Title:
State closer to purchase of 100—acre Boomer site
Accession#:
1996.01.00
Pubication Date:
02—11—2004
Call#:
AC—0147
Object ID:
AC—0147
Collection:
KSHS Articles and Clippings
Additional Notes & Full Text:
State closer to purchase
of 100-acre Boomer site
By CHAD G1LLIS
Staff Writer
One of south Lee County's
most historic homes should
soon be in public hands
after state officials voted
Friday to pursue the
purchase of the Boomer
estate along the Estero
River.
Members of the state
preservation group Florida
Forever expanded the
boundaries of the Estero
State Buffer Preserve to
include the 100-acre
Boomer estate. Placing the
land within the boundary
signals that the state is
ready to purchase the
Boomer land.
The family is asking
nearly $15 million and
offered the home to Lee
County several weeks ago.
"Now, we can
immediately contact the
landowner and start
working on negotiations
and a contract," said
Florida Forever
Coordinator Mark Glisson.
Florida Forever is a state
land preservation initiative
that is expected to spend $3
billion on land preservation
over the program's 10-year
life.
Members of the group
meet regularly each year to
rank projects nominated for
state preservation.
A residence dating back
to 1916, the Boomer home,
called Mirosal by the
family, represents one of
the few lasting links
between the Koreshan
settlement and south Lee
County. The Koreshans
were a Utopian cult that
moved from Chicago to
Estero in the late 1800s and
created a thriving religious
society in then-remote
Estero.
Cyrus Teed, the cult's
charts matic leader, died in
1908 and the community
dwindled until the state
park system took over most
of the remaining Koreshan
land and buildings in 1961.
"I am so happy," said
Mimi Straub with the
Estero Historical Society. "I
hope it goes through
because it would be such a
wonderful thing for Estero."
Lee County Commissioner
John Albion traveled to
Tallahassee on Thursday to
speak to Florida Forever
members about the
importance, both
environmentally and
historically, of the former
Koreshan land.
Albion said with
Koreshan State Historic
Site, the Estero River,
Estero Bay and the Estero
River Scrub — a property
purchased with Florida
Forev er funds — nearby,
the Boomer purchase would
be a nice addition.
"This is a piece that fits
very logically in the mix,"
Albion said. "Florida Gulf
Coast University is there,
and that's where the growth
is. We still have some work
to do, but now we can put
on a uniform and go out and
play."
The Boomers were instru
mental in bringing Teed to
Estero, helping the
Koreshan leader purchase
a boat and bringing the
group to what is now the
Koreshan State Historic
Site. Fittingly, the Boomer
home was built directly
across the river from the
original Koreshan
settlement. Now the home,
and dozens of acres of
environmentally sensitive
land, may be preserved
alongside the park.
Preserving the Boomer
home and surrounding
lands has been widely
supported by the Estero
community. From the
Estero Historical Society to
area civic leaders, many
groups and residents have
pushed for both Lee County
and the state to pursue
conservation of the
residence and shoreline
property.
Some residents even have
said they'd like to see the
property preserved merely
to avoid more development
and traffic congestion in the
rapidly developing Estero
community.
(Contact Staff Writer Chad
GilUs at 213-6040 or
cegilUs@naplesnews.com)
of 100-acre Boomer site
By CHAD G1LLIS
Staff Writer
One of south Lee County's
most historic homes should
soon be in public hands
after state officials voted
Friday to pursue the
purchase of the Boomer
estate along the Estero
River.
Members of the state
preservation group Florida
Forever expanded the
boundaries of the Estero
State Buffer Preserve to
include the 100-acre
Boomer estate. Placing the
land within the boundary
signals that the state is
ready to purchase the
Boomer land.
The family is asking
nearly $15 million and
offered the home to Lee
County several weeks ago.
"Now, we can
immediately contact the
landowner and start
working on negotiations
and a contract," said
Florida Forever
Coordinator Mark Glisson.
Florida Forever is a state
land preservation initiative
that is expected to spend $3
billion on land preservation
over the program's 10-year
life.
Members of the group
meet regularly each year to
rank projects nominated for
state preservation.
A residence dating back
to 1916, the Boomer home,
called Mirosal by the
family, represents one of
the few lasting links
between the Koreshan
settlement and south Lee
County. The Koreshans
were a Utopian cult that
moved from Chicago to
Estero in the late 1800s and
created a thriving religious
society in then-remote
Estero.
Cyrus Teed, the cult's
charts matic leader, died in
1908 and the community
dwindled until the state
park system took over most
of the remaining Koreshan
land and buildings in 1961.
"I am so happy," said
Mimi Straub with the
Estero Historical Society. "I
hope it goes through
because it would be such a
wonderful thing for Estero."
Lee County Commissioner
John Albion traveled to
Tallahassee on Thursday to
speak to Florida Forever
members about the
importance, both
environmentally and
historically, of the former
Koreshan land.
Albion said with
Koreshan State Historic
Site, the Estero River,
Estero Bay and the Estero
River Scrub — a property
purchased with Florida
Forev er funds — nearby,
the Boomer purchase would
be a nice addition.
"This is a piece that fits
very logically in the mix,"
Albion said. "Florida Gulf
Coast University is there,
and that's where the growth
is. We still have some work
to do, but now we can put
on a uniform and go out and
play."
The Boomers were instru
mental in bringing Teed to
Estero, helping the
Koreshan leader purchase
a boat and bringing the
group to what is now the
Koreshan State Historic
Site. Fittingly, the Boomer
home was built directly
across the river from the
original Koreshan
settlement. Now the home,
and dozens of acres of
environmentally sensitive
land, may be preserved
alongside the park.
Preserving the Boomer
home and surrounding
lands has been widely
supported by the Estero
community. From the
Estero Historical Society to
area civic leaders, many
groups and residents have
pushed for both Lee County
and the state to pursue
conservation of the
residence and shoreline
property.
Some residents even have
said they'd like to see the
property preserved merely
to avoid more development
and traffic congestion in the
rapidly developing Estero
community.
(Contact Staff Writer Chad
GilUs at 213-6040 or
cegilUs@naplesnews.com)
Author:
Gillis, Chad
Summary:
As the Boomer land purchase process continues, this artilce deals with the Florida Forever decision to pursue the purchase of the property.
Category:
8: Communication Artifact
Object Name:
Newspaper
Subcategory:
Documentary Artifact
Phys Desc:
1 p.
Publisher:
Bonita Banner
Publication Place:
Bonita Springs, Fl.
Subjects:
Boomer Family
Estero Florida——Families
Koreshan Unity——Families
Estero Florida——Families
Koreshan Unity——Families
PDF File Attachment: