This aerial photo, looking north up the Myakka River, shows the parallel spans of the swing bridge and trestle crossing the Myakka at El Jobean. The bridge was built in 1928; the railroad trestle was built c.1909 to facilitate phosphate shipping from Boca Grande. El Jobean is to the right; the land mass on the left is now the development of Gulf Cove.

This photo was taken from the west end of the bridge crossing the Myakka River, looking east toward El Jobean. The wooden swing bridge had a pivoting center section to allow boat traffic upriver; it was built in 1928, parallel to the existing (c.1909) railroad trestle that can be seen to the left of the bridge. The first bridge tender was Bill Edwards, who served until August 1957, when the structure burned and was replaced with an arched bridge.

This aerial photo shows the city of Punta Gorda on the south shore of Charlotte Harbor. The Hotel Charlotte Harbor and its Olympic-sized pool can be seen in the center foreground. The bridge at far left was the first to span the bay; the middle of the bridge was removed, turning the abutments into fishing piers, when the second bridge was built in 1931. The second bridge (the first Barron Collier Bridge) is seen at the bottom center of the photo; the street it connects to is now northbound U.S. 41.

This aerial photo shows downtown Punta Gorda, looking north across Charlotte Harbor. The bridge spanning the bay on the left is the first Barron Collier Bridge (opened in 1931); to the right is the fishing pier, the remnants of the first harbor bridge with the center removed. The Hotel Charlotte Harbor can be seen near the waterfront to the left of the Barron Collier Bridge. The large square field surrounded by tall hedges seen at center right in the photo is the sports field used by Charlotte High School and other local athletic teams.

The Hotel Charlotte Harbor (opened in 1887 as the Hotel Punta Gorda) can be seen slightly left of center in this aerial photo of Punta Gorda. The bridge seen partially at far left, connecting to Nesbit Street, was the first to span the bay; the center portion was removed to make fishing piers of the remaining abutments when the second bridge was built in 1931. The wider second bridge (the first Barron Collier Bridge) is seen to the right of the first bridge; the street it connects to is now northbound U.S. 41.

This photo is identified as "Creek just before Cash Corner in Englewood." Cash Corner was an early name for the corner of State Road 776 (Englewood Road) and State Road 775 (Placida Road); the original establishment there was a bar with dance floor built in the 1930s by "Baj" Cash. A larger cocktail lounge built by Lou Woods in the 1950s resulted in the site being called "Woods Corner," then "Whiskey Corners." The old lounge was torn down in 1989 and the Merchants Crossing shopping plaza was erected. The site lies between Ainger Creek and Gottfried Creek; it is unknown which of those creeks is pictured here.

Meet Forrest Nelson, portrayed by Keaton Hackworth. Forrest Nelson was an ornamental horticulturist who worked for Barron Collier. In 1930, Nelson bought 180 acres in Murdock for $600 from AC. Frizzell, where he built a home at the end of a dirt track that would later become Forrest Nelson Boulevard. This video was produced as part of Charlotte County Libraries & History's 2021 Centennial video series, History Comes Alive. History Comes Alive is community theater with a twist as we're transported back in time to our county's past! Travel with members of our community to days gone by in these short vignettes. You'll meet some interesting characters and remember some of the historic moments that have shaped our present.

This aerial photo shows an oil well on the Vanderbilt Ranch, near what is now Cape Haze. The Vanderbilt Ranch, owned by Alfred and William Vanderbilt, covered 35,000 acres of timber and cattle range. The Vanderbilts obtained gas and oil exploration leases and began drilling at sites east of State Road 771. The venture was not successful and the Vanderbilts turned to development of the peninsula, building sea walls and hauling in fill dirt. William sold his holdings to Alfred in the late 1960s; Alfred sold the ranch to the Cavanagh Corporation of Miami in the 1970s and development was expanded. The original ranch boundaries encompassed the areas that are now the communities of Cape Haze, South Gulf Cove and Rotonda West.

This aerial photo, showing a portion of the north shore of Charlotte Harbor, includes the harborside settlement platted as Hickory Bluff. The curving street in the foreground is Bayshore Road and the graded pentagonal patch at center left is the Charlotte Harbor Drive-in Theater (now the site of the Town & Country Shopping Plaza). The citrus grove seen at lower left is now part of Port Charlotte. The street bisecting the upper half of the photo from left to right is Tamiami Trail (U.S. 41) and the road that cuts from Tamiami Trail on the far right and meanders north into the background is King's Highway, an old Indian path later used by Fort Ogden rancher Ziba King to herd cattle destined for shipment from the Charlotte Harbor dock.

This aerial photo shows an oil derrick on the Vanderbilt Ranch, near what is now Cape Haze. The Vanderbilt Ranch, owned by Alfred and William Vanderbilt, covered 35, 000 acres of timber and cattle range. The Vanderbilts obtained gas and oil exploration leases and began drilling at sites east of State Road 771. The venture was not successful and the Vanderbilts turned to development of the peninsula, building sea walls and hauling in fill dirt. William sold his holdings to Alfred in the late 1960s; Alfred sold the ranch to the Cavanagh Corporation of Miami in the 1970s and development was expanded. The original ranch boundaries encompassed the areas that are now the communities of Cape Haze, South Gulf Cove and Rotonda West.