~ A tidbit from our upcoming book, A Pictorial History of Palm City, Florida, Sandra Thurlow & Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch
Its brochure read: “Off the Highway and out of town. Sailfish Lodge. No train noises. No Highway traffic roar. Across the bridge from Stuart’s shopping area, railroad, bus station and theatre. At our club dock, you may obtain boats for river fishing. By the week. By the month. For a joyous season. Vacation in comfort.”
Sailfish Lodge was built by Linwood Simmons. It stood on 26 acres acquired in 1946. The acreage included 300 feet of waterfront with a view over Palm City Bay looking to the Palm City Bridge.
Cottages were built in 1946 and the lodge itself in 1948. The lodge was two story and measured 35 by 155 feet featuring a gigantic fireplace. Visiting sportsmen were offered access to both fresh and saltwater fishing and hunters were provided with a woods buggy and guides.
It was a family affair and just about everything they needed was right there. Pine trees on the property even supplied the building lumber. The Simmons family operated the lodge for 20 years. It was beloved and popular. Mr. and Mrs. Simmons grew old, and their children grew up on this fabulous Palm City property.
By 1969, Mrs. Simmons passed and Mr. Simmons later moved to Winter Haven; the property was sold.
In today’s world where “Brightline trains abound and traffic roars louder with every new commissioner-approved development,” the Sailfish Lodge reminds us of a quieter time, a joyous time, when Martin County’s woods and rivers were unspoiled and everything else seemed so very far away…
~Thank you to friend, Brian Sullivan, who shared the historic Sailfish Lodge publicity pamphlet inspiring this post.
Sailfish Lodge is now a 5 home homeowner’s association called Round Bay Estates.
How interesting. Thank you for sharing that. I will drive by.
I so look forward to this latest book on the fabulous history of Palm City. I can only imagine what a tranquil and unspoiled area it must have been.
Thank you. My mom and I are looking forward too. Yes, learning about the former days of Palm City really makes me long for a simpler time. It must have been so beautiful and without many of the things we think we must have today..
Hello, is there any way I can purchase photos of the Sailfish Lodge, Palm City aerial shot as well as the “a warm welcome awaits you at sailfish lodge” post card? My husband and I live on 34th Terrace and our house used to be one of the sailfish lodges and I believe the photo of the living room on the post card is of our house.