This portrait was painted by Christiane Belle as part of Charlotte County's Centennial Art Show. 18 x 24 inches. Oil on canvas. The subject is 'Commodore' Caldwell Hart Colt, the son of gun scion Samuel Colt, who followed in his father's footsteps as a gunmaker. In 1879 he designed the Colt double barrel rifle, one of the rarest Colt firearms that was ever made. One night in 1984, the “Oriole," a yacht belonging to Caldwell Colt, was anchored off the Hotel Punta Gorda. Suddenly, party guests cried out, “Man overboard!” Only too late they realized it was the yacht’s owner, face down and dead in the water. Caldwell’s mother commissioned Louis Tiffany to create a stained-glass window as a tribute to her son. Local artists were invited to submit original works of art to Charlotte County's Centennial Art Show. Pieces were based on the book 'Our Fascinating Past: Charlotte Harbor' by Lindsey Williams and U.S. Cleveland. Submissions were accepted in Fall 2020 and were displayed at the Mid-County Regional Library on February 27, 2021.

This painting by Christiane Belle was part of Charlotte County's Centennial Art Show. 16 x 20 inches. Oil on Canvas. This painting illustrates a famous house in Charlotte County history. Formerly known as McAdow Hall, it was built at the turn of the century as the home of Perry W. McAdow. It was to be deeded to the town upon his death, but taxes and struggles for ownership ensued for many years. McAdow contributed to the community by filling in the harbor off Harvey Park and securing franchises to build and operate kerosene street lights in Punta Gorda and the town's first telephone system. The building was converted to a lodge in the 1940s. As a lodge, the space held the largest dining room in Punta Gorda, capable of serving 300 guests. Local artists were invited to submit original works of art to Charlotte County's Centennial Art Show. Pieces were based on the book 'Our Fascinating Past: Charlotte Harbor' by Lindsey Williams and U.S. Cleveland. Submissions were accepted in Fall 2020 and were displayed at the Mid-County Regional Library on February 27, 2021.

This painting by Christiane Belle was part of Charlotte County's Centennial Art Show in 2021. 16 x 20 inches. Oil on canvas. This is an imaginary portrait of Mary Leah Sandlin by Christiane Belle. Mary had a tragic end for a young girl of 14, helping with the ironing on the family porch. In those days some irons were powered by gasoline, which in Mary's case combusted and poured flames over her. Mary caught fire and ran to neighbors to try to put out the flames, but it was too late. Years later, owners of the former Sandlin home heard old timbers creak and moan, steps walking towards Mary’s former bedroom, irons turning off, and other paranormal activity. Mary, the teenage ghost, features on some walking tours of the area. Local artists were invited to submit original works of art to Charlotte County's Centennial Art Show. Pieces were based on the book 'Our Fascinating Past: Charlotte Harbor' by Lindsey Williams and U.S. Cleveland. Submissions were accepted in Fall 2020 and were displayed at the Mid-County Regional Library on February 27, 2021.

This painting by Jeanette Burke was part of Charlotte County's Centennial Art Show in 2021. 16x20 inches. Acrylic on paper. An innovative and versatile type of boat that pierced the waters of Charlotte Harbor was the ‘Sharpie’, which was called that because of its long and sharp prow. Easy to build, and with a minimum of rigging, a lone fisherman could cast nets without interference, and sails could be taken down for rowing or bridges as needed. Two-masted sharpies as seen in this piece were capable of carrying four crew and mile-long nets. As a community, skippers lived together near what was known as Sharpie Town near todays’ Cooper Street in Punta Gorda. Local artists were invited to submit original works of art to Charlotte County's Centennial Art Show. Pieces were based on the book 'Our Fascinating Past: Charlotte Harbor' by Lindsey Williams and U.S. Cleveland. Submissions were accepted in Fall 2020 and were displayed at the Mid-County Regional Library on February 27, 2021.

It's Charlotte County's 100th birthday! Our Centennial Exposition is a series of videos celebrating what life was like in Charlotte County a century ago. This is the first of several featured programs throughout the year. Join us as we bask in our fascinating past and celebrate all that Charlotte County has to offer in the present. Grab your dancing shoes and try an old trend! This video showcases one of the most well-known and popular dances of the 1920s, The Charleston, demonstrated to us by members of USA Dance. This video was produced in 2021 as part of Charlotte County Libraries & History Centennial Exposition, a series of videos celebrating what life was like in Charlotte County a century ago.

Established in 1879, the historic Charlotte Harbor Cemetery is one of the oldest marked burial sites in Charlotte County. Join special guests from the past to discover the stories of those buried in our backyard. From Civil War soldiers to Vaudeville stars, these unique individuals helped shape the earliest years of our local area. This video was produced in 2021 as part of Charlotte County Libraries & History Centennial Exposition, a series of videos celebrating what life was like in Charlotte County a century ago.

Enjoy the talents of local music producer and pianist Chris G as Library Technician Joe Guerzo leads the audience on a musical journey to discover 1920s Ragtime. This video includes actual footage from the 1920s including flappers dancing the Charleston and couples dancing the foxtrot. All photos and footage can be found in the public domain. This video was produced in 2021 as part of Charlotte County Libraries & History's Centennial Exposition, a series of videos celebrating what life was like in Charlotte County a century ago.

Michael Haymans shows how to harvest swamp cabbage, which was eaten by the settlers of our area and is still a favorite of locals. This video includes excerpts from “Stalking the Wild Swamp Cabbage” provided by Frank Desguin. This video was produced in 2021 as part of Charlotte County Libraries & History Centennial Exposition, a series of videos celebrating what life was like in Charlotte County a century ago.

Meet A.C. Frizzell, portrayed by Charlotte County Commissioner Bill Truex. Frizzell was a businessman, cattle rancher, and one of the largest land barons in Florida. His ranch land and property holding were sold and developed by the Mackle Brothers and became the area now known as Port Charlotte. 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.

Meet F.M. Cooper, portrayed by Joe Guerzo. F.M. Cooper was a state representative from the Punta Gorda area that was influential in establishing a Charlotte as its own county in 1921. Cooper Street is named after this influential individual. 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.

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.

Meet Robert Mackle, portrayed by Charlotte County Commissioner Stephen R. Deutsch. Robert Mackle and his brothers were successful real estate developers in Florida. They built and sold homes in Marco Island, Port St. Lucie, Key Biscayne, and Port Charlotte. Their nationwide advertising campaign of ten dollars down and 10 dollars a month brought people from all areas of the country to Port Charlotte. The brothers were also instrumental in establishing the Port Charlotte Cultural Center. 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.