January 25, 1998

Blinking Light Only Trace Of Bermont, Sparkman Towns

A blinking traffic light at the intersection of State Roads 74 and 31, in east Charlotte County, is all that marks the once thriving towns of Bermont and Sparkman.

Gone without trace are 200 homes, two stores, post offices, saw mill, turpentine still, and schools that doubled as churches on Sundays.

The area was opened to homesteading in 1905, and by 1913 had reached its peak. After affordable automobiles were introduced following World War I, the isolated towns started to decline. The end came in 1942 when the Sparkman post office was withdrawn.

Sparkman is believed to have been named after Thomas J. Sparkman, a real estate speculator who bought defunct homesteads and resold them -- frequently to Chicago people tired of winter.

How Bermont got its name is a mystery. According to court records at Arcadia, no one named Bermont ever owned land in Desoto County up to 1921 when what is now Charlotte County was split from Desoto. Nor did such a person lease land for drawing turpentine or lumbering timber.

Homesteaders could reserve 160 acres of land for five years by filing a "claim" at the county Courthouse in Arcadia for $13.26.

To "prove" their claims, homesteaders had to "improve the land" by turning three or more acres to productive use, constructing a home, and living there at least three months of the year for three of the five years.

When a homesteader felt he had complied with the regulations, he requested an "inspection." A county official would come to interview neighbors and examine the improvements. Proving a claim was a big event in the life of a homesteader.

Bermont and Sparkman each had baseball teams which competed fiercely for local honor. After games on Sunday, folks held big picnics. People came from Punta Gorda and Arcadia to take part.

Though the villages were far removed from the city centers, local residents aspired to amenities. Bermont had a Literary Society, Horticulture Club, Debating Club, and a string-instrument ensemble.

Miss Ada Alexander for a short time published a little weekly newspaper, "The Bermont Pioneer." Dr. J.G. Stephens provided medical care.

Both towns supported community "houses of goodwill" where children were schooled during the week and non- denominational church services were conducted by visiting ministers.

Miss Nellie Whiteaker, age 17, was the first teacher of record at Bermont. A Punta Gorda Herald news item of December 27, 1912, reported: "A Christmas entertainment at the school house was a great success. Miss Whiteaker is a first-class instructor." She was succeeded by Mrs. Alice Boyce and Miss Mary Hunter.

Other Herald items submitted by correspondents in 1913- 15 give us glimpses of life at Bermont-Sparkman:

"Rev. Rhode of Punta Gorda preaches every first Sunday at the school house; G.W. Gatewood (a local preacher licensed by the Methodist Conference) second Sunday; Rev. W.E. Nolte third Sunday; and Rev. J.D. Gowell fourth Sunday.

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"Fred May is hauling logs to the mill for Mr. Peacock.

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"N.B. (Napoleon Bonaparte "Bone") Mizelle is building cattle pens at Mr. J.W. Hagan's place for the King Brothers.

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"The Bermont Debating Society failed to meet this week because of the rains.

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"A 'tacky party' was held last Tuesday at Mr. Gatewood's. Mr. and Mrs. Ed Edmonds took first prize.

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"Bermont is breaking records on sugar cane. W.H. Harn, without fertilizer, grew 305 stalks which yielded 80 gallons of juice. After boiling, this made 17 gallons and one pint of fine syrup.

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"Ed Edmonds accepted a contract to open two ditches from the Cypress Swamp to Shell Creek.

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"The saw mill is running again after being moved around to Mr. Burke's homestead at the Cypress.

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"Patrons of the Bermont post office are circulating another petition for daily mail. Only two a week now, which is not enough.

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"Most of our people turned out Friday to put in good time working on the roads. Citizens grubbed a road across the township ready for the grading machine. It will be a good road to Arcadia when hard-surfaced (with marl.)

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"An ice-cream social was held on the lawn of the Bermont post office for the benefit of the local baseball team. The baseball boys have grubbed a field and built seats for visitors. The Sparkman baseball boys are going to have an ice-cream social at Gatewood's grocery.

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"D.C. Hoffman's little daughter, Wanda, was bitten on the foot by a ground rattler. Her foot is greatly swollen but getting better.

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"We have a very efficient stringed band led by Mr. Vanselow.

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"Miss Ada Alexander is assistant postmaster at Sparkman during the absence of Mrs. Ed Edmonds.

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"George W. McLane gave five acres for a park. The men and boys met to grub it out. The ladies furnished dinner."

***

The Charlotte County Directory for residents of 1926 reveals that there were only eight families living in Bermont at that time, and seven at Sparkman.

J.D.Mercer owned the store at Bermont; and his wife, Ellen, was postmaster.

At Sparkman, Elmer Norris was the store keeper. The postmaster was D.S. Decker who also was a poultry dealer.

The Florida Land Boom was just reaching fever pitch, and developers tried to get in on it with ambitious subdivisions at Bermont and Sparkman.

Miami Bank and Trust Co. laid out Del Verde at Bermont and put in streets and sidewalks. Edwin and Dolly Stoll platted Bermont Villas and Bermont Gardens at Sparkman. Few lots were sold. The projects were abandoned when the boom collapsed into the Great Depression of the 1930s.

The Bermont school house was sold by the Board of Education to Punta Gorda Druggist Edwin M. Parker. He dismantled the structure and used the lumber to build his home on the south side of Virginia Avenue between Durrance and Harvey streets.

The remainder of Bermont and Sparkman were absorbed by the Babcock and Hall Ranches. Cattle now graze contentedly where people hoped to build important cities with investments.

By Lindsey Williams, columnist for Sun Coast Media Group newspapers

cutline -- small building

Photo provided by Charlote Harbor Area Historical Society

Sparkman post office was among the last buildings to be demolished in east county villages.