Lee Trust for Historic Preservation announces ‘Heart of Hendry’ event

On Nov. 18, the Lee Trust for Historic Preservation will host “The Heart of Hendry,” a celebration on Hendry Street between Main and Second streets, highlighting historic preservation on this block.

Festivities will begin near the Coley Westbrook building and continue as partygoers “dine and tour around” the block, seeing examples of historic restoration in the River District.

The Heart of Hendry will also mark the grand opening of the Seminole Lodge and the grand reopening of the Coley Westbrook Building.

The Lee Trust for Historic Preservation and several local businesses will celebrate the historic restoration, the renaming of the Courtyard Shops to Peeples Court, the reopening of The Bar Association Bistro & Lounge, and hold open houses for the public. Participating businesses include planning and engineering firm DeLisi Fitzgerald, public information and consulting firm Cella Molnar & Associates, and document management company Lit & More. .

Seminole Lodge

Seminole Lodge is a historical museum created by Woody Hanson to showcase his family collection of Seminole- Miccosukee history. His grandfather, the late W. Stanley Hanson or the “White Medicine Man” as the tribe called him, collected photos and heirlooms while

being welcomed into the lives of the Florida natives. Famous for his life’s work in the tribe, he was both an anthropologist and an advocate for the tribes.

The Coley Westbrook Building was built in 1946 by George Lundquist and housed Coley’s, the store that served as the place to go for clothing for all occasions through the 1970s. The building was named after store founder and owner John Coley Westbrook Jr. It was restored over the past two years by L. Edgar Wheeler’s grandson, Howard Wheeler, president of Chris- Tel Construction.

The building at 1629-31 Hendry Street was built in 1925. Research indicates that Ryals Drug store occupied it in 1935, and between 1957 and 1994 it was Parker Book Store’s storage and display case and was owned by Douglas H. and Patricia Parker. In 1995, Thomas Evan undertook a major renovation on the building and connected the original building in the front to a block building at the rear of the property and it became home to Mama Bella’s Restaurant. In July 2005, Kris Cella and Kaye Molnar set out on an adventure to completely restore the building to its original 1925 appearance. Now home to Cella Molnar & Associates and Lit & More, it is a shining example of historic preservation and reuse. 