501 Shreve Street - the Calaboose

` Calaboose comes from the Spanish term calaboozo for jail or cell.  It was a common name for small holding cells found in many pioneer towns.  This 10 x 16 foot cage is made from riveted iron bands.  It served as the city jail from 1889-1928 when it was replaced by the county's first jail in the Charlotte County Courthouse on Taylor Street.  The iron bands of the calaboose were once covered by an iron roof.  The cage apparently had two swing-down bunks on either end.  The swinging front doors were locked by a padlock.  The apparatus was installed on Herald Court in downtown Punta Gorda.  The Calaboose ended its days on Jim and Patsy Parker's Washington Loop Ranch before being given to the Historical Society.  The Parkers gave the Calaboose to the Punta Gorda Historical Society in honor of his father, Edwin M. Parker, who was Mayor of Punta Gorda in 1941.  D&M Construction moved the Calaboose from the Ranch to town.

501 Shreve Street - Isaac Trabue

This cottage* was the law and land sales office of Col. Isaac Trabue, the founder of Punta Gorda.  It was built in 1886 in preparation of the Florida Southern Railway's extension of service to the new town of Trabue.  Col. Trabue gave Henry B. Plant, owner of the Southern Railway, 15 acres of his holdings in Trabue to entice him to extend his railroad line here.  The little structure served as a Post Office for half a dozen hopeful residents and 200 construction workers from July 1 to August 12, 1886. Nanny Scott of Cleveland, Florida was appointed postmistress in August of 1886 and the Post Office was moved to another location.  This building was originally located on a site to the rear of where the Freeman House is now located (311 W. Retta Esplanade).  It was moved and restored to a location on the corner of Marion and (125) Nesbit, near the Post Office in 1991.  *In November 2000, it was moved to the History Park. (501 Shreve Street, Punta Gorda, FL.) where it sits today.

400 West Retta Esplanade - Gilchrist Park

 

Col. Isaac Trabue* platted his town in 1885 and he dedicated the waterfront for public parks out of the navigable channel.  The shoreline was originally close to the edge of today's Retta Esplanade.  The City constructed a seawall in 1914 and backfilled it to create building lots for luxury homes.  After several lots were sold, the City discovered the dedication clause in Trabue's original plat and bought back the sold lots.  The site was landscaped and known simply as City Park.  In 1950 the park was named for Albert W. Gilchrist, one of Punta Gorda's original developers.*  He served as governor of Florida from 1909-13.  The Gazebo on Old Punta Gorda Point was built to replace an earlier Gazebo, built by OPG in 1985 , as part of a planned Living History Museum.  That Gazebo was torn down by the City to prepare for development of the area where the City Marina is now located. * See Hall of Honor in Punta Gorda History Center.

Gilchrist Park provides approximately twelve (12) acres of Charlotte Harbor waterfront just west of US 41 hosting a variety of active recreation opportunities, including, basketball, pickleball, tennis, and a children’s playground area.  Additionally, passive recreational activities include picnic pavilions, waterfront gazebo, and a fishing pier. 

311 Retta Esplanade

 

Calostimucu, the Indian statue is carved from the trunk of a monkey pod tree that died in 1973 by the artist Peter Toth.  Peter Toth has vowed to create an Indian statue in all 50 states to honor the Indian and to raise awareness of the damage prejudice and injustice have caused.  The statue is unique among folk sculptures.  It depicts a brave on one side and a maiden on the other.  Atop their heads is an emerging dream of a dying bison and an eagle trying to escape.  

613 Trabue Street

This home sits on three lots on Trabue Street; a single block street in the heart of the Old Historic District of Punta Gorda.  This short street was the only memorial to the town's founder, Isaac Trabue, until 2009 when City Council designated public lands east of the Justice Center, along the Harbor, as Trabue Park.  The original abstract shows the paving, curbing and storm drainage were put into place in 1925.  Fred M. and his wife, Mary Calhoun Johnson, purchased the house in 1931.  They passed the house to their son Richard C. and his wife, Jutta.  It remained in the Johnson family until 1980.  Shortly after the first Johnson family moved in, the porch was closed in to make a bedroom and a half bath.  The original floor, china closets, ceilings, baseboards and wainscoting remain throughout the interior.

607 Trabue Street

In 1885, Isaac Trabue and his wife, Virginia, deeded this property 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 for a "chess tournament".  From 1902 to 1917 Punta Gorda was a principal supplier of pineapples to the nation.  By March of 1917, the pineapple fields were gone due to a freeze which ended the 20 year pineapple boom.  In 1924, the whole block sold for $4,000 and this house was built soon after. In 1964, the City of Punta Gorda tax on the property was $35.36.  At that time, Mr. A. C. Frizzel owned the property.  He was a prosperous cattle rancher in the Murdock area.  It was occupied for about 30 years by Lois and Ellsworth Heusted.

219 Sullivan Street

 

"Circuit riding' Reverend George Gatewood bought this home in 1915.  He was a minister licensed by the Methodist General conference in 1899.  He preached to frontier churches that were beyond the reach of regular clerics with the help of occasional visiting ministers.  He attended the spiritual needs of 200 homesteaders in "Union Services" which were held in school houses throughout the area.  He and his wife supported themselves by operating "General" stores here in town.  He also worked as postmaster, real estate salesman, fisherman and newspaper reporter.  He wrote two books of historical significance: "Ox Cart Days to Airplane Era in Southwest Florida" and "On Florida's Coconut Coast"  both of which have been republished by the Punta Gorda Historical Society.