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In this issue....
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Historic Punta Gorda
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| James L. Sandlin, a business man with
shipping interests came to Punta Gorda on
the first train in July 1886 and built his
home in 1893. He became a member of Punta
Gorda’s first City Council and later served
as mayor. The Sandlin House is one of the
oldest and most interesting homes featuring
a one-story, wrap around porch with Queen
Anne trim. Inside a room designed to store
lady’s gowns and a gorgeous chandelier are
just two of the interior’s interesting
highlights. At the roof’s peak, an extensive
Captain’s Walk enabled Sandlin to observe
ships in Charlotte Harbor. In the 1950’s,
the Sandlin home was used as a school for
exceptional students. |
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F. M. Bell Home
(1901)
1292 Lemon Street (relocated)
Frederick M. Bell built
this house on East Marion Avenue facing the
river for his new bride in 1901. The
relocation to 1292 Lemon Street has given
the wooden, shot gun style, tin roofed house
a new lease on life. Mrs. Bell maintained
the house until the mid-50’s. After that, it
had many uses until condemned by the City of
Punta Gorda. Today, the house has |
| been restored to its former beauty, and
has regained the “happy” aura its current
owners enjoy. |
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Heusted Home
(1920’s)
607 Trabue Street
This property was platted in the Condit
subdivision. In 1885, Issac Trabue and his
wife Virginia of Louisville, Kentucky deeded
it over to John Cross and John Trabue to be
used for a described purpose: mainly to be
planted in pineapples, lemons, oranges and
other profitable fruit. When the produce was
sold, two thirds of the profit was to be
used as prizes |
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for a described “chess tournament.” The
chess pieces are in existence today. From
1902 until 1917, Punta Gorda was a principal
supplier of pineapple to the nation. By
March of 1917, the pineapple fields were
done due to a disastrous freeze – the 20
year pineapple boom was over. In 1924, the
whole block sold for $4,000 at 8% interest.
This house was built shortly thereafter. In
1964 the City of Punta Gorda tax on the
property was $35.36! |
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Johnson Home (1924)
613 Trabue Street
This charming home sits on three lots on a
single block street in the heart of the old
Historic District of Punta Gorda, Florida.
The original abstract shows that paving (the
brick street), curbing and storm drainage
were put into place in 1925. Fred M and his
wife Mary Calhoun Johnson purchased the
house in 1931. The original floor, china
closets, ceilings, |
| baseboards and wainscoting
remain throughout the interior. |
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109 Dolly Street
(1914)
This quaint 500 square
foot cottage is a traditional British folk
form, becoming the dominant pre-railroad
folk house throughout much of the
southeastern United States. This form is a
persistent survivor that has shown
relatively little change since colonial
times. Some changes were chimney placement,
porch sizes and porch roof shapes. |
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Crosland House
(1898)
451 Retta Esplanade West
The original appearance
of this home was much different than it
appears today. In the past there was a
lovely screened porch that stretched across
the front of the house. A porch swing graced
part of this space. The siding was cypress
and the red brick portion along the back was
not a part of the original structure.
Windows on all three floors look out over
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the harbor. The
stairway to the second floor is an
outstanding feature of the home.
In 1961, C. T.
Crosland’s sons decided to go into the
construction business. This home was used as
an example of their ability. The screened
porch was removed and the 22 foot redwood
pillars were added. The pillars were shipped
from Seward, Pa. This distinctive feature is
very unusual as the top and bases of the
pillars are sized differently with a slight
bulging in the middle. “Intasis” is the term
used to describe the shape of the pillars.
When looking at the pillars, one cannot tell
that this how the pillars are made. |
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"If you are really living... you are enjoying the Punta Gorda
Life"
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