Historic Everglades
Train Depot
The
Everglades Seafood Depot Restaurant is located in the old Everglades
depot, first opened in 1928. The depot, a Spanish style stucco
building, is an excellent example of early Florida architecture. The
land originally only included 225 feet of the Collier Ave. and Lake
Placid frontage. It was first owned by the Atlantic Coast Railroad.
After more than 30 years of service to Everglades City, the ACL gave up
rail service and the depot passed into private hands. It eventually
was deeded to the University of Miami, with the hope of being used for
a marine laboratory. Just before Hurricane Donna hit in 1960, the
depot was dressed up to resemble the first Miami railroad station for
the Budd Schulberg movie "Winds Across the Everglades". Some of the
stars from the movie that came to the depot were Peter Faulk,
Christopher Plummer and Burl Ives. Since that time, the depot has
housed other restaurants.