Americana in Florida [View all]

I usually post this stuff in the photo group but decided to stick it here as many people in Florida are unaware of the sleepy hamlet in which I reside.

It's 1936 and the new road linking Tampa to Miami was established (Rt. 41 .. the Tamiami Trail). Brothers Bill and Lester Piper established The Reptile Gardens in Bonita Springs, later to be renamed the Everglades Wonder Gardens.
Rt. 41 passed through the center of town but was realigned in 1976 by passing the sleepy hamlet.

As you drive along "Old 41" you could still spot the teaser signs obscured by the overgrown vegetation.
See Live Alligators ... Wonder Gardens Just Ahead ... For Your Enjoyment and Delight

In early 2013, the Piper family discontinued operations of the Gardens and began to seek a new owner. At that time, landscape photographer John Brady and his family leased the property from the Pipers and refreshed the Gardens.

In 2014, a group of local residents formed the Bonita Wonder Gardens Inc., a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. With generous financial assistance, in the form of a $3.5 million loan from the City of Bonita Springs, the new organization was able to purchase the property and business assets from the Piper family in April 2015, saving it from potential commercial development. Thus began a new chapter for this beloved historic attraction.

Night Shot taken about 9 years ago


IR taken last year