Historical Society celebrates five years

MANATEE COUNTY — When East County resident Denise Kleiner first launched efforts to salvage an old fishing cabin at the former Jigg’s Landing fishing camp site, she wasn’t sure what the future would hold.

She simply knew history should be preserved and the river should be protected.

Five years later, her cause is still going strong.

Kleiner and about 30 others gathered May 12, at the site, now a county park called Jigss Landing Preserve, to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Old Braden River Historical Society, the group Kleiner started to see her vision fulfilled.

Over the last five years, society members have worked with Manatee County officials not only to develop plans for Jiggs Landing Preserve and its historical markers, but also to organize river cleanups and other efforts related to the Braden River.

“The most exciting thing is the spirit of the community that came together to make a difference,” Kleiner said. “It’s a big accomplishment. To get tons and tons of debris out of that river took five years. We have a hardworking team of people who are relentless. I can’t be any happier than I am.

“The memories now are totally different,” she said of the Jiggs Landing site. “Now, there’s an entire park for families to enjoy.”

Historical Society charter member Carolyn Sutherland, who owns property along the river with her husband, Greg, said she used to visit Jiggs as a child and has enjoyed seeing it restored.

“It’s fun to know it’s back here again,” she said, looking around. “My dad used to buy bait and beer at Jiggs. We had to go quite a ways to get to the store (back then). There was nothing here.

“Tons of people come out (now),” she said. “People seem to enjoy it. It’s wonderful.”

Since the historical society began working to protect the Braden River, the Sutherlands said they have noticed less trash being thrown into the river, as evidenced at river cleanups, and that boaters are exercising more cautions while driving through the waterways.

“Our organization has inspired a lot more people in the area to appreciate what (we have and what we’ve done to protect it),” Carolyn Sutherland said.

Kleiner said the historical society will continue its efforts to keep the Braden River clean, but now she hopes also focus efforts more upstream and begin raising more awareness about the history of the first subdivision in Manatee County outside city limits, Marineland.

For information on the Old Braden River Historical Society, visit oldbradenriver.org.

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].

BACKGROUND
Library documents show Jiggs Landing has been a fishing and boat-launching ramp since at least 1939. Aphonso Metcalf, nicknamed “Jiggs,” purchased the property in the late 1930s, and by 1978 the property offered electric- powered fishing boats, rowboats and rental cabins.

Bob Barnes purchased the property in the early 1990s, and added canoe rentals, live bait and tackle, snacks and drinks and hosted bass tournaments, among other activities there. The property sold in 2004 and had been slated for a condominium development, until Manatee County purchased it for about $850,000.

Manatee County opened Jiggs Landing Preserve to the public in December 2010. The park includes a replica of one of the original fishing cabins at Jiggs, which has been furnished by the Old Braden River Historical Society to match the cabin’s original look and feel.

A LONG WAY
“Five years certainly is a milestone,” said longtime member Bill Growney, who has lived on the river for the last eight years. “We’ve come a long way. This has got to be about the cleanest river in Florida. “It really is important for people to get involved on a local level,” he said. “It enhances the sense of community.”