![]() ![]() “It means a piece of history that we’re missing out on right now, that we should put back together,’” CK said. They have plans to restore the property, though he wouldn’t reveal what exactly it might become.Īfter all the work they put in at the cafe and museum, perhaps their plans at the hotel can also come to fruition. “People were out here during prohibition, pounding down drinks and dancing out front,” he said.ĬK and the group that owns the hotel hope to someday recapture that energy. Outside, our drone flies above to capture what we can’t: pepper trees have swarmed the property and strong storms have battered the back end of the hotel.īack at the museum, CK turns on a small TV and plays old black-and-white films that help remind of what fun the hotel once was. “It’s kind of depressing,” he replies, his smile fading, if only briefly. We ask CK what it’s like to see it in such poor shape. It looks more like a haunted house than a grand hotel. The main hallway is now seemingly sideways. “Careful,” CK said, still chuckling, as we walk through the darkened rooms. We step into the century-old, once-famous El Jobean Grand Hotel. “After a few hurricanes, it has deteriorated,” CK explained, walking up. We have to leave the museum and walk across the street to find the place that time left behind. He’s part of the group that bought the building some 20 years ago and turned it into a cafe and museum. “This was originally the post office, general store, train depot, one room jail cell,” CK said, chuckling. He shows us around with a beer in his hand. “Come on down,” CK Meyer, our ‘tour guide’ said. Tucked away from view, we originally miss our destination and need to turn around.Īfter looping back over the river, we make our way to the community of El Jobean and the Bean Depot, a restaurant and cafe where live music and good vibes fill the air. Where are they today?”įor our next stop, we head west to a tiny community on the northern banks of the Myakka River in Charlotte County. This is a living monument,” she emphasized. “It’s inspiring because the remains are still living. Nancy believes it’s something worth saving. ![]() There’s been talk among the Gaskins family and locals of restoring the roadside icon, perhaps creating a welcome center, but no movement just yet. The state of Florida now owns the land, and Glades County leases it. The catwalk, like the museum itself, is somehow still standing. We wander through dense woods and find the old catwalk that sprawls over the swamp and amongst the Cypress trees. Other buildings used to sit across the highway, but not anymore. ![]() Near the museum is what Nancy described as an old caretaker’s house. ![]()
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