End of the Line

Town founder Isaac Trabue and Henry Plant, the man who built railroads on the west coast of Florida, specifically the end of the line in Punta Gorda, are depicted in this mural.  Punta Gorda prospered when the railroad came to town.

There are two separate murals on this building. One mural, taken from historic photos, is of steam locomotive Number 11 pulling into town.  The second mural emphasizes items shipped from this area.  They included citrus, pineapple, cattle, and seafood. 

Artist Richard Currier says many people are not aware that Trabue and Plant, although they needed to do business together, did not like each other.  That is why he purposely painted a scowl on their faces as they look at each other.

This mural was originally painted in 1997 and was repainted in January 2009 restoring it back to its original state and re-dedicated on May 28, 2009.  This restoration was partially funded by Dr. Idewu, the new owner of the building.

Images

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