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Olde Englewood Village - part two
Olde Englewood Village – part 2
Following on from the early arrivals in Englewood the year of 1923 was extremely important. This was the year that started the building of the Tampa to Miami (Tamiami) Trail and all locations wanted to be on the Trail, Englewood was at the time promised to be part of this route.
The Tamiami Trail currently follows the route of Interstate 41 all the way south to Naples before turning towards Miami on the east coast.
It was several years, 1928 to be exact, when the Trail became a reality; alas by that time the US stock market had crashed, the land boom diminished and despite the then Governor of Florida visiting Englewood it was with regret that the Trail never materialised in the town.
After the closure of Buchan’s Landing on Lemon Bay with their store and landing jetty Peter Buchan opened, with his son-in-law Jack Tate, a grocery business on a plot of land which is now used as a funeral home.
Despite Englewood now being a flourishing community and thriving town it was not until 1956 that the first dentist, a Dr. John Flower, arrived to start his practice. Dr Flower continued to look after the dental health of the residents until his retirement nearly 50 years later in 1999.
Tucked away along the shoreline of Lemon Bay can be found Lemon Bay Park – just follow the brown and white signs. At the Park can be found picnic tables, rest rooms a considerable area to meander at your leisure along with outlook posts at the shoreline either to gaze at the birds and fish or the multi-dollar homes across the Bay.
Back to the current day and West Dearborn Street is home to many of the annual parades; Labor Day (first Monday of September) Englewood holds its Pioneer Day cavalcade, Halloween in late October brings out the children to collect their sweets and in December the Holiday Parade takes place along the length of the street.
The second Saturday of each month there is Saturday Nite Live from 6 – 9 pm when the various art galleries and refreshment stops are open and the road closed to traffic.
The Lemon Bay Playhouse currently occupies a building which houses a small reception area, a box office and seating for 95 patrons, this has been their home since 1995. There is hope that in the not too distant future the theatre will move further along the road to new premises. The amateur theatre company commenced performances in 1987 and in the intervening years has grown to be a firm favourite with locals and visitors alike and plays to packed houses during all their performances.
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