CORTEZ – While the charming white cottage with blue shutters on Cortez Road may seem somewhat nondescript to passersby, in reality it is chock full of artifacts and photos depicting the roots of the Cortez fishing village’s 140-year history.
Open to the public on Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and also by appointment, the Cortez Cultural Center, 11655 Cortez Road W., showcases the history of Cortez, an active commercial fishing community and one of the last remaining fishing villages on the Gulf Coast.
The Cultural Center is home to the Cortez Village Historical Society (CVHS), which is celebrating its 40th year. It was started by a handful of Cortez residents who wanted to preserve local folklore and history.
“Our motto for the anniversary is: ‘CVHS: celebrating 40 years of serving and preserving Cortez,’ ” CVHS President Cindy Rodgers said.
Displays at the Cultural Center include photographs of the early settlers of Cortez, including fishermen and schoolchildren, as well as photos of early buildings, many of which are still standing. A hands-on children’s educational area is on the back porch and includes a scavenger hunt and a simulated boat wheel and controls.
For those interested in researching the genealogical history of the region, the museum has records available showcasing the original families of Cortez.
“Originally called Hunter’s Point, Cortez was settled in the 1880s by families such as the Guthries, Taylors and Fulfords. Many of their descendants still live in the village,” according to the Cortez Village Historical Society website.
Since the nearby Florida Maritime Museum is closed for renovations until the summer, the Cultural Center may have lost a source of visitor referrals.
“People may have no idea we’re here,” Rodgers said.
The Cultural Center is a short walk over a footbridge from the Florida Maritime Museum parking lot.
“We’re an educational organization that tells the story of the community,” Rodgers’ husband, Paul Dryfoos, said. “People find authenticity here. This is what the lives of the early residents were like, and people are engaged to know about them.”
Dryfoos noted there are three key pieces of Cortez deserving of preservation.
“There’s the sustaining of the habitat for seafood harvesting,” he said. “There’s the culture and history of Cortez – it’s on the National Register of Historic Places – and there are local commercial fishing businesses providing high quality locally-caught seafood.”
The Cultural Center building itself has a rich history.
“The building was built in the 1940s and was moved here from Anna Maria,” Dryfoos said. “A whole crew of volunteers came together to make it what it is now. That’s the fishing tradition, people working together.”
The cottage was transported over the Cortez Bridge in 2011 from 304 Church St. in Bradenton Beach. The city had intended to demolish the cottage until Anna Maria Island Sun reporter Cindy Lane notified Cortezians about the availability of the historic home.
“People love the building and they love the stories we tell them,” Rodgers said.
