Located on the Barron River in Everglades City, Florida, the historic Everglades Rod & Gun Club is one of the most fascinating surviving links to the old Florida frontier.
The property traces its history back to the 1800s, when Everglades City was a remote settlement surrounded by wilderness, waterways, hunting grounds and the vast Ten Thousand Islands.
In the early 20th century, the property became associated with Barron Gift Collier, the powerful developer who helped transform Southwest Florida and was instrumental in the development of the Tamiami Trail. Under Collier, the Rod & Gun Club became a private retreat for sportsmen, businessmen and prominent visitors who came to hunt, fish and explore the Everglades.
The club’s waterfront location was particularly important. Before modern roads and highways, the waterways were the highways of the Everglades. Boats connected Everglades City with the surrounding islands, rivers, mangrove forests and backcountry.
Over the decades, the Rod & Gun Club became known for its hunting and fishing traditions and for the famous visitors who passed through its doors. Its history is associated with names such as Ernest Hemingway and John Wayne, along with numerous other celebrities, sportsmen and public figures.
The property has survived hurricanes, changing times and the transformation of Southwest Florida while retaining much of its old-Florida character.
Today, the Rod & Gun Club continues to operate as a waterfront historic lodge, restaurant and marina. It remains a gateway to the Everglades and the Ten Thousand Islands—and a reminder of a time when much of Southwest Florida could only truly be experienced by boat.
For anyone interested in Florida history, maritime history, hunting, fishing, the Everglades or the colorful characters who helped shape Southwest Florida, the Everglades Rod & Gun Club is a remarkable place to visit.
Filmed and presented as part of the continuing exploration of Florida’s historic waterways and maritime heritage aboard Sailing Vessel Beauty.
