Hotels in
Floridatown
The Floridatown Hotel in 1909
This may have been the same building later named the
"The Hotel
Comfort," 1914, and also "Bayview,"
1915-1920.
From the Milton Gazette
1914: "The Hotel
Comfort of Floridatown, will commence the season with a
Grand Opening, Friday, June 19th, 1914. The following program
has been arranged for the day: Dinner from 12:20 until 2:00 p.
m. Music and dancing from 3:00 p. m. until 6 p.m. Supper from
6:30 until 8:00 p. m. Dancing from 8:00 p. m. until 11:00 p.m.
Bathing, fishing and boating from 2:00 p. m. until 11:00 p.
m.
This offers a splendid opportunity to enjoy a delightful
day's outing at one of Florida's most delightful Summer
Resorts. Come out and enjoy the day where Nature has displayed
her highest art in making a pleasant play-ground for young and
old.
Good order will be preserved on the grounds."
1914: "The improvements that have been made by Mr. Hardee at
the Bayview Hotel are attracting much attention and causing
favorable comment. The water works, lavatories and other modern
conveniences add much to the comfort of the guests. The big
hotel has been painted inside and is now one of the most
attractive hostelries on the gulf coast."
1915: "He expects to build a two-story pavilion out over the
bay that will be dedicated to amusements. The first story will
consist of bath apartments equipped on the most modern,
up-to-date lines, while the upper story will consist of a
dancing and lounging pavilion. Mr. Hardee is a firm believer in
the future possibilities of Floridatown as a pleasure resort,
and expects to devote a good deal of time and money in meeting
Nature in making this one of the most delightful resorts in
West Florida."
Another Floridatown Hotel (location
unknown)
From the Milton Gazette
1915: "The new Dilger
Hotel will be thrown open to the public May 1. This is to
be one of the best hotels in the gulf coast country. Thus
Floridatown will shortly posses two modern resort
hotels. "
"Work on the beautiful and commodious Dilger Hotel is
progressing rapidly, the building being almost ready for the
work of shingling. This hotel promises much for Florldatown, it
being both comfortable and convenient.The building will contain
a store room, parvilion, cloak room, ice cream parlor atid
servant's room down stairs. There will be six model bed rooms
and two up-to-date sleeping porches up stairs while a roomy
hallway will run through the center of both stories with inside
stairway beautifully finished to add to the general appearance
and convenience of the building. Mr. R. L. Dilger, the owner,
expects to have the hotel completed in ample time to handle his
share of the spring and summer business.
"Mr. R. L. Dilger, proprietor of the New Dilger Hotel, has
received his splendid electric lighting plant and is installing
it at his hotel. He is also arranging a splendid water system
for his property."
"The Dilger Hotel opened most auspiciously last Wednesday
and is fully prepared to give the public accommodations such as
will satisfy the most exacting. The opening ball was attended
by several hundred people from different parts of the country,
a large number having come from Milton and Pensacola. In
connection with the new hotel Mr. Dilger will operate a fancy
grocery store and confectionery store of considerable
proportions."
Also from the Milton Gazette
"It will come as a matter of good news to the pleasure
seekers of this locality that Mr. W. J. Allen of this city has
just closed a deal for the former J. D. C. Newton cottage and
block on the bay front at Floridatown, as well as some adjacent
bay front lots, and expects to develop the same into a modern
up-to-date pleasure resort.
This pavilion will have a large open area in the center that
may be used for dancing, or possible roller skating, while on
either side of it will be bathing rooms, one side for ladies
and the other for gentlemen. Extending from this pavilion will
be a cement wharf extending out to deep water, which will
enable bathers to enjoy the excellent bathing offered at this
well known resort. In addition to the buildings which Mr. Allen
is erecting he is having the bottom of the bay thoroughly
combed, and removing any obstruction which might interfere with
the pleasure of the bathers. When completed this will be one of
the finest resorts in West Florida, and should add much to the
enjoyment of the hundreds of visitors who daily frequent this
attractive spot."
(Photographs courtesy of The Penton
Collection, Anne Penton Pinckard and Joyce Penton
Schnoor)
The final hotel, the Andrew
Jackson
This Floridatown Hotel was built in 1925, torn down in 1966.
It was first named the Floridatown Hotel, but later changed to
the Andrew Jackson Hotel.
(Photograph courtesy of Myrtle Weekley)
