Personal Note: it was a terrible rainy day and we drove briefly in town and was able to catch one more site.
The Archer Railroad Museum is housed in the historic Seaboard Air Line depot, built around 1900. Archer was founded in 1859 as a shipping point for area farms on David Levy Yulee's newly constructed railroad and was named for Florida's first Secretary of State, James T. Archer. The museum houses memorabilia of the town's growth -- from trains and local industry to the people who have made up the community. Source: Visit Natural North Florida. Personal Note: it was a terrible rainy day and we drove briefly in town and was able to catch one more site.
0 Comments
Punta Gorda was the scene of massive destruction after Charley, a Category 4 hurricane, came through the city on August 13, 2004. Charley was the strongest tropical system to hit Florida since Hurricane Andrew in 1992, and the first hurricane since Hurricane Donna in 1960 to make a direct hit on Florida's southwest coast.[8] In the years following the storm, buildings were restored or built to hurricane-resistant building codes.
The new buildings, restorations and amenities concurrently preserved the city's past while showcasing newer facilities. Source: Wiki See also Punta Gorda: 17 things to do in an Old Florida riverfront town ... Florida Rambler - Gateway to the Authentic Florida See Also Punta Gorda: Town of Murals Punta Gorda Historic - Mural Society Personal Note: Our visit was limited to finding and shooting murals. The town is attractive and looks clean and updated. We did not have an opportunity to see the impacts of Hurricane Ida in late 2022. We will be exploring lots more since our daughter and family have moved to Punta Gorda, enjoying their new home on 7 acres ... inland. The are many unexplored area in the southwest and Ginger and I plan to photograph and explore ... "knock, knock - we've come to visit" The area around Chokoloskee Bay, including the site of Everglades City, was occupied for thousands of years by Native Americans of the Glades culture, who were absorbed by the Calusa shortly before the arrival of Europeans in the New World, but by the time Florida was transferred from Spain to the United States in 1821, the area was uninhabited. A legend says that Seminoles planted potatoes along what is now the Barron River during the Seminole Wars, in the vicinity of the present Everglades City. Source: Vist Everglades City Everglades City Historic Train Depot - Click here
"The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL) ran between Immokalee (40 miles north) and Everglades from 1928 to 1956. It carried passengers as well as freight and was an important link for the tomato farms in the area. The station, in typical Spanish-style stucco popular in Florida, was used in the 1957 film "Wind Across the Everglades: starring Burl Ives and Gypsy Rose Lee.
The tracks were torn out in 1959 and the building, which was extended to include a banquet room, became a popular restaurant." Source: HMDB The Homestead Seaboard Air Line Railway Station is a historic depot constructed by the Seaboard Air Line Railroad in Homestead. It is the southernmost Seaboard station and the southernmost railroad station in the United States still standing at its original location.
The Seaboard Air Line Railroad was established in 1900, operating nearly 4,000 miles of track running from Richmond, Virginia down through Jacksonville and ending in West Palm Beach. Solomon Davies Warfield, chairman of the Seaboard Air Line Railroad at the time, extended the railroad further into South Florida to Miami in 1925 and subsequently extending it even further to Homestead in 1927. Source: Homestead "Built in 1926, the station is essentially identical to the Naples Seaboard station on the southwest coast of Florida. Architects Harvey and Clarke, who also designed many other Seaboard Air Line stations of the period, designed the Mediterranean Revival station. It was served by, among other Seaboard trains."
Source: Wiki The depot was constructed in 1927 when the Seaboard Air Line Railroad (via its Seaboard-All Florida Railway subsidiary) constructed its line to Naples. It was designed in the same Mediterranean Revival style the Seaboard Air Line used with its stations in Delray Beach, Deerfield Beach, Hialeah, and Homestead on the southeast coast of Florida (which were built around the same time), and is virtually identical to the Hialeah depot.
The station only briefly saw Seaboard Air Line passenger service in the late 1920s before the railroad reduced its line to Naples to freight service only in 1933. Seaboard ended freight service in the 1940s. During World War II, the depot was also home to USO shows for troops stationed at the nearby Naples airfield. Source: Wiki and read History Wiki says ... "The Seaboard Air Line Railroad depot in is located at 490 Ali Baba Avenue. Constructed in 1927, the station house is typical of the Moorish Revival architecture prevalent throughout the city of Opa-locka. On June 25, 1987, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
The Amtrak station in Fort Lauderdale was built by the Seaboard Air Line in 1926. It was designed in the Mediterranean Revival style, which was popular in South Florida at the time for its romantic associations with early explorers and because regional boosters often drew parallels between Florida’s warm climate and that of Italy, Spain and southern France. The stuccoed building features a hipped red tile roof and decorative elements above the entryways that include a wreath with shield and fancy scroll work. Source: Here
Opened by the Seaboard Air Line in 1926, the depot was designed in a romantic Mediterranean Revival style. Decorative elements include wreaths, shields and fancy scroll work.
Wiki say: "The Delray Beach Seaboard Air Line Railway Station (also known as the Delray Beach Railroad Station) is a historic Seaboard Air Line Railway depot in Delray Beach, Florida, United States. The station is located at 1525 West Atlantic Avenue.
Constructed in 1927 and designed and is identical to the XXXHomestead Seaboard station further south, with the sole exception of its use of plain stucco rather than corinthian arches." Great American Stations says: "The Deerfield Beach station, built in 1926, is one of several historical Mediterranean Revival stations designed by Harvey and Clarke, Architects. This former Seaboard Air Line station was listed as historic in the Florida Department of the Archives in 1974 and placed on the National Register of Historical Places in 1990.
Like its sister building in Delray Beach, the Deerfield Beach Seaboard Air Line station features arched entryways, painted stucco walls, a barrel-tiled roof and a two-story tower. The Clio says "Housed in the historic Florida East Railway Depot, the Boca Express Train Museum features two historic railcars built in 1947, a 1946 Atlantic Coast Line caboose, and a 1930 Baldwin steam switch engine. The railcars are separately listed on the National Register of Historic Places (the depot is listed as well)." Source: The Clio
In the Marathon area there were actually three railroad stations listed in the January 7, 1908 train timetable: Vaca, Knight's Key and Knight's Key Dock. Nine months later, the October 1, 1908 timetable listed the station as "Marathon," instead of Knight's Key Station. Carlton Corliss, formerly of the F.E.C., wrote "Knights Key station was simply renamed Marathon."
As with most of the Keys communities, the railroad station's name established the name the community retained. Three months later, the Marathon post office was established which further established the use of the name. Source: Keys History Micanopy, named after the Seminole Indian Chief, Mic-a-no-pee (my phonetic spelling) was settled in 1821 and is the oldest inland town in Florida. Cholokka Boulevard, once an Indian trading route, is Micanopy’s main street, and the town’s primary tourist destination known for its antique shops (self-proclaimed antiques capital). The main street has a mix of rustic storefronts and dining for casual shoppers, collectors, and has been a location for Hollywood film makers (Note: Micanopy was the setting for the movie 'Doc Hollywood' starring Michael J Fox). The town also has a wonderful B&B (Herlong Mansion) and exemplifies that which is called Old Florida The Town of Micanopy encompasses 1.03 square miles in rural north-central Florida between Gainesville and Ocala just off Interstate 75, with 700 residents and 300 homes. Few Facts:
- - - - - - - - - - personal notes & photos - - - - - - - - - - Micanopy was one of our earliest photographic destination 'explorations'. It was the oldest inland town in Florida, it has been recognized in several Florida websites as one of the small towns that are a 'must-see', 10 quaint small towns, etc. We have been to/through Micanopy many times to shop the shops, see how it survived during and after COVID and to take a drone of the town. We like this town also since it is close to other Florida things to see - McIntosh, Gainesville, Evinston, and others. And known for the best in those interested in antiques. We are considering an overnight stay in the Herlong Mansion. Suggested Photo Opportunities * Historic Micanopy Sign * Old barn with Coke Cola billboard * Main Street and various shops * The Herlong Mansion (Bed and breakfast) * Historic Train Depot Resources:
Micanopy https://micanopytown.com/ The Town that Time Forgot https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2x7EqlUdnM Authentic Florida - Micanopy Herlong Mansion https://backpackerverse.com/haunted-herlong-mansion/ The Inverness train depot, also known as the Inverness Seaboard Air Line Railroad Depot, was built in 1908 by the Seaboard Air Line Railroad to serve the growing community of Inverness and the surrounding citrus industry.
The station was a hub of activity in the early 20th century, serving as a vital link between the rural areas of Citrus County and the rest of the state. The station was a popular stop for passengers traveling to and from Inverness, as well as for shipping goods and produce from the area. During World War II, the station played an important role in the war effort by serving as a transportation hub for soldiers and supplies. In the post-war years, however, the station's importance waned as automobile travel became more popular and the citrus industry declined. In the 1980s, the station was restored the depot and turn it into a museum and retail shops. Source: ChatGPT The Savannah, Florida and Western railroad, part of the Plant System, was extended from Live Oak to Gainesville in 1883, passing through the small community of Santaffey, named for the nearby Santa Fe River. A post office and railroad station were established and, in 1888, the name was changed to High Springs.
In 1895. the Plant System Railroad established its division headquarters in High Springs with roundhouse, turntable, repair shops, and a two-story district hospital. Three branches of the Atlantic Coast Line converged in the town which became known as "The Railroad Center." The rail line supported local farmers by shipping tobacco, peanuts, corn, and melons to market. Phosphate was discovered in 1888, which added to the growth. Source: Railroad The present-day area of High Springs was first settled on a permanent basis by English-speaking people during the late 1830s. One of the earliest settlements in the vicinity was at Crockett Springs, located about three miles east of present-day High Springs. Settlers who were living there during the 1840s included Fernando Underwood and Marshal Blanton. A discernible town began to develop in the early 1880s after the Savannah, Florida & Western Railway was constructed and several phosphate mines were established. A railroad station and a post office called Santaffey were established in 1884. High Springs has since become a center for antiques and collectibles, and as a gateway to springs and rivers. Source: Wiki High Springs Historic Train Depot - click here -> Train Depot
In 1894, sawmill operator W. B. Wright opened the 26-mile (42 km) Yellow River Railroad between Crestview and Florala, Alabama. The L & N supplied the line with freight cars, and in 1906, purchased the operation, as the Yellow River Branch. This line, without any major shippers on it to make it profitable, was used for freight car storage for a time in the early 1980s and then was abandoned with 25.3 miles of the route lifted after May 1985, although the right of way still exists. Source Wiki.
The Ghost Town of Ellaville ... Well, just that name interested us to find a town that does not exist. Last year we learned of a graffiti bridge and recently determined it was in the abandoned 'town' of Ellaville.
This week, we located the bridge once again, and then proceeded to explore the area to find the remains of the town. After over a mile of driving a dirt road (at 10 miles per hour to prevent suspension damage) we ended at the only home we could find. The entire 'town' was abandoned in the '70's. "Located at 531 Northeast First Avenue, the Ocala Union Station, also known as Union Station Plaza, was built in 1917 by both the Atlantic Coast Line (ACL) Railroad and the Seaboard Air Line (SAL) Railroad. Before constructing the station, the ACL and SAL had separate depots in Ocala.
The ACL station was built by the Florida Southern Railroad around 1895 and was used until the Union Station opened, when it was converted to the district office of the rail system.[1] The building was demolished in the 1960s. The SAL was built in the late 19th century by the Florida Transit and Peninsular Railroad." Source: Ocala Union Station "Built in 1927-28 by the Putnam Lumber Company, the Putnam Hotel is part of a bygone era in Florida’s forestry history. The lobby and the dining room of the 36-room lodge were decorated exclusively with the still preserved, artfully stenciled “pecky cypress,” a now virtually extinct lumber product. In its day, the Putnam Lumber Company, founded by William O’Brien, a timber magnate of Irish descent, and associates including E. B. Putnam, employed hundreds at its two state-of-the-art sawmills in Shamrock.
The mills annually produced and shipped worldwide millions of feet of “deep swamp tidewater cypress” and “dense Florida longleaf yellow pine” lumber, products that are now rare because the old growth trees are gone." Source: Putnam Hotel |
|