Ice House, North Captiva, Photo Credit – Rene Herteux.
Punta Gorda Fish Company Ice House, Safety Harbor, North Captiva.
Commercial fishing was once a much larger part of of life in the barrier islands.
“Pine Island Sound was peppered with fishing camps and later, ice houses, which eliminated the need to preserve their catch through drying and salting.
One such ice house was built in 1924 by the Punta Gorda Fish Company at the north shore entrance to Safety Harbor at North Captiva Island. One story rests on a wooden platform supported by wood pilings. The Ice House is one of few remaining buildings documenting the system of remote, water-based fish industry ice houses.
Ice House, North Captiva Island, 6-22-14.
The structure was built as an ice house to serve the fishermen and run boats in the loading, unloading and storage of freshly caught fish. The structure is a specialized form designed to function under potentially adverse weather conditions, relative isolation, and the possible requirement to relocate the building to follow the migration of the fish.” Source: Beachhouse Blog
Sunrise photo credit: Rene Herteux.
