When Denise Kleiner, of the Old Braden River Historical Society, asked me if I would create a hand painted photograph for a donation to help save a small house that is a piece of the architectural history of Manatee County I was honored. I had passed those tiny mysterious homes sitting behind barbed wire at Jiggs Landing many times and always wondered what they were about.
Other than in St. Augustine, Florida has a very short architectural history. It has always bothered me that as Florida grows communities often disregard the architectural history that came before the growth. I am impressed that Manatee County cares enough about its history to save even the tiniest house as a memory of what came before.
The image I created of the house is a black and white hand-painted photograph. The image is computer manipulated to create a fantasy.
Please Join Us for the Party and AuctionJoin the effort to help raise funds to renovate this tiny little historical home.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
www.Oldbradenriver.com
FOR MORE INFORMATION
www.Oldbradenriver.com
The Nocotee house was once one of several tiny homes lined up in a row.
From the county:
Charlie Hunsicker
Charile Hunsinger
Dora Mills
Denise Kleiner in front of the house
Interior of the house
In the early 1900's the Nocotee Crate Company was one of the early businesses in Manatee County. Because of their remote location they provided housing for some of their employees. Later, when an Italian immigrant by the name of Rossi came to the area and started the orange juice company of Tropicana, he purchased the small homes from the Nocotee Crate Company for his employees.
The 1940's brought a boom to the area with the building of the famous Linger Lodge and Jiggs' Landing along the banks of the Braden River. Jiggs' Landing was a wild and busy place with eager fishermen digging nearby for worms and setting up fishing camps awaiting the catch of the day. It has also been said that traveling bands of musicians stayed at Jiggs' Landing and entertained. Women were not able to go there in those days.
Jiggs negotiated to purchase the small houses from Rossi (Tropicana) for one dollar and then moved them to the Landing in the 1940's to serve as lodging for the many tourists who loved fishing along the Braden River.
In 2006, Manatee County purchased Jiggs' Landing as part of the Braden River system with the intent to convert the land into a county park. When the decision to knock down the old small homes was made, Old Braden River Historical Society stepped in to save them. After an inspection it was found that one of them still had enough structural integrity to save.
The Old Braden River Historical Society is working to create funds to refurbish this house and move it near an old oak tree at the Landing.
Niki in front of the old house
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