8prFn8Pi2gw0M5yw7VvXwM6LUEV77r_W_dQvZd1FhdiTNGCxYR4aU-j9NhV6svyHHL4QguTNPa12rHDpgQXVv8s/s4000/20231211_134411.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; font-size: large; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipybbo-mcu0202yT5TFvuhoxu95BjYp1Igz5jZ-EfpYxGuScmYK5kK2QiiMDrLjRlxhjif02a6TtqoVrm2rY38G7d5b9Ywaxgk3QL8u8prFn8Pi2gw0M5yw7VvXwM6LUEV77r_W_dQvZd1FhdiTNGCxYR4aU-j9NhV6svyHHL4QguTNPa12rHDpgQXVv8s/w200-h150/20231211_134411.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The patio at Patio Bar and Pizza</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br /></span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJuGJJnrLtNWIN7XWyTwZ-1tlJ-9n93rC99D_PeNAWRUW3Qa_U_SIDe4xvpcMxYNGlXXxsYMxtcsQm1A1ZMDnSpwCggiXuUvjB8AsBuwIM4kzPxgbkysfYatHxaEhwvB1r9UnOJOYSZwTsrDc4mMYJfSDIamrbAmyfO-zA9tQ7I4qIp3Z7xAGSe7ggpIcy/s4000/20231212_143712.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJuGJJnrLtNWIN7XWyTwZ-1tlJ-9n93rC99D_PeNAWRUW3Qa_U_SIDe4xvpcMxYNGlXXxsYMxtcsQm1A1ZMDnSpwCggiXuUvjB8AsBuwIM4kzPxgbkysfYatHxaEhwvB1r9UnOJOYSZwTsrDc4mMYJfSDIamrbAmyfO-zA9tQ7I4qIp3Z7xAGSe7ggpIcy/w225-h195/20231212_143712.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRTGNepuNJKUIdR3UsDqhJveKYYlfLU8QLe2M15TfNHCavfyF1WvyhN525cLVzsV3NYCW94gYFMfNUJsZKcpHYyMX0y-cbCDG0xHawIHFHUT7jo_mtEJNoXvSNlRc1gQ0Hx5eCPujm9TyVq-pHlnwuLqXBfP2QEu0rF4XsQA67XgC1XX2U4cDS0hjzPj_o/s4000/20231211_134107.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRTGNepuNJKUIdR3UsDqhJveKYYlfLU8QLe2M15TfNHCavfyF1WvyhN525cLVzsV3NYCW94gYFMfNUJsZKcpHYyMX0y-cbCDG0xHawIHFHUT7jo_mtEJNoXvSNlRc1gQ0Hx5eCPujm9TyVq-pHlnwuLqXBfP2QEu0rF4XsQA67XgC1XX2U4cDS0hjzPj_o/s320/20231211_134107.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">Sources:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale Daily News </i>Oct 27, 1925<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale Daily News</i> July 20, 1925<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale Daily News</i> July 21, 1925<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale Daily News</i> June 9, 1926<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale Daily News</i>, June 13, 1926<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale Daily News</i>, June 27, 1926<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale Daily News</i>, July 31, 1926<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale Daily News, </i>Aug. 17, 1926<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Sun-Sentinel</i>, Nov. 5, 1986<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Sun-Sentinel, May 22, 1994<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><b>Tags: History of Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale history, Frederick C Arnold, Progresso Arcade, Progresso Plaza</b></i></div><br /></div></div>Jane Feehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171168025854524758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2084269498889973305.post-53008885540968547652023-12-02T08:40:00.000-08:002023-12-03T06:15:01.687-08:00One expectation for Broward County Convention Expansion a puzzle <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHSFNQnrQB38EV0UM2nGvDb1mdDoTDjrWzoIhgrOgV0N5Y7A0MisVcrw1SV-thUwoA4MQ-yuq_DCVW9Dvzj-VPm89MkucMyXTb44Jcw9JYy9zhuV07vocVaXH59ashff9jKht_Mbwv_VUIZIQdWooCMoJCsgann16XUMDaw89J32IlEUqSBHpw0ol0esa8/s1420/20231128_124822.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1209" data-original-width="1420" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHSFNQnrQB38EV0UM2nGvDb1mdDoTDjrWzoIhgrOgV0N5Y7A0MisVcrw1SV-thUwoA4MQ-yuq_DCVW9Dvzj-VPm89MkucMyXTb44Jcw9JYy9zhuV07vocVaXH59ashff9jKht_Mbwv_VUIZIQdWooCMoJCsgann16XUMDaw89J32IlEUqSBHpw0ol0esa8/s320/20231128_124822.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><i>View from 17th Street bridge: Hotel rising at Convention Center </i></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: medium;">By Jane Feehan </span></p><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>The </span><b>Broward County Convention Center</b><span> expansion will dominate
the 17</span><sup>th</sup><span> street causeway area when completed.</span></span></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">The convention center first opened in 1991 and currently offers
600,000 square feet of meeting and other space. The $1.3 billion expansion,
expected to open late 2025, will increase meeting capacity to 1,200,000* square
feet. Project plans include a larger waterfront plaza with restaurants, an amphitheater,
additional water taxi service, and a new bypass road from Federal Highway.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Its 29-story hotel – <b>Omni Fort Lauderdale</b>—with 800 rooms
will be <i>the</i> area landmark instead of Pier 66, which rises 17 stories and
has been the local eyecatcher since 1965-66. The convention center is expected
to bring 1,000 new jobs, increased tax revenue, and visitor traffic and their business
to the area.</span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwigpnNTcHoaJ1Oa2VddpV8_1EftxkyfWQbbDC_bi1Oj9eoYIQmcIykPLmF_S-_J9kkVlcPTl3PS5aLCGqJd-xK1q4Ze7Odyzyk7f9j0pq-lqP03LmZIy2J1vOgHyaedVmYEkWWcRb58nVSMnOHVLBkYlZ5cOSQzX0bC4CRVYcj6Ac1lEA1iRvVy3JxiqT/s4000/20231128_123654.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwigpnNTcHoaJ1Oa2VddpV8_1EftxkyfWQbbDC_bi1Oj9eoYIQmcIykPLmF_S-_J9kkVlcPTl3PS5aLCGqJd-xK1q4Ze7Odyzyk7f9j0pq-lqP03LmZIy2J1vOgHyaedVmYEkWWcRb58nVSMnOHVLBkYlZ5cOSQzX0bC4CRVYcj6Ac1lEA1iRvVy3JxiqT/w200-h150/20231128_123654.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><b>Massive hotel, <br />lots of parking</b></i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">About that <b>traffic</b>: an area impact statement says the completed
expansion will decrease traffic because convention programming will "attract larger,
international shows that draw a fly-in audience, rather than regional
conferences which typically bring in more vehicles," </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>thus relieving congestion on
17</span><sup>th</sup><span> Street. </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><span>Also mentioned in the project description are plans to promote
community-based </span><b>events</b><span> with </span><b>outdoor entertainment</b><span>, more restaurants and…</span><b>expanded
parking for these additional</b></span><b> local happenings. </b><span>This seems to present a contradiction in traffic expectations. Not all locals will use the bypass road. If so, what about Federal Highway congestion? L</span></span><span style="font-size: medium;">ocal events bring in more local vehicles, something the planners say they will avoid with fly-in visitors. Let's hope these fly-in visitors don't rent cars.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Larger conventions and additional local entertainment, yet improvement </span>in Fort Lauderdale’s traffic
congestion. It's a puzzle.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="font-size: medium;">----</span></p><p class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="font-size: medium;">Note: The largest convention center in the U.S. is McCormick
Place in Chicago with 2.6 million square feet. The Miami Beach Convention
Center offers 1,400,000 square feet of convention space.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="font-size: medium;">Sources:</span></p><p class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="font-size: medium;">Broward.org</span></p><p class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="font-size: medium;">Wikipedia</span></p><p class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="font-size: medium;">Miami Beach</span></p><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Tags: Broward County Convention Center, Broward County Convention Center Expansion, Fort Lauderdale traffic congestion, Fort Lauderdale attractions</i></span></div>Jane Feehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171168025854524758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2084269498889973305.post-75836289717248792122023-11-07T10:31:00.001-08:002023-12-27T04:10:39.671-08:00A South Florida parrot primer<p> </p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQgEU0nF4t3V5t7eTXQgTKeqL01ERzPky-7aTX3K5TOsUWrQS64gcTwZ7GjUunhuWGq0l1YAkXNaBgfHlGoL-vhyXQDOOkgVpxbr7x6DIkQVp4dm0n-gyH1pvskKJquluH-gIbJPX9m4nG4DdaGEmiFeoibTQCa97nj-KCD9uFkGczrjl81tNps1wD90Ka/s908/Parrots%20P%20Jungle%20St%20Archives.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="908" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQgEU0nF4t3V5t7eTXQgTKeqL01ERzPky-7aTX3K5TOsUWrQS64gcTwZ7GjUunhuWGq0l1YAkXNaBgfHlGoL-vhyXQDOOkgVpxbr7x6DIkQVp4dm0n-gyH1pvskKJquluH-gIbJPX9m4nG4DdaGEmiFeoibTQCa97nj-KCD9uFkGczrjl81tNps1wD90Ka/s320/Parrots%20P%20Jungle%20St%20Archives.jpg" width="211" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Captive parrots - Parrot Jungle<br />State Archives of Florida</i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;">By Jane Feehan </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Flocks of parrots noisily flying at dawn and dusk around Broward
County are a familiar sight today. Many older residents who grew up here say they
rarely, if ever, saw these colorful birds during the 1950s and 1960s. The
mythology of the introduction of these non-native exotic noise makers runs deep.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Newspapers present various theories about where they came
from and report several early sightings. One account points to the unintentional
release of parrots from an opened crate at Port Everglades in 1967. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Others tell
a tale about a bar owner releasing pet birds near Wilton Manors a few decades ago
who was responsible for their introduction to that town. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Florida railway developer and one-time
oil tycoon Henry Flagler was known to have an affinity for parrots, keeping many
on his Palm Beach property (Whitehall) uncaged but fed. They remained there for
years after his death in 1913; that may explain a reported parrot roost at the
Breakers Hotel during the past 20 years and flock sightings in Lake Worth. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Fort
Lauderdale News</i> reported the first sighting of a flock in Broward in 1975. During the 1940s “a rare bird farm” operated in the Miami
area. Flocks were spotted in south Miami-Dade County during the 1990s.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Newspaper and personal accounts aside, scientific research tells
a probable story about South Florida parrot origins. One scholarly paper notes most
of these exotic birds escaped from pet owners and pet stores or were deliberately
released by owners and smugglers (<i>Distribution, Populations, and Documentation
of Parrots in Broward County,</i> by Bill Pranty and Susan Epps, Vol. 30, Issue
4, Article 1, Jan. 2000). Most releases, however, have been unintentional.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">About 20 species were spotted in Broward County in 1990. In
2000, Pranty and Epps reported 31 species, 20 of which were unknown before then.
They suggest parrots have probably been released here since at least the 1950s.
Worldwide 350-410 species exist with most originating in Central and South
America (some from Pacific Islands). The Carolina parakeet was the only species
native to Florida, but they were killed off by poachers by the early 20<sup>th</sup>
century.</span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaazONkbzuc1aVNwPCWG7JmB1N6TvpYCpnkM268-w_oahwboYJtqiOyL7HlDKkx_1IAvbjAHZMWZ9PO6nXPg8VrWY29WjwH60KIotepi9B2ID1nSgShywkYB1jBOZy6LpsYjBC151wqT5LnahLVIR3tRoSbby26Uvtsptl2u6PbY0Ebb-GRlKZMU_hxQiM/s600/Parrot%20Carolina%20parrot%201900%20.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="459" data-original-width="600" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaazONkbzuc1aVNwPCWG7JmB1N6TvpYCpnkM268-w_oahwboYJtqiOyL7HlDKkx_1IAvbjAHZMWZ9PO6nXPg8VrWY29WjwH60KIotepi9B2ID1nSgShywkYB1jBOZy6LpsYjBC151wqT5LnahLVIR3tRoSbby26Uvtsptl2u6PbY0Ebb-GRlKZMU_hxQiM/w200-h153/Parrot%20Carolina%20parrot%201900%20.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Florida's extinct Carolina<br /> parakeet<br />State Archives of Florida</span><br /><br /></i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">The <i>South Florida Sun-Sentinel</i> reported on flocks in
Dania that seemed to appear and disappear suddenly in the early 1990s. A story
suggested people captured many to sell as pets (wild birds make lousy pets of
course). </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">In 1995, utility workers in Deerfield Beach were seen sweeping parrot
nests from tall light fixtures. Most of these birds nest in dead palm trees but
some have been spotted setting up residence in vacated osprey nests.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Pranty and Epps* observed parrot populations in Dania,
Wilton Manors, Fort Lauderdale’s Hugh Birch State Park, Coral Ridge, Harbor
Beach, Las Olas Isles, Poinsettia Heights, Rio Vista, Victoria Park, and Oakland
Park. Among species they observed were Quaker or monk parakeets (some also live
successfully in Chicago!), Orange-winged parrots, Red-headed parrots, Yellow-headed
parrots, and Black-hooded parakeets. The two scientists reported a large jump
in all parrot populations from the early 1990s to 2000 even though poachers
regularly decimate local populations. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">With the human population growth of Fort Lauderdale and Broward
County comes additional parrot species and even more flocks. Lucky for these
garrulous birds, most of us love hearing, if not always sighting, them. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">* Susan Allene Epps has also written a book, <i>Parrots of
South Florida</i> (2007) available on Amazon.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sources:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Distribution, Populations, and Documentation of Parrots
in Broward County,</i> by Bill Pranty and Susan Epps, Vol. 30, Issue 4, Article
1, Jan. 2000<i><o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, May 24, 1970 <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, Feb. 12, 1975<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fort Lauderdale News June 29, 1985<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>South Florida Sun Sentinel</i>, Aug. 30, 1995<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>South Florida Sun Sentinel</i>, Jan. 29, 1990<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i>Tags: Parrots in Fort Lauderdale, parrots in Wilton Manors, Broward County parrots, Fort Lauderdale history</i></p>Jane Feehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171168025854524758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2084269498889973305.post-57250172130872525682023-10-29T09:17:00.006-07:002023-11-21T18:03:20.274-08:00One of the first registered architects in Florida - August Geiger - his Fort Lauderdale and Miami projects <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSOaeCDErug1PcYEv2vMGdw4NwJWo1ysHnJ3xmdv7Kbsle9-mjbejSGXSdcYC_o9RWa_eejjrfPIzDHVnzJwwm6FxO_cFnrYEyaekxwDSiDCupZXfDwOCEqmOekh25Vjw_Rc8rKmnGBNN9tJUOx273qjHKy5krm9pmroNEJXdw9XcM9vr_icZ2abXK7JAk/s569/August_Geiger,_Architect.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="285" data-original-width="569" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSOaeCDErug1PcYEv2vMGdw4NwJWo1ysHnJ3xmdv7Kbsle9-mjbejSGXSdcYC_o9RWa_eejjrfPIzDHVnzJwwm6FxO_cFnrYEyaekxwDSiDCupZXfDwOCEqmOekh25Vjw_Rc8rKmnGBNN9tJUOx273qjHKy5krm9pmroNEJXdw9XcM9vr_icZ2abXK7JAk/s320/August_Geiger,_Architect.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>1917 advertisement from Directory of City of Miami Beach</b></span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">By Jane Feehan</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />Fort Lauderdale’s first high school, Fort Lauderdale Central, was built in 1915. Its<b> architect was August Geiger</b> (1887-1968), already well known in Miami and Miami Beach for his work.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">From Connecticut, Geiger settled in Miami in 1905 and opened an office in 1911. He was off and running soon after, becoming one of the first (10th) registered architects in Florida.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Miami and Miami Beach grew significantly during the early 19th century with its burgeoning tourist industry, land boom and accompanying skyline of notable buildings.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Geiger’s work includes the Lincoln Hotel and Apartments (1917) on Miami Beach, demolished long ago. His firm also designed Miami’s first “sky scraper,” the 12-story Ralston Hotel (1917), and, in the same year, the Miami City Hospital (now Jackson Memorial). </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Additionally, he designed the Miami Beach Municipal Golf Course House, the Community Theater of Miami Beach, the Dade County Courthouse, and <i>Villa Serena</i>, home of </span><span>William Jennings Bryan, noted orator and politician. He commissioned Geiger to design his home in </span><span>1913 in Coconut Grove.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZLIJNfwAx233LRWdlZfJIDG1JLcl3Nii8_sSnjTyaOjFDn-tjus3aEOGwY4kRz8gmpC5k0P4wlnBh0IefIz9PUWi9YruN9qimXm-irdiZ89WBDkm-v3KmNkPYrnHKeEKC6bTageEARWLP5i569LeL7h6Hz6hXQeMBPnTrgf1oFL2yIHUAm13lql91_ld-/s600/WJ%20Bryan%20home%201923.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="357" data-original-width="600" height="119" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZLIJNfwAx233LRWdlZfJIDG1JLcl3Nii8_sSnjTyaOjFDn-tjus3aEOGwY4kRz8gmpC5k0P4wlnBh0IefIz9PUWi9YruN9qimXm-irdiZ89WBDkm-v3KmNkPYrnHKeEKC6bTageEARWLP5i569LeL7h6Hz6hXQeMBPnTrgf1oFL2yIHUAm13lql91_ld-/w200-h119/WJ%20Bryan%20home%201923.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Wm Jennings Bryan home, 1920<br />State Archives of Florida</span></i></b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Geiger, known for his Mediterranean Revival style, also drew the plans for the Lincoln Road oceanfront home of Miami Beach developer Carl Fisher. In 1915, demand for the architect's style prompted Geiger to open an office in Palm Beach. Many of his surviving buildings in South Florida have been placed on the National Register of Historic Places.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Geiger designed Fort Lauderdale Central High School (demolished in 1970) and the Fort Lauderdale Women’s Club in 1915 with his signature Mediterranean Revival imprint. His firm drew up plans for many schools in Dade County and a few others in what became Broward County in 1915, including the Davie School. Geiger was tapped as architect of record for the Dade County School Board. Among his later works was the $1.5 million Coral Gables High School in 1950.</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Though Geiger was the design force behind Fort Lauderdale’s high school and its women’s club, the city claims Frances Abreu as its own architect. Both men brought a vision to Miami and Fort Lauderdale that defined early 19<sup>th</sup>- century South Florida. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_fRPehRPJlLhGA6Rg6AJ-k3SUzMr7t72C9g-cbny5Ne4GLhjH1H3F2HaINdfK8Jlll9VnSKwonRE_PIjLr0F0-m96t34a8b1wJSJySWSLjBW3zCqe1Umw3tFQkZte3gtDYW_2uHj-_fKyabPFeNIzRctiSYkZ4WQ93yo3IpjU5J0cbH3csVvw1ikm-tHd/s600/rc21137%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="395" data-original-width="600" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_fRPehRPJlLhGA6Rg6AJ-k3SUzMr7t72C9g-cbny5Ne4GLhjH1H3F2HaINdfK8Jlll9VnSKwonRE_PIjLr0F0-m96t34a8b1wJSJySWSLjBW3zCqe1Umw3tFQkZte3gtDYW_2uHj-_fKyabPFeNIzRctiSYkZ4WQ93yo3IpjU5J0cbH3csVvw1ikm-tHd/s320/rc21137%20(1).jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Lincoln Hotel, 1922<br />States Archives of Florida/Fishbaugh 1922</span></i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><br /><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br /></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Copyright © 2012, 2023 . All rights reserved. Jane Feehan</b>.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">For more on Frances Abreu, see index for architects</span></b><br /><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>For more Fort Lauderdale High School history, see index.</b></span><br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: medium;">For more on William Jennings Bryan, see index.</span></b><br /><br /><br />Sources:<br />Kleinberg, Howard. <i>Woggles and Cheese Houses.</i> Miami Beach: The Greater Miami & Beaches Hotel Association (2005)<br /><i>Miami News</i>, Mar. 16, 1917<br />Wikipedia</div></div></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Tags: early South Florida architects, Fort Lauderdale history, Miami history</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Jane Feehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171168025854524758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2084269498889973305.post-48092898806679790992023-10-11T10:40:00.011-07:002023-11-03T14:03:49.501-07:00The Idlewyld story - Hortt converts swamp to top-tier real estate<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSJSPx2j1uha9G98Ihg5JvJGe3S4DQi1v59LVm296r_SvNaFPtyPXnnFCGQIqgeW1KE_VD71-OPKn6Ib4DlQurz0_-8cC3NpCwBN7AMtkWV0sA_-0nEyfW810wX1Fg13-zD25Z-8hNdmf4KiNSidYbT9rU1LTM2wjzWoZC9JSclGgOVqBwIz61x3h8GErC/s963/Idle%20sign.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="546" data-original-width="963" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSJSPx2j1uha9G98Ihg5JvJGe3S4DQi1v59LVm296r_SvNaFPtyPXnnFCGQIqgeW1KE_VD71-OPKn6Ib4DlQurz0_-8cC3NpCwBN7AMtkWV0sA_-0nEyfW810wX1Fg13-zD25Z-8hNdmf4KiNSidYbT9rU1LTM2wjzWoZC9JSclGgOVqBwIz61x3h8GErC/s320/Idle%20sign.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;">By Jane Feehan</span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">The history of Fort Lauderdale’s Idlewyld neighborhood reflects
the story of Fort Lauderdale’s M.A. Hortt. A former streetcar conductor and gold
prospector from Utah, “Al” Hortt came to Fort Lauderdale in 1910. Possibilities
for wealth generation were far greater here than in the desert. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">The city saw its first land boom in 1910, when, according
to Hortt, it claimed only 121 residents. As he wrote in his biography, <i>Gold Coast Pioneer,</i>
he<i> </i>arrived when Fort Lauderdale was just a “wide spot” in the road. Not
for long. News spread “up north” about Fort Lauderdale’s real estate. The early
boom proved to be an early bust but Hortt’s roster of subsequent land deals (and
travel escapades), could spin heads. The focus here, however, is Idlewyld.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">Hortt and business partner Bob Dye bought a piece of
swampy land in 1921 that spanned from the Las Olas bridge (opened 1917) to the “intersection of
New River Sound” and beyond. They envisioned a subdivision on part of it but
needed a developer with money. Hortt was familiar with Miami developer Carl
Fisher’s success in converting Miami Beach's water-logged land into desirable real
estate; he wanted to apply the same method in Fort Lauderdale. </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">According to Hortt, he took a beach walk near Las Olas where
he met visitor Tom Stillwell. Stillwell was looking for a real estate
opportunity and the garrulous broker had just the deal: if Stillwell could put
up $50,000, they could create a company with $100,000 of land and cash assets;
Stillwell would get a 50 percent share. </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">To convince the visitor
about development possibilities, Hortt took him to Miami Beach to view Fisher’s projects.
Stillwell was sold on the development idea for Fort Lauderdale and brought in
three partners from Indiana. The New River Development Company was formed in
1921 and dredging of the Intracoastal and New River Sound began. Dredging would provide the soil to build up the swampy tract.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">The name Idlewyld was chosen and its land platted. Streets,
sidewalks, water mains and electric lines were installed after dredging.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">To buoy its appeal, coconut
palms were planted along its streets. However, for months only a few lots sold.
They lowered prices and gave lots to the investors for building homes. The Indiana
partners pooled resources and built one house. The company also offered to give away
10 lots for house construction. By year’s end, only four houses were built; the
town experienced a real estate</span> <span style="font-size: medium;">slowdown. </span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQWgtaKd1WPHZKQe7_E3DkpOlWXWGa_Nyet9LdICB9YquoR4ITQrZUNtUrDDThy8Ibio2Kr1aenM713-yAcMkj9LDEPM-sBBlWWVMZFHK4Qr2eakeagAQf0J_FpQYBq7wo0ezMA1JX4hJuFKSoXrhRq14nCiBZd3E6dUW-kpF8U_Uvh-DYr51a1deW3mPR/s2781/Idlewyld%20inlet%20view.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1569" data-original-width="2781" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQWgtaKd1WPHZKQe7_E3DkpOlWXWGa_Nyet9LdICB9YquoR4ITQrZUNtUrDDThy8Ibio2Kr1aenM713-yAcMkj9LDEPM-sBBlWWVMZFHK4Qr2eakeagAQf0J_FpQYBq7wo0ezMA1JX4hJuFKSoXrhRq14nCiBZd3E6dUW-kpF8U_Uvh-DYr51a1deW3mPR/w200-h113/Idlewyld%20inlet%20view.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Intracoastal view</span>, <br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">with Las Olas Bridge at left</span></i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">As is often said today, the best time to advertise is
during an economic slump. Savvy Hortt suggested he would handle advertising if a
deal could be made with the partners. He wanted a 25 percent commission on
sales of all lots. Prices would depend on location and would run $2,500 to $5,000.
The New River Development Company approved and the first advertisement went to the
<i>Miami Herald</i>. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">One article in the <i>Miami Herald</i> reported that a promotion
of the subdivision would include free transportation from Miami, dinners and a
river trip. An ad in the same paper beckoned visitors to buy a lot in “Fort
Lauderdale’s sub-division deluxe with people you’ll be glad to have for
neighbors: men of wealth and social standing and a-1 character.”</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">The advertising campaign proved to be a success. Hortt claimed in his book that he and Dye sold
every lot “in less than one week,” and each for the price originally agreed upon.
Success led to plans for a $250,000 hotel in Idlewyld. Promised to be “bigger
and better than any yet planned” the hotel was expected to sit on six lots and open
in one year.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Idlewyld neighborhood gained attention. Hortt built his
home there. In 1925, while on one of his many trips, he was offered $60,000 for
that house. Upon his return he upped the price to $75,000 (a steep price then)
and sold it to businesswoman Helen Brooks Smith. The sale made local headlines.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjY-kENqJ0J4bo_-KNuNBTn8IyzIfB1US7yckukeUvHeJ9pVZz-pqf2ZsGIDAWxXh8aeJ2kUIxipQaljoLyMv_PGR73D9umgeCf60BZWP8SaaN2IHlKt-kL8jM79G7aPH-J03Qp_Ie3RyW-QwJz4nolwQe6CT_yEUQR-HnQIzLf02NYAzbxmmKtd2IpTe9i" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2029" data-original-width="2623" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjY-kENqJ0J4bo_-KNuNBTn8IyzIfB1US7yckukeUvHeJ9pVZz-pqf2ZsGIDAWxXh8aeJ2kUIxipQaljoLyMv_PGR73D9umgeCf60BZWP8SaaN2IHlKt-kL8jM79G7aPH-J03Qp_Ie3RyW-QwJz4nolwQe6CT_yEUQR-HnQIzLf02NYAzbxmmKtd2IpTe9i=w200-h155" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Less than a year later, the aftermath of the 1926
hurricane brought the South Florida real estate boom to a halt. It’s interesting to note that during the storm,
the U.S. Coast Guard’s houseboat station, <i>Moccasin</i>, was lifted from its
mooring and thrown across the waterway near Idlewyld. The Coast Guard took up temporary
quarters in the “deluxe” subdivision in two houses donated by W.C. Kyle until
they could re-establish their base.<br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">Hortt remained solvent and developed several neighborhoods such as Beverly Heights. He was recognized for guiding Fort Lauderdale’s recovery from the storm. He
served as mayor and commissioner of Fort Lauderdale and then bought large tracts of land
in Pompano Beach, where he died (750 Ocean Blvd.) in 1958 at 77.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">And Idlewyld? It remains one of the city’s most beautiful
neighborhoods with many of the original houses replaced with multi-lot sized
homes selling for millions (as of this post, 17 on the market). The Riviera Isles/Idlewyld area is home to 508 residents. </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">Hortt’s legacy includes
not only his sales record of early city communities but his recognition of waterside locations in
boosting real estate values. Many who came to Fort Lauderdale in the early
1900s thought real estate fortunes were to be found in agricultural land
to the west. Hortt knew better.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Sources:</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Hortt, M.A., <i>Gold Coast Pioneer.</i> New York:
Exposition Press, 1955.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Miami Herald</i>, Jan. 20, 1924<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Miami Herald</i>, Feb. 20, 1924<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, Feb. 25, 1925<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, April 17, 1925<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><a name="_Hlk147920088"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i></a>, Nov.
13, 1925<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, Nov. 16, 1926<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, June 20, 1926<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, March 1, 1952<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, April 15, 1958 <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Tags: Idlewyld neighborhood, M.A. Hortt, Fort Lauderdale history, Fort Lauderdale communities, history of Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale in the 1920s, Jane Feehan</i></p>Jane Feehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171168025854524758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2084269498889973305.post-14672622028739194962023-09-27T13:02:00.002-07:002023-12-24T13:40:31.028-08:00Marlin catch places Bimini on world stage of big game fishing<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH49ZyL7UKHss1FNFwDizMPBCnP2ezV_z57p0fwtJXT9kDgqnVKK2rW3_XS1WL2Oga4ZGDglE25iFXZmdS_5SmwiX2SKhZEJTh4lh3NhgepojeLzaBZm5DhHp6Ux3QJw8-JTuEw8oSY119Q73I9IuNoOeCMhxjGBty4IcU1on7_dAG3BUykMG0NzUnGeu1/s600/dm5701.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="373" data-original-width="600" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH49ZyL7UKHss1FNFwDizMPBCnP2ezV_z57p0fwtJXT9kDgqnVKK2rW3_XS1WL2Oga4ZGDglE25iFXZmdS_5SmwiX2SKhZEJTh4lh3NhgepojeLzaBZm5DhHp6Ux3QJw8-JTuEw8oSY119Q73I9IuNoOeCMhxjGBty4IcU1on7_dAG3BUykMG0NzUnGeu1/s320/dm5701.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Blue Marlin Mount, State Archives of Florida/ Dale McDonald<br />Circa 1970 </i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>By Jane Feehan</p><p class="MsoNormal">Known today as the “Big Game Fishing Capital of the World,” Bimini
entered the international sport fishing scene during the 1930s. Before 1930, locals
were unable to land a marlin. The reason may surprise some.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Locals always knew the big fish were out there, but they didn’t
have the heavier, more expensive gear to land many, according to local historian
Ashley B. Saunders (<i>History of Bimini,</i> Vol. 1, Alice Town: New World
Press, 2000). <i>Miami Herald</i> fishing columnist Earl Roman also knew the
big ones were plentiful. But, in the early days, he returned to the mainland
with broken lightweight rods, cut lines and no game fish. </p><p class="MsoNormal">By 1933, possibilities
grew; he wrote about how “shallows and flats around Bimini are good for
bonefish hunting.” He recommended trolling with a heavy rod.<o:p></o:p></p>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhea2W5EzDTUrcyoKYxO3JNKFkyg8zGenVmzfMFu4XUtUZffA_EKhrFPEoUF8R5OYEA3tiyBbfT2veuTIJrlgTNGz9rG9B1iPkjny6yGR-3d26u5hwNPNXv7V8edk7WZ326I680gViWHVF5SW8ftabSCJdXLtwkpOw8xVH1gvP9JJXO9LeOiWpFqgaHNAaU/s776/c009737%20(1).jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="776" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhea2W5EzDTUrcyoKYxO3JNKFkyg8zGenVmzfMFu4XUtUZffA_EKhrFPEoUF8R5OYEA3tiyBbfT2veuTIJrlgTNGz9rG9B1iPkjny6yGR-3d26u5hwNPNXv7V8edk7WZ326I680gViWHVF5SW8ftabSCJdXLtwkpOw8xVH1gvP9JJXO9LeOiWpFqgaHNAaU/s320/c009737%20(1).jpg" width="247" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Earl Roman with student and <br />trolling rod 1948. State Archives of Florida</b></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal">Bimini, with fewer than 1000 residents during the early
1900s, was known for its beautiful aqua waters, attracting the yachting set years
before its sport fishing days. But the island could not provide much ice, had
little electricity and no docks except for one used for mail and supply boats
Nevertheless, yachters would visit from Florida, only 45 miles away, anchor in
Bimini Bay, cook food onboard or get to a beach on small boats provided by
locals where they could set up for meals. Steamship excursions, popular short
trips from Miami, were advertised during the 1920s—until the hurricanes of 1926
and 1928 took a terrible toll on its population and economy. Bleak days.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Ill winds seemingly began to turn in 1930, thanks in part to
Earl Roman’s column, <i>Angler’s Notes,</i> about Bimini fishing. U.S.-based Bimini
Enterprises, Inc., advertised 1,000 homesites were available for purchase on
this slice of the Bahamas. Flights $5 for the 20 minute-seaplane flight were offered
to view the lots, there, which had the “greatest fishing grounds in the world,”
and “where no passport is needed.” <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Bimini’s reputation as a game fish hotspot took off when
Miami-based fishing guide Tommy Gifford and fellow American Louis Wasey,
visited in 1933. They hooked a marlin but lost the fish after a dramatic
14-hour fight. </p><p class="MsoNormal">Months later, American writer and noted angler S. Kip Farrington
landed the first blue marlin off Bimini weighing 155 pounds. Betty Moore, yet
weeks later, hooked and fought a 502-pound blue marlin for a few hours that Louis
Wasey eventually managed to land. Bimini big game fishing launched like a sailfish
leaping out of blue ocean waters.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">According to Saunders, Tommy Gifford designed the “first
outriggers for deep sea fishing” and trained locals in big game fishing
techniques, equipment and bait.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Writer Ernest Hemingway, who was also a top-notch fisherman,
heard about the Bimini news. He traveled there in 1935 and remained with his
family at the Compleat Angler Hotel writing and fishing until 1937 (this landmark
hotel was destroyed by fire in 2006). Firsthand accounts of Hemingway’s fishing
endeavors are available in Saunders’ book.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fishing news from and about Bimini continued. The first big
game fishing tournament was held in 1940. None was held during World War II but
fishing events resumed and Bimini’s economy took off during the late 1940s with
expanded availability of electricity, ice, freezers, drinking water and construction
of docks and hotels. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Saunders notes the island’s first nightclub – Calypso Club
opened in 1947. Local restaurants also opened as did Bimini’s first straw works
kiosks. By 1949 big game fishing enthusiasts from around the world traveled to
the island in hopes of catching any of the game fish – bonefish, white marlin,
bluefin tuna, sailfish and swordfish. Locals created the high-profile Annual
Native Fishing Tournament during the 1960s; it remains as one of the key
fishing events to this day with world-wide participants. About swordfish: they only
swim at night. The first nighttime swordfish tourney was established in the
late ‘60s or early 70s <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Interest in Bimini, its people, big game fishing and today the
island’s real estate, grows. A population count in 2010 indicated 1,988
residents. In 2022 the count went up to 2,417. Real estate listings show homes sell from $250,000 to millions of dollars. Resident visitors are not all
there for the fishing. Bimini waters are beautiful and its people rock. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For lots of stories,tournaments, stats and more, visit
International Game Fishing Association at IGFA.org (located in Dania Beach off
I-95)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sources: <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Saunders, Ashley B. <i>History of Bimini,</i> Vol. 1, Alice
Town: New World Press, 2000.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Miami Herald</i>, Sept. 21, 1928<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Miami News</i>, May 18, 1930<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Miami Herald</i>, June 28, 1931<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Miami Herald,</i> July 12, 1933<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Miami Herald</i>, July 2, 1934<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Bahamas Realty</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="MsoHyperlink"><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="MsoHyperlink"><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Tags: Bimini history, Bimini fishing, Bimini big game
fishing, Miami history, marlin, tuna, swordfish, bonefish, Earl Roman<o:p></o:p></i></p>Jane Feehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171168025854524758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2084269498889973305.post-57560877614851021232023-09-20T12:58:00.007-07:002023-09-21T05:55:09.649-07:00Old Florida Book Shop - a bibliophile's treasure in Fort Lauderdale<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC1ta5RLs5PTHo3MJRKsef9h9zwAf3hu9Eh7_PmAGCUVc1MSG0NIkxf1LAjyNnlK1IKdSvax2bbvMBFt_tmt-zRuVsHQ10EEPIckRGF4URmBLs53cj2k8ZjO2XJZX46pFqq3j0VRL5FZpwITmTVJhSlfqCgYzv3SFuw7hQmOmbgb07LaRcHpy4hlfLWeY9/s4000/20230920_113346%20(2).jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC1ta5RLs5PTHo3MJRKsef9h9zwAf3hu9Eh7_PmAGCUVc1MSG0NIkxf1LAjyNnlK1IKdSvax2bbvMBFt_tmt-zRuVsHQ10EEPIckRGF4URmBLs53cj2k8ZjO2XJZX46pFqq3j0VRL5FZpwITmTVJhSlfqCgYzv3SFuw7hQmOmbgb07LaRcHpy4hlfLWeY9/w320-h240/20230920_113346%20(2).jpg" width="320" /></a> </p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;">William Chrisant & Sons’<br /><b>Old Florida Book Shop</b></span><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">3426 Griffin Road (not far from Tropical Acres restaurant). <br />Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312 <br />Open Monday-Saturday: 11 am-6 pm; Sunday, 1-6 pm <br /><b>954-319-1441 </b><br /><a href="mailto:williamchrisant@gmail.com">williamchrisant@gmail.com</a> <br /><a href="https://www.oldfloridabookshop.com/">https://www.oldfloridabookshop.com</a><a href="https://www.oldfloridabookshop.com/">/</a></span></p>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk146113410;"></span>
</span><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p>By Jane Feehan</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">Many who visit this blog may also be interested in a local
one-of-a-kind bookstore. </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">Old Florida Book Shop, independent of the big book selling
chains, reminds me of a few such stores in New Orleans with books tightly lined
up from entrance to rear and up to the ceiling on dark wood shelving and in elegant
mahogany, glass-doored cases. There’s literally more than meets the eye at this
Fort Lauderdale store. Books are stacked behind the visibly shelved tomes as
well. It’s a treasure hunt for bibliophiles.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAUjLq3xxAi_Vx8WKEeNppRaSOetL1y6CtsRV6KoNT9e64x9_M_FAFufrLDdpdIHFmP3EhuJJHJfdc3bqy1WxlF19OodLAXfjVqXMcSNja7S3icfBtS2FS47h6MAEcvPTc5I7wMvFmh67rwYF5sCHGo_zA2z4V4GVR1460XTv79Nns91DtRNBZcjHsl8Nt/s3759/20230920_115302.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2819" data-original-width="3759" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAUjLq3xxAi_Vx8WKEeNppRaSOetL1y6CtsRV6KoNT9e64x9_M_FAFufrLDdpdIHFmP3EhuJJHJfdc3bqy1WxlF19OodLAXfjVqXMcSNja7S3icfBtS2FS47h6MAEcvPTc5I7wMvFmh67rwYF5sCHGo_zA2z4V4GVR1460XTv79Nns91DtRNBZcjHsl8Nt/w200-h150/20230920_115302.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: medium;">And what would such a store be without a cat? Peter the
cat would like you to think this is his place, but the Old Florida Book Shop belongs
to William Chrisant who came here 13 years ago from Philadelphia. He brought
thousands of books about countless subjects: American literature, ancient
history, antiques, architecture, art, biographies, mathematics, medicine, local
histories, and much more. He continues to build the collection for customers.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">T</span><span style="font-size: medium;">here is a small section on Florida, another on
the American West, the Bahamas and various cities throughout the country, to mention a few categories. Books
flow in and out so genres may expand. </span><span style="font-size: medium;">Old Florida Book Shop, represented as “Buyers and sellers of books, antique maps, vintage magazines and ephemera since 1978,” also sells some books online (<a href="https://www.oldfloridabookshop.com/">https://www.oldfloridabookshop.com/</a>). Books on shelves outside the store are available to browse and purchase any time, even after hours. It operates on an honor system arrangement that works well. </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuVOzUM4gY3Iaac4Gi6UUCka-HBORBFVDrw6QQQaRCWjfQmARfq1otNBwimPrbsLnjrlo61ADwF1s0uIVYbwO9QI-5gEvq4r4eVShxiA8mN4Ykbc_2wJZiYtccxTPP77jbttn-_bxvLkxfUFFTLDbx_bSSwVoMobLtNOvGy8dd70SbEnffDY3jwBhjw9c8/s4000/20230920_115426.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuVOzUM4gY3Iaac4Gi6UUCka-HBORBFVDrw6QQQaRCWjfQmARfq1otNBwimPrbsLnjrlo61ADwF1s0uIVYbwO9QI-5gEvq4r4eVShxiA8mN4Ykbc_2wJZiYtccxTPP77jbttn-_bxvLkxfUFFTLDbx_bSSwVoMobLtNOvGy8dd70SbEnffDY3jwBhjw9c8/s320/20230920_115426.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Store front where books are always available. Seen from street.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: medium;"></span><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">Old Florida Book Shop sits in a small strip center, which
belies its quaint atmosphere. Expect to enter a different world after opening
the door to this establishment with its rich, dark wood, Oriental carpets and wide
universe of wonderful books, maps and periodicals. And let Peter know he’s the
boss, in a manner of speaking.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd2PdeQTxK6SKEvnx3fr9ALG8lJAJbGe6AOdzI78OCkxiGYFcQZrcmwimidYt55V0T3yvzXzRDCD-XGottpzhcdOncVfbv3zHRTYdJHxSxsjE9p3XUOxGjPsx8_X8FMOoAM7YNooj0_zP--IqSB2j6ILIO5wFbhNo7ojQquofK-njtRH0_BSY1QUpmlHe-/s4000/20230920_113139.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd2PdeQTxK6SKEvnx3fr9ALG8lJAJbGe6AOdzI78OCkxiGYFcQZrcmwimidYt55V0T3yvzXzRDCD-XGottpzhcdOncVfbv3zHRTYdJHxSxsjE9p3XUOxGjPsx8_X8FMOoAM7YNooj0_zP--IqSB2j6ILIO5wFbhNo7ojQquofK-njtRH0_BSY1QUpmlHe-/s320/20230920_113139.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peter</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8BglR2EwNVuQEQMDC87MoXHmTs6eJrqHyVrmD3hHqD2Urxnwxt4040MU6FjHrFmIYGHwu8lHU51xBUwTx18_97coh0pKQxF7LwMkSSAA8E_78WlxSp8ksNJuTgsi00kYOrXKC8Njjkcry6A2UobaEzxpdxBugt_Z8kogGPggUVwvUw_sf3AFqvP8_aGZ0/s4000/20230920_113146.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8BglR2EwNVuQEQMDC87MoXHmTs6eJrqHyVrmD3hHqD2Urxnwxt4040MU6FjHrFmIYGHwu8lHU51xBUwTx18_97coh0pKQxF7LwMkSSAA8E_78WlxSp8ksNJuTgsi00kYOrXKC8Njjkcry6A2UobaEzxpdxBugt_Z8kogGPggUVwvUw_sf3AFqvP8_aGZ0/s320/20230920_113146.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Books abundant</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMkCMJTOcBnm-1LeuLk3B1Lw4wEuAOXcnpmQ4xS7hEc0aARIK65n0p5hdqxy1ScV6qqpsgeK-Ls1VCNdawdSh3xWZJ7esnuzaFHC1Y5CmxIKZ-WZE3RCcmuYR00akoKX1oyjEefQebACFHygoXAjbcR9cohxW5GA71bpnhDZQt4tCn1fhx304CP-ESxB1W/s4000/20230920_115216.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMkCMJTOcBnm-1LeuLk3B1Lw4wEuAOXcnpmQ4xS7hEc0aARIK65n0p5hdqxy1ScV6qqpsgeK-Ls1VCNdawdSh3xWZJ7esnuzaFHC1Y5CmxIKZ-WZE3RCcmuYR00akoKX1oyjEefQebACFHygoXAjbcR9cohxW5GA71bpnhDZQt4tCn1fhx304CP-ESxB1W/s320/20230920_115216.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Topics, some arcane or fascinating</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Tags: Fort Lauderdale Book Shop</i></span><p></p>Jane Feehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171168025854524758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2084269498889973305.post-51011986016488648002023-09-11T13:56:00.006-07:002023-09-18T06:31:47.701-07:00Fort Lauderdale's Croissant Park and its colorful developer Frank Croissant - of Roll Royces, diamonds and a solid gold dinner service <p> </p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6JMC87lDdf74cB8gRslPeGHGyI5d0qltvw4p5Vs0ELDFqI0KVxLzx4vGRvqNEoQp7yFp8sj_Wf_J1qrUCHfiWmVKkNS3-Qc8GJ_96suuxC8a5pbFyugwF1GwmXOKUdZWnRkE5oQVdvHs6jYY13XmnFqWsfV7cqk8LtHkqrUhoKSpMKfzqztTx-78pmz5/s3660/20230911_134318.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2039" data-original-width="3660" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6JMC87lDdf74cB8gRslPeGHGyI5d0qltvw4p5Vs0ELDFqI0KVxLzx4vGRvqNEoQp7yFp8sj_Wf_J1qrUCHfiWmVKkNS3-Qc8GJ_96suuxC8a5pbFyugwF1GwmXOKUdZWnRkE5oQVdvHs6jYY13XmnFqWsfV7cqk8LtHkqrUhoKSpMKfzqztTx-78pmz5/w320-h178/20230911_134318.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Croissant Park Administration Building<br /> at 1421 South Andrews Avenue</span> <br /><br /></b></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>By Jane Feehan</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">Many may know of or grew up in Croissant Park, one of the
oldest neighborhoods in Fort Lauderdale. Few are familiar with its namesake,
Frank Croissant, and his colorful life.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">Born in Brooklyn in 1887, the hugely successful real
estate developer (self-described “World’s Greatest Salesman), pursued
business opportunities across the U.S. After operating in Ohio and moving to
Detroit where he was associated with Henry Ford in real estate, Croissant relocated
to Fort Lauderdale in January 1925.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">He bought about 1,200 acres in an area south of the New
River and Las Olas Boulevard on the west side of Andrews Avenue. The Croissant
Park Administration Building, site of his sales office, still sits on South
Andrews Avenue and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in
2001. Sales at Croissant Park were brisk; those were the boom days. Today asking prices for a few houses in that
neighborhood are close to $500,000.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">Croissant’s plans for his subdivision included a hotel, the
Croissantania (also the name of a local baseball team he may have promoted). Designed
by architect John M. Peterman, and built by DeCato Construction Co., the 125-room
hotel failed to become a reality. Though started in late 1925, the cost of labor
and shortage of materials first
slowed or delayed the hotel project; it was then halted by the 1926 hurricane. By
the end of 1926 and several years after, G. Frank Croissant Co. was the defendant
in several lawsuits over mismanagement of money and other disputes.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">Some news accounts reported Croissant was worth $30
million resulting from all his real estate endeavors, but it was said he lost
most of it in the 1929 stock market crash. He probably lost a significant portion
of that fortune beforehand, in the South Florida land bust following that hurricane.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">Reversal of fortune did not slow down Croissant nor sour
him on Fort Lauderdale. He bought tracts of land in Northern New Jersey (Teaneck,
West Englewood, Bergenfield) for development. He opened offices in Europe,
including London, Paris, Madrid and Mallorca, where he often talked up Fort
Lauderdale, referred to then as “the Friendly City.” Croissant could claim 56
offices with 1,200 salesmen in 11 states and seven countries.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">Some say he was involved in the launch or promotion of New
York’s radio station WNYC. The station was established in 1924 but his
involvement is unconfirmed. </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">He, wife Harriet and son moved to Mallorca,
Spain in 1933 or 1934 where he reportedly sold more than 8,000 lots in assorted
projects. Included in those lots was one he sold to actress Claudette Colbert, another
to Hollywood heartthrob Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">Croissant’s 13-year-old son died in a mountain climbing
accident in Spain and a civil war erupted there in 1936—both spurring the
developer’s return to Fort Lauderdale. </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">On his return, he was involved in the constructions of Port Everglades, in promoting Hialeah Park racing and operating a stable of 110
horses. He also had his sights set on a project in North Palm Beach near today’s
Donald Ross Road. It was abandoned after his death. Ever the entrepreneur, he
returned in 1952 from a business trip to Colombia where he landed a few dog
track concessions.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">A high-profile resident, Croissant remained in local
headlines about his business and civic activities and frequent lawsuits. In 1950 he was
charged by the federal government with participation in a $2 million international lottery ring. Charges were dropped due to lack of evidence.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">In 1954, <i>Fort Lauderdale News </i>columnist Wesley W.
Stout provided a list of items and activities that distinguished Croissant as one
of the town’s most colorful characters:</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.75in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Won more horse races than all other racetrack notables
in 1925-26</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">Owned a 154-ft yacht, the <i style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Jemima F</i></span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">Owned three Rolls Royce cars simultaneously</span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">Owned a Lockheed Vega aircraft piloted by world
famous Clarence Chamberlain</span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">Given a 476 solid gold dinner service set by his
sales team (stored in a Dania bank vault)</span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">Gave his wife a 31- carat diamond pendant and a
22 carat stone</span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;">“Put out of business” by the Spanish Civil War</span></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">Frank Croissant died at his Fort Lauderdale home on
Andrews Avenue December 5, 1956, of a brain hemorrhage. Left to his wife, his
estate was worth about $10 million.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">He was, indeed, a colorful character …</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;">For more on Frank Croissant, see: </span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p><a href="https://janeshistorynook.blogspot.com/2021/02/frank-croissant-worlds-greatest-salesman.html"><span style="font-size: medium;">https://janeshistorynook.blogspot.com/2021/02/frank-croissant-worlds-greatest-salesman.html</span></a></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p> </o:p><b>Sources:</b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, Dec. 9, 1925<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, Oct. 5, 1925<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale News, </i>May 22, 1926<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, July 2, 1926<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, Dec. 9, 1925<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, Nov. 10, 1939<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, Nov. 10, 1950<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, Dec. 28, 1951<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale News,</i> Aug. 6, 1952<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale News,</i> Feb. 12, 1954<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, Dec. 6, 1956<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale News,</i> Dec. 7, 1956<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, Dec. 24, 1956<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Tags: Fort Lauderdale neighborhoods, Croissant Park, Fort Lauderdale in the 1920s, Fort Lauderdale developers, history of Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale history, Fort Lauderdale communities</i></p>Jane Feehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171168025854524758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2084269498889973305.post-3778444881055601442023-09-01T10:32:00.002-07:002023-11-24T05:47:53.946-08:00Mid-century modern masterpiece - Sea Tower of Fort Lauderdale<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcXDOTI6MAg55bVemmC_8n1BvSY1vawUZ18g7Wo0Li9WfnE1bkan1EdkRkM9NtTfV7K6jeKlArNJyntLpMfAHtXJ65u2-u2Bnm5fuiJK6kKahuBGuflmBA7SFQhupLSjxW3xGPdzopoQYJHPnoMUxWqMTNbMxD2OOCAM1vVaO7oJpozEhIagQHjDJUQNNu/s4000/20230827_125723.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcXDOTI6MAg55bVemmC_8n1BvSY1vawUZ18g7Wo0Li9WfnE1bkan1EdkRkM9NtTfV7K6jeKlArNJyntLpMfAHtXJ65u2-u2Bnm5fuiJK6kKahuBGuflmBA7SFQhupLSjxW3xGPdzopoQYJHPnoMUxWqMTNbMxD2OOCAM1vVaO7oJpozEhIagQHjDJUQNNu/s320/20230827_125723.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Sea Tower 2023, rear, facing beach</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">Sea Tower Apartments<br />2840 North Ocean Drive<br />Fort Lauderdale</span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">By Jane Feehan</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Fort Lauderdale first saw high-rise apartments go up in the
late 1950s. One, the Sea Tower, was announced in 1956 and completed in November
1957. News accounts claimed it was one of two of the city’s first high rises. The
other was Spring Tide at 345 Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard. Both built by
Col. T.J. Murrell (Palm Springs Corporation), they stand at 11 stories. Today
they would be described as mid rises. (For more high-rise history, see index.)</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>This post focuses on the Sea Tower, an elegant building
designed by noted Miami architect, Igor Polevitzky (1911-1978). He also
designed Sunrise Tower on Intracoastal Drive in Fort Lauderdale, Hotel Habana
Riviera in Cuba, once owned by mob figure Meyer Lansky </span><span> </span><span>(See index for Meyer Lansky)</span><span>, the Albion
in Miami, and several beautiful residences (Tropotype style). including the
Birdcage house in Miami. The Sea Tower is described as a “masterpiece of mid-century
modern architecture.”</span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;">Sea Tower was reportedly built for $2.02 million. I’m not sure if it was launched as a rental before it was recognized as a co-op, but in late 1957, news items reported it as the “tallest co-op in Fort Lauderdale.” Accounts vary as to number of units, 84, 83 or 81 apartments. Carports appeared to be an afterthought as construction began on them in 1958, after opening. <br /><br />Advertised as sitting in the North Beach neighborhood, Sea Tower could also claim a city park as a nearby feature leading to the ocean. In 1957, its board announced a contribution of $4,900 to the city of Fort Lauderdale for its Vista Park, which remains. The park today refers to the beach and its parking lot steps away. </span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtUHOJkW6Qh6z3-w9AtdADRenUVMEV89U0YBim351o9_dL_hcBSnAlxT4b7fTNgJTy52YYl2j8GJG-nkuicQ1DTw2gvT3szZ2SzR-CuUTEXUWy4YVMZJSC8rMVx4WyxXKdPVI5o2A7q3uYW1RaiuPwABT0T8aNbvJZB-5nsENKN6t7Vl4RaWqgw6fbblqt/s4000/20230827_125952.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtUHOJkW6Qh6z3-w9AtdADRenUVMEV89U0YBim351o9_dL_hcBSnAlxT4b7fTNgJTy52YYl2j8GJG-nkuicQ1DTw2gvT3szZ2SzR-CuUTEXUWy4YVMZJSC8rMVx4WyxXKdPVI5o2A7q3uYW1RaiuPwABT0T8aNbvJZB-5nsENKN6t7Vl4RaWqgw6fbblqt/w200-h150/20230827_125952.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Park at rear of Sea Tower <br />with<br /> beach steps away</span></b></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Ads announced initial sale prices for a one-bedroom unit at
$21,000-$25,000. Two-bedrooms sold for $27,000-$39,000. Early ads indicated
prices for penthouses were “available upon request.” A </span><i style="font-size: large;">Fort Lauderdale News</i><span style="font-size: large;">
article in 1957 reported a penthouse for sale for $300,000—a hefty price tag in
those days.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>In 1958 real estate news waxed enthusiastic about Sea Tower’s
unique offerings: kitchens with a “food preparation center,” a built-in
combination food mixer, blender and knife sharpener. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, an opt-in membership was available for
services such as car washes, laundry, food and beverage delivery, travel reservations,
swimming and skin-diving instructions, beach cabanas, boat trips—even hair appointments.
La de dah …</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<span style="font-size: medium;">A glance at board member occupations during these early days may point to perceived justification for such services: a senior vice president of Gulf Oil, president of General Elevator Co., vice president of Retail Credit Co.; vice president of Remington Arms, a subsidiary of DuPont Co.; research engineer for the U.S. Navy and consultant to General Electric Co.</span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br />In March of 1958, news accounts reported that 25 liens for nearly $227,600 were filed against the builder, Palm Springs Company, Holland Construction and Engineering and others for unpaid bills. A court transferred the liens to corporate surety bond deposits. <br /><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: large;">Today, Sea Tower retains its elegance in this quiet beachside neighborhood. Many houses in the area, once averaging $25,000, have been replaced by mansions running for a million dollars at the low end and a few topping $20 million.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />As of this post, a one-bedroom Sea Tower apartment sells for $549,000, a two-bedroom for $620,000. Bargains, considering Galt Ocean Mile condo prices.</span><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p> </o:p>Sources:</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p> </o:p><a name="_Hlk144463301"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i></a>,
Feb. 10, 1957</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale News, </i>Oct. 9, 1957<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale News, </i>Nov. 2, 1957<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale News, </i>March 26, 1958<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale News, </i>May 24, 1958<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale News, </i>June 21, 1958<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale News, </i>Aug. 2, 1958<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale News, </i>March 5, 1963<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale News, </i>May 16, 1965<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Sea Tower<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Tags: Fort Lauderdale high-rises, Sea Tower, Fort Lauderdale in the 1950s, Igor Polevitzky</i></div><br /></div>Jane Feehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171168025854524758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2084269498889973305.post-53688799521723198372023-08-11T10:45:00.004-07:002024-03-12T14:50:17.486-07:00Whatever happened to White Castle and Royal Castle, two hamburger kings<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh20irFlePJckvejy5HO3PTNAKBHZ7XpxRH0lov7QoH-PtWPQukwI6XBYvWtGzLlyBkm5LHJKyeeoTq1SjvW8AhNseWASmbcfFAZrGdz-vIj42A_2UzBAPvnbolbpoqavjghV35sMCE8mw1c6N_GLauYAw9D7X_Bc9WW-7jYEKDcwsGDHD0LBc6EnkkL8lo/s1200/Royal%20Castle%20Tallahasse%201969%20Slade.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="826" data-original-width="1200" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh20irFlePJckvejy5HO3PTNAKBHZ7XpxRH0lov7QoH-PtWPQukwI6XBYvWtGzLlyBkm5LHJKyeeoTq1SjvW8AhNseWASmbcfFAZrGdz-vIj42A_2UzBAPvnbolbpoqavjghV35sMCE8mw1c6N_GLauYAw9D7X_Bc9WW-7jYEKDcwsGDHD0LBc6EnkkL8lo/s320/Royal%20Castle%20Tallahasse%201969%20Slade.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Lining up at Royal Castle opening in 1969 - Tallahassee<br />State Archives of Florida/Slade</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">By Jane Feehan</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Not an in-depth history of two iconic burger joints, this
post answers “whatever happened to.” White Castle and Royal Castle operate today. Find out where below.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">White Castle</span><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">White Castle, established in 1921, is touted as the granddaddy
of burger joints. Founded with a borrowed sum of $700 by Walter A. Anderson and
E.W. “Billy” Ingram in Wichita, Kansas, the company established headquarters in Columbus,
Ohio. It was incorporated as White Castle System of Eating Houses Corporation. The
company operated at the vanguard of the carry out concept with its invitation
to “Buy ‘em by the sack.” The company also patented the use of holes in their square burgers for fast cooking. Sliders (only 12 cents) served as
mainstay of the business.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Billy Ingram (died 1966) moved to Miami where he opened two stores in 1958
(perhaps a third). The first one was located at Flagler and NW 27 Avenue. The
other unit operated near NE 163<sup>rd</sup> Street. By the mid 1960s
competition ramped up with McDonald’s, Burger King, Lum’s, Neba, Arby’s and
others claiming market space. By 1967, White Castle closed in Florida. Supply chain issues were to blame, according to news accounts.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Today the company operates more than 300 units throughout
the U.S., mostly in the Midwest and Northeast. It resumed expansion in 2015 after
a 56-year hiatus with a store in Las Vegas. News for White Castle aficionados
in Florida: their largest store (4,500 sf) opened in 2021 in Orlando off Interstate
4.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good move;
it serves more hamburgers (some plant-based) than any of their other stores. Some
say it’s the biggest burger joint in the world</span>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Royal Castle<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">William D. Singer (died in 1988) founded Royal Castle in Miami in 1938. By the
1960s, they had 150 locations in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Ohio. In 1969,
Royal Castle with its round burgers (and breakfast items) ranked third in the nation for fast food or “short order” restaurants
with 175 units. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">In 1969, John Y. Brown, through his Performance Systems, Inc.,
bought the chain, which had gone public, for about $9 million. Brown had fast food experience.
He purchased Kentucky Fried Chicken from its creator Harland Sanders in 1964
for $2 million. Today it’s worth more than $19 million. Performance Systems also owned Minnie Pearl’s Fried Chicken when it acquired Royal Castle. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Rapid expansion took a toll on Performance Systems. Royal Castle dissolved
in 1975 (Brown served as governor of Kentucky 1979-1983 with wife and
Miss America, Phyllis George at his side. He loved South Florida where I met him
during the 1970s; he died in 2022). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Good news for Royal Castle fans: ONE remains in Miami at 2700
NW 79<sup>th</sup> Street. Owned and operated for years by James Brimberry and
his wife, Josephine, the store was purchased by their grandson James in 2019.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;">For indepth information, see Burger Beast.</span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sources:</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Miami Herald,</i> Nov. 13, 1958<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, July 18, 1963<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale News,</i> May 21, 1966<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Miami News,</i> March 29, 1968<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Miami Herald</i>, March 2, 1969<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>New York Times</i>, Jul 15, 1988<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Miami Herald</i>, July 15, 1988<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Tampa Bay Times</i>, Nov. 26, 2019<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>New York Times</i>, Nov. 25, 2022<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="https://www.whitecastle.com/">https://www.whitecastle.com</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p> </o:p><a href="https://burgerbeast.com/royal-castle/">https://burgerbeast.com/royal-castle/</a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://burgerbeast.com/?s=white+castle">https://burgerbeast.com/?s=white+castle</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/white-castle-celebrates-successful-first-year-in-orlando-301531331.html#:~:text=White%20Castle's%20restaurant%20in%20Orlando,just%20one%20year%20in%20business">https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/white-castle-celebrates-successful-first-year-in-orlando-301531331.html#:~:text=White%20Castle's%20restaurant%20in%20Orlando,just%20one%20year%20in%20business</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i>Tags: Florida restaurant hisory, White Castle Hamburgers, Royal Castle Hamburgers</i></p>Jane Feehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171168025854524758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2084269498889973305.post-53847339901795910932023-07-19T06:09:00.007-07:002023-10-22T15:48:06.197-07:00Edgar Gould, his island off Las Olas and a new page in Fort Lauderdale history<p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgoYMTMhbtN1phOketT2QSN9X7rVkQf2HsfBEFP9_Os78Yt58ZPcJink1qmUzvOEu4dm2XxD_GqRcc4Y3fQXVINmFxWest1uIPrbEAXkHgv8_0N7Hf9rkwQ0S-m9fAb5P-0_6PkXD4u0PdFokjRIxm_xdVJEKG3U3By7Brz6vaGe9YmaXrSNZlOKkEqXOT/s310/Gould%20Plan%202.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="206" data-original-width="310" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgoYMTMhbtN1phOketT2QSN9X7rVkQf2HsfBEFP9_Os78Yt58ZPcJink1qmUzvOEu4dm2XxD_GqRcc4Y3fQXVINmFxWest1uIPrbEAXkHgv8_0N7Hf9rkwQ0S-m9fAb5P-0_6PkXD4u0PdFokjRIxm_xdVJEKG3U3By7Brz6vaGe9YmaXrSNZlOKkEqXOT/s1600/Gould%20Plan%202.jpg" width="310" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Plans drawn for development - 1940<br />Courtesy of Debbie Gould Tucker</span><br /><br /><br /></i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">By Jane Feehan</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Edgar Davis Gould’s purchase of a swampy, mangrove-covered island
off Las Olas Boulevard in March 1940 was reported as the largest single
transaction in that area since the boom days of the 1920s. Created in 1925 with
soil dredged from New River, the property had been held by Mr. and Ms. W.L.
Mensendieck since 1935. The sales price was not revealed in news accounts.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Work began within 10 days after the contract was signed with
installation of a water main by the city of Fort Lauderdale and immediate
landscaping with royal palms. Gould planned 50 lots. He worked with other
property owners and the city to widen and beautify the bridge to the area off
23<sup>rd</sup> Avenue (an area now known as Seven Isles but at one time
Lauderdale Isles). <i>Fort Lauderdale News</i> claimed, “development of Gould
Island writes a new page in history of Fort Lauderdale’s growth.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Gould also may have written a new page in sales history.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">In May of 1941, the <i>Fort Lauderdale News</i> reported he
had sold eight more lots than any agent selling off Las Olas. Gould had set a record:
he sold 10 lots in 10 days. He made big waves after arriving in 1940, just months
before the “island” purchase and launch of its development. Lots generally went
for $4,000. Larger, waterfront lots sold for $17,500 in 1944. The island was
completely developed by 1945.* A recent (2023) search of real estate listings there featured a house for sale for more than $31 million.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Some said Gould’s immediate sales success was a credit to
his planning skills. Others would say his law degree from Harvard University in
1900 set his course. Though he practiced law in Boston, his birthplace, he
changed careers after five years. He stepped into advertising in New York City and then
served as manager and director of the Regal Shoe Company.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Granddaughter Debbie Gould Tucker, today a St. Augustine
resident along with husband Bill Tucker, says the family isn’t quite sure why
he left New Rochelle, New York but it may have been because his son (Debbie’s
father) and namesake Edgar D. Gould II or “Bill” as he was called, was serving
in the U.S. Navy in Fort Lauderdale where he also made his home. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">The senior Gould’s move to Fort Lauderdale was a good one at
the right time. His sales record, the newspaper reported, “establishes him as
number one representative of the spirit, tempo and enterprise which has kept
Fort Lauderdale in the van [guard] of the nation’s fastest-growing cities for
the last decade.”</span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRd2UnUfLPBudmlPnJoTubGhQ5epYzjRG5NJUm3N2EqqFh3Bcy_TKB5sqjHzIw3q-Qtr3mkx264slTcsIPnRQX0TSphA_2g1xPVzu43bxnKnNAB6_vaSJ2JpoB5TtaG0TOeJUWZhIZKt2j1wK-1hnp4gy_yRCINuJnmwKSG4NIZxHmkaTp583HIQB0HcL_/s310/Gould%20Castle%20and%20bridge%202.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="127" data-original-width="310" height="127" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRd2UnUfLPBudmlPnJoTubGhQ5epYzjRG5NJUm3N2EqqFh3Bcy_TKB5sqjHzIw3q-Qtr3mkx264slTcsIPnRQX0TSphA_2g1xPVzu43bxnKnNAB6_vaSJ2JpoB5TtaG0TOeJUWZhIZKt2j1wK-1hnp4gy_yRCINuJnmwKSG4NIZxHmkaTp583HIQB0HcL_/s1600/Gould%20Castle%20and%20bridge%202.jpg" width="310" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Gould Castle and widened bridge circa 1940<br />Courtesy of Debbie Gould Tucker</span><br /><br /></i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">He built one of the first homes on Gould Island in 1941 on
Del Mar Drive. The architect was Carlos B. Schoeppl and the builder was Richardson
Construction, Debbie’s uncle. He landscaped the home with a circular tower (thus
its name, Gould’s Castle) with a Victory V and with two royal palms on either
side as “sentinels” (see photo). It was dressed up with planted “Legion of Honor
marigolds,” a fitting acknowledgment of World War II efforts. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Advertisements for the island highlighted 97.5-foot frontage
on lots that were already graded to street level in a community just two or
three minutes to the beach and three or four minutes “to town.” One ad closed
with encouragement to “call your broker or Mr. Gould at his home at 1621.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Gould’s real estate endeavors included the purchase of
Donaldson Apartments from the Donaldson estate in 1943 for $45,000. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the largest real estate transaction of
the week prior to Dec. 11. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">The building featured 10 large apartments and a
penthouse (it remains today as a renamed boutique hotel behind the Sheraton at
300 N. Birch Rd.). This is what Debbie Gould Tucker remembers fondly of grandfather’s
Fort Lauderdale legacy. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">“We spent summer days there, just off the beach, with a
clear view of the Intracoastal,” Debbie recollects. “During the winter, visitors—family
friends—came from New Rochelle for three months. My grandmother Lalia, Edgar’s
wife, lived there with her sister after he died.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Gould died Jan. 28, 1945, at age 70 just a few years after
moving to Fort Lauderdale. He left a big legacy in a short time including his son,
Bill, who went into local yacht sales, granddaughter Debbie, and her three
siblings, Patty, Billy and Eddie, all born in Fort Lauderdale. They are also
related to the Slayton family (auto sales). Bill Gould’s children grew up near
the Las Olas Isles, but Debbie often drove—well, nearly flew—over today's seven
bridges connecting the streets of Gould Island for fun (as a few of us did as
highschoolers). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her husband, Bill
Tucker, is related to Verne Tucker who contributed a column in the <i>Fort
Lauderdale News</i>, Sun Strokes, a chuckle maker. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">A chat with most anyone born in Fort Lauderdale during the
1940s or 50s tends to weave a map of family connections with contributions to our
history. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">This, the way we used to be ….</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> -----</span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">*Today, Seven Isles is home to about 1,100 residents in 315 households
on nine streets:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">Aqua Vista Boulevard<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">Barcelona Drive<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">Castilla Isle<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">Del Mar Place<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">De Sota Drive<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">De Sota Terrace<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">Pelican Isle<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">Sea Island Drive<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">Seven Isles Drive</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sources:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, March 1, 1940<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, March 18, 1940<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, May 7, 1940<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, Sept. 6, 1940<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, March 9, 1941<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Fort Lauderdale News,</i> April 27, 1941<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, May 25, 1941 <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Fort Lauderdale News,</i> Sept. 14, 1941<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, Aug. 4, 1941<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, Nov. 2, 1941<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, Aug. 25, 1943<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, Dec. 11, 1943<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, Feb. 2, 1944<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, Jan. 29, 1945<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><b>Tags: Fort Lauderdale history, history of Fort Lauderdale, Seven Isles, Fort Lauderdale communities, Edgar D. Gould, Debbie Gould Tucker</b></i></p>Jane Feehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171168025854524758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2084269498889973305.post-34724071276833676682023-07-12T12:18:00.006-07:002023-07-25T15:25:34.778-07:00Lumber schooners delivered what railroads could not to Fort Lauderdale <p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz2Qs6H8Gr234gQyHLdefyqn3fmNo9xm-u7XIQ4N5adPuHTB7_YgjVDyR-rDv85-PK964HhWwWCee02fsOB7hHIjPUvUW17dfZ-nOfWrgu1siGpJR7RgaDxOJg4dxjbylbxsH8xgPNtKO_pHd0flh7TL0oPfZKIqGYr9lB9ew0CIAkuxW64FhOXIS9-eQt/s600/Abandoned%20schooners%20Miami%201926.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz2Qs6H8Gr234gQyHLdefyqn3fmNo9xm-u7XIQ4N5adPuHTB7_YgjVDyR-rDv85-PK964HhWwWCee02fsOB7hHIjPUvUW17dfZ-nOfWrgu1siGpJR7RgaDxOJg4dxjbylbxsH8xgPNtKO_pHd0flh7TL0oPfZKIqGYr9lB9ew0CIAkuxW64FhOXIS9-eQt/s320/Abandoned%20schooners%20Miami%201926.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Abandoned lumber schooners in Miami 1926<br />State Archives of Florida </i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">By Jane Feehan</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“A new era in water
transportation for Fort Lauderdale” was heralded in 1925 with the arrival of schooners
delivering lumber. The Florida East Coast Railway could not meet the delivery demands
of the city’s construction boom; ships expanded its logistics.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">To supplement rail efforts, schooners were pulled out of storage
or quickly constructed as “lighters” to move lumber, other building materials,
plumbing supplies or furniture from Charleston, Savannah, Jacksonville and
other east coast ports. They traveled by ocean or inland waterway. Ships brought what the railroad could not. It wasn’t necessarily the easiest solution.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">In November 1925, the 73-foot Spanish schooner <i>Padro Garcia</i>
hit electric wires strung across New River, causing city outages until Southern
Utility Company came to the rescue. About 4,500 volts lit up and damaged the
ship’s anchor chain and other metal parts. The crew of eight along with a tabby
cat and brindle bulldog were rescued. So were 80 tons of expensive 100-year-old Spanish
tiles.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">Storms wrecked a few ocean-going schooners off the Florida coast
(crews were all saved). When they arrived at the harbor of Fort Lauderdale, some
ships encountered problems navigating the sand bar blocking Lake Mabel, which
was not cleared and opened as a port until 1928 (later Port Everglades). Other
schooners coming down the waterway needed power boat or tugboat assistance moving through
Tarpon Bend on the way to city docks.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">Ships also carried cargo to the Las Olas Sound in the Idlewyld area.
In December 1925, the largest schooner to arrive in Fort Lauderdale, the 215-foot
<i>Richmond</i> with its nine-foot draft, was temporarily grounded in 7.5 feet
of water while trying to reach the sound. It carried 320,000 feet of lumber, but
the crew had to offload 130,000 feet to raft ashore; it
was bound for Broward Lumber Company who picked up the valuable wood near the Las Olas
Bridge. (Opened in 1924, the company advertised its motto: “We invented service in Fort Lauderdale.”)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">The three-masted <i>Richmond</i>, sailing from Savannah, stopped in
Fort Lauderdale on August 25, 1926, just weeks before the devastating September hurricane. The ship had been temporarily sidelined by a storm near Jacksonville
and carried 300 tons of Long Island gravel. The cargo was used for repair from
another hurricane and construction of the city’s waterworks, including its
sewers. Little did they know that Fort Lauderdale would soon need other recovery supplies.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">Mills and Mills, the company that owned the <i>Richmond,</i>
established offices at the Sunset Building on Andrews Avenue. They hoped the schooner would be
making a Fort Lauderdale stop every three weeks. They anticipated that Fort
Lauderdale would be developed into “one of the finest seaports in Florida.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">Mills and Mills was right about Fort Lauderdale’s status as a seaport.
Nature and economics proved them wrong about the viability of lumber schooners. After the Great
Hurricane of 1926, South Florida boom days turned into an economic retreat. </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;">Many schooners were abandoned, especially in Miami (see photo above) where there was far more
dockage at Bayfront. But the reason to abandon wasn’t necessarily the devastating
hurricane; seldom was there a return cargo. Most abandoned schooners were destined
for lumber salvage.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span> </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Miami Tribune,</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> Nov. 30, 1924<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Fort Lauderdale News, June 18, 1925<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Fort Lauderdale News</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">, Oct. 13, 1925<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Fort Lauderdale News,</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> Nov. 3, 1925 <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Fort Lauderdale News,</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> Nov. 4, 1925 <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Fort Lauderdale News</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">, March 6, 1926<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Fort Lauderdale News</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> Aug. 26, 1926 <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Miami Herald,</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> March 24, 1926<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><i>Tags: Fort Lauderdale history, history of Fort Lauderdale, transportation history, Fort Lauderdale in the 1920s</i></span></p>Jane Feehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171168025854524758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2084269498889973305.post-30217762414817805742023-07-06T09:01:00.004-07:002023-07-06T12:12:30.879-07:00Fort Lauderdale and the seasonal sweep of the city broom<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8usu5JKuk4lo3W7VatbAX04aOKDzliVzN6smsotT8XjJQRyvxx6nYaP11tu-kujGe_mg-OaLCRI3FExWID_8RsdABwMW7Qk5zpxH-skBTGLYKKQ90cNwn3pUaLHtlm0e_RpZkWZlTAvdynLUy_-NqxCL-PmWHJkyifM8yT7oryxF6pEm-MQvk51RRIpjh/s2560/Fort%20Lauderdale%20Sunrise%207%206%2023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="2560" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8usu5JKuk4lo3W7VatbAX04aOKDzliVzN6smsotT8XjJQRyvxx6nYaP11tu-kujGe_mg-OaLCRI3FExWID_8RsdABwMW7Qk5zpxH-skBTGLYKKQ90cNwn3pUaLHtlm0e_RpZkWZlTAvdynLUy_-NqxCL-PmWHJkyifM8yT7oryxF6pEm-MQvk51RRIpjh/w400-h200/Fort%20Lauderdale%20Sunrise%207%206%2023.jpg" width="400" /></a><br /><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">By Jane Feehan</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Fort Lauderdale was image conscious from its earliest days. Preparing
for winter season visitors with clean-up squads was a common sight during the
1920s. “The entire city could feel the sweep of the city broom.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Squads also cleaned up for school openings and baseball games. Beautification efforts included planting and removal of weeds, sand spurs and palmettos. It
wasn’t always about beautification and weeds and trash. Fort Lauderdale’s Board of Health cleared vegetation
to mitigate mosquito breeding. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Cleaning vacant lots and clearing the banks of waterways
produced some amusing results. Stories about the removal and cutting down of thick
undergrowth pull back the curtain on days before the city’s high-velocity development. In
1928 teams cleared weeds and other vegetative matter between Las Olas and south to the Casino Pool
for visitors and local beachgoers. New River and Las Olas beach were considered two of “the city’s greatest assets.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">City teams also cleaned up the Rio Vista neighborhood. Thanks
to the crew's work, residents reportedly could see across the river [New River] for
the first time as well as its boat traffic. It was also noted that the owners of an
apartment building “in a certain section of the city” adjacent to New River said
the clean-up squad made “the lovely stream visible.” As a result, the owners
raised rents “on the strength of the proximity to the water.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">In a West Las Olas neighborhood, a clean-up crew discovered sidewalks
the “public has almost forgotten.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A nearby vacant lot cleanup produced discarded
mattresses, automobiles, city sewer piping and live dynamite that had been buried
on the spot for two years. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Stranahan Field underwent some critical clean up in 1925
that minimized excuses for errors and improved its image. Baseballs hit to the
outfield were frequently lost in high grass and weeds. Cutting down the vegetation produced
a “first class ball field.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Ross Clark, Board of Health president, said they could not clean up
the entire city. “People are going to have get involved in the “cleanup cause” if
we are to be absolutely pure and undefiled.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A cleanup week was designated by the city in
1936 to foster public participation in clean up activities.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">We’re still not, nor could ever be, "absolutely pure and
undefiled," but people get involved today by volunteering for waterway and beach
cleanups. The city has relegated lot clearing to property owners and trash pickup
services. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sources:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a name="_Hlk139534617">Fort Lauderdale News</a>, June 24,
1925<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fort Lauderdale News, Sept. 6, 1928<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fort Lauderdale News, Oct. 12, 1928<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fort Lauderdale News, Dec. 15, 1928<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fort Lauderdale News, Nov. 1, 1930<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fort Lauderdale News, Sept. 9, 1931<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fort Lauderdale News, Dec. 14, 1936<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><b>Tags: Fort Lauderdale history, Fort Lauderdale in the 1920s, Fort Lauderdale in the 1930s</b></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Jane Feehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171168025854524758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2084269498889973305.post-74611974261860936232023-06-30T13:38:00.003-07:002023-06-30T19:01:09.623-07:00Serving up some Fort Lauderdale cafeteria history: From Mrs. Rogers' place to Morrison's<p> </p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIyW3srMdcozU6ODK1fnOwhuGLvAAJbNvT3Obm7jysZiGqKrOA0pC4twgskiwhT9D2uZHE88Dwz-Y4Xm3BkRbkpG7BZJT5RS8QdO6aCA-V6cunV3lThTY7lJzQv-6LYAz8JxvATapNoxZTOE17mD7RYesCFuLTQp8HMZbiIdC-1U_VSfFSdLkbKxd8dPlv/s600/M%20and%20M%20cafeteria%20.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="379" data-original-width="600" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIyW3srMdcozU6ODK1fnOwhuGLvAAJbNvT3Obm7jysZiGqKrOA0pC4twgskiwhT9D2uZHE88Dwz-Y4Xm3BkRbkpG7BZJT5RS8QdO6aCA-V6cunV3lThTY7lJzQv-6LYAz8JxvATapNoxZTOE17mD7RYesCFuLTQp8HMZbiIdC-1U_VSfFSdLkbKxd8dPlv/s320/M%20and%20M%20cafeteria%20.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><i>M and M Cafeterias 1968 - Miami and Sarasota<br />State Archives of Florida</i></b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">By Jane Feehan</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Cafeterias have offered a successful business model to serve
hungry patrons in Fort Lauderdale since the early 1900s. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">According to Louise Stone Wilzig, a city pioneer, some of
the first such eateries in town were set up by housewives looking for extra
income (not unlike medieval women, the first brewers of beer for profit). They
would rent a room, bring pots and pans and set up tables with trays of food to
sell to as many as 100 customers a day.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Wilzig arrived in Fort Lauderdale in 1919 and worked as
cashier at one of the first well-established cafeterias, <b>Mrs. C.B. Rogers’ Cafeteria</b>
at Las Olas and Andrews Avenue (some say there was an earlier one, but its name
unknown). Mrs. Roger’s place was celebrated by locals for its remarkable biscuits and gravy, English scones and home cooked food. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Her success encouraged others who opened cafeterias in the decades
that followed, culminating with the popular Morrison’s Cafeterias. More on
Morrison’s later, but first a sampling of downtown cafeterias that paved the
way. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Lauderdale Cafeteria</b> at Osceola and opened late March
<b>1926</b> after several delays. Owner E.W. Rupprecht and wife ran the
restaurant. They installed an eight-foot electric sign over their location to
attract customers and claimed they would be able to feed as many as 500 people an
hour (where, I ask, would that many come from?). They closed for the summer that
April but reappeared after the September 1926 hurricane to help relief efforts.
Follow-up stories unavailable.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Colonial Kitchen</b> opened in <b>1926</b> and served cafeteria
style at Cunningham Avenue between Third and Fourth streets. Its décor included
“… accurate reproductions of old Colonial Indian head prints.” The restaurant displayed
an “old Priscilla-type spinning wheel from Virginia.” The Colonial Kitchen specialty
was homemade pastries.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Dixie Cafeteria</b> on North River Drive, Fort Lauderdale
was owned by Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Whiteside. They opened a few years after they
arrived in <b>1916</b>. “[Dixie] was very popular for many years,” they told a
reporter. They later opened Whiteside’s.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Whiteside’s</b> <b>Cafeteria</b> opened in December <b>1930</b>
at 218 S.E. First Ave and advertised “Home cooking is our specialty.” They were
“prepared to take orders from five cents up to the most elaborate meals” from 7
am to 8 pm most days. Whiteside’s soon relocated to Lyons Arcade on Brickell Avenue
where they served 80-100 people at a time. They were popular with downtown Christmas
shoppers who stopped by for a quick meal between store visits. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Sunset Cafeteria</b> opened at the Sweet Building at <b>305
South Andrews Avenue</b> in <b>1930</b>. Located at Fort Lauderdale’s first
skyscraper*, it was owned by F.E. Trapp from Miami and John Wallace of
Pittsburgh. Walls were glazed with an
Indian tan paint. Chairs, all made on the cafeteria site, were upholstered
in pea green and tan. Its counter was decorated in orange and black tile and the
floor with multi-colored tiles.</span><o:p></o:p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ytNNX0nczfI/UXRpYI5xDvI/AAAAAAAAD1Q/eVzagwnNWI0/s1600/0511120951.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ytNNX0nczfI/UXRpYI5xDvI/AAAAAAAAD1Q/eVzagwnNWI0/s200/0511120951.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><b><span>Sweet Building </span>circa 2000, <br />site of the<br />Sunset Cafeteria</b></i></span><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>DeLoach Cafeteria</b> opened in <b>1935 </b>at <b>236 Las
Olas Boulevard and </b>occupied 10,000 square feet. It was touted as one of the
largest in the South and included a banquet room and dance floor. An orchestra
led by “Capt. Stacer” played on opening day in January 1935.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">The Morrison’s Cafeteria story<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">After opening his first cafeteria in Mobile, Alabama in 1920,
John Arthur Morrison, Sr. sold his part of the growing company and moved to Miami
Florida in 1938. He and son John launched the M and M brand with several cafeterias
in Miami before opening M and M Cafeteria in Fort Lauderdale in February 1949. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Its opening at 124 S.E. First Ave. made a sizeable splash in
the <i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>. Noted for its modern amenities including air
conditioning and fluorescent lighting, M and M also offered mahogany paneled
partitions, tiger-striped leatherette chairs, wine-colored upholstered benches and
crisp, white tablecloths. Live music played from a Hammond organ during dinner
hours. The “South’s pioneer cafeteria owner” claimed he hired only locals to
work at his Fort Lauderdale location and promised “absolute cleanliness.” I’m
not sure when that store closed but one was located (or re-located) at the Sunrise
Shopping Center (now the Galleria) by 1966. Morrison Sr. died in 1973 at age
83. The company moved onward and upward without its founder. M and M Cafeterias
rolled into the Morrison brand, which soon dominated the cafeteria niche. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">By 1967, Morrison’s had expanded into a large corporation that
built a cafeteria at the 1600 block of North Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale
where it could seat 650 patrons at once. By 1968, there were four locations in
Miami, one in Sarasota and one in Fort Lauderdale. Morrison’s expanded into
other Florida cities and across the southern states. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">By 1985 it was the largest cafeteria chain in the United States
and employed 17,000. Though Morrison’s celebrated its 65<sup>th</sup> anniversary
in 1985, it closed 13 units that year. Some sources reported it had 174 stores
in the South and one in the Midwest. The chain closed in 1998 and was sold to
its competitor, Piccadilly Cafeterias. The original Morrison’s still operates
in Mobile but as a Piccadilly unit. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Some blame Morrison's closing on a lack of interest in cafeterias over the years. Others
might blame its broad expansion into institutional facilities such as schools and
hospitals.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">I say bring the cafeterias back; it may be time to re-ignite
the concept.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>Your favs? Britts, Polly Davis, Boulevard, Sweden House or ...?</o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">For more on the Sweet Building, see: </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://janeshistorynook.blogspot.com/2013/04/fort-lauderdales-first-skyscraper-nine.html">https://janeshistorynook.blogspot.com/2013/04/fort-lauderdales-first-skyscraper-nine.html</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Sources:</b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Miami Herald, Nov. 3, 1920<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Fort Lauderdale News, Jan. 24, 1926<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a name="_Hlk139015515">Fort Lauderdale News</a>, Feb. 24,
1926<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Fort Lauderdale News, April 19, 1926<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Fort Lauderdale News, Sept. 25, 1926<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Fort Lauderdale News, Oct. 4, 1930<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Fort Lauderdale News, Oct. 30, 1930<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Fort Lauderdale News, Nov. 1, 1930</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Fort Lauderdale News, Dec. 16, 1930<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Fort Lauderdale News, Jan. 8, 1935<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Fort Lauderdale News, Feb. 1, 1949<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Fort Lauderdale News, Aug. 19, 1967<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Fort Lauderdale News, March 9, 1969<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Sun-Sentinel, Nov.
18, 1990<o:p></o:p></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal">https://mobilebaymag.com/ask-mcgehee-77/<o:p></o:p></p><p><br /></p><i><b>Tags: Fort Lauderdale cafeterias, Fort Lauderdale history, Morrison's cafeteria, </b></i>Jane Feehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171168025854524758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2084269498889973305.post-32161887423489109132023-06-23T10:31:00.008-07:002023-06-25T08:50:47.044-07:00Build a hospital, they will come: the Holy Cross Hospital story<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmfGdeJy6Jbkxhpqq75aJiScqWkDtaQvQPcVRPL1hU_2hMVj1JP-wqA9k23VgDET-7tmcqbGdqxDp0vcHG7L-zd38H8PjUTsG3bwLEDwmFxfuy8BiZ2BsJg3MEBIo-n9NTPiWG02_UaFCGjeKT-amMoyK9dBNWBAxULRtlZ2H69347RoQt2IP0_1-19_VI/s600/com08804.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="404" data-original-width="600" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmfGdeJy6Jbkxhpqq75aJiScqWkDtaQvQPcVRPL1hU_2hMVj1JP-wqA9k23VgDET-7tmcqbGdqxDp0vcHG7L-zd38H8PjUTsG3bwLEDwmFxfuy8BiZ2BsJg3MEBIo-n9NTPiWG02_UaFCGjeKT-amMoyK9dBNWBAxULRtlZ2H69347RoQt2IP0_1-19_VI/s320/com08804.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Holy Cross Hospital in 1996: expanded since this photo<br />State Archives of Florida</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Holy Cross Hospital<br />4725 N. Federal Highway,<br />Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;">954-771-8000</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">https://www.holy-cross.com/<br /><br /><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">By Jane Feehan</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />With its population boom during the late 1940s and '50s, Fort Lauderdale faced the need to expand its medical facilities. The roster of hospitals at that time included Broward General, Las Olas Clinic, the West Broward Emergency Hospital, and Provident Hospital (for the Black community). <br /><br />No hospitals were available in the city’s north, a relatively desolate area, but as early as 1951 needs were anticipated. <br /><br />In March of 1952, community leaders gathered to develop a plan for a new hospital. In December that year, land was made available by Arthur T. Galt to the Diocese of St. Augustine (all Florida Catholics fell under its jurisdiction until 1952). That land, 22 acres on North Federal Highway near Floranada, was described as “high and natural rather than filled in.” It would be easily accessible to residents of north Broward County as well as those in Fort Lauderdale.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The public, about 4,000 Fort Lauderdale residents, raised half the required funds for the 200-bed, $2,217,000 hospital. Pledges came in for real estate, stocks, bonds and cash. The diocese contributed the remainder. Ground was broken on Nov. 29, 1953. Six leaders of the Holy Cross Hospital Fund drive were on hand for the ceremony: William H. Maus, James S. Hunt*, J.D. Camp, Most Rev. Joseph P. Hurley of the Archdiocese of St. Augustine, Msgr. John O’Looney, pastor of St. Anthony Church in Fort Lauderdale, and Robert H. Gore. <br /><br />Gust K. Newberg Construction Co. was tapped to build the structure and architects Steward and Skinner designed the five-story, E-shape building. Both companies were from Miami. Msgr. Rowan T. Rastatter served as hospital administrator and the Sisters of St. Joseph chosen to run the facility.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Holy Cross Hospital was completed ahead of schedule and opened Dec. 8, 1955. Fifty beds were available that day with capacity to increase to 300 as community needs grew. A mass and dedication were held that morning. An hour later, Fort Lauderdale resident Charles H. Horberg was admitted as the hospital’s first patient for diagnosis and observation. <br /><br />Classified ads soon appeared with real estate possibilities for a flower shop and other businesses ancillary to hospital operations. Swanky Frank’s, a drive-in restaurant already open several years, publicized its address as “at Holy Cross Hospital.” (A few years later, Burger King opened nearby and later moved to Commercial Boulevard.) That east-west artery soon became a major hub of residential and business development in Fort Lauderdale.<br /><br />Today, a much larger Holy Cross Hospital houses 557 beds, provides outpatient facilities throughout Broward and Palm Beach counties, has established Holy Cross Urgent Care Centers, Holy Cross Medical Group Practices and the Holy Cross HealthPlex for hospital outpatients. It operates as Holy Cross Health with Michigan-based Trinity Health as parent company. </span><br /><br />* James H. Hunt chaired the group after J. D. Camp became ill. For his successful efforts, Hunt was awarded the first <i>Fort Lauderdale Daily News</i> and WFTL-TV Citizens Medal of Honor in 1954. <br /><br />
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Sources:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, Dec. 22, 1952<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, April 23, 1953<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale News,</i> Nov. 30, 1953<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale News,</i> March 13, 1954<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale News,</i> April 22, 1954<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, June 6, 1954<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, Aug. 15, 1954<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><a name="_Hlk138416895"><i>Fort Lauderdale News,</i> </a>Dec.
23, 1954<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale News,</i> Dec. 4, 1955<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, Dec. 8, 1955<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p> https://www.holy-cross.com/</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="tab-stops: 230.5pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="tab-stops: 230.5pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b><i>Tags: Fort Lauderdale history, Fort
Lauderdale hospitals, Holy Cross Hospital, Holy Cross Health<o:p></o:p></i></b></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div>Jane Feehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171168025854524758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2084269498889973305.post-28887317570650979192023-06-19T10:57:00.003-07:002023-11-23T08:15:00.275-08:00South Florida desolate in 1905 but more planned with chance to accumulate a fortune<p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ualfNYsrTeEFQ2wjci6YEqU-nQMQfxazgpX-kDcB0XHeScfAaU01txxEUbo1RCLTzG3Zr1nXUbQc4vZfgcmG0cehJ1S2FOzC_NimzkmfhfWUrmIctbk5o3aCxaxNQ-XjtAYr5RsZJ8pikF0NGfgfZJuaKKx19plw-MeonsxoSNqjQuemS1xCFkDVhbf9/s825/n034453%20(1).jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="825" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ualfNYsrTeEFQ2wjci6YEqU-nQMQfxazgpX-kDcB0XHeScfAaU01txxEUbo1RCLTzG3Zr1nXUbQc4vZfgcmG0cehJ1S2FOzC_NimzkmfhfWUrmIctbk5o3aCxaxNQ-XjtAYr5RsZJ8pikF0NGfgfZJuaKKx19plw-MeonsxoSNqjQuemS1xCFkDVhbf9/s320/n034453%20(1).jpg" width="233" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Florida agricultural map 1905<br />State Archives of Florida</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><i> </i><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">By Jane Feehan</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">South Florida looks desolate relative to the northern areas of the state in this 1905 agricultural map. Headlines and key news stories a decade or so later point to big plans and expectations. Change was in the air. Snapshots of topics below underscore anticipation of what was to come.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Miami has a future that cannot ... be penetrated. Her climate, geographical and farming capacity are yet to be fully developed but she bears that same position to trade centers as does Chicago, San Francisco, New Orleans and New York City. </i>Editorial from Miami Metropolis April 24, 1905</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Official “booster of the northwest,” E.M. Elliott of Seattle, Washington is known for his apple-centric displays at “land shows” in New York, Chicago, Omaha, and Pittsburg to encourage people to move to his state. But in March 1913, he takes up permanent residence in <b>Miami</b> where there is “a chance to accumulate great fortune.” The climate is good (he has not yet been here for a summer), as is the outlook for economic growth, he tells reporters. He has his eyes on the soon-to-open <b>Panama Canal</b> and the commerce it will generate for Miami. <b>Note:</b> Endorsements such as Mr. Elliott's were published at least once a week in Miami papers.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Miami</b>’s city council approves funds for the mayor to advertise for bids from companies to operate street cars in 1913. The council states “the opportunity for such investment is unequaled in any other place twice its [Miami’s] size."<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Miami</b> grabs national headlines in 1913 as the warmest city in the nation on January 6 with a high of 78 degrees and a low of 74. Miami farmers hope this will increase demand for their fruits and vegetables. Havre, Montana garners mention with the lowest temperature that day of 36 below zero.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Funds are approved by <b>Fort Lauderdale</b> for a survey to “secure deep water in the inlet of the <b>New River</b>.” This is to be followed by estimates to dredge a channel and basin. The work will facilitate the state’s drainage project for the Everglades via a canal, but Fort Lauderdale, “the Gate City” (to the Everglades), also wants to open the mouth of the river to “traffic of the world.” And thus, <b>Port Everglades </b>is conceptualized<b>; </b>it will<b> </b>prove to be<b> </b>a far more successful venture than draining the Everglades. Today, this port ranks second in the state in tonnage just behind <b>PortMiami</b>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Discussions abound in <b>Miami</b> and <b>Fort Lauderdale</b> about creating a county north of Dade County to include Fort Lauderdale, Dania and other nearby towns. The new county will be named <b>Broward</b> and it may take towns in Dade and perhaps, Palm Beach County. Dade County is not happy about a bigger county to its north. In 1913, Dania backs out and the proposal is tabled – for awhile. <b>Broward County</b> was established April 30, 1915 … and Dania was back in. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">World-renowned engineer <b>Isham Randolph</b>, chair of the Everglades Commission (the drainage project), advises the city of Miami to buy up property along the waterfront owned by John N. Lummus (first mayor of Miami Beach 1915-1918) to develop into dockage and a harbor. He, as well as others, anticipate marine traffic coming from the soon-to-open-<b>Panama Canal</b> (opened August 14, 1914). He was right.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p>In 1913 <b>SOFLA</b> one can buy a five-room house near the center of Miami for $1,800 ...</o:p>“Half cash only required.” What's to stop anyone from moving here? </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Now many ask how to keep people away ... and we keep growing.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing">Sources:<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>The Daily Miami Metropolis</i>, April 24, 1905</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Miami News, </i>Jan. 6, 1913<i><o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Miami News, </i>March<i> </i>1, 1913<i><o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Miami News, </i>May 2, 1913<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Miami Metropolis</i>, May 13, 1913<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Miami Metropolis</i>, Aug. 4, 1913<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><i>Tags: Florida development, Miami in the 1900s, Fort Lauderdale in the 1900s.</i></div>Jane Feehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171168025854524758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2084269498889973305.post-42133564463474159642023-06-12T12:03:00.010-07:002023-06-12T15:07:26.568-07:00What you didn't know about Goodyear blimps in South Florida, always a WOW<p> </p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5WGUAqWRd_P9-O8d67SDU0pzLZBojjbzwR6y8LG7aLCscMKshr0V6IO080QRrEt77zQyf-x_2uDLI42tU7pqKsGrkfalDe5hTdsNot5W9BMXV1y7Csg-ha5LvKB26SXDMtOCK8tLBSwjV-PhRjMri8N2Rf5BIRFkCOjj7a-vjDuV4OnnwzqYniic59A/s1201/Goodyear%20Blimp%201980.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5WGUAqWRd_P9-O8d67SDU0pzLZBojjbzwR6y8LG7aLCscMKshr0V6IO080QRrEt77zQyf-x_2uDLI42tU7pqKsGrkfalDe5hTdsNot5W9BMXV1y7Csg-ha5LvKB26SXDMtOCK8tLBSwjV-PhRjMri8N2Rf5BIRFkCOjj7a-vjDuV4OnnwzqYniic59A/w200-h200/Goodyear%20Blimp%201980.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Goodyear Blimp 1980<br />State Archives of Florida/Hastings</i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><span style="font-size: medium;">Goodyear Blimp Base<br />1500 NE 5th Ave., Pompano Beach, Fl 33060<br />Passenger rides no longer available except by invitation <br />Base tours only <br />954-946-8300</span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">By Jane Feehan<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Goodyear blimps have been capturing live sporting events for
broadcasting long before drones. They’re still at it. These blimps also capture
the attention of residents and visitors to South Florida. They seldom fail to stop
conversations or to draw eyes upward as they majestically glide by.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Goodyear first built airships in 1917 for use in World War
I. In 1919 after the conflict ended, the company started building their own for
commercial interests. They launched the <i>Pilgrim, Puritan, Volunteer, Mayflower,
Vigilant, </i>and<i> Defender </i>in the years that followed. Built at Wingfoot
Lake, Ohio blimps were named after winners of America’s Cup, the
international sailing race. This naming protocol was used until early 21<sup>st</sup>
century. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">The company opened a blimp base on Watson Island in Miami in
1930, where it remained until 1978. The blimps cruising over Fort Lauderdale* flew
from that base until Goodyear lost its lease (see link below about airship blimpcasting”
over Fort Lauderdale in 1948). By 1978, they were known for covering Superbowl
and Orange Bowl games and other events. Though Hollywood, Florida made a pitch
for relocating the base to their city, Goodyear settled on Pompano Beach.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Pompano Beach “blimpmania” began in August 1979 when its City
Commission approved the deal: $25,000 a year for a 30-year lease for 22 acres
at their air park. Many hoped the ship would put Pompano Beach on the map and serve
as goodwill ambassador for the city. The Pompano Beach Chamber of Commerce sponsored
a parade and red-carpet welcome held November 9<sup>th</sup> for the maiden
voyage of Goodyear’s <i>Enterprise</i>. Mayor Emma Lou Olson christened the
airship before thousands who gathered for the event. By November 28 rides were available
to the public for $7.50 for adults and $5 for children under 12.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A 45,000 square foot
hangar was built to house the airship. Permanent administrative offices were dedicated
in 1986. <i>Enterprise </i>was replaced
in 2017 or 2018 by <i>Wingfoot Two</i> (named by Akron, Ohio native and wife of basketball
great LeBron James, Savannah James).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">About airship construction, movement and use<br /><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Today’s Goodyear airship models are not technically blimps. No
longer bags of highly flammable hydrogen, their fleet is comprised of semi-rigid
structures filled with helium and air. Pilot Tracey Lawford says today’s models
fly with engines that swivel and use propellers. Control of the balance of helium
and air pressure moves the craft through the air. “Today they are much easier
to maneuver,” says Lawford. She also flies helicopters and says the craft ascends
much the same as a helicopter. <i>Wingfoot Two</i> cruises 40-45 mph and is
quieter than older airships. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></b></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXUzb9fm3Gpi3Uzr3LeCCvSU1kv5dsI43zxIGarP3DXXXiTqsoh0v5iqBW__knsKKo7UMUbJLbFKCCbhoLNuhpQmx7IClh-RKqU93OZryTClcB37JD6c7IpNutswDfbePQmAY_F8COVwsYM79B5B1NdnxIyMGV2swaxM21fUCc3g5kxEUxqXMkaGJPaA/s759/Goodyear%20blimp%20tourists%20in%20Miami%20Hansen.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="759" data-original-width="600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXUzb9fm3Gpi3Uzr3LeCCvSU1kv5dsI43zxIGarP3DXXXiTqsoh0v5iqBW__knsKKo7UMUbJLbFKCCbhoLNuhpQmx7IClh-RKqU93OZryTClcB37JD6c7IpNutswDfbePQmAY_F8COVwsYM79B5B1NdnxIyMGV2swaxM21fUCc3g5kxEUxqXMkaGJPaA/w158-h200/Goodyear%20blimp%20tourists%20in%20Miami%20Hansen.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="158" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Goodyear blimp tourists <br />in Miami 1960<br />State Archives of Florida/Hansen<br /><br /></i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Today’s mission for the Goodyear airships is primarily
advertising but its <i>Stars and Stripes</i> was pulled into emergency service
after the devastating Hurricane Andrew in 1992. It flashed signs about relief
supply locations to storm survivors.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Lawford stresses the importance of the ground crew in the
movement of <i>Wingfoot Two</i>. A retinue of 20 staff travels to events. It
includes two trucks with one serving as a mechanic shop. Destinations are
scoped out ahead of a temporary relocation to make sure the landing area is
level and free from mud for a flight. Ground crews are instrumental in ship launch
and landing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Airships no longer leave Pompano Beach for six months a year
as they used to. Travel is assignment-based after which they return home. There
are three bases today: Carson, California, Wingfoot Lake in Ohio and Pompano
Beach, Florida (one in Spring, Texas closed in 1992). These craft do not fly in
the cold. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">We don’t see them as much as we used to in Fort Lauderdale
due to air traffic patterns of the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International
Airport, but when we do, there is always a sense of ... <b>WOW!</b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"> Thank you, Goodyear.</span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b>* About blimpcasting over Fort Lauderdale in 1948<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><a href="https://janeshistorynook.blogspot.com/2013/09/look-in-sky-its-flashing-its-news-fort.html">https://janeshistorynook.blogspot.com/2013/09/look-in-sky-its-flashing-its-news-fort.html</a><o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b>About the <i>Defender </i>and Seminole passengers:<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><a href="https://janeshistorynook.blogspot.com/2020/08/a-cultural-exchange-seminoles-take.html">https://janeshistorynook.blogspot.com/2020/08/a-cultural-exchange-seminoles-take.html</a></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b>About the Graf Zeppelin trip to Miami:</b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><a href="https://janeshistorynook.blogspot.com/2019/06/celebrated-graf-zeppelin-lands-in-miami.html">https://janeshistorynook.blogspot.com/2019/06/celebrated-graf-zeppelin-lands-in-miami.html</a></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b>Sources:</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Fort Lauderdale News,</i> Jan. 16, 1979<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i> July 10, 1979<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a name="_Hlk137460645"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i> </a>July
11, 1979<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, Aug. 8, 1979<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, Nov. 2, 1979<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Fort Lauderdale News,</i> Nov. 9, 1979<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>South Florida Sun-Sentinel,</i> Oct. 22, 2016<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jan. 19, 1986<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Goodyear Blimp:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.goodyearblimp.com/behind-the-scenes/airship-bases.html">https://www.goodyearblimp.com/behind-the-scenes/airship-bases.html</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.goodyearblimp.com/relive-history/blimp-history.html">https://www.goodyearblimp.com/relive-history/blimp-history.html</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> Tags: Goodyear blimps, Goodyear blimp in Pompano Beach, Pompano Beach airpark</o:p></p>Jane Feehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171168025854524758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2084269498889973305.post-8071582290161510842023-06-06T13:54:00.003-07:002023-06-07T06:21:16.597-07:00Porky's, the man, the bar and ... that movie<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT8hFtyP1xYIleEZOkH5LO-QVt5ai0zFf6iUXyVGanko_Nrcwnm7nZ-SvVV3Fzvf6HGwrpZNiqGzBy_axwfAscCm_5TyYc9Uw7X_RMUA18jpP5oVZ40Tau5JOvW6uw27O5rw7iIuPbpqfLh8pOwrQeoTaxGq83s9ENi_HzA7JfqTvXOUKYZDyeU_Svhg/s600/Porky's%20movie%20props%201982.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="399" data-original-width="600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT8hFtyP1xYIleEZOkH5LO-QVt5ai0zFf6iUXyVGanko_Nrcwnm7nZ-SvVV3Fzvf6HGwrpZNiqGzBy_axwfAscCm_5TyYc9Uw7X_RMUA18jpP5oVZ40Tau5JOvW6uw27O5rw7iIuPbpqfLh8pOwrQeoTaxGq83s9ENi_HzA7JfqTvXOUKYZDyeU_Svhg/s320/Porky's%20movie%20props%201982.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Props used in film, Porky's, Miami 1982<br />State Archives of Florida</b></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">By Jane Feehan</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Stories abound about the man, Donald K. Baines and his South
Florida bar, Porky’s Hide Away. They can’t all be told here. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">The man and his bar probably helped stoke the party image of
Fort Lauderdale. The first mention found about Ohio native Baines, known as Porky
to his friends, patrons, and law enforcement, was a legal notice posted in the <i>Fort
Lauderdale News</i>, March 4,1955 to “engage in business under the name Jean and
Porky’s Hide Away Restaurant.” It was no family restaurant, though Jean, or
Wilma Jean, was his wife. The business was located at the 3900 block of North Federal
Highway in Oakland Park, adjacent to Fort Lauderdale (now site of LA Fitness).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Three weeks later, Porky’s Hide Away (with or without the
hyphen) was advertising Sunday jam sessions starting at 4 pm. A month later the
ads included liquor offerings: beer at 45 cents, whiskey for 60 and cocktails
at 75 cents. The 300-seat venue featured an open-air, screened-in dance floor.
Endearing himself to the party crowd, Porky offered to buy the first barrel of
beer for patrons arriving early. He was guided either by hope or really knew
his patrons. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>By 1956 and 1957, Porky’s was frequently mentioned in <i>Fort Lauderdale News</i>
entertainment columns.</span><span> Baines lined up famous acts one after the other. The
Hurricanes, an all-Black dance band from Las Vegas headlined for a few nights. Famous
dance orchestra leader Johnny Long made it there as did Flip Wilson, Jackie
Wilson, Freddy Bell and the Bell Boys, Don Ho and world-famous jazz drummer
Gene Krupa.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">It was the age of classic rock ‘n roll. From 4 pm to 4 am, Baines
featured Twist contests (a popular dance then), limbo competitions and probably
the area’s first bikini contests—prefiguring those at Fort Lauderdale’s beach bars
like the Candy Store and others a decade or two later. In 1961 Porky opened
Calypso Village behind or replaced Porky’s Hideaway.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Just as ubiquitous as advertisements for Porky’s enterprises
were stories about his scrapes with the law. The first incident, though not a
run in with the law, was about an after-hours robbery at the bar in 1957. Porky,
with the assistance or guard of the Oakland Park Police, had moved a drawer
with $1,500 cash and traveler’s checks to an upstairs apartment. He then went
for coffee with friends and returned 15 minutes later to discover a break in
and the $1,500 missing. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">The files on Donald Porky Baines offer much more, including:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>1960</b> – Baines was accused in 1960 and acquitted in 1961 of
forging a traveler’s check. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>1965</b> – A patron sued Baines for having been beaten up by two
others at Porky’s. The matter was settled out of court.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>1965</b> – Baines was accused of alleged tax evasion <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>1966</b> – Porky allegedly involved in several incidents of
assault<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>1967</b> – He was accused and acquitted of receiving stolen
property, an adding machine and electric typewriter stolen from Fort Lauderdale
City Hall.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>1968</b> – Baines was sentenced to five years in prison for six
charges of excise tax evasion. He was released on appeal and was told to sell
his business by October 1 that year or lose his liquor license and to never
again use the name, “Porky’s.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He opened
another club, the Palace. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>1968</b> - While out on appeal for tax evasion charges, Baines,
42, was found behind Porky’s with an apparent self-inflicted gun shot to the
head in June. He recovered. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>1968</b> – Baines was also accused of allegedly showing pornographic
movies and allegedly employing a convicted felon (liquor license provision). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Donald Baines, who kept a “pet” lion in a cage behind Porky’s
and drove a pink car, closed Porky’s in 1967. He opened again under the name “The
Palace” to the chagrin of Kings Park Condominium, next door, who registered multiple
complaints about noise from Porky’s. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">Porky Baines had beaten all raps through legal technicalities
and loopholes. But his luck ran out in 1972 when he was convicted of robbery
conspiracy on a home in Coconut Isle on the Las Olas Isles. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">His appeal was denied and he was sentenced to
15 years in prison. Porky’s home at the 5700 block of 19<sup>th</sup> Avenue (Fort
Lauderdale?) was seized by the government for a tax bill. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">While working as handyman for his attorney, Arthur B. Parkhurst,
Baines committed suicide in a truck after leaving a note reading: “I can’t make
it anymore.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was about 47. Quite a
fall from the big-name acts, pet lion and pink car. Some said it was a stormy life. It was one with
a big impact on Fort Lauderdale’s party reputation. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">About the movie, <i>Porky’s</i><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>The 1982 film, <i>Porky's</i>, </span><span>was written and directed by Bob Clark and loosely
based on Porky or his bar. Clark’s inspiration was reportedly his high school
antics at Boca Ciega High School in Gulfport, Florida and at Fort Lauderdale
High School. It was filmed in Miami at Miami Senior High and at Greynolds Park.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Porky’s</i>, marketed as a “lowbrow coming of age story,”
was the fifth highest grossing film that year. Perhaps the huge success of <i>Animal
House</i>, similar in genre and released in 1978, set high expectations. Reviews
were more positive after its release than they are today. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, film critics Siskel and Ebert ranked
it as one of the worst movies that year. Sequels <i>Porky’s II</i> and <i>Revenge
of Porky</i> were not as successful. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sources:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fort Lauderdale News, March 4, 1955<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fort Lauderdale News, March 19, 1955<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fort Lauderdale News, April 22, 1955<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fort Lauderdale News, Feb. 24, 1956<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fort Lauderdale News, Jan. 6, 1957<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fort Lauderdale News, Jan. 22, 1959<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fort Lauderdale News, Nov. 5, 1960<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fort Lauderdale News, Jan. 14, 1961<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fort Lauderdale News, March 2, 1961<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fort Lauderdale News, June 23, 1962<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fort Lauderdale News, Oct. 25, 1965<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fort Lauderdale News, April 6, 1967<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fort Lauderdale News, Dec. 29, 1957<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fort Lauderdale News, Aug. 10, 1966<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fort Lauderdale News, Sept. 18, 1967<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fort Lauderdale News, March 8, 1968<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fort Lauderdale News, March 29, 1968<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fort Lauderdale News, June 2, 1968<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fort Lauderdale News, September 20, 1972<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fort Lauderdale News, Sept. 30, 2013<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Wikipedia</p><p class="MsoNormal">IMDB.org</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><i><b>Tags: Porky's Hide Away, Porky's Hide-Away, Fort Lauderdale clubs in the 1960s, Oakland Park history, Oakland Park clubs, Donald K. Baines, Porky Baines, Porky's movie, Fort Lauderdale history</b></i></o:p></p>Jane Feehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171168025854524758noreply@blogger.com