Monroe Station
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The Monroe Station is a historic gas station in Ochopee, Florida. It is located at the junction of Tamiami Trail and Loop Road. On May 11, 2000, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. As of July 29, 2007, it is boarded up and abandoned.
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Monroe Station
Monroe Station (added 2000 Historic Register - Building - #00000427)
Junction of Tamiami Trail and Loop Road., Ochopee
Monroe Station served as a way point for people using US 41 to cross the Big Cypress Swamp, Miami to Naples or the other way. Built in 1925, it was used as a way station until 1949. Motor cycle patrols would be sent out to look for wayward motorists. Later on, it was the only place you could get gas or something to eat when crossing Florida at the lower end of the state. During the early 70's, it was the only place to get gas, a cup of coffee, a repair or use a telephone in that area of the Big Cypress Swamp. The property was used for many years, as a place to park and store Swamp Buggies, (now known as ORVs).
There were three structures like Monroe Station along US 41. One of these three structures was chosen for restoration, but it blew down in a hurricane years ago. Monroe Station has been designated on the National Register of Historic Places, year 2000.
The Webb's, (a.k.a. Frieda, Dixie and Nick), owned Monroe Station, before the forming of the Big Cypress National Preserve.
After the Government created the Big Cypress Preserve, Joe and Susie Lord the next owners were forced to remove the gas tanks, for reasons of pollution prevention and this lead to Monroe Station not being profitable anymore.
Monroe Station was also featured in a movie called "Gone Fishin" released in 1997, some of the cast, Joe Pesci, Danny Glover, Rosanne Arquette, Willie Nelson and others. This seems quite an indignity for a building under the NPS's care and on the Historic Register. It was reportedly not a very good movie.
The Big Cypress National Preserve took over ownership and like other properties it has taken over, stopped doing any maintenance on it. For a while it rented out space for ORV storage, but now it has stopped that.
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