This photo shows a line of six A-4 Skyhawks, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Squadron jets, on display during the annual Florida International Air Show at the Charlotte County Airport (now called the Punta Gorda Airport). The Blue Angels Flight Demo Teams began performing in 1946; A-4 Skyhawks were flown from 1974 to 1986. In 1986, the aviators switched to F/A 18 Hornets, dual-role fighter/attack aircraft.

These pastel drawings of historical buildings, done by students at Sallie Jones Elementary, were among those exhibited during the 1993 Cracker Days festival at Laishley Park in Punta Gorda. The top drawing is by Kristen Hopper and Krista Kibbe. The bottom drawing is by Kathryn Bird.

An unidentified woman wearing a hat poses on the phosphate docks at Boca Grande.

This photo of the Smith Arcade building on Marion Avenue in Punta Gorda was taken from the corner of northbound U.S. 41. Built in 1926 by Henry W. "Baker" Smith, the arcade was restored by Taylor Contractors of Florida and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.

This photo shows a group of people fishing from the old bridge in Punta Gorda. From the left: Mr. and Mrs. Bonzo, Mrs. Burnham, Hannah Galloway (Mrs. J.C. Galloway). J.C. Galloway was a noted naturalist from Port Allegany, PA. The Galloways had a winter home in Solana; they moved there permanently after Mr. Galloway's retirement in 1946.

This undated photo shows the Punta Gorda Elks Lodge (BPOE #2606), seen from the dock. Built in 1921 by John Morrison of New York, the rustic, rambling riverside retreat was originally called "Eagle's Nest," dubbed for a pair of resident bald eagles. The property was purchased in 1980 by the Elks.

Oliver Lumber Yard's entry in the parade celebrating the opening of the Barron Collier Bridge on July 4, 1931.

This structure, sited at 231 Cross Street, was built in 1895 as the First Baptist Church in Punta Gorda. The steeple top was lost to a 1920s hurricane and further damaged by Hurricane Donna in 1960. The Baptists built a new sanctuary in 1962 and this building was purchased by the Golden Rule Rebekah Lodge for their meeting hall. In 1997 it was sold and converted into a bridal wear shop and wedding chapel, and was still being used for that purpose when it was destroyed by Hurricane Charley in August, 2004.

The runboat "Ray" is shown here underway on Charlotte Harbor. Runboats ferried ice, mail, and provisions to the ice houses (a.k.a. fish shacks) near the mouth of the harbor and brought back the days catch to the fisheries at the city dock. This allowed the fishing fleets to stay out for days (or weeks) at a time.

This photo shows Gene Soucy piloting his "Showcat," a modified Grumman Ag Cat biplane, with wingwalker Teresa Stokes on the top wing during the 1995 Florida International Air Show at the Charlotte County Airport (now called the Punta Gorda Airport).

This photo showing an open field of pineapples growing near Solana was copied from a 1913 Punta Gorda Board of Trade brochure.

This large, two-story home at 551 West Retta Esplanade was the home of George W. McLane, who served as mayor of Punta Gorda from 1895-1897. The house is across the street from Gilchrist Park.