The structure’s low-slung frame, broad eaves, and expansive verandas were built to adapt to the environment — providing natural cooling and protection from mosquitoes and rain. The interior, lined with polished Dade County pine and cypress, gleams with the deep amber tones of age.
Antique furniture, taxidermy, hunting trophies, and black-and-white photographs adorn the rooms. Ceiling fans whirl lazily, and the scent of pine and saltwater lingers in the air. To walk through the club is to step into another century — where time slows and the past feels vividly alive.
The dining room, overlooking the Barron River, has long been one of the most beloved spaces in the lodge. Here, guests dine on local seafood — grouper, stone crab, and shrimp — served in an atmosphere unchanged for generations.
Every detail, from the wooden screen doors to the vintage photographs of famous visitors, preserves the essence of Old Florida — an authenticity that has become increasingly rare in the modern era.
Decline and Survival Through Changing Times (1940s–1970s)
As the mid-twentieth century unfolded, both Everglades City and the Rod and Gun Club faced enormous change.
After Barron Collier’s death in 1939, the family’s economic and political influence waned. Roads improved, tourism shifted eastward toward Miami and Fort Lauderdale, and the grand age of hunting lodges began to fade.
During the 1940s and 1950s, the Rod and Gun Club continued to operate, but on a smaller scale. It remained a haven for anglers and hunters, but fewer celebrities visited. Still, its charm endured — and the building itself survived hurricanes, floods, and the challenges of isolation.
In 1947, the Everglades National Park was established, drawing attention and protection to the surrounding ecosystem. Though Everglades City lay just outside the park’s borders, the creation of the park indirectly benefited the club by ensuring that the wilderness it celebrated would not vanish to development.
By the 1960s and 1970s, however, the town faced economic hardship. The collapse of commercial fishing, the decline of hunting culture, and increased environmental regulations changed the community’s livelihood. Yet through it all, the Rod and Gun Club persisted — its riverfront veranda still welcoming travelers who sought peace and history rather than luxury shutdown123