Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Obituaries.
Emerson Donald White, 86, of Placida, Florida peacefully passed away on October 29, 2023 at home, surrounded by family. Known to all as Don, he was born in Winchendon, Massachusetts to Emerson and Alice White. He graduated from Leominster High School, received a business degree from Babson College and was also a veteran of the […]
Written by Boca Beacon Reader on . Posted in Letters to the Editor.
To the Editor: I want to take a moment to sincerely thank you for your ongoing support of Boca Grande Historical Society. We have some great plans coming up in the near future, and we are so excited about what the future holds as we approach our 30th anniversary. In support of that future, the […]
Written by Guest Columnist on . Posted in Editorial.
Over the years, I’ve read the Boca Beacon without fail. The best parts of the weekly paper are what I call “The Boca Soaps.” I savor every word. I love the Gilchrist sagas that kept going for several months … then the private fence on the south end of the island that extended across the […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Community History.
FIVE YEARS AGO The Barrier Island Parks Society announced they would be relighting the restored Gasparilla Island Lighthouse (the Range Light) following the installation of a replica of the original fourth-order Fresnel lens needed. TEN YEARS AGO At the Whidden’s Back Bay Tournament a lot of fish were caught. The first-place team included anglers Capt. […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Community History, News.
The next Boca Grande Historic Preservation Board meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 10 a.m. in the Boca Grande Community Center Auditorium, has just one item on the official agenda – A Certificate of Appropriateness for a home at 851 Palm Avenue. The homeowners there would like to allow additions that include expansion of […]
Written by Guest Columnist on . Posted in News.
Was Warren Harding one of our worst presidents? Next week, you can decide! On Wednesday, Nov. 8, historian Ryan Walters will give us a chance to reconsider the historically poor opinion of our 29th president when he presents his book, The Jazz Age President: Defending Warren Harding, at the Boca Grande Community Center Auditorium at […]
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Community.
The renewed Veterans Memorial at the intersection of Gilchrist Ave. and Fifth St. on Boca Grande, will be unveiled on the morning of Wednesday, Nov. 8 (no time given). To celebrate this occasion, a reception will take place at the Boca Grande History Center at 170 Park Ave. from 2 to 4 p.m. All are […]
Written by Marcy Shortuse on . Posted in Community, Police & Fire.
NOTE: This story contains new information that cannot be found in the hard copy or e-edition story. Just after press time we received information requested earlier in the week that is pertinent to the facts of the story and is included here.
Written by Staff Report on . Posted in Community.
BY SHEILA EVANS AND MARCY SHORTUSE Not only do we have a new cell phone tower in the middle of town, baby cell phone towers have popped up as well … and more are being planned. Right now we have two new “Q-tip” towers at the north end – one at Gulf Shores Drive and […]
Written by Garland Pollard on . Posted in News.
Back in July of 1967, the headline in the News-Press of Fort Myers was, “What to Do About Eroded Tip of Boca Grande.”
Then, as now, islanders were looking to beach nourishment to help prevent erosion on the southern tip of Gasparilla Island. At that time, the Boca Grande Conservation Council, headed by Homer Addison of The Temptation, was in favor of establishing a park at the tip of the island, as the Lighthouse was for sale from the Coast Guard through the General Services Administration. It seemed an ideal solution; the only challenge being the “erosion problem.”
Six decades later, the issue of erosion, while not fixed, is regularly addressed through a mix of federal, local and tourist tax monies. Gasparilla, and indeed all of the Gulf of Mexico islands in Florida, are under regular schedules for replenishment. But what is also a challenge is the flooding at the tip of the island, which hit the south end’s streets and historic buildings during hurricanes Irma, Ian and Idalia.