Peeples Collection to be Gifted to the Punta Gorda History Center, Inc. This Thursday

There is a story here.  A story of pioneers . ..  a story of Spanish Explorers … a story of Seminole Indians … a story of tourists and winter visitors, warm-weather bound, first coming here by train and steamboat later in autos often tugging RVs, a story of people making a life here as merchants, doctors, farmers,  ranchers, land sellers, hoteliers, fishermen, teachers, and more.   It is our story… an often raucous, complicated, sometimes tragic, frequently joyful story of our town – a story of Punta Gorda.

That story is in pieces – pieces of information, remnants, artifacts, photos, old maps, books, diaries, registers, film clips, articles in old magazines.  With each piece saved, each piece preserved, a part of the puzzle of Punta Gorda’s past is available for future historians, students, genealogists, new residents or visitors, and all those interested in what happened here to put together to discover what and who was here and what might be.  For instance, when Urban Planner Jaime Correa laid out new plans, a master plan, for Punta Gorda after Hurricane Charley, he looked to the City’s past. What were its buildings like, what worked here, what did not.   It helped him, Team Punta Gorda, and other Punta Gorda citizens develop a vision for the City’s future… the City that we have seen unfold before our eyes over the last 10 years. 

Where did Mr. Correa  go for that history  He  went to our resident historian,  Vernon Peeples .  His staff talked to Mr. Peeples and went through his collection of books, articles, photos to get a better understanding of that past.  Where do reporters and other writers go when they need a story or background information about Punta Gorda’s past.  They go to Vernon Peeples collection and notes and Mr. Peeples’ incredible memory of things that were.  Where do students and other researchers and everyone who wants to know something about Punta Gorda’s history go?  They go to Vernon and his amazing collection.

Vernon Peeples is now 80 some years old, and almost two years ago he approached Team Punta Gorda about the archive he had created, asking for help in finding a secure location to maintain and keep the collection for prosperity.   He was also aware that there are many smaller collections scattered throughout Punta Gorda and Southwest Florida and throughout the US where former residents took them.    His request prompted the formation of the Punta Gorda History Center, a group of citizens who started working together to develop a Center in Punta Gorda that would house and maintain Mr. Peeples collection and other pieces of the Punta Gorda puzzle.   During the past year or so a 5013C corporation was founded, a strategic plan was developed,  possible locations for such a collection were identified,  and initial work on documenting the contents of the collection was begun. 

This Thursday a major step towards the formation of a Center will take place with the formal signing of a gifting agreement by Vernon and Edna Jane Peeples to the Punta Gorda History Center, Inc. of the extension collection on Punta Gorda's past.