Kirjahaku

South Florida at the turn of the 20th century was a frontier region with its share of outlaws. Long before Bonnie and Clyde and John Dillinger, the notorious Ashley Gang robbed and terrorized the east coast of Florida. Many local sheriffs and chiefs of police tried to capture and hold these criminals between 1911 and 1924. It would be finally Stuart Chief of Police Oren 'O.B.' Padgett who would be an important member of the posse that would stop the Ashley Gang forever. The life and times of Padgett, a native of Florida, is fascinating all by itself. His many experiences, good and bad, are covered in this book "O. B. Padgett - A Florida Son". Most of the material is from the 'lost' writings he did of his life before his death in 1980.

Explore the life and early times of Stuart, Florida through the lens of vintage images.On the southeast coast of Florida in the 1880s, a quaint little community was nestled along the tranquil waters of the St. Lucie River in a wilderness of tropical beauty, one of the region's last frontiers. As lucrative pineapple crops and the commercial fishing industry began to flourish, trade boats brought necessary supplies, and new settlers arrived on river steamers. With land available for homesteading or for sale at $1.25 an acre, the small village soon to be known as Stuart would become a mecca for innovative, hardworking young men seeking business and financial opportunities. By the dawn of the 20th century, the railroad had been established, and the town, forged by the fortitude of early pioneers, thrived, eventually becoming a beautiful, friendly incorporated city.

On the southeast coast of Florida in the 1880s, a quaint little community was nestled along the tranquil waters of the St. Lucie River in a wilderness of tropical beauty, one of the region s last frontiers. As lucrative pineapple crops and the commercial fishing industry began to flourish, trade boats brought necessary supplies, and new settlers arrived on river steamers. With land available for homesteading or for sale at $1.25 an acre, the small village soon to be known as Stuart would become a mecca for innovative, hardworking young men seeking business and financial opportunities. By the dawn of the 20th century, the railroad had been established, and the town, forged by the fortitude of early pioneers, thrived, eventually becoming a beautiful, friendly incorporated city."