Leafing (or scrolling) through the pages of the Beacon it is hard not to reflect on the number of real estate professionals serving our community and the variety of different creative approaches they take to marketing homes to new buyers. In fact, without the supporting revenue from these realtor advertisements it is unlikely that there would be a freely distributed Beacon in its current form. This close symbiotic relationship of real estate marketing and newspaper publishing is not new. I came across the following fascinating account of a combined real estate and newspaper subscription promotion in the 1887 Bensell’s Directory of the City of Key West.
The Equator was a Key West newspaper, issued weekly in English and Spanish (as El Ecuador), with a circulation of 3,000. As a marketing initiative, published in Bensell’s Directory, it offered a free lot in “Macedonia City” with every $2.50 annual subscription to the newspaper. You may be surprised to learn in the detail of the advertisement below, just where this city was located.
“The Proprietors of the Equator make the following unparalleled offer:
Every new subscriber to the paper for the coming year, or old subscriber renewing, who pays $2.50 in advance, will, in addition to the paper, receive a warranted deed to a town lot in our new addition to Macedonia City[1], size 30 x 100 feet.
This new and booming little town is located near Burnt Store, on Charlotte Harbor Bay. “Burnt Store” takes its name from the historical capture and burning of a large store at that point by Indians during the noted Seminole War of 1856-57[2]. Its situation is the most delightful and beautiful on this picturesque and attractive bay, so broad and beautiful that the proud Indian in his musical language called it Weva Oshampee, which means “broad waters”.
This new town is in Monroe County[3]; and hundreds of lots therein have already been sold to citizens of Key West[4] at prices ranging from $5 to $25, and their deeds on record in the office of the Clerk of Court here.
Since we present only every alternate lot, we are enabled to make our subscribers this unheard of offer, knowing that the consequent increase in value of those we retain will amply repay as the loss of all we deed to Equator’s patrons.
Do you want a lot – one spot of land you may call your own – besides a year’s subscription to a valuable newspaper devoted to the interests of your city and state? If so, subscribe at once.
EQUATOR PUBLISHING CO. Publishers and Proprietors.”
[1] I have found no other reference to this town name in any of the historical records I have examined
[2] As documented in Where Do We Live? there is a high probability that the story of the Seminole burning of the store was concocted as part of this real estate marketing. The more elaborate tale circulated during the early marketing of Burnt Store Marina was even more fanciful
[3] In late 1887 this part of Monroe County was severed as part of the new Lee County.
[4] Another extraordinary exaggeration