In the early years of Punta Gorda, in addition to sailboats
owned by the town’s residents, many visiting yachts sailed into Charlotte
Harbor perhaps our first "snowbirds." A number docked at the Hotel
Punta Gorda, some staying there as a base for the entire winter season.
Around this time, one hundred years ago, the Aroostock would be sailing into Charlotte Harbor.
Around this time, one hundred years ago, the Aroostock would be sailing into Charlotte Harbor.
Owned by Charles A. Dean, President of the Hollingworth-Whitney Paper Company
in Maine the Aroostook was likely named after a river and county in Maine. Mr. Dean with his family was a regular winter
visitor in Punta Gorda from 1888 until his death in 1921. The Aroostook was built in 1903.
Dean would often rent the tower floor of the Hotel
Punta Gorda for the season. He would then sail with his family down the Myakka,
to Pine Island and Sanibel and Captiva down to Fort Myers and further. They
frequently went fishing for tarpon. If
their boat was too large to navigate the streams, they leased Captain
Connolly’s launch to take them.
(copyright 2017, Punta Gorda History Center. All rights reserved.)
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