The Columbus G. McLeod marker sits near the edge of Ponce de Leon Park, and even with the sky…read moreflattened into a dull gray the place still has that easy Punta Gorda rhythm where people wander in from the parking lot, the shoreline drifts along quietly, and the marker becomes a small pause in the middle of it all. The beach view was not doing much on an overcast day, but the park itself carries enough charm to make the stop worthwhile, and the marker's simple presentation fits the setting without trying to compete with anything around it. What struck me most was how McLeod's fight to protect Florida's plumed birds echoes the spirit called out on the Paul Kroegel statue over in Sebastian, another reminder that conservation in this state was built by stubborn, principled individuals who refused to look away. Reading the marker brings that same sense of early guardianship, the kind of work that shaped the wildlife we take for granted today, and standing there in the soft light of an overcast morning, it felt like a quiet tribute to someone who understood the cost of doing the right thing even when the world wasn't paying attention. The marker reads, "Many wading birds can be seen here, largely due to the sacrifice of men like Columbus G. McLeod (1848-1908), who gave his life trying to protect them from plume hunters. Ladies' hats with exotic bird feathers were high fashion for the late 1800's, and thousands of birds were slaughtered in Florida for their plumage. In 1901 the Audubon Society persuaded the state to adopt laws protecting Florida wildlife, especially plumage birds. Even so, no funds were allocated. The state, however, agreed to deputize two wardens hired by the Audubon Society. The danger of this work was evidenced when Guy M. Bradley, charged with protecting the Everglades area, was found shot to death near Flamingo on July 8, 1905. Columbus G. McLeod of Placida, charged with protecting to rookeries here in northern Charlotte Harbor, disappeared under suspicious circumstances and was presumed murdered on November 30, 1908. This second death of an Audubon warden sparked a national campaign against the wearing of feathers, and shifted public sentiment in favor of stronger enforcement of wildlife protection laws and the prosecution of plume hunters. Today we enjoy the beauty of our Florida wading birds largely because of these men." It is marker number F-552 and it was erected in 2004 by The Peace River Audubon Society and the Florida Department of State. [Review 108 of 2026 - 2229 in Florida - 25298 overall]

There is a historic marker in Ponce de Leon Park commemorating Columbus G. McLeod. At the turn of…read morethe century Florida's native bird population was being wiped out by plume hunters who were killing the birds for ladies hats. To help protect the birds that were on the verge of extinction, the National Audubon Society hired game wardens to patrol the rookeries and enforce state game laws. This job could be dangerous and Everglades Game Warden Guy M. Bradley was found murdered on July 8, 1905. Game Warden Columbus McLeod (1848-1908) was charged with protecting the breeding grounds of the birds of northern Charlotte Harbor. He is presumed to have been murdered during patrol in Lee County, Florida. It is believed that he was searching for egret hunters at Cayo Pelau Island when he disappeared. His boat was eventually located sunk with sand sacks tied to it and his hat was located nearby with two axe chips, blood, and hair on it but his body was never located. He was 63 at the time of his disappearance. Columbus G. McLeod Preserve in Ft. Myers was named in his honor. The death of the two game wardens shifted public opinion against wearing feathers and led to stronger wildlife protection laws. Thanks to the sacrifice of these two men along with countless others who patrolled and lobbied for laws to protect the birds we are still able to have native birds in the wild today. Although there is still not as many as were here in the late 1880's before hunting began, their number continues to grow every year.

On a small hill overlooking the Historical Society Depot Museum, I spotted this memorial plaque and…read moreI had to know more about it. Lastinger Memorial Park is dedicated to Joshua and Louisa Lastinger the first white settlers of Lake Placid who have left a lasting impact on the city to this day. This memorial was dedicated on August 29, 1987. Joshua was a Confederate veteran of the Civil War. He married Louisa Bowden Lastinger in 1870 in Lowndes County, Georgia. The couple had their first child two years later, and by 1880 they were living in Hernando County. While on a hunting trip, Joshua discovered the lake-covered south end of the Lake Wales Ridge. He became determined to make a home there. The family packed their belongings and traveled by ox cart over three days to their new home. The settled on the northeastern shore of Lake Sterns in 1890. Over the next several weeks Joshua, Louisa, and their five daughters began clearing and cultivating the land. This area was later renamed Lake June-in-Winter in the 1920's. The federal government officially grant the Lastinger's land patent, consisting of 131 acres, in 1897. Joshua Lastinger became the first carpenter and they were the first settlers to cultivate citrus. Daughter Laura was the first school teacher. When the train came to town in 1916, it passed right through the Lastinger property. Joshua donated the right of way to the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. By the 1920 Census, it was reported that 307 people lived in the town, just 10 years later the number grew to 819 people. Joshua and Louisa Lastinger passed away in 1931. They left behind nine children and there are many grandchildren still in the area today. In addition to the memorial there is a bench and landscaping in the small park.

This marker stands on the property of the Punta Gorda City Hall, a couple of blocks from both…read moreGilchrist Park and the Gilchrist Bridge that crosses the Peace River and connects the city with Port Charlotte. The marker has the same text on both sides. It reads, "A founder of Punta Gorda, he was a resident until his death. Served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives in 1893, 1895, 1903 and was House Speaker in 1905. He resigned as Brig. Gen. of the Florida Militia and enlisted as a Private in the U.S. Volunteers during the Spanish-American War. He was discharged a captain. He served as Governor 1909-1913. Was noted for rugged honesty, good humor, and concern for others. Gilchrist County was named for him." It is marker number F-109 and was erected in 1963 by the Florida Board of Parks and Historic Memorials. Gilchrist was born into a family that had been wealthy, but the Civil War and his father's early death left him in what one biography calls relative poverty. He was selling firewood at nine and working as a store clerk for fifteen dollars a month before he ever set foot in Florida. He first came as a civil engineer and surveyor for the Florida Southern Railroad in 1885-1886, saw potential in the young town, and quit the railroad to stake his future there. He wasn't just a founder in the ceremonial sense. He was one of the men who voted to incorporate the town, and he ran for mayor in the very first election, losing by only two votes. [Review 1588 of 2025 - 2169 in Florida - 25138 overall]

This marker is just south of the bridge as you enter Punta Gorda from Port Charlotte. There is…read moreparking nearby. It has the same text on both sides. It reads, "The Punta Gorda Bank was operating by June 1894 as a branch of the State Bank of Fort Meade. It was chartered by the state as a separate bank in July 1899, with a capital of $15,000 and Perry Wadsworth McAdow as president. McAdow had earned a fortune as the owner of the Spotted Horse gold mines in Fergus County, Montana, and decided to relocate to Punta Gorda after vacationing here with his wife. McAdow constructed a one-story, brick facade commercial building on this location to house the bank. The Punta Gorda Bank occupied the corner storefront, with Earnest Dry Goods, the Punta Gorda Trading Company, Wade's Drug Store and a community social hall known as McAdow Hall filling the remainder of the building. "By December 1912, the bank's assets had grown to $147,000, and a competing bank, The Merchant's Bank of Punta Gorda, opened in April of 1912. The Punta Gorda Bank underwent some years of uncertainty, and on April 23, 1917 was reorganized as the State Bank of Punta Gorda. The new bank assumed the deposits and liabilities of the old Punta Gorda Bank and was relocated to a new building." What the marker doesn't say outright is how deeply the McAdow family shaped the look and feel of early Punta Gorda. Perry Wadsworth McAdow arrived with serious wealth, but it was his wife, Clara, who left an equally lasting mark. She was an avid horticulturalist, and according to the Babcock Ranch historical timeline, she took it upon herself to beautify downtown Punta Gorda with plantings and landscaping that softened what had been a rough frontier town. There is no number on the marker. It was erected in 2008 by the Charlotte County Board of County Commissioners. [Review 1583 of 2025 - 2164 in Florida - 25133 overall]

The Barron Collier Bridge carries the northbound lanes of US 41 across the Peace River between…read morePunta Gorda and Port Charlotte, and its clean concrete girder design reflects the practical, mid century Florida approach to river crossings. The current span dates from the early 1980s, replacing an older drawbridge that had served the region since the early twentieth century. Even without ornament, the bridge has a quiet presence, rising just high enough to clear local boat traffic and offering wide views of the river on a clear day. Its history reaches back to the first automobile era, when the original Peace River crossing opened in the 1920s to support the growing Tamiami Trail. That early bridge quickly proved too narrow for the traffic it attracted, prompting the construction of the first Barron Collier Bridge in the early 1930s. Over time, as the region grew and US 41 became a major corridor, the state added the Gilchrist Bridge for southbound traffic and eventually replaced the older Barron Collier span with the modern structure in use today. Crossing it on a foggy morning changes the experience entirely. The river disappears into a soft gray wash, the shoreline fades, and the bridge feels almost suspended in midair. What is usually a broad, scenic view becomes a quiet, muted passage, the kind of moment that makes you aware of the bridge's height and the stillness of the water below. It is a reminder that even the most familiar Florida infrastructure can feel different when the weather decides to rewrite the script. There is no toll to cross the bridge. [Review 1580 of 2025 - 2161 in Florida - 25130 overall]

Hotel Punta Gorda was one of the first buildings of any kind constructed in Punta Gorda. It was…read morelocated at the southern terminus of railroad service on Florida's west coast, which was provided by the Florida Southern Railway. The hotel was built by Henry Plant who was known for building grand hotels on Florida's east coast like the ones Henry Flagler was building on Floridas east coast. Hotel Punta Gorda was one of 20 grand hotels built in Florida in the 19th century when it opened in January 1888. During it's first season it served over 3,300 guests which was quite the feat considering the area was sparsely populated. The three story building contained 150 rooms all with a view of the waters of Charlotte Harbor. The Queen Anne style included clapboard siding, multi-paned windows, round conical roofed towers and a hipped roof. Not everyone was enamored with the beauty of the hotel. Reporter Mr. Peeples from the Punta Gorda Herald wrote in 1910: "The big unsightly building known as the Hotel Punta Gorda continues to be an eyesore and an incubus to the town and there seems no prospect that it will ever be anything else. ... The huge old hulk standing idle and ugly for nine years past is actually a curse to the community." Located in a remote area of Florida the hotel still had many modern conveniences like gas lighting, electric bells, steam heat and open fireplaces. The grounds were beautifully landscaped with camphor trees and palms. Visitors to the hotel included wealthy and notable snowbirds Thomas Edison, John Wanamaker, W. K. Vanderbilt, and the Samuel Colt family. The hotel declined through the years and closed in 1914. In 1924 Barron Collier purchased the hotel and changed it's name to the Hotel Charlotte Harbor. Over three years and $250,000 he remodeled the hotel and expanded the grounds. He stuccoed the exterior, added a fourth floor private apartments, a fifth floor glassed in ballroom, arches to the porch, a boat basin and a 176 x 80 foot swimming pool. In 1927 two clay tennis courts were put in for famous tennis player Big Bill Tilden who started his career in Punta Gorda and he won a tournament here in 1931. Reopened on January 2, 1927 the hotel flourished again with many famous guests until the Great Depression 5 years later. Upon Colliers death the hotel was sold to G. Floyd Alford in 1944 and he let Martin Fleischman take over the mortgage in 1956. Mr. Fleischman changed the name of the hotel to the Charlotte Harbor Spa and poured money into turning it into a health retreat but it never turned a profit. A fire on August 14, 1959 provided the death knell for the hotel. The fire could be seen or 25 miles and firefighters were called out from three counties. At one point the fire threatened to engulf the rest of the town. By the time the fire was put out there was only a blackened chimney and the twisted metal of the elevators left. The cause of the fire remains a mystery. A dedication ceremony was held on September 9, 2009, at West Marion Avenue for the historical marker. It was paid for by the Charlotte County Historical Center and the City of Punta Gorda. All that is left as a reminder of the hotel is this marker, a downtown mural, and the hotels fountain that sits in Punta Gordas History Park. The land the hotel sat on is currently for sale.

It's hard work finding a historical marker in Florida that hasn't already been added to the Yelp…read moreuniverse by Ariel W. so I'm counting this one as a win. The marker is in front of the church and there is plenty of parking to stop and read it. On the front, "The town of Nocatee originated as a lumber manufacturing town during the 1880s. During the late 19th century. two businesses stimulated the town's growth. One was the King Lumber and Manufacturing Company, established by W.G. Welles in 1896. The second was the Nocatee Crate Lumber and Manufacturing Company, opened a few years later. The two businesses were next to each other west of the Florida Southern Railroad tracks and south of County Road 760/Welles Avenue. The Nocatee Crate Company eventually became the largest employer in Desoto County, which prompted the construction of many homes and businesses. The company's success due to the development of a packing crate that made it cheaper and was partly easier to ship fruits and vegetables to market. These "4-One" crates, built of wire wrapped around wood corners and veneer strips, were used throughout the U.S. The crates could be flattened and stacked, and their light weight reduced shipping costs and waste. Several buildings along the west side of U.S. 17 were constructed by the Nocatee Crate Company and rented to its employees. When the company closed, the homes were sold to the residents at auction." On the reverse, "The Nocatee Baptist Church (later known as the First Baptist Church of Nocatee) was organized around 1890, and held its early services in a local school under the pastorship of the Rev. T.J. Sparkman. In 1915, B.F. Welles, brother of Nocatee Crate Lumber and Manufacturing Company co-founder W. G. Welles, donated land for the construction of a brick church east of U.S. 17. The building used a Greek cross plan with a cross gable roof, Gothic style windows with Queen Anne colored glass, and a bell tower. The church held its first service in this new location in 1916. The church split temporarily in 1935 because of a controversial divide in the congregation, which was reunited by 1936. From 1949-1956, a new classroom building as well as a kitchen and recreation hall were constructed. Although the church was taken down in 2014, the Florida Department of Transportation assisted the congregation with salvaging the arched windows and bell. The top of the bell tower or cupola, was removed and relocated to the DeSoto County Historical Society property in Arcadia." This is marker number F-830 and it was erected in 2014 by the Florida Department of Transportation and the Florida Department of State. [Review 1579 of 2025 - 2160 in Florida - 25129 overall]

DeSoto County was created in 1887 from Manatee County to the west. It is named after the great…read moreSpanish conquistador and Florida explorer Hernando De Soto. The area's original inhabitants were the Caloosa (alternate spelling: Calusa) Indians. In early Florida history, the region was the scene of numerous Indian battles. The county's 416,640 acres offer a diversified economy of citrus, cattle, agriculture and industry. Arcadia is the county seat. I don't have anything to add to Ariel's review of the courthouse. The building was closed on this early Saturday morning and not open for a tour. DeSoto County originally included several other present-day counties until 1921, when the Florida legislature created the following new counties: Charlotte, Glades, Hardee, and Highlands. During World War II, DeSoto County operated the Carlstrom Field Air Base, which provided training for both American and British pilots. In 1945, the base turned out its last cadets and was decommissioned. [Review 16804 overall - 1528 in Florida - 317 of 2022.]

The DeSoto County Courthouse is a historic red brick courthouse designed in the Classic Revial…read morestyle by architects Bonfoey & Elliott of Tampa. It was built between 1912 and 1913 by the Read Parker Construction Company. It is DeSoto County's third courthouse and the second one built in Arcadia. The first DeSoto Courthouse was a wood frame structure built in 1888. The 1912 courthouse that is still in use today was constructed on the same property. The courthouse was restored in 1976 and it is part of Arcadia's historic district which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.