Not a blog more like another pier banyan tree, a place to come & sit for a little while & wait for something fun to happen. A place for all the greezers, candyasses, Halloween egg throwers, former Publix bagboys & dirt bike riders to kill a little time until Halloween. Just like the good old days, wait around for a couple hours until you could find some geezer to buy you beer...
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Naples Airport @ Radio Road
You can see the forestry fire tower off in the distance on Radio Road.
I can see the new vehicle inspection station being built in the far right corner. And at the corner of Airport Rd and Radio Rd is that old building that looked like a train station depot. It used to be a granny's attic resale shop in the 70's. Does anybody know what that building was originaly built for? I actually worked there in the early 70's delievring and picking up resale items. I just never asked about its original purpose.
Two Naples Airline's planes in sight. If I remember right the little clearing past the fire tower was the Swamp Buggy Grounds. Did Naples have a tower at the airport, or simply a beacon? If I recall right, just a beacon that you could see for miles at night or at least it seemed like that. Great photo though!
Another great picture! The Naples Airport did not have a control tower until the mid 80's so that is a beacon you see.
On the left are the buildings that remained from the old military airfield that was the fore runner of what we know as the Naples Airport. Those buildings were torn down in the 90's as the airport expanded. The hanger in the middle of the picture actually lasted until about 10 years ago when it was replaced by a new hanger.
The building that was at the corner of Airport and Radio that looked like a train station was indeed a train station many years ago. There was a rail line that ran through there on the way to Marco Island.
During World War II, the high-roofed building pictured at far left-center was the “motor-pool” hence the high doors to accommodate large military vehicles. The roof system was all open beam with huge lateral timbers that looked as if they had been used to support chain-fall hoists.
In 1967 and 1968 I had the opportunity to work for the folks that had established two successful businesses under that old roof.
The western half was leased to Col. Tom O’Rourke and his wife Bobbie (Robin’s parents) who operated a fiberglass reproduction business named “Talisman”. Many original decorator items from wall plaques to lamps were faithfully cast in fiberglass and shipped to outlets around the world. The huge decorative exterior panels that adorn Kingsport Club and Lions Gate on Gulfshore Boulevard were produced at Talisman; made from molds taken from custom clay sculptures done by an in-house artist. Remember the little clear key-chain fobs with “your name” and some tiny seashells embedded? Yep, they came from Talisman; I’m sure that I cast thousands of them . . . .
The eastern half was leased to Lionel and “Poppy” Alexandroff who operated “Poppili Hand Prints” in the old “Third Street Shopping District” south of the “Seminole Market” and “Beach Store”. The Alexandroff’s were a very talented couple who created and produced their own custom silk screen designs which were then hand-printed with homogenized ink onto one-hundred yard long bolts of exotic fabric. The finished printed fabrics were then sold in their shop on Third Street and shipped in limited quantity to “high-end” outlets world-wide. Some of the designs could be found on dresses produced exclusively for Lily Pulitzer on 5th Avenue South.
I’m pleased that I had the opportunity at such an early age to work for and be associated with both of these businesses.
Seagate Homeboy NHS Class of ‘67
9:25 p.m. PDT
p.s. To the left of the old “terminal” you can see the Civil Air Patrol building, the blue and white C.A.P. bus, and a J-3 Piper Cub peeking out from under the hangar roof.
My mother worked for Mr. O'Rourke, making those key chains. I remember picking her up, she did not drive, and smelling that plastic smell. I may still one of those key chain around. Bill Kilgore
I can see the new vehicle inspection station being built in the far right corner. And at the corner of Airport Rd and Radio Rd is that old building that looked like a train station depot. It used to be a granny's attic resale shop in the 70's. Does anybody know what that building was originaly built for? I actually worked there in the early 70's delievring and picking up resale items. I just never asked about its original purpose.
ReplyDeleteC3R
Two Naples Airline's planes in sight. If I remember right the little clearing past the fire tower was the Swamp Buggy Grounds. Did Naples have a tower at the airport, or simply a beacon? If I recall right, just a beacon that you could see for miles at night or at least it seemed like that.
ReplyDeleteGreat photo though!
The Naples airport didn't get a control tower til the mid 80's. You were on your own.
DeleteAnother great picture! The Naples Airport did not have a control tower until the mid 80's so that is a beacon you see.
ReplyDeleteOn the left are the buildings that remained from the old military airfield that was the fore runner of what we know as the Naples Airport. Those buildings were torn down in the 90's as the airport expanded. The hanger in the middle of the picture actually lasted until about 10 years ago when it was replaced by a new hanger.
The building that was at the corner of Airport and Radio that looked like a train station was indeed a train station many years ago. There was a rail line that ran through there on the way to Marco Island.
During World War II, the high-roofed building pictured at far left-center was the “motor-pool” hence the high doors to accommodate large military vehicles. The roof system was all open beam with huge lateral timbers that looked as if they had been used to support chain-fall hoists.
ReplyDeleteIn 1967 and 1968 I had the opportunity to work for the folks that had established two successful businesses under that old roof.
The western half was leased to Col. Tom O’Rourke and his wife Bobbie (Robin’s parents) who operated a fiberglass reproduction business named “Talisman”. Many original decorator items from wall plaques to lamps were faithfully cast in fiberglass and shipped to outlets around the world. The huge decorative exterior panels that adorn Kingsport Club and Lions Gate on Gulfshore Boulevard were produced at Talisman; made from molds taken from custom clay sculptures done by an in-house artist. Remember the little clear key-chain fobs with “your name” and some tiny seashells embedded? Yep, they came from Talisman; I’m sure that I cast thousands of them . . . .
The eastern half was leased to Lionel and “Poppy” Alexandroff who operated “Poppili Hand Prints” in the old “Third Street Shopping District” south of the “Seminole Market” and “Beach Store”. The Alexandroff’s were a very talented couple who created and produced their own custom silk screen designs which were then hand-printed with homogenized ink onto one-hundred yard long bolts of exotic fabric. The finished printed fabrics were then sold in their shop on Third Street and shipped in limited quantity to “high-end” outlets world-wide. Some of the designs could be found on dresses produced exclusively for Lily Pulitzer on 5th Avenue South.
I’m pleased that I had the opportunity at such an early age to work for and be associated with both of these businesses.
Seagate Homeboy
NHS Class of ‘67
9:25 p.m. PDT
p.s. To the left of the old “terminal” you can see the Civil Air Patrol building, the blue and white C.A.P. bus, and a J-3 Piper Cub peeking out from under the hangar roof.
My mother worked for Mr. O'Rourke, making those key chains. I remember picking her up, she did not drive, and smelling that plastic smell. I may still one of those key chain around. Bill Kilgore
ReplyDeletehow about someting new already
ReplyDeleteTap, tap...
ReplyDeleteIs there anybody in there?
C3R