From the Barrier Islands Park Socitey Website: (
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The History of the "Community Church"
Gasparilla Island, Lee County, Florida
During the late 1950's the real estate company that owned most of the property where the black community on Boca Grande was located (downtown area east of the Community Center) began demolishing residences and structures in preparation for sale and development of the land. Mr. George Weymouth, realizing that these people would have no place to live, purchased property at the south end of the island and developed what came to be known as "Tarpon Pass Estates."
~1958 ~1959
Mr. Roger Amory asked Mr. Homer Addison, manager of the Tarpon Pass Estates project, to purchase land in the vicinity of the development so that the Baptist Church could be translocated from its downtown site to the vicinity of Tarpon Pass Estates. In a March 22 letter to Mr. Addison, Mr. Amory writes that he is "very interested in seeing that the colored colony not be deprived of their church."
Mr. Addison proceeded to purchase land from the Boca Grande Hotel Company for Mr. Amory adjacent to Tarpon Pass Estates. Unfortunately, although Mr. Amory had an agreement to the contrary, the Baptist Church was demolished at its downtown site. Mr. Amory then informed Mr. Addison in an April 1 letter that he had "arranged with Griffin Co. to build a shell of a community church 50 x 24 with a concrete floor, wooden sides and a metal roof at my expense (it should be noted that the walls were constructed of cinder block, not wood)." It was Mr. Amory's hope that the existing congregations of the Methodist and Baptist churches that had been demolished would furnish and maintain this new church. He transferred ownership to the Johann Fust Community Library, of which he was the primary benefactor and President, with instructions that the church should be rented to the congregation for $1.00 a year.
~1960-1970
At some point a cinder block addition was constructed on the south side of the structure and served as a kitchen. A small bathroom was located to the east side of the structure. This may have been added or part of the original construction. It is reported that there was a congregation of about 30 people and that Baptist and Methodist services were held on alternating Sundays.
~1983
One of the primary problems with Tarpon Pass Estates and the church was that the land on which they were constructed is quite low and prone to flooding. The "No Name Storm" of the previous year tended to act as a catalyst for the owners of Tarpon Pass Estates Development, and in May, the residents were issued eviction notices by the owners.
~1985
During the fall, the property that had comprised Tarpon Pass Estates was given to the Gasparilla Island Conservation and Improvement Association Inc. (GICIA) with the intent that this not for profit property owner's association turn the land over to the State of Florida to augment their adjoining park.
~1986
In the late fall, the Johann Fust Community Library gave the Community Church to GICIA with the intent that the structure (the only remaining structure of the Tarpon Pass Estates Community) and the land be given to the State also.
~1988
On March 17, the final Warranty Deed turning ownership of the church over to the State was signed by the GICIA. Subsequently, the State boarded the windows and the doors of the structure to discourage vandalism and transient lodging.
~1996
In 1996, funded by a grant from GICIA and the Boca Grande Woman's Club, the Community Church was restored. It is now available for public and private events.