Former location of Fort Thompson

 interesting place, historical layer / disappeared object

Began in 1838 as one of the supply depots along the Caloosahatchee River during the Second Seminole War, and was named in honor of Lt. Colonel Alexander R. Thompson, who was killed during the Battle of Okeechobee on December 25, 1837. From November 1854 through January 1855, Fort Thompson was reoccupied; this is the last documented occupation of the fort by the United States Army. It was during the years of the Third Seminole War (1855-1858) that Southwest Florida cattle ranchers, including Captain Francis Asbury Hendry, became aware of the area surrounding Fort Thompson as potential grazing ranges for their herds. During the Civil War and the years following, cattle became a major commodity for Southwest Florida.

In 1879, Hendry bought the Fort Thompson location from William Clay, and used the property as a cattle ranch. In 1898 Edgar Everett Goodno arrived in Florida and began buying up much of the property, owned by F. A. Hendry and others, in LaBelle and the surrounding areas. In 1905 he purchased the property in which the old fort had been situated, and began refurbishing the old Hendry ranch house with the intention of turning it into a first-class hotel. Named the Fort Thompson Park Hotel it was given every modern convenience of the day, and in December of 1906 received its first guest.

As Goodno’s real estate and other businesses began taking up more of his time, he turned the daily running of the Fort Thompson Park Hotel over to others. The Park’s pastures were rented out to other cattlemen for grazing and the fertile farm land continued to grow a variety of fruits and vegetables. Goodno continued buying and selling property until he found himself overextended. In 1924, Goodno sold all his Fort Thompson Park and LaBelle property to Henry Ford, the automobile manufacturer, but remained to manage the Fort Thompson property for a few years after the sale. Henry Ford was only an occasional visitor to his Fort Thompson holdings. During the Ford years, the land was mostly used for agricultural pursuits, including sixty acres of oranges and grapefruits.

On February 4, 1941, a fire broke out completely destroying the two-story frame dwelling which was the Fort Thompson home of J. B. Hendry and members of his family. During the J. B. Hendry, Sr. years Fort Thompson reverted back to being strictly a cattle ranch. Soon after Hendry purchased the land the Fort Thompson Park Hotel was torn down, due to its dilapidated state. On May 9, 2001 a dedication ceremony was held to commemorate the historical significance made here. The marker is located about one mile east of LaBelle, on the north side of Highway 80. In 2004, the site where Fort Thompson Park once stood was sold.
» www.rootsweb.com/~flhendry/ftp.htm