Author: NEW

Historic Preservation in Charlotte County

Historic Punta Gorda Train Depot

Gene Murtha, President of the Punta Gorda History Center and Margaret Bogartus, President of the Punta Gorda Historical Society gave a power point presentation about the dedicated efforts and wonderful successes made in the name of historic preservation in Charlotte County.

They discussed the history of the beautifully preserved Train Depot as well as the Woman’s Club which opened in 1925 and was at one time the area’s first community library. They also talked about History Park, a unique collection of historic buildings with a past including the Maxwell Price House. Price was an architect best known for designing the Punta Gorda jail house, just to name a few.

GROWING UP IN BOCA GRANDE: BITS and BYTES OF HISTORY

December 12th
7:00 PM
at the Historic
Green Street Church


From “fish ranches” to phosphate shipping; from the “Grand Plan” with Grand Hotels to Boom and Bust and Boom again – learn about one of Southwest Florida’s first planned communities: Boca Grande on Gasparilla Island.

 

Betsy Fugate Joiner, director of the Boca Grande Historical Society, will share some stories about her life growing up in Boca Grande. She is a 3rd generation member of the Fugate Family of Boca Grande (you may know of Fugate’s Drug Store and Delmar Fugate’s Pink Elelphant). She is also a 4th generation Florida Cracker. Her father was actually born on Banyan Street in 1912. Her mother, Margaret was a teacher at Boca Grande High School, beginning in 1939 and then moved to Lemon Bay School in 1963 as Librarian and Spanish teacher when the school closed.

 

In addition, Betsy is Chair of the Boca Grande History Byte program which is held each season in February on Wednesday mornings at the Johann Fust Library.  The “Byte” program began with Sallie Van Italie’s idea in 2009 about having people share their stories in an informal setting.

 

Betsy is also General Manager at PJ’s Seagrille in Boca Grande, located inside the Historic San Marco Theatre Building.

 

Also speaking will be Pat Agles, Director of the Boca Grande Historical Society who will give a presentation on how the Society came about and where they are today. Pat, a founding member of the Boca Grande Historical Society, was owner of Galleria of Boca Grande from 1993-2005. She is Director of Product Development and licensing for the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village and is also Chair of the docent program at St. Francis of Assisi Cathedral Basilica in Santa Fe, NM. There she is a Team Member/Artist for the restoration of the Cathedral’s interior murals for a Celebration with the King of Spain.

 

We also expect a visit from Karen Grace, BGHS President. Karen & husband Jim are past owners of the historic Temptation Restaurant.

A Bit About the Boca Grande Historical Society:

“Four couples began the BGHS in 1995. It was the sesquicentennial of our state. To announce our founding, we had a fun historical/hysterical skit at the railroad depot on the train tracks. After a crowd gathered, we announced the news and the society was born. We operated for awhile in the Van Itallies kitchen. The island was growing quickly and we knew the importance of collecting stories/oral histories and photographs before these treasures disappeared.


“We are still active in the business of collecting these priceless histories and making them more easily available for viewing to our community. We invite all to come for a visit or perhaps a docent led walking/golf cart tour of our historic village of Boca Grande.”

WEBSITE: bocagrandehistoricalsociety.com

Turtles!

Carol Leonard from Coastal Wildlife Club, Turtle Patrol will be sharing her experiences with turtles, as well as important information on how the public can help the turtle population. She will also answer audience questions.

Carol has degrees in Zoology and Marine Science Education and is a retired Lemon Bay High School teacher. She is a past President of the Florida Marine Science Education Assoc.

 

Sarasota History & the SRQ Quiz

We are pleased to present a wonderful article about the Lemon Bay Historical Society written by ‎Jana Susan Paley for the Facebook group “Sarasota History & SRQ Quiz.” 

Those of us interested in the preservation of the cultural heritage of the entire Gulf Coast will be pleased to learn that residents of the southern portions of Sarasota County are just as active in banding together to guard area history as the people of Tampa Bay, Manatee County, and the City of Sarasota. Almost 35 years ago, a concerned group of citizens in Lemon Bay organized what we now know as the Lemon Bay Historical Society.

Sixty years ago, the people of Englewood started a Labor Day tradition known as Pioneer Days, a celebration which has grown into one of the best attended end-of-summer events in the state. During the 1983 Pioneer Days Celebration which honored Englewood’s first newspaper editor, Josephine Cortes who was also the founder of the annual festival, a group of Lemon Bay residents, many of whom were area natives, decided it was time for their community which surrounds the long and narrow 8,000 acre body of water known today as the Lemon Bay Aquatic Preserve to preserve its distinct heritage.

The Lemon Bay Historical Society (Society) is a two county effort–Lemon Bay stretches from Sarasota County into Charlotte County. Concerned residents held the first organizational meeting of the Lemon Bay Historical Society in May of 1984 and they readied for a kick-off party at the following Pioneer Days Celebration. The group’s inaugural consisted of a mullet roast for 150 people. Making the event particularly special was that the mullet was freshly caught by founding members of the group, the Platt family and Bill Davis, while Bob Cashatt foraged swamp cabbage which was prepared using the famous recipe of Eula Davis, Bill’s mother. Next time we have a Local Recipe’s Week, we will be calling the Lemon Bay Historical Society so we all can learn a proper mullet roasting technique as well as Eula’s method for cooking swamp cabbage.

In 1985, the founders of the Lemon Bay Historical Society officially incorporated the group as a non-profit organization. They enunciated a clear mission–“Perpetuating the legacy of the past and honoring the pioneer settlers of the Lemon Bay area.” Turns out that master swamp cabbage forager Bob Cashatt was also a terrific graphic designer; he created the yellow, gold, and blue logo for the Society which is still in use today. The Society encourages anyone interested in preserving the heritage of the Lemon Bay area to join–membership dues are just $15 per year for a single person and $20 for a family. Members meet the last Tuesday of each month from September through April. If you are interested in joining, just go to the Society’s website and you can download a form.

Like the Englewood Area Historical Museum, the Lemon Bay Historical Society does not have a large collection of photographs, documents, or artifacts, but to make up for not having large permanent exhibits, the group is big on sponsoring experiential events. For example, in March the group hosted author, retired business owner, ship captain, and world traveler D.L. Havlin spoke at the Society. Havlin says “history is often my brick-mason for it can provide a building in which my story can live and breathe.” He spent the evening regaling the audience with his stories about life in southwest Florida.

Last February, Carol Mahler entertained the crowd with tales of Florida Crackers, Seminole Indians, and the history of the Lemon Bay area. The Society entitled her presentation “Florida Folklore with a Lemon Bay Twist” and many of her stories concentrated on traditions associated with the community. Mahler is a professional storyteller who serves as the coordinator of the Desoto County Historical Society’s Research Library and Museum which often shares common content with the Lemon Bay Historical Society. If you have never heard of Mahler, you might want to check out her “History Mystery” column in the weekly Arcadia’s weekly newspaper, Arcadian which is reprinted from time to time in Sarasota publications. Mahler also wrote a children’s book “Adventures int eh Charlotte Harbor Watershed” which is annually distributed to students in seven Gulf Coast area counties.

Residents of the Lemon Bay community also enjoy open-mike nights sponsored by the Society. During the last event, 13 people showed off their talent by performing original songs. Cash prizes were awarded for the best act and for the runner-up.

Events mainly take place at the historic Green Street Church. Thought the Society owns the white clapboard building, the land it sits on is leased and the lease must be renewed in May of 2018. Though the Society has offered to purchase the underlying property, the owner prefers to continue to lease the property. The Society members want to insure the future of the iconic building by moving it to a lot located on the south side of the Lemon Bay Cemetery. Currently, the Society is raising money for the effort. If you are interested in providing support, take a look at the Society’s website.

The Society’s biggest annual event is the Cracker Fair which takes place each February around the time of Valentine’s Day. Many Society members dress up as Florida pioneers, play music, and conduct historical activities. The most anticipated event of the Cracker Fair is the Lemon Dessert Contest which is co-sponsored by the Lemon Bay Garden Club. Lemons must be the main ingredient of the dessert and though there is some prize money for the winner, most people who enter do so to earn a year’s worth of bragging rights.

The annual event is held at Englewood’s Pioneer Park near the Elsie Quirk Library. Perhaps next year a group of us Spoonbills can support the Society by attending. By the way, you can taste the lemony treats entered in the contest by donating a buck a plate. Judging from the photos of some of the previous entries, it looks like a bargain for anyone who as a tart-tooth.

If you want to support the Society but you are not necessarily interested in becoming an active member, you might be interested in purchasing a “Move & Save the Church” tee shirt. The Society also publishes a photo essay book which shows “then & now” pictures of the area. Each year the Society updates the spiral-bound book–who knows–maybe next year this feature essay will be included in the publication.

D L Havlin

Author, speaker, international traveler, ship captain and retired business Owner D L Havlin will be our Guest Speaker

Tuesday, March 28th at 7pm at the Historic Green Street Church.

 

“My books are stories about life; about how great and how testing it can be.  Writing at my ‘mature’ age is an advantage when discussing living; I’ve experienced it and don’t have to utilize conjecture.  History is often my brick-mason for it can provide a building in which my story can live and breathe.  Writing fantasy, sci-fi, or other work requiring that there be no reality fences, I cede to the young author where the lack of restricting rationale is beneficial.”

DL currently lives in southwest Florida with his wife Jeanelle, his golden retriever Sandy, and cat Oreo. He loves the outdoors (fishing is his passion), music, football, and cooking.

 

Florida Folklore wi­th a Lemon Bay Twist

The title of Ca­rol’s presentation is­ “Florida Folklore wi­th a Lemon Bay Twist”­ that will educate an­d entertain the audie­nce with tales of Flo­rida Crackers, Semino­le Indian traditions ­and the history of th­e lemon Bay area.

Car­ol Mahler is a profes­sional storyteller wh­o serves as the coord­inator of the Desota ­County Historical Soc­iety’s Reseach Librar­y and Museum.

The pro­gram is free and ligh­t refreshments will b­e served.

More about Carol:

Carol Mahler has served as humanities scholar, discussion leader, and project director for programs, funded by the Florida Humanities Council and other organizations, focusing on literature and Florida history. (Her nieces and nephews know that she reads every word of a museum exhibit.) She has taught writing and literature classes in schools, colleges, parks, recreation centers, churches, a prison, and other locations. Her poems have been published in various magazines, and her poetry collection, “How Do I Follow?”, was published in 2012 by the Peace River Press. She writes an occasional “History Mystery” column as well as other articles for the weekly “Arcadian” newspaper (published in Arcadia, Florida), plus she writes and edits articles, newsletters, and books for the DeSoto County Historical Society. Her children’s book, “Adventures in the Charlotte Harbor Watershed,” published by the Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program, is annually distributed to students in the third, fourth, or fifth grade in seven counties

Jean Airey Tribute

Nancy Jean Airey: January 23, 1943 – May 6, 2016

By Bret Shawn Clark, Compiled by Don Bayley

ENGLEWOOD, Fla. – Fam­ily and friends of Nancy Jean Airey gath­ered Sat­ur­day after­noon (July 9, 2016) at the Green Street Church, the site of many of the stage pro­duc­tions of her plays, to pay trib­ute to Airey, a pro­lific writer, musi­cian, his­to­rian, com­mu­nity orga­nizer, men­tor to local authors, web­mas­ter to non-profits and friend to a num­ber of causes which, much like she her­self was to the Engle­wood com­mu­nity, near and dear to her heart.

The gath­er­ing fea­tured those wish­ing to express their thoughts at the pass­ing of a stal­wart Engle­wood res­i­dent, in word as well as song, from the wide array of orga­ni­za­tions and peo­ple whose lives she enriched by her life­time of good deeds and con­tri­bu­tions to the cul­ture of this sleepy sea­side town, includ­ing those from Engle­wood Pio­neer Days, the Sun­coast Writ­ers Guild (together with “Englewood’s Lit­tle “Band” of Writ­ers who per­formed works from one of her plays), Lemon Bay His­tor­i­cal Soci­ety, and Friends of the Elsie Quirk Library.

Gui­tarist and vocal­ist Linda Lou Lewis of the afore­men­tioned Lit­tle Band described what it was like to work with Airey in mix­ing music into her stage plays, adding that Jean Airey was “the best col­lab­o­ra­tive part­ner I ever had.” Roy Ault of the Writ­ers Guild gave a heart­felt thank you to the woman who helped him to become a pub­lished author, while Kari Burgess spoke of her adven­tures in act­ing with Jean as the direc­tor of mate­r­ial that she her­self also authored.

Jean Airey with Carolyn Pope Anderson at the Lemon Bay Historical Society’s Green Street Church Museum.

Erick Phelps, coor­di­na­tor of the Engle­wood Pio­neer Days parade, of which Jean Airey was an inte­gral part, said that one of the things about her that he will miss most was her “prin­ci­pled focus on what needed to be done” for the Engle­wood com­mu­nity, includ­ing events such as Pio­neer Days, the orga­niz­ers of which, accord­ing to Phelps, had to recruit three peo­ple to take over the work she did for the committee.

Her wid­ower, William Airey, told yet another reveal­ing story about his late wife, who years ear­lier had orga­nized a fund raiser for the Heart Asso­ci­a­tion (fea­tur­ing come­dian Paul Lind) at which heart sur­geons from around the coun­try gath­ered, and how Jean, an avid reader with an ever-present thirst for knowl­edge, had stud­ied so much about heart surgery that he half expected her to some­day be called upon do a lit­tle bit of surgery her­self. Even while not­ing that his late wife would not approve of such a fuss being made over her, he thanked the gath­ered assem­bly on her behalf, and let each and every­one know that she very much appre­ci­ated what they them­selves had con­tributed to the Engle­wood com­mu­nity she so loved.

Jean’s book is on sale at Lemon Bay Historical Society events.

In addi­tion to work­ing with the Writ­ers Guild, His­tor­i­cal Soci­ety, Elsie Quirk Library, and Pio­neer Days, Jean Airey has also been asso­ci­ated, in one capac­ity or another, with the annual Cracker Fair, Lemon Bay Play­house, Big Brothers/Big Sis­ters, and EARS, among many other groups, indi­vid­u­als and causes.

Jean Airey was a con­trib­u­tor to Engle­wood Edge, occa­sion­ally under her byline but most often anony­mously pro­mot­ing the His­tor­i­cal Soci­ety activ­i­ties and Pio­neer Days.

She will be sorely missed.

SOURCE: https://www.englewoodedge.com/2016/07/10/nancy-jean-airey-january-23-1943-may-6-2016/#more-73545

 

 

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