The Southwest coast of Florida – the Everglades – encompasses an area of some 10,000 islands. It is in this remote and vast tropical expanse is an oasis-of-sorts: a time capsule for opulence and leisure, far removed from prying eyes and cameras.
The foundation of the Rod and Gun Club building dates back to William Smith Allen, the first settler who came here in 1864. Everglades City was founded in 1875, as a fur trading settlement to trade with the Chokoloskee people. The land and building next passed to George Washington Storter Jr. in 1889, who expanded the structure to cater to out-of-town visiting sportsmen: the true genesis of the Rod and Gun Club.
"Pesky cypress panels the lobby’s walls, floor, front desk, and stairway, the mirror shine from this wood reflecting in the still eyes of trophies from another era."
In 1922, a wealthy rancher and landowner named Collier purchased the site and operated the club as a private playhouse for his rich friends and debutants. By this time, the country was already five years into Prohibition, yet rum, whisky, and other refined spirits were in high demand. Drinks on the house, if you knew where to find them. Such private parties required operations that avoided public displays and had secret or remote locations.
The exterior of the lodge building is 19th century British Colonial, while the interior décor includes lobby displays of stuffed animals and birds (including a Florida panther). Pesky cypress panels the lobby’s walls, floor, front desk, and stairway, the mirror shine from this wood reflecting in the still eyes of trophies from another era.
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The isolated location and the private trappings of the club’s reputation have led the rich and famous to seek it out over the years. Five presidents, from Harry Truman to Richard Nixon, have enjoyed its luxuries and opportunities for both fishing and shooting. Hemingway moored his fishing boat Pilar here, en-route to catch 1,000-pound Blue marlin.
A fire on February 11, 1973, burned much of the Club. In the 1970s, the Bowen family purchased the Club and worked to restore it to former glory.
Everglades City has remained primarily a tourist town – the population swells in the months of December to April – with the local fishing still a draw for many. Local guides that are fourth and fifth generation take guests out for fishing day trips. Sightseers come from across the country to nearby Everglades National Park and need a place to stay to escape the hordes of mosquitoes that are ever-present. The Club now incorporates a large hotel to house these visitors, with all the modern amenities of an isolated resort.
Including a full bar.
