Oldest House

 First house in Trabue.  

The painting of this house now hangs in the home of Terry Runkle.  Mrs. McAdow moved from Punta Gorda and gave the painting to her friend Willie A. White, telegrapher.  Mrs.White died and her daughter Thelma left it in the house when she sold the estate.  A family named Runkle purchased the house and the daughter-in-law, Terry, found it stored in the garage.  She restored it.

Marian McAdow  painted this picture of the house that was on land that Isaac Trabue bought from Jams M. Lanier to start the town of Trabue.  The house is believed to have been built by James Lockhart.  James Lockhart was a former soldier from the Civil War and  he and his new wife, Josephine, decided in 1876 to move to this section of the bay on the harbor's south side near where the current Punta Gorda Waterfront Hotel and Suites was located until 2024.

The Lockharts then sold to James Lanier in 1879 and moved south to the Ten Thousand Islands.  Lanier then sold to  Isaac Trabue in 1883 who platted a new town in 1885.  The town was incorporated in 1887 as Punta Gorda and this is considered the oldest home in the city.

110 Harvey Street

This lovely historic home was built in 1924 as a manse for the vicar of the First Presbyterian Church, which was originally across the street. The structure has Georgian hard pine flooring preserved in the craftsman style.  Current owners are Mr. and Mrs. Sean Howard.

212 Durrance Street,

This home was built in 1925 by Charlie Johnson, The current owner purchased this house in 2004 from the estate of  Mrs. Mable Keys, a native of Punta Gorda.  Her husband, Arnold "Slim" Keys, ran Keys garage on Taylor Street.  Mable lived in the house for over 60 years until her death in October 2003 at the age of 91.  Mabel was a philanthropist and active member of local organizations including the Punta Gorda Garden Club.  When the current owners, Kathy Sutton, restored the interior of the house they discovered the original yellow pine flooring as well as an original brick fireplace that had been covered over. They have stayed true to this home's design other than some minor kitchen upgrades and newer porch windows installed by a previous owner.  This home and garage withstood Hurricane Charley with little damage. 

264 Marion Ave.

Abe Ephraim Goldstein was the first merchant in Punta Gorda to build a small furniture store on this site.  In 1887, he also persuaded carpenters working on the new Hotel Punta Gorda to devote one day to building a two-story home next door for his wife and son who were arriving unexpectedly the next day.  The present structure is constructed of patent stone concrete blocks with rusticated faces to mimic stone.  This was the first store constructed with masonry as opposed to wood.  

Over the years many retail establishments have occupied the building including Vasco Peeples’s IGA store during which time Mr. Peeple’s family lived in the upstairs apartment.  Later businesses included a bakery and an ice-cream sandwich shop (Cubby’s).  Cubby's closed in 2023 and a new establishment called Punta Gorda Deli Co. and Mercantile opened in 2023.

115 Gill Street

 

Purchased by Grove Cochran, born in 1834 in New York and a Union Army veteran. He moved to Charlotte Harbor in 1885. He volunteered for a six-year voyage on a whaling ship at age 13; sailed the Great Lakes, worked as a locomotive engineer on the railroad, served under Gen. Sherman in the Civil War and had a bayonet wound as a souvenir. He claimed a pharmacist certification in Arkansas and opened a pharmacy on Marion Avenue upon moving to Punta Gorda. The house currently contains many of its original features and the front door is original. Eyebrow windows, hardwood floors, beadboard throughout and 12 foot ceilings.

 

415 East Virginia Ave.

 

Built in 1925 and home to Jean Cleveland, Punta Gorda's first female city clerk and her son Ulysses S. Cleveland.  Cleveland  died in 1991 at 100 years old.  

In 2021 the city voted against funds contributing to the preservation of the home.  Garrett Kizer, of Charlotte Harbor Construction and current house owner tried to save the home when he realized it wasn't fiscally feasible.  So teaming up with City Council member Jaha Cummings and his mother, Martha Bireda, current director of the Blanchard House Museum, redoubled their efforts and in 2022 they received a grant of $480,000 for the renovation.  The house will be moved from 415 E. Virginia Ave. as an extension to the Blanchard House Museum, 406 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.  It is being used as an educational institution focused on the history, culture and contributions of African Americans in Southwest Florida. (Info from The Daily Sun, 6/19/22)  It had significant damage from Hurricane Ian and is closed while under repair. (9/23)

LaVilla Road - Cedar Oaks

 

When Willian M. Whitten came to Punta Gorda in 1899, he was seriously ill.   In Punta Gorda he bought a newly planted pineapple plantation farm one mile east of town.  They were known as sure-fire money makers requiring little investment and or work.  Within two years Whitten regained his health and returned to Indiana to his family.  His wife was seriously ill and he brought the family back to Punta Gorda in hopes she would recover.  He built a new home he called Cedar Oaks at what is now Florida Street and LaVilla Road in  the Old Florida style. 

Pineapples were a new business in Punta Gorda when Mr. Whitten arrived.  Around 1896 a group of leading businessmen, the McAdows among them, began the Solana Pineries Co. and planted their crop east of town.  In 1903 just five acres were cultivated but produced over 2,000 crates of pineapples with a net profit of almost $2,700, a good sum in those days.  In 1902 William Whitten moved to Punta Gorda permanently after previous visits.  His plants began producing in 1909 and he subdivided about 250 acres east of town into 14 lots of various sizes naming the plat Pineapple Centre.  At this time it was the main section of pineapple production in the area.  A freeze in 1917 dealt the local industry a disastrous blow and rendered the pineapple industry unrecoverable.   The Florida Southern Railway built a depot and loading dock there.  It has since been demolished.  

Mr. and Mrs. Aubrey and Olive Nelson occupied the home located at Florida Street and LaVilla.  Mrs. Nelson (nee Brown) is the granddaughter of William M. Whitten.  Mr. Nelson is the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Henry Nelson.

William Whitten’s granddaughter resided in the home until recently.  It was damaged during Hurricane Ian and is currently being restored.