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- Ruskin Hall Atop Shell Point Mound C 1910.
- Abstract/Description
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This poor quality photo, contained in a scrap book provided by Mac Miller, is the only known photo of Ruskin Hall, the hotel/sportsmen's club that stood atop the Shell Point mound when George Miller arrived in the area in 1907. The Miller family first lived in this hotel and had an intention to create a new town in the vicinity, to be called Venoa. After realizing that the immediate surrounding lands could ill support agricultural he, along with the Dickman's, negotiated with Captain C. H....
Show moreThis poor quality photo, contained in a scrap book provided by Mac Miller, is the only known photo of Ruskin Hall, the hotel/sportsmen's club that stood atop the Shell Point mound when George Miller arrived in the area in 1907. The Miller family first lived in this hotel and had an intention to create a new town in the vicinity, to be called Venoa. After realizing that the immediate surrounding lands could ill support agricultural he, along with the Dickman's, negotiated with Captain C. H. Davis of Wimauma to purchase 12,000 acres along the Little Manatee River which was platted into the town of Ruskin. Ruskin Hall, sometimes referred to as Ruskin Lodge, burned to the ground in 1918. Not long after the shell that comprised the mound was carted off to help pave Shell Point Road, thus destroying this important archeological site.
Show less - Identifier
- HCC0101RUS417
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- Image (JPEG)
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- Ruskin Amphitheater Voices in The Wind.
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A decade before the premier of Cross and Sword, which eventually became Florida's Official State Play, the state had another big outdoor musical historical drama in operation. Voice In The Wind was produced at the Suncoast Theatre on US 41 in Ruskin, just south of Tampa. Voice In The Wind ran from mid-March to mid-May in the mid-1950's, and, according to AAA, portrayed "the history of Florida, weaving the music and dance of the Spanish, English, Indians and Negroes into the legends of the...
Show moreA decade before the premier of Cross and Sword, which eventually became Florida's Official State Play, the state had another big outdoor musical historical drama in operation. Voice In The Wind was produced at the Suncoast Theatre on US 41 in Ruskin, just south of Tampa. Voice In The Wind ran from mid-March to mid-May in the mid-1950's, and, according to AAA, portrayed "the history of Florida, weaving the music and dance of the Spanish, English, Indians and Negroes into the legends of the area." This photo is of that play. It ran for only one year, 1956 Photo: Courtesy of Hillsborough County Public Library System
Show less - Identifier
- HCC0101RUS416
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- Image (JPEG)
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- Ruskin Amphitheater Seating Section 1956.
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This is a photo of the Ruskin Amphitheater built to house an outdoor drama Voices in Wind, 1956. The amphitheater stood south of College Avenue,and north of US 41, but exact location has not yet been determined. Photo Courtesy of the Hillsborough County Public Library System
- Identifier
- HCC0101RUS415
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- Image (JPEG)
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- Shell Point Marina c 1950 Recreation Center.
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In the 1940s and 1950s, at the end of Shell Point Road, stood the Shell Point Recreation complex, very popular with local residents. In its earlier days, two docks, a swimming pool and a skating rink were on the property along with a restaurant and bar. Waterside cottages (not pictured) were on the site as well. Today, the Shell Point Marina occupies the spot. This land is historically very important as it is believed to be the location of a large native mound, that was the center piece of...
Show moreIn the 1940s and 1950s, at the end of Shell Point Road, stood the Shell Point Recreation complex, very popular with local residents. In its earlier days, two docks, a swimming pool and a skating rink were on the property along with a restaurant and bar. Waterside cottages (not pictured) were on the site as well. Today, the Shell Point Marina occupies the spot. This land is historically very important as it is believed to be the location of a large native mound, that was the center piece of small native town peopled by the Uzita. Hernando de Soto likely saw this mound on his entry into the Bay and targeted it for his first incursion into what is now South Hillsborough County. While in some dispute, de Soto's landing spot was near Piney Point where he off loaded his troops and marched them north, crossing the Little Manatee River at approximately the site of Camp Bayou today, before marching back to the bay to capture the native village (which had been abandoned.) De Soto's likely first encampment was at this site. The site is also historically relevant as a sportsmen's hotel was built on the mound in the early part of the 20th Century. It was at this site that George Miller and his family first stayed when they arrived in the area in 1907. His initial intent was to establish a town that he called Venoa on the site but determined a larger, more farmable spot was necessary. From here he bought the 12,000 acres (along with his brother's in law, the Dickman's, to establish the colony of Ruskin.
Show less - Identifier
- HCC0101RUS413
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- Ruskin School C 1910.
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Early photo of Ruskin school. C. 1910. This is either the first or second building built by early Ruskin colonists. The school accepted students not only from the Colony members but also from "Up the Creek" families in the nearby area. (Photo: appears to be from Joni Maschek collection.)
- Identifier
- HCC0101RUS412
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- Image (JPEG)
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- Early Transportation Mode to Ruskin at Ruskin Landing.
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Earliest known photo (c. 1908) of one of two boats that served Ruskin Florida as the only transportation in and out of the town. The name of the boat is not listed. Photo provided by the Ruskin Chamber of Commerce.
- Identifier
- HCC0101RUS411
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- Image (JPEG)
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- Looking North along US 41 in Ruskin 1929.
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Circa 1929 photo of US 41 looking north in Ruskin, FL. The Coffee Cup is the farthest building on the right (that you can see). On the left, according to Paul B.Dickman is his original Real Estate Office. In 1933 or 34 this building was converted to a warehouse for Dickman's tomato canning plant. It housed machinery and canning tomatoes. Just north of that building was a filling station run by a man named Garrett (later Harry Molz, Sr.)
- Identifier
- HCC0101RUS410
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- Image (JPEG)
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- Ruskin Amphitheater Ready for Demolition.
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Copy of photograph of the old Ruskin Amphitheater prior to its eventual demolition. The theater was built in mid-century to hold an outdoor drama in an effort to attract tourists. That effort, while initially successful, did not see the outdoor drama last beyond a short season. In later years the Ruskin Tomato Festival was held on the amphitheater grounds. (The site has not been formally identified, but it appears to have been south of College Avenue on the east side of US 41.)
- Identifier
- HCC0101RUS409
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- Image (JPEG)
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- Ruskin Vegetable Cooperative US 541.
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This aerial photo is of the Ruskin Vegetable Cooperative on US541 (now us 41) looking east. On the extreme left is the small white structure that housed the cooperative headquarters. That building survives intact in 2022, and is now the retail facility *MUV" for the marijuana grow facility which replaced the structure in the photo around 2019. The photo looks to be c 1940 based on the vehicles in the photo. This area would have been known as North Ruskin (at least that was the name of the...
Show moreThis aerial photo is of the Ruskin Vegetable Cooperative on US541 (now us 41) looking east. On the extreme left is the small white structure that housed the cooperative headquarters. That building survives intact in 2022, and is now the retail facility *MUV" for the marijuana grow facility which replaced the structure in the photo around 2019. The photo looks to be c 1940 based on the vehicles in the photo. This area would have been known as North Ruskin (at least that was the name of the small train station that served the cooperatives, likely just to the left of the administrative building, but out of the picture. Today, across from the administrative building would be the entrance to Flamingo Road, which was built in the late 1950s as part of the new Apollo Beach construction. Note the vintage plan in the foreground which was likely used for crop dusting. Also interesting is the completely barren land east of the facility, which today is being developed as part of the massive Waterset Community.
Show less - Identifier
- HCC0101AB018
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- Miller Siblings circa 1945.
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George and Adaline Miller siblings, later in life. Photo identified by Mac Miller, who is the young man pictured in front of his two parents in this photo. (Mac was born in 1941.) From left to Right are Admer Miller, Wilbur Miller, Julia Miller (Wilbur's wife and Mac's mother), Aurora Miller, Zoa Miller, Georgadda Miller and Olnton Miller. The site is unknown.
- Identifier
- HCC0101RUS406
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- Image (JPEG)
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- Georgeadda Miller in Illinois (Youth).
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This is a photo of a younger Georgeadda Miller. This was likely taken while the family was in Glen Ellyn, IL where Miller's Second Ruskin College was created. Georgeadda was both a student and instructor at the Illinois Campus. From other family members it seems that Georgeadda greatly missed her time in Illinois when the family moved to Florida.
- Identifier
- HCC0101RUS405
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- Image (JPEG)
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- Wide Shot of Ruskin College Building 1910.
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This wide shot of one of the original Ruskin College building is very useful. Note the nature of the college grounds, and the construction of the building using rough pine wood to build. In 1918 this is one of the buildings that burnt to the ground. Poor quality photo is from the Joni Maschek collection.
- Identifier
- HCC0101RUS404
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- Image (JPEG)
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- Porch of Hotel on Shell Point 1908.
- Abstract/Description
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There are few photos of the old hotel, reportedly built on the site of native Ucita (native tribe who lived in the area at the time of DeSoto's entry in Florida) mound at the end of Ruskin's Shell Point. This picture, from the Joni Maschek archives and labeled as a 1908 photo of the Ruskin hotel was the first residence for George Miller and his family. In some of the interviews of the children (some of which are contained in the site, you will find references to their time in this hotel....
Show moreThere are few photos of the old hotel, reportedly built on the site of native Ucita (native tribe who lived in the area at the time of DeSoto's entry in Florida) mound at the end of Ruskin's Shell Point. This picture, from the Joni Maschek archives and labeled as a 1908 photo of the Ruskin hotel was the first residence for George Miller and his family. In some of the interviews of the children (some of which are contained in the site, you will find references to their time in this hotel. Miller's first goal was to create a town in the vicinity of the hotel, which he intended to call Venoa, was abandoned because of the difficult terrain at the end of Shell Point. At that point, he began searching for land on properties owned an abandoned lumber camp which included lands along the Little Manatee River where Ruskin is now located.
Show less - Identifier
- HCC0101RUS403
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- Image (JPEG)
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- Ruskin Day 1914 Notice.
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Copy of newspaper ad, likely from Ruskin's local paper, of a community celebration of Ruskin's 5th Anniversary on June 12, 1914. Note a couple of things about this ad. It names the college as Ruskin Institute. Few references show this name. Note also that the anniversary is for the "First allotment." This likely refers to the first allotment of lands offered for public sale in Ruskin. Lands would have been sold by the Ruskin Commongood which allotted lands in 3 distinct phases in the first...
Show moreCopy of newspaper ad, likely from Ruskin's local paper, of a community celebration of Ruskin's 5th Anniversary on June 12, 1914. Note a couple of things about this ad. It names the college as Ruskin Institute. Few references show this name. Note also that the anniversary is for the "First allotment." This likely refers to the first allotment of lands offered for public sale in Ruskin. Lands would have been sold by the Ruskin Commongood which allotted lands in 3 distinct phases in the first years. Item was discovered in writings of Joni Maschek
Show less - Date Issued
- 1914
- Identifier
- HCC0101RUS402
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- Image (JPEG)
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- Building First Bridge Across Bullfrog Creek 1920.
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Photo (from collected writings of Joni Maschek) showing Lewis Symmes and two other men building first bridge across Bullfrog Creek. The exact location of this bridge is not clear, and most likely would have been across the creek closer to the Symmes' properties near present day Big Bend Road. The road that would eventually become US 41 would have had to span a much larger body of water.
- Identifier
- HCC0101GIB055
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- Image (JPEG)