In the late 1800s, phosphate was discovered along the Peace River north of Punta Gorda. By the turn of the century, phosphate mining was big business, and had shifted the economic fortune of Southwest Florida.

The discovery came about unintentionally. Captain J. Francis LeBaron of the Army Corps of Engineers was investigating the potential of a canal system that could connect the Peace and St. John’s rivers. While doing a survey of the Peace River between Punta Gorda and Fort Meade in 1881, he noted in his report large deposits of phosphate, which was sought after for use in fertilizers. A few years later, Georgia fertilizer manufacturer George W. Scott heard about LeBaron’s report and went to investigate himself. He made the same discovery, and over the next several years, bought up 10,000 acres of river-adjacent land, according to the Charlotte County Historical Society.

Peace River Phosphate Company was soon up and running. The nearby port of Punta Gorda became a major hub of phosphate distribution; in 1890, more than 14,000 tons of phosphate were shipped through the port. Within five years, about 400,000 tons had gone through the small-town port. The south end of Gasparilla Island, valuable because of its access to deep water, also became one of the busiest ports in Florida (pictured). Between phosphate shipping and sport fishing, Boca Grande was suddenly attracting wealthy northerners for both business and leisure. In 1905, plans were underway to build a railroad to Boca Grande for phosphate shipping.

Although the phosphate business has largely left Southwest Florida behind, Florida still accounts for nearly a quarter of the world’s phosphate production.