Originally, this was a drawbridge built around 1950 to carrying one of the remaining two-lane…read morestretches of US 27 over the Caloosahatchee River. The replacement, a four-lane fixed-span bridge, was built between 1997 and 2000 at which point the original bridge was removed. The bridge incorporates post-tension concrete technology, one of the longest of its kind in the country at 320 feet. It uses haunch girders, which act like a seesaw on top of piers, connected by I-beam girders. These girders were stitched together with cables and grout, creating tension that strengthens the structure. The bridge has 55.5 feet of vertical clearance and that means it's really easy to end up going faster that you intend as you come down the other side. And that's where representatives from the Glades County Sheriff's Department or the Florida Highway Patrol might be waiting to give you an award. But there's no toll to cross the bridge. [Review 417 of 2025 - 2062 in Florida - 23979 overall]

Glades County was founded in 1921 after being carved out of neighboring Desoto County. It was named…read moreafter the Florida Everglades, though much of its landscape consists of prairies and pinelands. Glades County is one of five counties surrounding Lake Okeechobee, and it plays a role in the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail. The county seat is here in Moore Haven which was was once a thriving hub due to its location along the Caloosahatchee River Canal. However, hurricanes in 1926 and 1928 devastated the area, impacting its growth. The courthouse was build in 1928-1929 in the Classical Revival style, designed by Edward C. Hosford who also designed the Pasco County Courthouse in Dade City, the Harris County Courthouse in Hamilton Georgia, the Mason County in Mason Texas and the Dodge County Courthouse in Eastman Georgia. The courthouse has a grand entrance with large columns and a decorative pediment, reflecting the governmental look typical of courthouses from that era. I was here on a Sunday afternoon so I was only able to look through the windows and walk the grand grounds. [Review 416 of 2025 - 2061 in Florida - 23978 overall]

Glades County is located just north of the Everglades. In 1921 it was one of several counties…read morecarved off from DeSoto County. Before choosing to name it Glades County it was almost named Muck County. Prior to the courthouse being built people had to travel all day to Arcadia in an area that didn't have roads. It was decided that a courthouse would be built in Moore Haven founded in 1916 by James Moore. The first courthouse was built in 1926 but a hurricane in 1928 destroyed it and the rest Moore Haven when Lake Okeechobee flooded during the storm.. The courthouse that stands now was built in 1928. The historic courthouse was designed in the Classical Revival style by architect Edward Columbus Hosford who designed courthouses and other buildings in Florida, Texas, and Georgia. The courthouse is still in use today. It is a Florida heritage site.

The tower used to be awesome. According to records, it opened in 1961 as a 240 foot tall…read moreobservation tower. It was possible to get to the top and have unparalleled 40 mile panoramic views of Highlands County and Central Florida. The dream of Earnest Oakley Hunt and Robert Gray, it is constructed of 100,000 concrete blocks which made it the tallest concrete block structure in the world at the time. In the late 1960s, the tower's name was changed to "The Happiness Tower" in order to lure people in, claiming visitors a state of bliss when looking out from the top of the tower. And at the same time, it was renamed the "Tower of Peace." The last owner to operate the tower as a tourist attraction owned it from 1992 until its closure in 2003. It is absolutely not open to the public. It's mostly abandoned though it functions as a cell phone tower. I'd have paid $10 or so for the view from the top. Bummer. [Review 455 of 2025 - 2098 in Florida - 24017 overall]

The Lake Placid Tower is a closed and abandoned gem of a bygone era. It completed in 1960 and…read moreopened in 1961. It closed in 2003 and continued life as a cell tower until 2019. It was abandoned in 2019. There are hopes that it might reopen but it's not likely it will. It retains a semblance of its original beauty but the structures at the base are in sad condition and are deteriorating. Since the tower is abandoned, I won't go into further detail but urge you to read Ariel W's review from 3 years ago for further information.

Lavender house, also known as Hermann V. Von Holst House is a private residence on the U.S…read more National Register of Historic Places in the historic old Floresta neighborhood in Boca Raton. It is located on 875 Alamanda Street. The neighborhood the house is in was initially designed by Addison Mizner but he went broke in 1926. Chicago Prairie School architect Hermann V. Von Holst along with partners purchased the development and he finished building the houses. Lavender House was the residence Holst built for himself. He went on to serve on the Boca Raton City Council from 1934 to 1948 and the planning board from 1940 to 1953. Although you can't tour this house it's worth driving through this beautiful historic neighborhood. It looks like the current owners embrace the history of their home as it is beautifully kept. They occasionally post pictures of the interior on their Facebook page dedicated to the home.

2100th Review The…read moreCircus Bridge is no ordinary bridge although one wouldn't know it's historic significance by merely looking at it or even driving over it, it's played a huge part in the celebration each and every year in Venice for more than three decades as the animals from Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey were unloaded from the circus train each winter and marched across this bridge, the crowds that gathered to watch cheered celebrating the end of a long season entertaining the masses with countless performances. Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey wintered at the circus arena near the Venice airport which was finally demolished after years of attempts to preserve it in some way; the building's skeleton had remained in place long after the circus left the site behind in the early 1990s. But in its heyday, in the 1960s, '70s and '80s, the arena welcomed thousands of spectators as well as top circus performers, who rehearsed their new shows here. For residents and visitors, the arrival of the circus train was a memorable highlight of each winter season. On January 14, 2017, it was announced that the circus will be closed forever in May 2017 after 146 years of bringing smiles to millions and will lay off more than 462 employees between March and May 2017. Declining attendance combined with high operating costs and loss of the elephants are among the reasons for closing. On May 7, 2017, its "Circus Extreme" tour will be shown for the last time in Providence, Rhode Island. The circus's last performance will be its "Out of This World" tour at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on May 21, 2017 and that my friend will be the end to maybe the grandest entertainment icon ever, but this bridge will remain and continue to be ghostly reminder of the past for those that witnessed it's grandeur at the end of each circus season that's until it too will become obsolete and replaced with a concrete span named after some politician who's grand kids will only read about "The Greatest Show on Earth" but never witness it's magic...

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.

This is not your typical tourist trap. It's a unique home that attracts the curious. The owner/tour…read moreguide is a perky lady who is renovating the house back to its original splendor and adding her own personal creativity. She talks about the history of the house and her encounters with the spirits of the original owner. Lots of antiques throughout and a few quirky collections. A diamond in the rough with the mystique of an opal. There is an assistant tour guide, Joan of Bark, who is the sweetest, most laid-back pup. Take some time to enjoy this unicorn.

The best house tour I have ever been on! Super cool to hear so many details from the owner of the…read morehouse and hear about her personal experiences in the restoration process.

I love old houses and this yellow beauty is an architectural gem. The Murphy-Burroughs House is a…read moreGeorgian Revival style mansion built in 1901 for John T. Murphy, a cattle rancher from Montana. It is located in the River District of Fort Myers on two acres of land on the Caloosahatchee River. The house was built on First Avenue, the first house on what would become known as Millionaires Row. Materials to build the house were brought in by train and then carried the rest of the way to Fort Myers by barge. After construction was completed it drew other wealthy people to build their homes on the street. It is the only one of Millionaire Row's mansion that is still standing in its original position. Murphy was very involved in local civic and business affairs during his time in Fort Myers. He was a major shareholder of a bank and helped built a seawall that protected the downtown area. He passed away in 1914 and the house was sold to a businessman from New Jersey. In 1919 Nelson Burroughs purchased the house so his family could escape the frigid Chicago winters. Nelson made his fortune in land investments and banking. While in the home the family hosted lavish parties attended by famous winter Fort Myers residents Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, and Harvey Firestone. In 1922 Burroughs transferred ownership of the house to his daughters, Mona & Jettie. Mona bequeathed the property to The City of Fort Myers prior to her death in 1978. After her husband died in 1983 it was no longer used as a residence. On August 1, 1984, the house was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. Today you can tour the home that has been lovingly restored with a grand staircase, beautiful fireplaces, and antique furnishings. Features of the house include a veranda wrapping around three sides, a large dancing porch on the east side, bay and stained glass windows, a widow's walk on the roof, and decorative woodwork. The house is a popular wedding venue. Every December, the Fort Myers Community Women's Club decorates the historic mansion for the holidays. The Uncommon Friends Foundation manages the house as well as the Burroughs family records.

What a beautiful place to throw a party, host an event or have a wedding…read more The sunset here is absolutely magnificent and there are trees and flowers everywhere.

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.