Page 6 Saturday, December 1, 2012

When Philadelphia pharmacist and former quartermaster for Union blockade ships Francis Higel decided to purchase land in Florida to grow cassava, his wife, Adelaide, made a demand.

She said she would not move to such a wilder-ness unless she could have a house with proper glass windows.

In the late 1800s, build-ings in Southwest Florida were much like those in the Caribbean. Their windows were vacant openings with swinging shutters that closed to keep rain and mosqui-toes — and consequently sunshine — out of the house.

In 1884, Frank brought Addie, his wife of 20 years, and their six sons to a two-story home with proper windows. It was situated on Roberts Bay. Higel bought the 73-acre parcel for $2,500 from homesteader Robert R. Roberts, who owned a good deal of what we today call the island of Venice. At that time, there was no Intracoastal Waterway, and the area known as Horse and

Chaise was one of the few coastal beach areas on the mainland with no barrier island. Roberts’ niece, Carrie Mason, was their nearest neighbor, having received a 10-acre

parcel from her uncle years before.

What Addie found for a view from her beautiful windows was Roberts’ orange groves and sugar-cane fields and Roberts

Bay, with such an abun-dance of fish they some-times jumped into the family’s boat.

The Higel sons adapted

Relive Pioneer Days at the Lord-Higel House

By PAM JOHNSONSpecial to the Gondolier Sun

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE VENICE ARCHIVES AND HISTORICAL COLLECTION

Addie (Adelaide) Higel insisted on having real glass windows in her house if she had to live in Florida.

HIGEL | 7

Discover Venice 2012-2013

VILLAGE ON THE ISLE S ERVING THE V ENICE A REA SINCE 1982