As a fan of antique vehicles I was delighted to discover the historic firetruck, Old Betsy…read more(1953-2006) in downtown LaBelle. She sits near the original location of the firehouse on Bridge Street. Old Betsy was named by the LaBelle Volunteer Fire Department. She is a 1953 Ford Engine 56 V.F. D. Fire Truck. In 1953 Fire Chief Jimmy Pendry purchased the fire truck for the City of LaBelle and a sister truck for the City of Clewiston. Harold Curtis, Fire Chief (1955-1994), transported the fire engine to Alva to have the 1000-gallon water tank and hoses installed. Old Betsy was used to fight numerous fires and was credited with saving property and lives in LaBelle. Long after she finished fighting fires, Betsy was still a popular LaBelle mascot. In 1995, Old Betsy made several appearances at the LaBelle High School Cowboys football team games until they made it all the way to the state playoffs. In 1999, U.S. Senator Bill Nelson rode on the truck in the annual Swamp Cabbage Festival parade. Betsy's last public appearance was at the LaBelle High School's Home Court during a parade in 2001. The idea to bring Old Betsy back to downtown LaBelle was sparked by Greg Bone, a former board member of the LaBelle Downtown Revitalization Corporation. Ramiro Rodriquez with Hendry County Parks & Recreation, Kirrillos Welding, Sue WIlliams, Synovus Bank, Firehouse Community Theatre, Rose Williams, Heartland Registry, Hendry County, Hendry County Tourism, City of LaBelle, and the LaBelle Downtown Revitalization Corporation all partnered together to restore Old Betsy and install her where she serves as an ambassador of the history, culture, and architecture of the LaBelle Downtown District.

"Old Betsy" is LaBelle's 1953 Ford firetruck. She has been restored to her former beauty and is now…read moreon display as part of the downtown beautification project by the city. Located on an open space half way between the bridge and the courthouse, the firetruck is protected by a low fence to protect it from being climbed on. The plaque reads, "The men and women of LaBelle's Volunteer FIrefighters thoughtfully named this 1953 Ford fire truck 'Old Betsy.' 'Old Betsy' was in servvice from 1953 to 2006, housed in what is now the Firehouse Community Theater. The lady Jimmy Pendry, fire Chief (1953), purchase the fire truck for the city of Labelle along with a sister truck for the city of Clewiston. Harold Curtis, Fire Chief (1955-1994), transported the fire engine to the neighboring community of Alva to have the 1000-gallon water tank and hoses installed. 'Old Betsy' saw many fires in her day and saved acres of LaBelle property..." [Review 16790 overall - 1515 in Florida - 303 of 2022.]

As white settlers flooded into Florida the government became determined to relocate all Native…read moreAmericans west of the Mississippi. This forced removal policy sparked the Second Seminole War in 1835. The Seminoles fled south into Florida to evade capture and being sent out west and they moved into the Everglades in order to hide. In response the army set up forts south of Tampa to the east coast along rivers as they chased after the Seminoles who were much more skilled at surviving in the terrain than the soldiers. Fort Denaud was established by Captain B. L. E. Bonneville and troops of the 7th Infantry in 1838 on the the south side of the Caloosahatchee River. The fort was named in honor of Pierre Denaud, A French-Canadian trapper who had traded with the Seminoles and who owned land in the area in the 1830's. The fort consisted of a blockhouse with tents around it and it served as a supply depot for troops in Lake Okeechobee. The stockade at the fort guarded a bridge over the river on a military highway between Fort Myers and Fort Meade. The Fort Denaud historical marker marks the site of the blockhouse at Fort Denaud. Fort Denaud was closed after the end of the Second Seminole War and reopened at the beginning of the Third Seminole War in 1855 under Brevent Major William Hays. Soldiers added a hospital, guardhouse, jail, Sutler's store, and stables. A fire ravaged the fort in 1856 and it was rebuilt two miles downstream on the north side of the river. The fort was abandoned in May of 1858. After the war settlers moved into the town of Fort Denaud that sprang up and began farming sugar cane and citrus but most of them left after the fort was abandoned. Although there is no trace of the fort a few historic structures still remain. Today the area is mainly citrus groves and a new housing development.

As a fan of historic architecture I was excited to find this structure on a recent trip to Labelle…read more The house is located at 512 Fraser Ave. next to the LaBelle Nature Park. This historic vernacular one and one and a half story home was built in 1914 for Captain Hendry who fought in the Confederate Army in the Civil War. After the war Hendry became a cattle rancher. Hendry hired self taught builder Benjamin F. Magill to supervise the construction of his home in the town of LaBelle which he founded on the western end of his vast ranch holdings in Monroe County. Hendry moved into the home at the age of 81 with his wife. Due to his poor health, Hendry was only able to live in the house for a few months before moving to Fort Myers for better access to medical care. He passed away in 1923 and his final resting place is a private family cemetery in Fort Myers. When Hendry County was formed in 1923 it was named after Captain Hendry. This is is the only surviving structure left associated with him. After Hendry's death, the house had numerous owners through the years. On February 5, 1998, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. The house is not open for visitors. It looks like construction is being done on the stairs and porch. It was still fun to peek in the windows and around the outside. I love the huge wraparound porch. It looks like there are a few period furnishings inside and historic photos on the wall. I saw online that LaBelle uses the grounds for outdoor events and weddings.

LaBelle had its beginning as a settlement in the 1880's. Captain Francis A. Hendry, a Condederate…read moreofficer during the Civil War purchased land after the war for his home and a large cattle ranch. He founded the town of LaBelle naming it after his daughters Laura June and Carrie Belle. Tcounty of Hendry Florida was Captain Hendry. In the early 20th century E. E. Goodno began purchasing land in the LaBelle area from Francis A. Hendry eventually owning the majority of the Hendry holdings. Goodno's additions to LaBelle soon grew the town to twenty times the size of the original subdivision. The Downtown LaBelle Historic District is a U.S. Historic District in LaBelle Florida that was designated on March 25, 1999. The three acre district is on the 300 Block of North Bridge Street. It contains nine historic buildings that reflect the development of this rural community between the years of 1911 to 1945. The buildings in the district were used for business, social gatherings, and housing. The primary architectural style is Frame Vernacular. There is also a Mediterranean Revival and Moderne style of the type that was popular in Florida during the 1920s to the 1940s. The Curtis Honey House is located in a mercantile from the 1920's. It has been a landmark here since 1954 selling locally produced honey and honey product. Rudy and Maggie's Me & My Girls Antiques and Home Decor in the historic Susan Doub Store and has become a destination for both collectors and browsers. The LaBelle Heritage Museum in located in the Historic 1912 William Hardy Poole Store & Residence. These are just a few of the historic buildings in this district. The historic district of downtown LaBelle is small and very charming. The district is anchored by the beautiful Barron Park on the the Caloosahatchee River. A stroll down the street is like a walk back to a simpler time. The city is currently at work trying to attract more businesses into this area.

This marker is located in front of Barron Park where Park Avenue meets Bridge Street as you enter…read moreLaBelle from the north. It is in excellent condition and has the same text on both sides. It reads, "Downtown LaBelle Historic District. In 1895, prominent landowner and cattleman Captain Francis A. Hendry (1833-1917) platted a townsite at LaBelle, which was first settled as a center for cattle and citrus industries. A post office, general store, school, and a church were eventually built, and LaBelle became the first town and commercial center in what became Hendry County. Although Hendry is credited with settling LaBelle, E.E. Goodno (1858-1936), who purchased Hendry's former land holdings in 1903 and financed many of the town's first improvements, is recognized as the "Father of LaBelle." LaBelle's historic business district extends along and near Bridge Street from the Caloosahatchee River south to Hickpockee Avenue. At one time, both sides of the street were lined with commercial establishments, some of which featured living accommodations on the second floor. Sadly, many early downtown buildings were destroyed in a 1928 fire, but some have survived, including the Poole Store (1911), First Bank of LaBelle (1925), the Royal Poinciana/Newcomb Bakery (1911-1912 --one of the buildings constructed for both commercial and residential use). The Downtown LaBelle Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. I did not spend much time in LaBelle and will be looking forward to returning. [Review 14818 overall, 320 of 2021, number 1307 in Florida.]

The Hurricane of 1928 is the name of a 7.5 foot tall statue that is outside of the former library…read morein Belle Glade. It was created by renowned Hungarian sculptor Ferenc Varga as a memorial to the victims of the Hurricane of 1928. The art piece depicts a family trying to flee the hurricane. The father is holding on to his son while the mother clutches a baby to her chest. The base of the sculpture shows the flood waters washing away people and buildings. The 17,000 pound sculpture was commissioned by the Belle Glade Bicentennial Committee and dedicated on May 31, 1976. On Sunday Sept. 16, 1928, a category 5 hurricane came ashore near the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse and swept across Palm Beach County, traveling west to Lake Okeechobee. If you visit the Jupiter Lighthouse you can still see the crack in the lens caused by the hurricane. The storm destroyed hundreds of buildings and caused millions of dollars in property damage. 2,500 to 3,000 people lost their lives, many of whom were black migrant farm workers and Belle Glades residents. It is the second deadliest hurricane in U.S. History after the 1900 Galveston Hurricane. The hurricane caused the Lake Okeechobee dike to collapse causing flooding at the south end of the lake. People clung to trees as they watched their homes wash away. Uprooted homes traveled through the flood waters for miles while some areas remained underwater for days. As bodies began to decompose it became necessary to bury them quickly and unidentified. 1,600 Glades residents were buried in a mass grave in the Port Mayaca cemetery in Martin County. This is a very powerful piece of art. You can see the terror on the faces of the people as they attempt to flee the storm and you can't help but think of what is what like for them. The hurricane ended the Florida real estate boom of the 1920s. The state was sent into a depression for more than a year and thenin 1929 the stock market crashed thrust the nation into the Great Depression. You can see the legacy of the hurricane all over Broward and Palm Beach county. Even though the Hurricane of 1928 was Floridas deadliest hurricane few people know about it today. It is memorials like this that serve to remind of the lives lost and to stay ever vigilant during hurricane season.

In the 1800's white settlers flooded into Florida and the government became determined to relocate…read moreall Native Americans west of the Mississippi. This forced removal policy sparked the Second Seminole War 1835-1842. As the Seminoles fled south into Florida to evade capture and being sent out west, they moved into the Everglades in order to hide. In response the army set up forts south of Tampa to the east coast along rivers as they chased after the Seminoles who were much more skilled at surviving in the terrain than the soldiers. Fort Thompson was one of these forts and it was established in 1838 as a military post to store supplies for the Seminole Wars. The fort was named Lt. Colonel Alexander Thompson, who died in the battle of Okeechobee in 1837. I was able to watch a recreation of the Battle of Okeechobee earlier this year and I learned a lot more about the battle. All that remains of the fort is the marker that signifies where it was built. The marker was placed by the LaBelle Heritage Museum. The last remnants of the fort were washed away with the dredging of the Caloosahatchee River. The Confederate army used this land during the Civil War to raise cattle. After the Civil War a community named Thompson built up around the old fort because it was the best place to cross the Caloosahatchee River for miles around. Confederate Captain Francis Asbury Hendry purchased the property in 1879 which he used it for his home and a cattle ranch. Hendry founded the town of LaBelle in the late 1880's along the western edge of the property, named for his daughters Laura Jane and Carrie Belle. Hendry County is named in honor of Captain Hendry. In 1885 steamboat service began between Fort Myers and LaBelle. Fort Thompson was purchased in 1905 by Edgar Everett Goodno who built an ice and electric plant. Goodno built the Fort Thompson Park Hotel on the site which brought many people to the area including Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. Ford purchased part of Goodno´s property in 1924 and it renmained in his name until 1942 when he sold it to one of Captain Hendry´s cousins, Joseph B. Hendry. The old Fort Thompson Park Hotel was torn down in the early 1940's. The historical marker erected on this site is a bit difficult to see and is faded. It is next to the gate of a private home located on SR80 just east of the City of LaBelle, FL. Five stars for the history of this place.

Swing bridges are pretty awesome and I'm a little bummed that there wasn't any traffic on the…read moreCaloosahatchee River this morning to see it open. It's right there in the name: swing bridge. When opening, the bridge swings horizontally on the central pivot. They're generally cheaper to build and operate as they don't require the heavy counterweights for a bascule or draw bridge. The Fort Denaud Bridge was built in 1963 and, as Ariel W. points out in her review, is 434.7 feet from end to end. When closed, it has a clearance of 8.9 feet to the water below. It is one of the few remaining swing bridges in Florida, including the Boca Grande Swing Bridge in Charlotte County (about an hour west). I've also seen the Southport Maine Swing Bridge https://www.yelp.com/biz/southport-swing-bridge-southport?hrid=XRV4yJRMiSNPuQaTZB9bYA and caught the New Bedford - Fairhaven Bridge opening https://www.yelp.com/biz/new-bedford-fairhaven-bridge-new-bedford?hrid=nnr8b8LqYCW_JOtDZv2iFg. The bridge was not initially constructed here. The bridge had been on the Intracoastal Waterway in Pompano Beach (about 120 miles away, southeast). Did they float it here or bring it over the road? I don't know. There is no toll to cross the bridge. [Review 19284 overall - 1632 in Florida - 254 of 2023.]

The Fort Denaud Bridge is a 435 foot historical swing bridge built in 1963. The bridge was…read morepreviously used in Pompano Beach and brought here to replace another bridge that was condemned and removed in the early 1960's. The bridge is 434.7 feet long from end to end and has a vertical clearance of 8.9 feet over the river. The bridge allows cars to cross over the Caloosahatchee River. The bridge was rehabilitated in 1987. The Fort Denaud Bridge is named for Pierre Denaud a French Canadian trapper who traded with the Seminoles and owned land here in the 1830's. The bridge is located at Fort Denaud, the site of a military encampment in the early 19th century. When a boat wants to pass under the bridge, the captain calls the bridge tender who walks out to the middle of the bridge and cranks the machinery to turn allowing it to swing open to allow the boat traffic to pass down the river. It is one of only three swing bridges in SW Florida. I was surprised to learn that this bridge was from Pompano Beach, the town next to where I live. It must have been quite an ordeal to bring it over here. I have previously visited the Snow-Reed Swing Bridge, another historic swing bridge in Ft. Lauderdale. I love these bridges and their history and it is always fun to watch when they swing open. Unfortunately there weren't any boats coming down the river today. It is still a pretty bridge and enjoyed my walk over it.

It's a bridge WE HAD A GREAT TIME CROSSING IT! We used it to go to Ft Meyers for a trip to the…read morebeach then back home It was so convenient we make several crossings a week!

The Caloosahatchee River is about 67 miles long from Lake Hicpochee near Clewiston, through LaBelle…read moreand then passes Fort Myers and Cape Coral before draining into the This bridge is the only one over the river in LaBelle with the nearest being the Mamie Langdale Memorial Bridge in Moore Haven (25 miles east) and the Fort Denaud Swing Bridge (5 miles west). It is a deck plate girder bascule bridge that was built in 1959 and is still in active use. The deck is 27.9 feet wide and has two lanes plus a pedestrian walkway. [Review 16788 overall - 1513 in Florida - 301 of 2022.]