Boca Grande is located on Gasparilla Island, a seven-mile-long geographical landmass off the coast of southwestern Florida. The first inhabitants to occupy the island were a seafaring people known as the “Calusa.” Politically powerful, they resided on Gasparilla Island as early as the 9th century. Massive in size, the civilization relied upon the temperate waters of nearby Charlotte Harbor for sustenance. Unfortunately, the Calusa had largely disappeared by the 18th century from a combination of war and pestilence. The region remained sparsely populated for some time thereafter, save for a few isolated bands of Seminole Indians who made the journey out from the mainland. Permanent settlement of the island resumed toward the end of the 1800s though, when Euro-American mariners began harvesting fish, too. They established their own small villages, the most notable of which was called “Gasparilla” at the northern end of the island. But in 1881, something momentous happened that changed the area’s fate forever. A few individuals discovered phosphate to the northeast of Gasparilla Island in the Peace River Valley. Important for the creation of commercial fertilizer, it spawned a wave of local economic development that lasted for decades. Among the lasting consequences of that discovery was the transformation of Gasparilla Island into a major hub for transportation. (Freighters often moored in the area while they obtained cargo from the coast.) Most of those changes occurred thanks to the influence of Peter Bradley, the President of the American Agricultural Chemical Company. Since the AAC dominated the phosphate industry in most of Florida, Bradley determined to make Gasparilla Island the center of its ability to distribute goods well beyond the state.

In 1905, Bradley decided to construct a new railroad that traversed the shoreline all the way to Gasparilla Island. They specifically assigned one of their subsidiaries, the Peace River Mining Company, to work alongside the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to create the rail network. The new coalition surveyed the entirety of the island and selected a plot of land near the local lighthouse to host a terminus. The centerpiece of the compound was to be an ornate 1,000-foot-long pier that could handle pounds of phosphate at any given time. By 1907, the new railroad—called the “Charlotte Harbor and Northern Railroad”—was complete and immediately began servicing the freighters anchored nearby. But Bradley also wanted to increase the value of the surrounding real estate, and commissioned the creation of a town next to the new train depot. Bradley and his attorney, James M. Gifford, then began platting a community based on earlier plans made by an engineer named Albert W. Gilchrist. Their vision for the town differed from Gilchrist’s original idea, as the two wanted to fill it with vacation homes and resort hotels. Working with Gilchrist himself, the men created the “Boca Grande Land Company” and started selling plots of land to interested buyers. At first, only a handful of homes existed within the town of “Boca Grande”—a name selected by Gilchrist—before a deluge of land developers descended upon the community. Some of the most prominent families in the country soon purchased real estate within Boca Grande, such as the du Ponts, the Biddles, the Cabots, and the Drexels.

The railroad continued to deliver people to Boca Grande over the following decades, turning Gasparilla Island into one of the most exclusive vacation hideaways in all Florida. Soon enough, grand resort hotels appeared across the island, too, with The Gasparilla Inn being among the first to debut. Both the commercial and residential development of the area continued unabated throughout the 1920s and 1930s, even as the Great Depression wrought havoc across the state. The community also managed to survive the great Florida-Cuba Hurricane of 1944, rebuilding back stronger than ever. Tourism gradually replaced the phosphate industry as the predominant business enterprise, especially once the railroad shut down during the 1970s. The train depot was subsequently restored and converted into a beautiful facility that housed shops, offices, and a restaurant. (Furthermore, the opening of the Boca Grande Causeway discouraged train travel, leading to a gradual decline in passenger traffic along the Charlotte Harbor and Northern Railroad after World War II.) Boca Grande still ranks as one of Florida’s most outstanding holiday retreats today. It is currently home to many tranquil beaches and temperate waters, while the town itself is home to a number of amazing cultural attractions. (Among the most prominent landmarks are the Boca Grande Lighthouse and the Boca Grande Historical Society and Museum.) A number of its buildings are even listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, including both The Gasparilla Inn & Club, as well as the Charlotte Harbor and Northern Railway Depot. Without a doubt, Boca Grande is one of the most fascinating places to visit in the country.

Pete Dye: Hailed as the most influential golf architect of the last half-century, architect Pete Dye has left a legacy on the golfing world. An avid golfer from a young age, Dye first played the sport competitively while in high school. He continued to golf when he enlisted in the United States military upon graduating. While stationed at Fort Bragg, Dye worked as the greenskeeper for the base’s golf course. He also met the prominent Donald Ross, who was then still serving as the main professional at Pinehurst Resort. The meeting greatly affected Dye’s passion for the game, which he kept following as a student at Rollins College. He subsequently met Alice Holliday O’Neal and the two were married not long thereafter. They eventually moved to her hometown of Indianapolis, Indiana, where he got a job selling policies with The Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Company. Even though Ross thrived in insurance, he still loved golf dearly. He thus entered into numerous amateur championships in Indiana during the 1950s and built a considerable reputation for himself. He even used the experience to eventually compete in the 57th U.S. Open. Although Dye failed to advance deep in the tournament, he still finished ahead of future greats Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer. In 1961, Dye decided to leave the insurance industry behind to pursue his passion for golf full-time. With close support of his wife, Dye specifically formed his own golf landscaping firm. Dye’s very first project involved creating a magnificent nine-hole course called “El Dorado,” which became notorious for its water hazards.

However, his first big project transpired when he obtained the commission to craft the marvelous 18-hole course at Crooked Stick Golf Club. Receiving rave reviews, Dye was soon earning numerous commissions all over the United States. Many of his designs soon became incredibly popular, including Harbour Town Golf Links, Whistling Straits, and the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island. His greatest accomplishment was the TPC at Sawgrass’ Stadium Course. Noted for its great difficulty, his par-three 17th hole has since been referred to as the “world’s most terrifying tee shot.” Much of Dye’s designs were inspired by Scottish design principles, namely the use of pot bunkers, wooden bulkheads, and small greens. But Dye also invented his own fascinating greenskeeping practices, too, such as the implementation of railroad ties to help hold down bunkers. Among the many other golf courses to display this unique approach to landscape design was the historic 18-hole golf course at The Gasparilla Inn & Club. Hired by the resort’s management team to restore its architectural integrity, Pete Dye and his wife, Alice, began working on the facility during the early 2000s. Taking months to complete, the Dyes nonetheless managed to rehabilitate the famous course back to its former glory. Indeed, Pete Dye took pride in the work done to the 15th hole—a par-four dogleg to the left. The course still retains much of its original charm today, as gentle sea breezes blow in from the surrounding waters of scenic Charlotte Harbor. Each hole has five tees to suit all levels of play and have been refitted with native Seashore Paspalum turf grass for conservation purposes.