BUCCANEER HISTORY
History of Buccaneer Estates
The following is a history of the developing of Buccaneer Estates put together by past Buccaneer resident, Art Johnson.
Back in the year 1972, Mr. George Sanders generated an idea from which Buccaneer Estates evolved. At that time, it was most difficult to find and develop a satisfactory location where Mr. Sanders could feel confident in offering mobile home park space at realistic prices.
Other parks would not permit dealers to install mobile homes unless they were purchased from the park owners. Mr. Sanders wanted to change this policy and allow his customers to purchase their new homes from the extensive choice of designs and quality in the mobile home market. This offered the potential customer the best of home and site within the customer’s price range, thus providing a more rewarding way of life on a retirement income.
Mr. Sanders was not a new comer in the field of mobile home sales and management. Mr. Sanders was the owner of two retail mobile home sales lots; one in East Fort Myers and one in South Fort Myers. In addition, his administrative ability was well known throughout the business community.
The Sanders family finally decided to move ahead with the idea of a new concept in mobile home park living and selected Mr. William Frizzel to be the architect for this monumental project. Mr. Frizzel was a most outstanding architect. His reputation and ability was factually demonstrated by the many examples of his imagination and skill in Fort Myers and the surrounding territory. Mr. Sanders commissioned Mr. Frizzel and gave him the responsibility of examining what had been accomplished by the many developers of mobile home parks. The architect was to examine their layouts and operations, segregate and discard their obvious errors and retain and incorporate their good points into the overall plans for Buccaneer Mobile Estates. Mr. Sanders wanted an outstanding park.
During the preliminary studies and surveys, Mr. Andrew Sanders and Robert Custer worked very closely with Mr. Frizzel. Mr. Custer had been employed by the Sanders family several years in various capacities associated with the rapidly expanding mobile home park concept of leisure living. Bob Custer was destine to become the General Manager of this dream park, a place to drop anchor and enjoy the treasures of Southwest Florida living.
Thus began the search. Actually, the search for the right spot began in late 1972. Just imagine the many bright sunshiny Southwest Florida mornings when Mr. Frizzel, Andy Sanders, and Bob Custer would take off into the bright blue yonder in the architect’s private Cessna 160. What a beautiful view of the terrain below! What a timesaving way to see and visit many parks!
What were they looking for in the way of a site? First, it should be close to Fort Myers with its shopping centers and recreational facilities. It must be quality land. The availability of water was a must. In addition, the site should be adequate in size to accommodate the kind and size of a mobile home park the Sanders family had visualized.
Eventually, the present site was selected and approved. The land was obtained from several individuals. A total of 176.7 acres was purchased in late 1973 at which time construction began. This phase was assigned to the Johnson Engineering firm. One of their assignments was to insure above-average drainage facilities and to attempt to stay above the one hundred-year flood plain level. In the master plan, provisions were made for three principal lakes to be connected by means of waterways and channels, all flowing to a controlled dam. The lakes were dredged to a depth of 40 feet and were spring fed. The lakes were to be stocked with fish, mainly bass. The open park-like areas and lakes would total 38 acres. It was planned to lay out 980 residential lots on a total of 26 streets, with necessary roadways and utilities installed.
Finally, the sites were prepared to the point that advertising was commenced on a pre-completion basis. This was in mid-1974, but first of all, this park was named. After much discussion, the Sanders family decided on the name – Buccaneer Mobile Estates. What more appropriate name could have been selected for Southwest Florida, conjuring up visions of pirates and hidden contraband among the many islands, channels, and beaches dotting the southwest Florida coast. Maintaining this theme, the street names were identified with Buccaneers and their lairs. Although the grand opening occurred on December 10, 1974, pre-construction examination and sales were made six months prior to the official opening.
For the grand opening in December of 1974, the Sanders family was able to have seven or eight models displayed on Parrot Place, which were made available for show and sales promotion. It was projected that close to 50 homes would be sold by December 1975. In real estate parlance, this was referred to as "cracking the nut." This goal was accomplished in the first full year of operation. The first persons to buy were Frank and Helen DeDio. The park was deep in the throes of construction. Everything started, nothing finished. They ordered their home in February of 1974 for set up and occupancy upon their arrival in the fall.
Visualize if you can the beautiful Buccaneer Mobile Estates during its period of conception and birth. Clouds of dust hovering over everything. The roar of giant earthmovers and their capacious claws eating away the earth to make room for our future homes. Mammoth sized dirt-hauling trucks pulling up future Pirates Rest Road with loads of fill dirt to help provide the high level of drainage we enjoy today. At the entrance to the park, a slip of a girl giving orders and directions to these trucks, and they obeying without question. The projected swimming pool just a hole in the ground and our lovely club house just four walls. But this state of affairs did not stay that way for long. Very shortly, other families took up residence on the lakeside of Parrot Place and around the edge of LaCosta Lane. Many of the first families saw cattle feeding in the woods across from LaCosta Lane. Several times, calves were caught on LaCosta Lane and lifted back over the wire fence to join their distraught mothers. For some time, Pirates Rest Road was the only street in the park with the exception of Parrot Place, which ran half way down the lakeside, and there was some activity on LaCosta Lane. Dust storms were frequent until Bob Custer had his maintenance crews spread fast growing seed over the vast reaches of sandy terrain. On the vacant land adjacent to LaCosta Lane and Calamondin Drive, a large hawk was observed devouring a good size snake. In 1976, two beautiful red foxes would stand curiously between the shuffleboard courts and Pirates Rest Road to watch a few couples playing shuffleboard at night. What a beautiful site!
One of the first families bought a home and had it set up on Jose Gaspar Drive. They were looking for privacy and wide-open spaces. Just four years later, they were completely surrounded by homes. Yes, the quality of Buccaneer Estates pre-ordained its success. The quality rating of this park resulted in a real estate explosion, when approximately 250 homes were sold in 1978. An amazing record! I don’t believe anyone could challenge that achievement. Yes, the park continued to grow and prosper. Its beauty became more evident as each year passed. And yet, the two men who played such a prominent part in its success, Mr. Frizzel, the architect, and Andy, son of George Sanders, were both killed in tragic accidents in 1978 when the park reached its peak of development. At least they were privileged to see their aspirations reach fulfillment.
The first sales office was established in a mobile home at 65 Galleon Drive at the corner of Pirates Rest Road. Eventually, the home was sold to a buyer who liked the location and its close proximity to the Recreation Hall. The sales office was then established at its present location at 373 Pirates Rest Road.
With the gradual increase in the number of people, it was soon recognized by several residents and management that some sort of social order was necessary to organize and control the various activities that were developing in the park. Early in 1975, Bob Custer, General Manager, invited a few of the early residents into his office and suggested that the group select certain individuals to supervise various activities. Ken Henderson was asked to serve in an informal capacity as Temporary Chairman; Hazel Henderson (no relation to Ken) was designated as the first social director; Hollis Lyall became chairman of the Billiard Room; Frank DeDio was named chairman of pool activities; and Sid Gleason was named to lead in crafts. Herb Nagel became the first club treasurer. It was agreed that a formal election of officers should be held later in the year.
So, in the fall of 1975, the first official election of the Buccaneer Social Club was held. The residents elected Chuck Bruce as Chairman; Mac McCommons as Vice Chairman; Eleanor Nelting as Secretary; and Howard Nelting as Treasurer. Herb Nagel, the out-going Treasurer, turned over the tidy sum of $75.00 to the new treasurer. In April of 1976, the title of Chairman was changed to President with Art Johnson elected President; Gil Fischer as Vice-President; Eleanor Nelting and Howard continued as Secretary and Treasurer. Member of the Buccaneer Social Club elected their first Board of Directors and approved the first by-laws governing the Buccaneer Social Club at the April 1976 meeting.
Many of the first residents like to reminisce about the Christmas tree gathering when not more than 20 residents were in attendance at the tree-trimming party. There were informal dinners held, the forerunners of our present planned dinners. Picnics were held in an air of comradeship. In May of 1975, the Recreation Hall was used for TV at night because of a lack of electricity in homes and by 10:00 P.M. there was not a single resident to be seen anywhere in the park. Most residents had left for the summer. Even around the pool, there was only a handful of people. Usually, Bob Custer and his secretary Dot were about all anyone saw during the summer. How things have changed!
A paragraph appearing in the March 1976 issue of the Buccaneer News read "It is good that the Buccaneer is young and sturdy or it would be bursting at the seams with all the new families that have come aboard." Thus, Buccaneer Estates has handed down to its present residents. It has been said, "the beauty of Buccaneer Estates is not just a surface beauty, but comes from within the hearts and minds of the people living here."
Every effort has been made to make this brief history as factual as possible. If it has strayed a little bit in some area, it was not intentional.