Our Current Focus
The Bank of Everglades Building
The Bank of Everglades building was built in 1927 for Barron Gift Collier, who envisioned an iconic landmark building as the home for the Bank of Everglades. The Bank remained in the building until 1962, when the business relocated to Immokalee. The building was then used as a rooming house. In 1979, the building was purchased by Reba “Rusty” Rupsis, who published the Everglades Echo newspaper in the building until 1990. After that, it was a Bed & Breakfast by several succeeding owners until it closed in 2017. The building has remained vacant since that time.
Damages from Hurricane Irma and erosion from time have taken their toll, but there is still hope! In 2020 Bob Flick donated the building to ESHP. When the building is restored, it will serve as the permanent location for the Everglades Area Visitor Center and Trail Town Headquarters.
View the latest issue here
The Town Crier Newsletter
Our Mission
The Everglades Society for Historic Preservation (ESHP), a Florida 501 (c)(3) non-profit corporation, aims to raise awareness of the unique history and wealth of historic buildings in our small southeast corner of beautiful Collier County, Florida.
ESHP’s mission is to preserve historic sites, structures, documents, artifacts, and memories within the Everglades area.
Learn more about our rich history in the video below.
