This building was constructed in 1926. It is located on the corner of Bridge Street and Hickpochee Avenue. It faces north. It is a 2 story buff colored brick structure. Building Style is Mediterranean Revival –Mission Revival Style. There is a north facing one story portico supported by thin columns and a second story balcolny. In the ne corner the is a high square block brick clock.

The contractor was Marshall Jackson. The architect was Edward Columbus Hosford.

The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 8, 1990

Old Hendry County Courthouse during flood

Old Hendry County Courthouse

Old Hendry County Courthouse

Old Hendry County Courthouse

Old Hendry County Courthouse

Old Hendry County Courthouse

Informational plaque Fort Denaud

     Fort Denaud is a region in Florida in Hendry County.  It was the site of a prior fort.  It is also it is the site of a former town of the name Fort Denaud.  In this area, there is a bridge crossing of the Caloosahatchee River.

     In the 1830’s in Florida, the combination of  increased white settlement and the relocation of Indian.tribes west of the Mississippi River led to the outbreak of the Second Seminole War.

     Captain B.L.E. Bonneville and his troops of the 7th Infantry built Fort Denaud in 1838.   It was one of multiple establishments linking American troops south of Tampa to the east coast of Florida. The fort was built on land owned by Pierre Denaud a French Indian trader. It was on the south bank of the Caloosahatchee River 27 miles from Fort Myers.  The fort served as a supply depot to troops in the Lake Okeechobee region. It was used on and off until 1842 (the end of the Seminole River)

      Fort Denaud was reopened in January, 1855 under Brevent Major William Hays after the outbreak of the Third Seminole War. The fort was destroyed by a fire in 1856.  A new fort was built on the north bank of the Caloosahatchee River a mile to the west of the original site.  The fort guarded the bridge over the river.  In 1858, the military establishment was abandoned.

     Near the Fort, a small farming village developed. Crops grown included citrus and sugar cane.   After the fort shut down the residents left the area.

Florida State Route29 Bridge LaBelle

     The Florida State Route 29 bridge over the Caloosahatchee River is a deck plate girder double leaf bascule bridge.  It was built in 1959.  Bridge length is 133.2 feet.  Total length is 501 feet.  Width is 27.9 feet.  In 2018, the bridge was strengthened steel and concrete beams to allow for truck traffic.  At the base of the bridge is Barron Park.  This allows for excellent views of the river and bridge

Same as above

Florida State Route 29 Bridge over the Caloosahatchee River. LaBelle

Florida State Route 29 Bridge over the Caloosahatchee River LaBelle

Same as above

    The previous bridge at this site was a lost through truss swing bridge   This bridge was demolished and replaced with the current bridge.

Old Swing Bridge on Florida State Route 29 over the Caloosahatchee River

This building was built in 1929 at 1525 Hendry Street, Fort Myers.

McCrory Building

Same as above

Informational Plaque

Fort Denaud Bridge

  The Fort Denaud Bridge crosses the Caloosahatchee Waterway on Fort Denaud Bridgeway which is a turn off of Florida State Route 78A. The Fort Denaud area lies between Alva and LaBelle. It is the site of a fort from the Seminole War and a long abandoned village. The bridge is a metal rivet connected Warren (no verticals)pony truss, movable: swing (rim bearing center pier bridge and approach spans.   The trough is of steel construction. Piers are made of concrete. This bridge was previously used on the Intracoastal Waterway at Pompano Beach. It was erected in Fort Denaud in 1963. Bridge was constructed by Powell Brothers, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

      Bridge statistics are  main span length 191 feet; structure length 435 feet.  Roadway width is 18 feet.  There is one main span and 5 approach spans.

Fort Denaud Bridge

Fort Denaud Bridge

Fort Denaud Bridge

Fort Denaud Bridge

Photo Old Fort Denaud Bridge

     The current bridge Was a replacement of a prior bridge that was located upstream.  This was demolished in the early 1960’s.

Biggs Residence Delray Beach Florida

Sketch of the original house

     This house is located at 212 Seabreeze Drive Delray Beach, Florida.  The architect was Paul Rudolph.   The house as originally built was 2 bedrooms and  baths.  It was 1600 square feet.  The home is elevated on 4 exposed steel columns and beams. On the main floor there is a central living room with a bedroom and bath on one end, A gallery kitchen with a wall of closets and stair to the entrance below.   There is a bedroom and bath at the other end.

     Biggs lived in the house from 1955 to 1961.  In 1970 Biggs sold the house to Richard and Alice McAvoy.  In 1973, Virginia and Erskine Courtenay bought the house.

     In 2007, Architect Robert Currie adds a two story addition of 1926 square feet to the south.  The addition includes master bedroom, and bath, guest bed and bath and elevator access.

    In 2014, Courtenay yes sell the house for 1.1 million.

    In 2016, the house is listed for sale for $1,895,000.  House sold for $1,100,000 to Henry Ferrino.

     Residence is sold  in February 28, 2018 for $1,395,000 to Michael and Antonia Marco.

     The Marcos proposed a plan to restore the house to Rudolph’s original vision.   In what can only be described as a project going awry,  the house was demolished to its frame in August, 2020.  The Marcos now face legal trouble for the results of the project.

Rogers Park Hospital

     In the Chicago Tribune of May 2, 1926, there was an article.about the  new Rogers Park Hospital.  Work was scheduled to start on May.3rd.  This would be the first large medical facility in Rogers Park. The location was to be at 6970 North Clark Street.  The hospital building was to be 6 stories. There would be 2 operating rooms, one labor room and one delivery room. There was to be an X-Ray department, and a lab.  There were one hundred patients rooms.  The Architect was Dwight G. Wallace.  Projected cost was $402,500.

     The president of the new hospital  was Dr. F. Patrick Machler.  The Doctor had a distinguished career in the Spanish American War and World.War 1.  He was the former superintendent of Iroquois Hospital.

    During 1938-1939 period, there were two bizarre incidents concerning the hospital.  Firstly, the name of the Hospital was changed to Will Rogers Memorial Hospital apparently without the consent of Mr. Rogers and his estate.  The case eventually ended in the court of federal judge William Holly.  On February 11, 1939, the  judge signed a consent decree enjoining Will Rogers Memorial Hospital from using Mr. Roger’s name.  The decree was issued on the complaint of the Will Rogers Commission and Will Rogers Memorial Fund of New York.