Weather and Tides FREE page 21 Take Me Home VOL. 20, NO. 6 From the Beaches to the River District downtown Fort Myers FEBRUARY 5, 2021 Mother-Daughter Exhibit At Davis Art Center he Sidney and Berne Davis Art Center offers a beautiful perspective Ton ethnicity, identity, family and love through the eyes of Wanda Hamilton and Challen (Lexie) Rivera (Hamilton). The February exhibition, entitled Seed, Time, and Harvest, will be featured in the Grand Atrium with an opening night reception during Art Walk on Friday, February 5 from 6 to 10 p.m. Courage to make a change starts with the boldness to infuse within our children a sense of dignity and determination. This mother-daughter exhibition explores the elements of a brave new world for the nucleus of the black community – the family. This exhibit features mixed media Portrait by Wanda Hamilton Still life by Wanda Hamilton works, sure to give viewers a unique images provided growth. Being a self-taught artist, perspective on ethnicity, identity, family childhood love for art grew into seeing Hamilton uses oils to create the majority and love through the eyes of the artists. an apparent absence of notable blacks of her pieces. Yet, as she continues to Hamilton was born and raised in associated with this timeless form of art experience life from a unique perspective, Chicago. Growing up in a time of social expression. From early on, her goal has she never rules out where the arts may Portrait by Challen Rivera and racial upheaval, her fondest childhood been to help change that landscape. As a take her next. always be her home, her long-term goal memories constantly centered around mother and grandparent, she now focuses While gaining craft knowledge from is to share her creations in Africa and a grandmother’s unshakable influence. on solidifying an artistic legacy for her a multitude of resources, she’s shown Europe as well as other art hubs across A family bible with color illustrations of descendants through encouragement, in Chicago and New York, with works the United States. masterworks fixed her young heart on mentoring and building a body of work displayed in California, Florida, New Rivera is also known as “C. Lexicution” the power of classical art. Hamilton’s to inspire spiritual, mental and emotional Mexico and Texas. While Chicago will continued on page 18 Animal Shelter To Host Pajama Party Fundraiser he Cape Coral Animal Shelter will be hosting the first PJ’s and Paws – A TNight at the Shelter to benefit the animals on Friday, February 12. The pajama party will feature 15 local “celebrities,” or representatives, of local businesses who will dress in their finest pajamas and spend the night with the animals of the Cape Coral Animal Shelter. Participants will be matched with one of the resident canines or assigned to one of the cat manors and are encouraged to decorate their “suite” to impress their Paige Sheatzley with her dog “date.” The human can read to their photos provided date, sing, take them for a walk, play, or will be Facebook live check-ins and each just spend time together. At the end of business/celebrity participating will get a the night, when all is quiet, humans can chance to shine in their pajamas and show cuddle up and spend the night with their off their date for the evening. date or tuck them in to dream of their “This year has been difficult for so forever home. many nonprofits, and Cape Coral Animal Meghan Schuman Richardson with her two dogs and guinea pig Each will be working toward a goal of Shelter has had its share of challenges,” been to our shelter, you know – our dog Wink FM; Chelsea Castoria, CONRIC PR raising a minimum of $2,000 through said Liz McCauley, executive director. suites and cat manors are so comfy and & Marketing; Donna Germain, Chamber their networks and social media with a “Since most of our fundraisers have been relaxing. Who wouldn’t want to cuddle up of Commerce of Cape Coral; Dr. Cecilia goal of raising $30,000 to support the canceled or postponed, we have had to with our residents and take a nap?” Fisher, Cape Coral Pet Vet; Gloria Tate, lifesaving work that is being done at the find creative ways to raise much needed Celebrities participating include: Raso Realty; Jessica Walker, Markham shelter. There will be prizes for the most funds while still being able to social Amy J. Hanna-Eckenrode, Breeze Norton Mosteller Wright and Company, money raised by a celebrity/company, distance. We believe PJ’s and Paws is a Newspapers/Hampton Manor of Cape PA; JoAnn Elardo, Wicked Dolphin; best pajamas and most creative room fun way to raise money and awareness for Coral; Barbara “Sadie” German, 96.9 continued on page 11 decoration. Throughout the event, there our adoptable animals. And, if you have 2 THE RIVER - FEBRUARY 5, 2021 Historic Downtown Fort Myers, Then And Now: associated with boom-time Fort Myers, there is one who had a major influence on how downtown looks today. Unsung Architect, Thomas Reed Martin designed some of the city’s outstanding historic structures, some of them pictured Thomas R. Martin here: the Alderman home on First Street, just east of Park Avenue, now a luxury bed and breakfast; the Post by Gerri Reaves, PhD Office Arcade (later Collier Arcade) on Broadway; and alk through historic the Stadler mansion south of downtown. downtown Fort Myers One of his major undertakings was redeveloping the Wand you’ll see many Tonnelier Block in 1924 to 1925 for George R. Sims. features of Mediterranean Revivalist Sources indicate that Martin’s work in Fort Myers architecture, a style which coincided with the peak boom years, approximately catapulted to popularity in the 1924 to 1926. He was based in Sarasota, but during 1920s, particularly in Florida and his time here, he was described as Sarasota-Fort Myers California. based. Influenced by Italian, Byzantine, Born in Wisconsin, he had moved to Sarasota in and Moorish themes from the 1910 to design a house. Mediterranean coast, the style His business, Martin Studio, and later Martin-Hosmer incorporates ornate flourishes on doorways, cornices Studios, was for a short time located in Patio de Leon and balcony ironwork. on the west side in what now is part of a restaurant. Typical features include parapets, arches, serpentine When the construction of Frank C. and Rossie columns, tiled overhangs, pediments, casement windows Alderman’s home on First began in July 1924, the and other touches. Fort Myers Press took notice, not only because Frank Residential buildings are usually stucco with tile Alderman was a prominent citizen – for example, roofs, with generous use of ceramic tile and terra cotta. president of the First National Bank and active in civic Colorful medallions and retreating entrances are other affairs -- but because of the architectural style. characteristics. From the beginning, it was considered one of the Patio de Leon was only a part of the massive Instead of front porches, structures feature patios, most beautiful houses in town, with features such redevelopment of the Tonnelier Block in the mid-1920s. courtyards and loggias. as a square tower with pyramidal roof, terrace with Architect Thomas R. Martin had an office in this space for a Brightly colored striped awning also became popular decorative ceramic tiles, arched casement windows and short time. Today, it is part of a restaurant. during the period – a “south of France” touch. barrel-tile crowns. photo by Gerri Reaves Of the architects who honed the Florida In 1924 to 1925, Martin and Sims converted the the street-facing structures enclosing it along a half block Mediterranean Revivalist style, Addison Mizner is 19-teens-style Tonnelier Court, now Patio de Leon, of First and of Hendry converging at the southwest probably the best known, but he worked on the east and surrounding commercial buildings into the popular corner. coast, mainly in Palm Beach and Miami. Mediterranean Revivalist style. The Leon Building’s beautiful façade with serpentine While no particular architect is renowned for being The project included not only the interior court but continued on page 6 Designed by architect Thomas R. Martin and built in 1924 to 1925, the Frank C. Alderman home is one Fort Myers’ most Martin built this mansion on the Caloosahatchee at beautiful examples of the 1920s Mediterranean Revivalist Gasparilla Drive for New York State Senator Charles A. This photo of the Post Office Arcade was taken soon after style. It is also known as the Alderman-Paul home because Stadler in 1926. This photo was taken in 1932. it was completed in 1925. The view is from the Broadway Robert T. and Fay Langford Paul later bought it. photo courtesy SWFL Historical Society, entrance. photo courtesy SWFL Historical Society Sara Nell Hendry Gran Collection photo courtesy IMAG History & Science Center Independently Owned And Operated COPYRIGHT 2021 The River Weekly News Read Online: www.IslandSunNews.com LORKEN Publications, Inc. Publisher Graphic Arts/ Reporters Contributing Writers Lorin Arundel Production Gerri Reaves, PhD Kay Casperson Capt. Matt Mitchell Accounting Ann Ziehl, Manager Kathy Kurtz Ferrari Suzy Cohen Trinette Nelson Mike Terry Amanda Hartman Linda Coin Howard Prager Advertising Marcia Feeney Julie Rosenberg, MD Bob Petcher Katie Frederic J. Brendan Ryan, CLU, Shelley Greggs ChFC, MSFS Published every Friday for the people and visitors of Fort Myers River District. Distribution: 6,000-8,000 per week (seasonal). Tom Hall Di Saggau Marion Hauser, MS, RD Jeanie Tinch Readers with news, tips, comments or questions, call 239-395-1213, Ross Hauser, MD Allison Havill Todd write to: The River Weekly News, 1640 Periwinkle Way, Suite 2, Sanibel, FL 33957 Craig R.