Day to all! Hope everyone enjoyed their Labor Day weekend! Did you know the Allapatchee Lodge, owned by wealthy New York City businessman and hunting enthusiast, Louis Calder, opened in 1927? Calder made his fortune in the paper and pulp business starting at the age of 17 with Perkins-Goodwin Company. By age 30 he was a company director and thirteen years later, company president. Calder was one of the first to recognize fast growing southern pine as a renewable resource for use in producing newsprint and “kraft paper”, which is the general term for heavier duty wrapping paper and cardboard.
He was also a pioneer in the retail gasoline market, establishing one of the first drive up metered gas stations in New York City. By 1931, the venture had grown to 55 stations, when a controlling interest was purchased by Standard Oil.
In 1925, during the Florida real estate boom, Calder was part of an investment group that purchased over 500 acres on Alligator Creek, also called the Allapatchee River, south of Punta Gorda. Plans were to create 439 home sites and call the development Radair Park, derived from the names of major stockholders, H. H. Raymond and William T. Adair.
In July 1926, Calder purchased a large tract in the development for himself and built Allapatchee Lodge on the creek. The lodge was located just off today’s San Rocco Drive about where a grove of oak trees stands as the street makes a turn to the right There is a driveway through the trees going to a steel maintenance building near the creek.
Intended to be a country club with a pool and golf course to entertain friends and prospective Radair Park investors, only the lodge was completed. For years, the name was thought to derive from the Creek or Seminole word for Alligator Creek. The only problem is it doesn’t seem to translate. Some now believe it’s perhaps based on the French phrase “a la peche”, which means “going fishing”. Makes sense to me.
The lodge was rustic, but quite luxurious, 36 bedrooms included private baths with hot and cold running water, amenities not even Hotel Charlotte Harbor could boast at the time. A large veranda overlooked the creek and the English oak dining room seated 125. After its grand opening in January 1927, the lodge became a popular destination for wealthy winter visitors. Locals Anson Gaskill and Joe Washington, think Washington Loop Road, served as fishing and hunting guides respectively. Washington later toured the country as a sharpshooter for the Winchester Repeating Arms Company.
Calder was very generous with his fortune evidenced by gifts to Fordham University in New York and the University of Miami. He was also a major funder of Punta Gorda’s first library building at the corner of Cross Street (U. S. 41 south) and West Retta Esplanade, now a portion of the event center parking lot, and the Louis Calder Scout House on West Retta Esplanade, unfortunately known by most today as just the Bayfront Center, recently demolished due to Hurricane Ian damage. Hopefully, City Council will erect a plaque at the site honoring Mr. Calder for his contributions.
During the 1930’s, lodge visitors dwindled due to the depression, but Calder and friends continued to winter there until around 1960. After his death in 1963, the grand lodge fell victim to disrepair and vandals. After being sold to Punta Gorda Isles, Inc. (PGI), with proceeds going to the University of Miami, the Allapatchee Lodge was burned in the early 1970’s, making room for further development near Twin Isles Country Club. I worked for PGI at the time and remember cleaning up the area after the building burned.
Visit Charlotte County History Collections “on-line” to view photographs of the Allapatchee Lodge and William T. Adair. Look closely at the group photo of Adair’s 80th birthday celebration at the lodge and you may see some names you’ll recognize.
“Did You Know” appears, typically, every other Wednesday, courtesy of this newspaper and the Charlotte County Historical Society. The Society’s mission is to help promote and preserve Charlotte County’s rich history. We are also always looking for volunteers and interested individuals to serve as board members. If you believe our area’s history is as important as we do, please visit Charlotte County Historical Society on-line at https://cchistoricalsociety.com/, or call 941- 769-1270 for more information
Check out History Services’ yearlong project, “Telling Your Stories: History in the Parks”. It began in January 2021 with placement of the first interpretive sign “Charlotte Harbor Spa” at South County Regional Park. The last was dedicated December 15, 2021 at Centennial Park featuring Florida postcards. All dedicated signs can be viewed at online library resources. Select “Programs and Services”, then “History Services” and “Virtual Programs”.
Visit the same site to access recently released oral histories featuring 40 local folks. Select “History Services” and scroll down, or phone 941-629-7278, to find out what history related programs and videos are available.
September 3 column
