As a fan of antique vehicles I was delighted to discover the historic firetruck, Old Betsy…read more(1953-2006) in downtown LaBelle. She sits near the original location of the firehouse on Bridge Street. Old Betsy was named by the LaBelle Volunteer Fire Department. She is a 1953 Ford Engine 56 V.F. D. Fire Truck. In 1953 Fire Chief Jimmy Pendry purchased the fire truck for the City of LaBelle and a sister truck for the City of Clewiston. Harold Curtis, Fire Chief (1955-1994), transported the fire engine to Alva to have the 1000-gallon water tank and hoses installed. Old Betsy was used to fight numerous fires and was credited with saving property and lives in LaBelle. Long after she finished fighting fires, Betsy was still a popular LaBelle mascot. In 1995, Old Betsy made several appearances at the LaBelle High School Cowboys football team games until they made it all the way to the state playoffs. In 1999, U.S. Senator Bill Nelson rode on the truck in the annual Swamp Cabbage Festival parade. Betsy's last public appearance was at the LaBelle High School's Home Court during a parade in 2001. The idea to bring Old Betsy back to downtown LaBelle was sparked by Greg Bone, a former board member of the LaBelle Downtown Revitalization Corporation. Ramiro Rodriquez with Hendry County Parks & Recreation, Kirrillos Welding, Sue WIlliams, Synovus Bank, Firehouse Community Theatre, Rose Williams, Heartland Registry, Hendry County, Hendry County Tourism, City of LaBelle, and the LaBelle Downtown Revitalization Corporation all partnered together to restore Old Betsy and install her where she serves as an ambassador of the history, culture, and architecture of the LaBelle Downtown District.

"Old Betsy" is LaBelle's 1953 Ford firetruck. She has been restored to her former beauty and is now…read moreon display as part of the downtown beautification project by the city. Located on an open space half way between the bridge and the courthouse, the firetruck is protected by a low fence to protect it from being climbed on. The plaque reads, "The men and women of LaBelle's Volunteer FIrefighters thoughtfully named this 1953 Ford fire truck 'Old Betsy.' 'Old Betsy' was in servvice from 1953 to 2006, housed in what is now the Firehouse Community Theater. The lady Jimmy Pendry, fire Chief (1953), purchase the fire truck for the city of Labelle along with a sister truck for the city of Clewiston. Harold Curtis, Fire Chief (1955-1994), transported the fire engine to the neighboring community of Alva to have the 1000-gallon water tank and hoses installed. 'Old Betsy' saw many fires in her day and saved acres of LaBelle property..." [Review 16790 overall - 1515 in Florida - 303 of 2022.]

It's a bridge WE HAD A GREAT TIME CROSSING IT! We used it to go to Ft Meyers for a trip to the…read morebeach then back home It was so convenient we make several crossings a week!

The Caloosahatchee River is about 67 miles long from Lake Hicpochee near Clewiston, through LaBelle…read moreand then passes Fort Myers and Cape Coral before draining into the This bridge is the only one over the river in LaBelle with the nearest being the Mamie Langdale Memorial Bridge in Moore Haven (25 miles east) and the Fort Denaud Swing Bridge (5 miles west). It is a deck plate girder bascule bridge that was built in 1959 and is still in active use. The deck is 27.9 feet wide and has two lanes plus a pedestrian walkway. [Review 16788 overall - 1513 in Florida - 301 of 2022.]

In the 1800's white settlers flooded into Florida and the government became determined to relocate…read moreall Native Americans west of the Mississippi. This forced removal policy sparked the Second Seminole War 1835-1842. As the Seminoles fled south into Florida to evade capture and being sent out west, they moved into the Everglades in order to hide. In response the army set up forts south of Tampa to the east coast along rivers as they chased after the Seminoles who were much more skilled at surviving in the terrain than the soldiers. Fort Thompson was one of these forts and it was established in 1838 as a military post to store supplies for the Seminole Wars. The fort was named Lt. Colonel Alexander Thompson, who died in the battle of Okeechobee in 1837. I was able to watch a recreation of the Battle of Okeechobee earlier this year and I learned a lot more about the battle. All that remains of the fort is the marker that signifies where it was built. The marker was placed by the LaBelle Heritage Museum. The last remnants of the fort were washed away with the dredging of the Caloosahatchee River. The Confederate army used this land during the Civil War to raise cattle. After the Civil War a community named Thompson built up around the old fort because it was the best place to cross the Caloosahatchee River for miles around. Confederate Captain Francis Asbury Hendry purchased the property in 1879 which he used it for his home and a cattle ranch. Hendry founded the town of LaBelle in the late 1880's along the western edge of the property, named for his daughters Laura Jane and Carrie Belle. Hendry County is named in honor of Captain Hendry. In 1885 steamboat service began between Fort Myers and LaBelle. Fort Thompson was purchased in 1905 by Edgar Everett Goodno who built an ice and electric plant. Goodno built the Fort Thompson Park Hotel on the site which brought many people to the area including Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. Ford purchased part of Goodno´s property in 1924 and it renmained in his name until 1942 when he sold it to one of Captain Hendry´s cousins, Joseph B. Hendry. The old Fort Thompson Park Hotel was torn down in the early 1940's. The historical marker erected on this site is a bit difficult to see and is faded. It is next to the gate of a private home located on SR80 just east of the City of LaBelle, FL. Five stars for the history of this place.

As white settlers flooded into Florida the government became determined to relocate all Native…read moreAmericans west of the Mississippi. This forced removal policy sparked the Second Seminole War in 1835. The Seminoles fled south into Florida to evade capture and being sent out west and they moved into the Everglades in order to hide. In response the army set up forts south of Tampa to the east coast along rivers as they chased after the Seminoles who were much more skilled at surviving in the terrain than the soldiers. Fort Denaud was established by Captain B. L. E. Bonneville and troops of the 7th Infantry in 1838 on the the south side of the Caloosahatchee River. The fort was named in honor of Pierre Denaud, A French-Canadian trapper who had traded with the Seminoles and who owned land in the area in the 1830's. The fort consisted of a blockhouse with tents around it and it served as a supply depot for troops in Lake Okeechobee. The stockade at the fort guarded a bridge over the river on a military highway between Fort Myers and Fort Meade. The Fort Denaud historical marker marks the site of the blockhouse at Fort Denaud. Fort Denaud was closed after the end of the Second Seminole War and reopened at the beginning of the Third Seminole War in 1855 under Brevent Major William Hays. Soldiers added a hospital, guardhouse, jail, Sutler's store, and stables. A fire ravaged the fort in 1856 and it was rebuilt two miles downstream on the north side of the river. The fort was abandoned in May of 1858. After the war settlers moved into the town of Fort Denaud that sprang up and began farming sugar cane and citrus but most of them left after the fort was abandoned. Although there is no trace of the fort a few historic structures still remain. Today the area is mainly citrus groves and a new housing development.

Quiet, peaceful and respectful, this area was established in 1837 as a supply depot during the…read moreSecond Seminole War. It was named in honor of Pierre Denaud, a French-Canadian trapper who had owned the land and had traded skins and hides with the Seminole prior to the Seminole War. The nearby marker https://www.yelp.com/biz/fort-denaud-historical-marker-labelle?hrid=g7RpDxiByiRUCXQVgxwLCw points out, "The combined pressure of growing white settlement in Florida and federal policy of relocating Indian tribes west of the Mississippi sparked the outbreak of the 2nd Seminole War in 1835. Controlling the coasts and campaigning in the heart of Seminole lands were the objectives of Major General Thomas Jesup in 1837. Captain B. L. E. Bonneville established Fort Denaud in 1838 as one of a series of posts linking American operations south of Tampa to the east coast. It was constructed on the south bank of the Caloosahatchee River 27 miles from Fort Myers on land owned by Pierre Denaud, a French Indian trader. The fort consisted of tents with a blockhouse in their midst. It served as a supply depot for troops in the Lake Okeechobee area and was utilized intermittently until the war ended in 1842. Fort Denaud was reopened in 1855, soon after the outbreak of the 3rd Seminole War. Additions included company quarters, hospital guardhouse, sutler's store and stables. A few months after a fire ravaged the post in June 1856, another site on the north bank of the river two miles west was chosen. The fort, which was abandoned in May 1858, gave its name to the nearby town of Ft. Denaud." The cemetery is in very good condition though many of the graves are unmarked or illegible though there are at least 350 veterans laid to rest here. There are still quite a few flowers and other tributes, so clearly people care. [Review 19285 overall - 1633 in Florida - 255 of 2023.]

In the 1800's white settlers flooded into Florida and the government became determined to relocate…read moreall Native Americans west of the Mississippi. This forced removal policy sparked the Second Seminole War 1835-1842. As the Seminoles fled south into Florida to evade capture and being sent out west, they moved into the Everglades in order to hide. In response the army set up forts south of Tampa to the east coast along rivers as they chased after the Seminoles who were much more skilled at surviving in the terrain than the soldiers. Fort Denaud was established by Captain B. L. E. Bonneville and troops of the 7th Infantry in 1838 on the the south side of the Caloosahatchee River. The fort was named in honor of Pierre Denaud, A French-Canadian trapper who had traded with the Seminoles and who owned land in the area in the 1830's. The Fort Denaud Cemetery date's back to the early 1800's and is the site of over 350 Veteran Grave sites. Many of the settlers who came to the area were drawn by the Armed Occupation Act of 1842, which was created to encourage people to move into South Florida. According to the act, "any single male 18 years or older or a head of family could apply for 160 acres or more. They were required to establish a home within one year, clear and enclose at least five acres and live on the property for five consecutive years in order to get free title to the land." One of the pioneer families that took the government up on it's offer was William Hardee Harn and Sara Webb Harn who came to the area before the Civil War. Both are buried in the Fort DeNaud cemetery. The couple had fourteen children who intermarried with the local families so that almost everyone in the area has a Harn relative. All that remains today of Fort Denaud is a few historic structures, a marker where the fort stood, and this historic cemetery. Although the cemetery isstill used too I liked exploring the back of the cemetery where the graves from the early 1800's are located. The names on many of the graves are faded and lost to time. People back then didn't document their lives like we do today. They were too busy living and surviving. The only thing left to remember them by is a piece of a broken stone. The LaBelle Historical Society has placed a marker in this portion of the cemetery to mark the pioneers and first settlers of the area. It's a very peaceful place with large oak trees dripping in Spanish moss. It is great for bird watching too. Watching a swallow-tailed kite swoop over me was a thrill.

Glades County was founded in 1921 after being carved out of neighboring Desoto County. It was named…read moreafter the Florida Everglades, though much of its landscape consists of prairies and pinelands. Glades County is one of five counties surrounding Lake Okeechobee, and it plays a role in the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail. The county seat is here in Moore Haven which was was once a thriving hub due to its location along the Caloosahatchee River Canal. However, hurricanes in 1926 and 1928 devastated the area, impacting its growth. The courthouse was build in 1928-1929 in the Classical Revival style, designed by Edward C. Hosford who also designed the Pasco County Courthouse in Dade City, the Harris County Courthouse in Hamilton Georgia, the Mason County in Mason Texas and the Dodge County Courthouse in Eastman Georgia. The courthouse has a grand entrance with large columns and a decorative pediment, reflecting the governmental look typical of courthouses from that era. I was here on a Sunday afternoon so I was only able to look through the windows and walk the grand grounds. [Review 416 of 2025 - 2061 in Florida - 23978 overall]

Glades County is located just north of the Everglades. In 1921 it was one of several counties…read morecarved off from DeSoto County. Before choosing to name it Glades County it was almost named Muck County. Prior to the courthouse being built people had to travel all day to Arcadia in an area that didn't have roads. It was decided that a courthouse would be built in Moore Haven founded in 1916 by James Moore. The first courthouse was built in 1926 but a hurricane in 1928 destroyed it and the rest Moore Haven when Lake Okeechobee flooded during the storm.. The courthouse that stands now was built in 1928. The historic courthouse was designed in the Classical Revival style by architect Edward Columbus Hosford who designed courthouses and other buildings in Florida, Texas, and Georgia. The courthouse is still in use today. It is a Florida heritage site.

As a fan of historic architecture I was excited to find this structure on a recent trip to Labelle…read more The house is located at 512 Fraser Ave. next to the LaBelle Nature Park. This historic vernacular one and one and a half story home was built in 1914 for Captain Hendry who fought in the Confederate Army in the Civil War. After the war Hendry became a cattle rancher. Hendry hired self taught builder Benjamin F. Magill to supervise the construction of his home in the town of LaBelle which he founded on the western end of his vast ranch holdings in Monroe County. Hendry moved into the home at the age of 81 with his wife. Due to his poor health, Hendry was only able to live in the house for a few months before moving to Fort Myers for better access to medical care. He passed away in 1923 and his final resting place is a private family cemetery in Fort Myers. When Hendry County was formed in 1923 it was named after Captain Hendry. This is is the only surviving structure left associated with him. After Hendry's death, the house had numerous owners through the years. On February 5, 1998, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. The house is not open for visitors. It looks like construction is being done on the stairs and porch. It was still fun to peek in the windows and around the outside. I love the huge wraparound porch. It looks like there are a few period furnishings inside and historic photos on the wall. I saw online that LaBelle uses the grounds for outdoor events and weddings.

The Hurricane of 1928 is the name of a 7.5 foot tall statue that is outside of the former library…read morein Belle Glade. It was created by renowned Hungarian sculptor Ferenc Varga as a memorial to the victims of the Hurricane of 1928. The art piece depicts a family trying to flee the hurricane. The father is holding on to his son while the mother clutches a baby to her chest. The base of the sculpture shows the flood waters washing away people and buildings. The 17,000 pound sculpture was commissioned by the Belle Glade Bicentennial Committee and dedicated on May 31, 1976. On Sunday Sept. 16, 1928, a category 5 hurricane came ashore near the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse and swept across Palm Beach County, traveling west to Lake Okeechobee. If you visit the Jupiter Lighthouse you can still see the crack in the lens caused by the hurricane. The storm destroyed hundreds of buildings and caused millions of dollars in property damage. 2,500 to 3,000 people lost their lives, many of whom were black migrant farm workers and Belle Glades residents. It is the second deadliest hurricane in U.S. History after the 1900 Galveston Hurricane. The hurricane caused the Lake Okeechobee dike to collapse causing flooding at the south end of the lake. People clung to trees as they watched their homes wash away. Uprooted homes traveled through the flood waters for miles while some areas remained underwater for days. As bodies began to decompose it became necessary to bury them quickly and unidentified. 1,600 Glades residents were buried in a mass grave in the Port Mayaca cemetery in Martin County. This is a very powerful piece of art. You can see the terror on the faces of the people as they attempt to flee the storm and you can't help but think of what is what like for them. The hurricane ended the Florida real estate boom of the 1920s. The state was sent into a depression for more than a year and thenin 1929 the stock market crashed thrust the nation into the Great Depression. You can see the legacy of the hurricane all over Broward and Palm Beach county. Even though the Hurricane of 1928 was Floridas deadliest hurricane few people know about it today. It is memorials like this that serve to remind of the lives lost and to stay ever vigilant during hurricane season.