I have been asked several times recently about the date of the founding of Burnt Store Marina. This is a difficult question with multiple possible answers depending on which component is being discussed. I will endeavor below to lay out a timeline. If the question relates to the opening of the marina / harbor, I think the best date is likely 1978. The Plat for the community itself was registered earlier in 1973. The first residences were not started until 1978 and were completed the following year. As noted below, there were many steps leading up to the opening of the docks and the date when the first residents moved in.
1967-1970 – Protein Products Corporation dredged a channel to the harbor and created shoreline docks. The company trawlers would gather up small “trash” fish for processing into animal feed and fish oil (see past Beacon articles about this operation at the following link).
1971-06 – Protein Products plant briefly reopened to process hyacinths harvested from the clogged Hendrickson Reservoir on Shell Creek into fertilizer
1969-1972 – PGI, Inc assembled the BSM, BSL and some additional contiguous land to the south in a series of acquisitions
1973-06-27 – Board of County Commissioners of Lee County approved a Plat for the development of PGI Section 22 as requested by PGI, Inc. Plat map was dated September 1972.
1973-09-06 – PGI, Inc. received permission from Lee County to remove the plug between the old Protein Products Corp. harbor channel and proposed marina basins (per Fort Myers News-Press)
1973-11-24 – A news report stated that a multi-million dollar marina will be under construction next year (1974) per Tampa Bay Times
1974-04-13 – A news report stated that PGI, Inc. is seeking Army Corps of Engineers permission to excavate 323,000 cu. yd. of material and connect BSM to Charlotte Harbor per Tampa Bay Times (this would represent just under 1,000 ft x 1,000 ft by 9 ft deep of material)
1977-11-11 – A Declaration and Restrictions document for the property described in the Plat map was filed by PGI, Inc.
1978-05-07 – A news report stated that permits have been issued for the first 60 condominium units of what will become the 96 unit Commodore Club.
1978 – An aerial photo showed the foundations of the Commodore Club buildings and two empty docks (A&C) and a series of pilings for additional docks in the harbor. It is most likely that the marina opened in the second half of 1978
1979-02-28 – The 1977 Declaration and Restrictions document was amended to establish Punta Gorda Isles Section 22 Homeowners Association, Inc. and provide a Notice of a Golf Course
1979-04-15 – Dockmaster Bill Cameron claimed in a news article that 90 slips are operational
1979 – 123 unit South Shore condominiums project began
1979-08 – Ships Store opened (included what is now The Trading Post and the realtor’s office)
1980-03-16 – Salty Harborside Restaurant (aka Salty’s and now Cass Cay) opened
1981 – A Beacon columnist described playing the (Ron Garl) East and West courses in April 1981 (now Osprey and Pelican). The McCumber nine (now Heron) came later in about 1988.
1982-02 – An aerial photo showed Capstan, Spinnaker, Rudder and Keel Clubs are complete as well as the administration building, boat storage barn and four tennis courts.
1984 – Articles of Incorporation issued to Platinum Point Yacht Club, whose first clubhouse was in a double-wide trailer behind the Ship’s Store shared with a charter company
1985-86 – Aerial photos showed docks in use in the North Basin and both Marina North Shore and Admiralty Village completed
1988 – Tennis and Fitness clubhouse built by F.D. Rich
1995-02 – PPYC clubhouse opened on land purchased from Florida Design Communities
2000-01 – Fitness Center clubhouse opened
2002 – Golf Course Clubhouse and Linkside Café opened replacing smaller facilities
For more information about the evolution of BSM and the roles of the different developers involved, see Chapter 6 – The Checkered History of the Developers of Burnt Store Marina in Where Do We Live? available for sale at The Trading Post or digitally at https://wheredowelive.com/.