New Charlotte Harbor Hotel Mural Dedicated

Members of the Punta Gorda Historic Mural Society, the Conquistadors, Artist Charles Peck, Mayor Harvey Goldberg, Bill Albers and a crowd of onlookers helped celebrate the opening of the new Charlotte Harbor Hotel Mural on the wall of the Charlesvoi last night.

The mural is the second of two murals on the Charlesvoi Condo buildings that depict phases of the old hotel on the harbor that was ultimately destroyed in a fire in 1959.  

This lastest mural depicts the hotel when it when it was bought and renovated in 1925 by Barron Collier, a wealthy advertising tycoon, who owned several hotels in Florida that he promoted to Northerns in major magazines.

Artist Charles Peck spoke briefly to the crowd, and members of the Charlotte County Historical Society brought to life Punta Gordans of the time who were frequent visitors of the then elegant hotel.

Historic Impersonator tells the story of the hotel from the perspective of Marian McAdow wife of Perry McAdow.  The McAdows built and owned a rambling mansion on Retta Esplanade and were noted for bring lush tropical plants to Punta Gorda including the Banyon tree now in front of the Best Western on Retta Esplanade.   

Punta Gorda Historic Mural Society plans to Recreate Hotel Charlotte Harbor Mural

The Punta Gorda Historic Mural Society has received a $7,500 matching grant from the Charlotte Community Foundation to re-create its first Mural, "Hotel Charlotte Harbor."  According to Bob Armstrong, PGHMS President, PGHMS plans to have the mural repainted on the south walls of the Charlevoi Condominiums, located on Charlotte Harbor.  They are looking to raise $7,500 in matching funds, to complete the project.

The original mural, a section of which is depicted above,  was installed in 1995 on the wall of the old Punta Gorda Mall on the harbor. It was destroyed along with the mall in 2004 during Hurricane Charly

The Hotel Charlotte Harbor (originally the Hotel Punta Gorda) was frequently mentioned during early Team Punta Gorda sessions after Hurricane Charley.  While many of us were not here when it stood on the Harbor, we realized it represented a grander era in Punta Gorda, which those participating in the master planning effort for the new Punta Gorda hoped to recreate.  Old-time Punta Gordans, who did remember the hotel,  reflected on it with great fondness.

Originally called the Hotel Punta Gorda, it opened with great fanfare in 1888, and became a beacon for the city sitting majestically on the Harbor. One of Punta Gorda's first major buildings, during its first  season, the Hotel Punta Gorda welcomed over 3000 guests.  All of the hotel's 150 rooms covering three floors had views of the magnificent harbor.  Built in the Queen Anne style, with  gables, a wrap-around veranda, clapboard siding, and a hipped roof,  the hotel, despite being in what was then a remote part of Florida,  had many of the  modern conveniences of the time such as gas lighting, electric bells, steam heat and open fireplaces.  Roses draped over the railings of the veranda, and the grounds were extensively landscaped with camphor trees and palms.

The hotel attracted many notables of the day from around the world including Thomas Edison, John Wanamaker, W. K. Vanderbilt, the Samuel Colt family and many others.  After a period of decline, the Hotel Punta Gorda was bought by Barron Collier, who changed the name to the Hotel Charlotte Harbor, remodeled it to a more Mediterranean style, extended the grounds, and added a swimming pool, tennis courts and a boat basin. The hotel flourished again for a time, but then fell on hard times.  It was finally destroyed in a fire in August of 1959.

My Favorite Punta Gorda Mural -- The Cattle Drive Down Marion Ave., 1903

Standing in front of the stunning mural on Mike Rooney's, a local Punta Gorda attorney, office building gives you the uncanny sensation of being caught in the path of charging cattle being driven rapidly in your direction. At once somewhat frightening and at the same time awesomely beautiful.

This mural, more so than any other of the historical murals in Punta Gorda, brings the old town as it was over hundred years ago alive to me. I guess it's why when asked recently by a twitter follower which mural was my favorite, without hesitation, I named this one.

The theme alone is intrinsically linked with Punta Gorda's frontier history. It pays tribute to the Cracker Cattle (actually Andalusian/Caribbean cattle), a breed still raised by today’s Florida cattle ranchers. Florida's Andalusian/Caribbean cattle were the first in the United States. Some scholars believe that these cattle were brought by the expeditions of Ponce de Leon in 1521 and Don Diego de Maldonado in 1540, which escaped and survived in the wild. The mural covers the entire process of the cow hunt from drive to market. In the main scene, Cow Hunters are driving cattle out West Marion Avenue in about 1903. Two oval cameo scenes show the cattle held in pens and finally being moved through a single chute to be loaded on schooners (later steamboats) where they later were shipped to Cuba .

The mural also brings a focus on the Cow Hunters, so called because they actually had to find cows scattered throughout the woodlands, and the breed of horses and dogs they used in hunting, rounding up and managing the cattle. The rugged Florida-style cowboys were known to be independent, and while not well educated, very cunning, and not surprisingly unkempt. They kept the herd together by cracking whips next to the ears of the cows. It is said that this may be the source of the native Floridian name “Cracker.” Five well-know Florida Cow Hunters have been immortalized on the wall, their head shapes placed in the clouds. From left to right they were: Belford Goff, Corrie Guess, Rob Walker, Pat Johnson, and Charlie Slaughter.

In the end it's the detail of the mural that draws you in -- I could gaze at it for hours. It's really many paintings in one. Look at the cattle, the dogs and the costumes of the Cow Hunters, note the figures on the side of the street watching the parade of men and beast, the dust of the street. Overall I marvel at the artistic skills that it took to capture such a wondrous scene on this immense larger-than-life canvas for all who live and visit Punta Gorda to enjoy.

"The Cattle Drive Down Marion Ave., 1903" was painted by Michael Vires, and dedicated in 2007. For more information, go to the Punta Gorda Mural Society Website.

If you go, take Olympia from downtown Punta Gorda to Wood St. The Mural is on the northwest side of the intersection there. And look for the ghost riders in the sky.

Sacred Heart Mural Ribbon Cutting in Punta Gorda

After months of work by mural artists,  Fran Petrow and Maggie Ruiz, and many cups of latte and donuts supplied by well-wishers,  the artists along with Bob Armstrong, President of the Punta Gorda Historic Mural Society , and Pastor Jerry Kaywell and Father Leo Riley of Sacred Heart Church cut the ribbon for the new "Churches of Sacred Heart" mural .

Bob Armstrong led off the cermony thanking the artists, the members of the Punta Gorda Historic Mural Society, the Punta Gorda City Council, the Punta Gorda Beautification and Revitalization Committees, and others who helped with the project.  

Touching on the historic significance of the mural, Vic  Desguin, retired Charlotte County Tax Collector, reflected on the small white church at the corner of the mural, which was the first parish church and the one he first attended with his family when he moved to Punta Gorda in 1936.  "Father Flynn was the pastor, and there were only about 10 people at Mass." he noted.  Desquin and his first wife, now deceased, were the first young couple married in the little church in 1951.

Father Jerry also presented the Punta Gorda Historic Mural Society with a donation  for $3000 raised by a special dinner event, noting that in addition to supplying the paint, materials and other support to complete the work of art, the Mural Society will maintain the mural for life.  

More posts on the Sacred Heart Mural and other Punta Gorda Murals. 

Sacred Heart Church Mural in Punta Gorda Dedicated

The story as I remember it goes back to a blank wall that was the back and only remnant of the old Sacred Heart Church destroyed by Hurricane Charley. Father Jerry Kaywell, Pastor of Sacred Heart in Punta Gorda, wanted to fill the huge, bland space with art and approached parishioner artists, who had volunteered to paint something for the new Sacred Heart church, about a mural.

Fran Petrow and Maggie Ruiz anxious to give something back had envisioned a lot smaller painting inside the new church when Father Jerry brought Fran to the wall and pointed to their new canvas, the largest project that her and fellow-muralist Maggie Ruiz would ever tackle.

Fran then contacted the Punta Gorda Historical Mural Society, who stepped up to volunteer the paint, scaffolding, and support to help make the 31 by 85 foot mural a reality. “It’s a gift for Father Jerry,” Fran has said. Well, Father Jerry will officially receive that present this Thursday, April 30, at 5 PM at the mural ribbon-cutting at Sacred Heart in Punta Gorda.

The mural depicts the four churches of Sacred Heart over the course of the parish’s 80- year history:  the original church destroyed in a fire, the church which replaced it, the renovated church with additions, and the new Sacred Heart Church built after Hurricane Charley.

As Fran and Maggie put the final touches on their massive work of art on Tuesday, they told me that there were two secrets within the mural--surprises. See if you can find them. I promised not to tell.  

More on the Sacred Heart Mural at http://youbelonginpuntagorda.blogspot.com/2009/04/sacred-heart-mural.html.

Punta Gorda -- an artist's parardise

There is something about small towns with rivers running through them that attract artists --- add spectacular sunsets, palm trees , year-round warm weather and historical charm and you magnetize them.  While I painted and drew in my earlier years, life and career pointed me in a different direction.  But once relocated to Punta Gorda,  I found myself  easily reconnecting  to these early interests especially because of the accessibility of artist resources and subjects. 

 

I started taking painting classes at the Visual Art center Punta Gorda first in watercolor, then drawing with Bob Cassell, and later oil painting.  While in California for nearly a year I studied painting and drawing with several artists there as well.   But it was truly Punta Gorda that brought back the artist in me, and if you just wander around you would see why.

Tomorrow, for instance, the third annual Peace River Arts Festival, one of many art events will take place in Laishley Park.  Many of Punta Gorda's local artists will be displaying there--more on that following the festival. Then,  there are  the murals scattered about town noted in an earlier posting and the galleries.   In addition, to three galleries at the Visual Art Center, there is the Joe Matthis Gallery in the Swiss Connection building on Olympia, the Sea Grape Gallery-- a cooperative of 25 working artists, with work in all art media, Vicki Glynn's Gallery-featuring her own work as well as several other artists, Pressellers- a favorite lunch restaurant of mine as well- and many more.   Punta Gorda is also the home of many artist studios including the Red Hat Studio run by Liz Hutchinson, offering art classes.  

Punta Gorda Murals - a part of Florida History

Punta Gorda with 25 murals and counting probably has more murals than any small town in the state, preserving  the city's part in Florida history.   And because a large number of these artworks are viewable during  a walking through town, mural touring is a great way to spend an afternoon in Punta Gorda.   

On Thursday, February 26, another Punta Gorda mural, the original of which was destroyed in hurricane Charley, is being  rededicated.   The mural "Movie Memories" was formerly located on a Flower shop wall on Marion Ave.   The new painting by Michael Vires, which adorns the Charlotte Harbor Event Center, commemorates the old Punta Gorda theatre owned by Desquin family. 

According to the Punta Gorda Mural Society website,  in its heyday the old theater could seat about 300 people. Then in the late 1920’s renovations were made to accommodate the “talkies” that arrived in late 1929.  Later in 1936, L.V. Desguin bought the theater and made many improvements inside and out.  A new marquis gave the theater the name, “New Theatre.”   Admission to see a movie was only 9 cents for children and 35 cents for adults.

To see a complete list of Punta Gorda murals, their location and a history of the murals of Punta Gorda visit www.puntagordamurals.com.