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Englewood,
Florida, History.
Englewood,
Florida,
is over 100 years old, although artifacts at the Indian Mound Park date
back as far as 1000 BC to about 1350 AD. It is not known whether it was
built by the Colusa or Timacua Indians, since the midden was very near
the border of where these ancient Indian tribes lived.
In 1884, Herbert Nicholas
of Englewood, Ill., and his two brothers came to the area with the intention
of growing lemons. They named the town Englewood in rememberence of the
town in Illinois. The original plat of Englewood stretched from Stewart
St. on the north side, Dearborn St on the south side, Elm St. on the east
side and Lemon Bay on the west.
The lumber industry was the next to take root at the turn of the century;
however, this endeavor faltered as the area was stripped of trees and,
with no trees, the jobs were gone. Promoters of the area suggested that
Englewood was a fine place to raise familes, or retire, promoting the
area as laid back with an easy life style and excellent fishing and
hunting.
 In
1916 Pete Buchan purchased a piece of property at the end of Dearborn
St and built a 2 story building, a general store on the 1st floor and
his family's living quarters above. Trades people followed Buchan's lead
and moved to the Dearborn Street area which then became the hub of the
business community for several decades.
Some of the original
buildings are still standing and in use on Dearborn Street. Taking
a stroll around the area brings you back into the past.
 The
Quinby/Jergens/Rinkard House, located at the corner of Dearborn Street
and Old Englewood Road, was built in 1896. It was originally a boarding
house and later bought by the Andrew Jergens family (soap and lotion fame)
and reverted to a guest home when purchased by the Rinkard family. It
is the oldest structure in Englewood, Florida, and is now privately owned.
The Lemon Bay Funeral Home at the end of Dearborn Street was constructed
as Tate's Market and was one of two grocery stores in town. Owned and
operated by Jack Tate, Pete Buchan's son-in-law, it was a great place
to get caught up with the local news and gossip.
The Green Street Church,
1 block south of Dearborn Street, was the first church building constructed
in Englewood, Florida. It was built in 1926 and was a Methodist Church.
It is owned by the
Lemon Bay Historical Society and has been turned into a museum.
The Englewood Hardware
Store was built by Mr. Ziegler around about 1919. It was an IGA store
and at one time housed the Post Office.
Kellys II Tavern.
Kellys II Tavern was
built in 1924 and originally had horse stables on the ground floor. In
the late 20's it housed a small barber shop and in 1930 had become a tavern.
 Elizabeth
Bryant Studio.
Opened in 1928 as
Chapin Wholesale & Retail Grocery Company Inc. Mr. Chapin sold it
to his son-in-law and it became The Van Norman Company Grocery Store.
It looks very much
like it did in the 1920's.
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