Storter’s lodge quickly became known among traveling sportsmen as the “gateway to paradise.” Guests could dock their boats directly at the property and venture deep into the backwaters for fishing or explore the Ten Thousand Islands for waterfowl and game.
The structure was simple: wooden frame, broad porches, screened verandas, and interior woodwork built from native cypress. It embodied the practical elegance of early Florida architecture — designed for shade, breeze, and comfort in a subtropical climate.
The Rod and Gun Club soon gained a reputation as the heart of Everglades hospitality. It wasn’t merely a hotel; it was a community gathering place, a waypoint for mail and news, and a hub for those exploring the Everglades wilderness.
Barron Collier and the Golden Era (1920s–1930s)
The true transformation of the Everglades Rod and Gun Club came under the influence of one of Florida’s most powerful visionaries — Barron Gift Collier.
Collier, a millionaire advertising magnate from New York, fell in love with Southwest Florida during a visit in the early 1910s. In 1922, he purchased thousands of acres across the region, including the entire town of Everglades, which he soon made the county seat of the newly created Collier County in 1923.
Recognizing the potential of the Rod and Gun Club as a showcase of Florida’s wilderness luxury, Collier expanded and modernized it. The original building was reconstructed into a grander lodge featuring elegant hardwood interiors, wraparound verandas, and spacious guest rooms. It became a showpiece of rustic sophistication, blending northern comfort with southern charm.
Under Collier’s ownership, the club entered its golden era. Dignitaries, industrialists, and celebrities visited to hunt, fish, and enjoy the unspoiled beauty of the Everglades. Among its famous guests were Herbert Hoover, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Ernest Hemingway. Presidents and tycoons mingled with local guides and fishermen, forging a unique camaraderie that transcended social barriers.
The Rod and Gun Club thus became both a symbol of Florida’s wilderness frontier and a playground for the elite — much like the great northern sporting lodges of the Adirondacks or Maine, but infused with a subtropical flavor all its own. shutdown123