Boca Grande Community Center

The city's first school was a small wood-frame building erected in 1893. However, since the population remained low for many years, it was only used occasionally until 1911 when the second school was built on Gilchrist Avenue. By then Boca Grande was beginning to emerge as a stable, growing community thanks to the phosphate and fishing industries. The second school building was also constructed using wood but was two-stories tall and had four classrooms. Boca Grande continued to grow and it became clear in the late 1920s that a new school was needed here and throughout the county. Lee County proceeded to build 18 new schools including Boca Grande School in 1929. It was expanded in 1936 and the enrollment reached 180 students in the late 1930s.

The Teacherage was built in 1930 and was where teachers and the principal and his family lived. The Community House was constructed in 1940 and served as the school's gym and as a community meeting and event venue. It was also used by the local chapter of the United Services Organization during World War II as an entertainment venue for soldiers stationed at bases in Lee and Charlotte Counties. Philanthropist Louise Crownshield donated the funds to built the Community House. A native Delaware, she and her husband Francis built a lodge in 1916 in Boca Grande where they lived during the winter. They eventually built large estate in the 1920s. Louise donated funds to a number of organizations in the city.

Boca Grande School operated until 1964. By then the population had steadily decreased as a result of the decline of the fishing and phosphate industries, as well as the closure of the military bases in the county. Eight years later, the state legislature passed a bill that deeded the former school to Lee County, which opened it as a community center 1973.

"History of the Boca Grande Community Center." Accessed March 12, 2021. https://www.friendsofbocagrande.org/about-us/history-of-the-boca-grande-community-center-and-friends.

Olausen, Stephen & Piland, Sherry. "Boca Grande Community Center." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. March 30, 1995. https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/a006e005-ffcc-42dc-88c0-a601be02dda1.