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Historic Tierra Verde painting to return to public display

 
Published Sept. 21, 2016

Years ago, this island played a critical role in how the region was viewed and shaped.

Juan Ponce de Leon, Hernando de Soto, Juan Ortiz, and others explored Tierra Verde and the area next to it, now known as Fort De Soto Park, well before Robert E. Lee recommended that it be used as a coastal defense hub for the U.S. The island eventually would become a destination for vacationers.

By the mid 20th century, the Tierra Verde Island Resort had become an entertainment mecca known as a playground for comedians, movie stars, TV actors and musicians. Guy Lombardo, Chill Wills, Liberace, Milton Berle, Phyllis Diller, Steve Allen were all regulars at the resort.

"All of these people performed right here in Tierra Verde," said Connie Langhorst, president and founder of Friends of Tierra Verde, a group that helped save a large painting that once hung in the Tierra Verde Island Resort. "The painting is a chronology of events that have taken place on and around the vicinity of Tierra Verde."

In 1981, artist Carolyn Jackson Gruber made a large painting, roughly 10 feet by 4 feet, depicting the history of the island through the centuries. However, it disappeared for nine years when the resort closed and it was stored in a county Parks and Conservations Resources warehouse.

"We were trying to be good neighbors in trying to recognize the history of the mural and everything, so that's how I got involved," said Paul Cozzie, director of the parks department. "It's a very striking piece of art and looks like something almost antique. It's kind of a historical record of that area."

But the painting was almost sold to buyers outside of the area, Langhorst said, so she and others formed a committee to save it and keep it in the community. They raised nearly $5,000 to secure the painting.

The committee then needed a place to put the painting.

Enter Bob and Colleen Mueller, owners of the Island Grille and Raw Bar, on Tierra Verde, who have agreed to put the painting up at their restaurant.

"They approached us and we thought it would be a great fit … at this point I think it will look great inside our restaurant," said Bob Mueller.

Les Neuhaus, Times Correspondent