Sunday Favorites: From Phosphate to Fishing

Boca Grande is everyone s favorite fishing town, but did you know it started as a phosphate mine? Here s how the locale went from a mining town to a world-renowned fishing destination.

Boca Grande is located on Gasparilla Island in the northwest corner of Lee County. On the west side, the crystal-clear waters of the Gulf of Mexico ebb and flow from its white sand beaches, on the other side, the dark brackish water from Charlotte Harbor creates an expansive estuary and serves as the delta for three rivers, the Peace River, Myakka River, and Caloosahatchee River.

The result of this geographical anomaly is a variance of sea life like nowhere else in the world. As a result, Boca Grande s origins have always been fishing, although it was the Calusa Indians that first harvested the multitude of marine life. For centuries, Charlotte Harbor was the center of the Calusa empire, which contained thousands of people and was surrounded by hundreds of fishing villages. The Calusa lived in harmony with their environment in a maritime utopia. The Calusa were also fierce warriors. Although it was a Calusa arrow that fatally wounded Ponce De Leon, the tribe all but vanished by the beginning of the 1600s, due to European exposure. Their entire tribe soon succumbed to disease, warfare, and slavery, according to the Boca Grande Chamber of Commerce. It wasn t too long before others discovered the fishing potential of the unique locale. Charlotte Harbor became a haven for Spanish fishing rancheros in the 1870s. The fisherman, often from Cuba, would catch mullet and other species, salt them, then export them to sell in Havana or other markets. One such ranchero was located at the northern end of Gasparilla Island in a small town called Gasparilla, according to the book  Boca Grande: The Early Days, Memoirs of an Island Son by Capt. Carey Johnson. It was the discovery of phosphate in 1885 that really put Boca Grande on the map by turning it into a major deep-water port. The mineral was excavated on the banks of Charlotte Harbor and then barged down the shallow estuary to four-masted, square-rigged sailing vessels anchored in deep water off Boca Grande. The cargo was then shipped to prominent, international markets like New England and Europe. By 1890, a lighthouse was constructed to safely guide these ships into port. The lighthouse still stands today in its original location, although it has been restored. According to the State of Florida, it is a screw pile design with a wood frame that, when lit, is visible up to 12 miles away. (It s also one of only six lighthouses in Florida open to the public). That same year a pilot station and quarantine house were also constructed to accommodate the ships and crew. At the time, Boca Grande was merely an outpost, with the main village being in Punta Gorda. In order to be sure people were available to receive the ships as they arrived, a system was created where captains signaled a pilot on Sand Key, located in the Florida Keys, of their intent to moor in Boca Grande, then the pilot sent a telegram to Punta Gorda notifying residents that a ship was approaching, according to Johnson. Boca Grande was the deepest natural inlet in Florida. By 1907, the business of phosphate was bustling, and American Agriculture and Chemical Company set its sights on the locale. They planned to build a railway from Arcadia to Boca Grande. By 1912, the first fully automated phosphate loader was constructed. A powerplant was built, along with an inn. The town was plotted, and Boca Grande was on its way to becoming a big success, complete with electricity, transportation, and employment. Tune in next week to see just what happens.