In October of 1885, Isaac Trabue wrote to his cousin about his
negotiations with the owners of Florida Southern Railroad of Boston to bring
their new road to his town of Trabue on the peninsular land of Punta
Gorda. In the missive, he spoke of how if his town
became the terminus of the road “the Yankees will build grand hotels and Trabue
will become a city in reality.” And that
is exactly what happened.
In July of 1886, the railroad pulled into Trabue for the
first time carrying over 200 workers who would build not only a grand hotel,
but a 1200 foot railroad dock extending out across Charlotte Harbor Bay
adjacent to the new hotel. Completed in
a little over six months, the hotel first opened on February 20, 1887 and welcomed
its first guests in time for the following winter season.
The Hotel Punta Gorda, luxurious for the time, was a three-storied structure with a central tower that extended higher. Advertisements for the resort proclaimed that the hotel had gas, electric bells, steam heat and open fire places. They noted that it was supplied with “pure water, perfect drainage and fire protection.” News articles touted the magnificent grounds and fishing and sailing from the dock. They also noted the ease of arrival from the railroad terminal right at the hotel's entrance.
Situated on the harbor, the hotel had a large promenade, verandas with yellow roses climbing the railings, and 135 rooms, each with views of the bay. Palm trees adorned the grounds to provide a tropical ambiance. Tourists could bath from the hotel’s beach on the bay, take boat rides from the dock, go fishing or shooting. Promotions to attract seasonal visitors were placed in many of the major magazines of the day. Appealing to the wealthy, some of the early guests included W.K. Vanderbilt, John Wanamaker, Thomas Edison and Andrew Mellon.
The hotel enabled visitors like Perry McAdow to stay in Punta Gorda and discover its charm and to make decisions to invest in the nacent town. It was these and the other early arrivals with the railroad including Albert W. Gilchrist,that helped as Isaac put it make Trabue and ultimately Punta Gorda a reality.
Unfortunately, the hotel didn't fair as well. Only open to visitors during the winter months, the hotel fell in to disuse and disrepair and ceased to open for the season many years. In the late 1920s, the hotel was totally refurbished and reopened as the Hotel Charlotte Harbor which also met with distressing times as the depression hit. After several attempts were made at reviving the grand lady that adorned the Punta Gorda's harbor, the hotel was destroyed it a fire in a few hours in August of 1959.
The Hotel Punta Gorda, luxurious for the time, was a three-storied structure with a central tower that extended higher. Advertisements for the resort proclaimed that the hotel had gas, electric bells, steam heat and open fire places. They noted that it was supplied with “pure water, perfect drainage and fire protection.” News articles touted the magnificent grounds and fishing and sailing from the dock. They also noted the ease of arrival from the railroad terminal right at the hotel's entrance.
Situated on the harbor, the hotel had a large promenade, verandas with yellow roses climbing the railings, and 135 rooms, each with views of the bay. Palm trees adorned the grounds to provide a tropical ambiance. Tourists could bath from the hotel’s beach on the bay, take boat rides from the dock, go fishing or shooting. Promotions to attract seasonal visitors were placed in many of the major magazines of the day. Appealing to the wealthy, some of the early guests included W.K. Vanderbilt, John Wanamaker, Thomas Edison and Andrew Mellon.
The hotel enabled visitors like Perry McAdow to stay in Punta Gorda and discover its charm and to make decisions to invest in the nacent town. It was these and the other early arrivals with the railroad including Albert W. Gilchrist,that helped as Isaac put it make Trabue and ultimately Punta Gorda a reality.
Unfortunately, the hotel didn't fair as well. Only open to visitors during the winter months, the hotel fell in to disuse and disrepair and ceased to open for the season many years. In the late 1920s, the hotel was totally refurbished and reopened as the Hotel Charlotte Harbor which also met with distressing times as the depression hit. After several attempts were made at reviving the grand lady that adorned the Punta Gorda's harbor, the hotel was destroyed it a fire in a few hours in August of 1959.
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