Punta Gorda -- An Historic Timeline 1513 to 1887

Next year Punta Gorda will celebrate the 125th anniversary of its incorporation.  Local and friend, John Bates, has an intense interest in the history of our city and recently began preparing a timeline of Punta Gorda history.    Here is the timeline to Punta Gorda's incorporation in 1887.

Timeline of Punta Gorda History, Prepared by John Bates  

  -  1513 and 1521- Ponce De Leon visits

  - 1775 - Bernard Romans, a Dutch navigator names
                 Charlotte Harbor after English Queen  (old map of Charlotte Harbor)

  -  1855-1858 - Kennedy from Tampa establishes a
                           Trading post- Burned by Seminoles,
                           it is still called Burnt Store

  - 1861-1865 - S.W. Florida becomes large beef supplier
                           to confederate army

  - 1879 - First house is built in Punta Gorda. Built of logs            
                  by James Lanier, a hunter (sign showing location is in front of Best Western)

  - 1885 - Isaac Trabue [1829-1907] moves to land now Punta    
                  Gorda
 - 1885 - Trabue (now Punta Gorda) is part of Manatee County
 
  - 1886 - Railroad comes in. (First train arrives in Trabue -- now Punta Gorda) It’s the southernmost       stop  in the U.S.

 - 1886 - Post Office is established

  - 1887 - Punta Gorda is incorporated
                  Manatee County is divided into Manatee and Desota  

Over the new weeks we will be publishing more of John's timeline on the blog, and more Punta Gorda history leading up to the 125th anniversary of the City's  incorporation.