Nestled just off the edge of Perico Bayou, a slender body of water that connects Tampa Bay and Palma Sola Bay, Perico Preserve would appear to the unversed as an extension of the wetlands that rim Perico Island.
The island, and hence the preserve, were named after one of its earliest residents, Perico Pompon, a Cuban fisherman who operated a rancho on the island in the early 1840s. By the 1880s settlers had established numerous homesteads on the island. Those early settlers established fruit farms and grew oranges, pineapple and guava. The island was also home to a large fish camp.
Eventually, a wooden bridge (recreated at Robinson Preserve) was built to connect the island to the nearby community of Palma Sola. A post office was established on the island in 1891 and a hotel was built that offered boat excursions to take advantage of the area’s bounty of game and fish. In the early 1920s, a bridge was built that connected Perico and the mainland to Anna Maria Island. The new bridge increased traffic and tourism to Perico, which grew into a popular destination for tourists eager to explore the region.
Since the 1960s, Perico Island has been the setting of many legal battles between developers and residents who wish to maintain the natural resources of the island. One of those battles resulted in a compromise between the developers of Perico Island and Manatee County which led to the purchase of the property where the preserve sits.
The transformation of Perico Preserve from farmland to the beautiful mix of habitats that can be seen today is a story of recreating a coastal wetland that resembles historical Manatee County. A review of the 1970s-era environmental assessment of the impacts of future development (now in place) points to the importance of preserving as much land as possible.
Next week, I’ll talk about the transformation of farmlands to Perico Preserve and those responsible for this Manatee County jewel.
