Italia at River City

Not Strange Bubbling Monsters -- They're Mullet Finding a Safe Harbor in Punta Gorda Canals and Harbor

From spring through early fall, mullet feed and fatten in protected waterways and backwaters of Southwest Florida’s brackish coast.

Ponce de Leon and his Sign at Ponce Park

Idle Speed - Pelican Taking a Break

"Old Timers" Donate to new History Center -- Mayor, Vernon Peeples, Commissioner Deutsch and many Punta Gorda People There

Photo taken Wednesday as the "Old Timers" group of Punta Gordans who have lived in the area 25 years or more, donated $11,000 towards a new History Center for Punta Gorda to be housed in the old human services buidling near the highschool.  Among those in the photo are Linda Wilson, 1st left front, Gussie Baker 2nd left front, Edna Jane and Vernon Peeples (front center), Lee Swift front last right; Stephen R. Deutsch 2nd row left, Nancy Prafke center third row, Howard Kunik, back row 2nd, Gene Murtha (President PGHC) 2nd to end right last row,  Bruce Laishley last row right end.

A View Down Marion Avenue Passed the old Turtle Club

Marion Ave. Between Taylor and 41 North. Turtle Club (which is said to be opening again the Fall) in the foreground.  

Possibly one of the Oldest Buildings in Punta Gorda -- 756 West Marion Ave.

According to "Historic Houses and Buildings in Punta Gorda, Florida" distributed by the Punta Gorda History Society, this house was built in 1883.  Their write-up labels it Florida Land and Improvement (which makes sense as the land's owner at that time), however, it indicates that the building was built by the Consolidated Ice, Refrigerating and Fish Co.  This company according to records wasn't started under 1901 -- a puzzlement.  City records indicate a building date of 1920, but the PGHS booklet indicates that it was embellished at about that time.   The mystery goes on.   If the Ice and Fish Co. did build it that was likely to have been significantly before 1920, but not as early as 1883.   I suspect that it may have been a small one room building built by the Florida Land and Improvement Co. in the 1880s during the time that they were selling land in this area -- when Issac Trabue in fact bought the land for "Trabue" now Punta Gorda.   

Reflection

Punta Gorda First Baptist Church

Punta Gorda 1st Baptist on Gill Street.  The Congregation dates back to 1889 with the original church built on Olympia at Cross Street (41 South today).  The remnant of that church was destroyed during Hurricane Charley -- at that time it was a bridal shop.  

Freedom Swim Across the Peace River

Chris Constance and Wayne Sallade Clown Around for Charlotte Players Benefit

Bird House in a Tropical Garden Along the Punta Gorda Pathways

Governor Rick Scott Visits Punta Gorda Today

Courtesy B Scott 

The Freeman House as a Backdrop for a Gorgeous Red Poinciana

In May Royal Poinciana are in bloom all over town.  This one provides a intriguing foreground for the Freeman House.  

A Fallen Charlotte High Grad Remembered at Kiwanis Veterans Park

Sgt. Michael Woodliff a CHS gradutate remembered today.  He was killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2004. Michael grew up in a military family. His father, Lee, retired as a Major in the U.S. Army in the mid 1990s.
His grandfather, a colonel, and great-grandfather also served in the military,