Vanishing Culture Project

  • Collection DOI:
    Principal Investigator:
    Wayne Nield, Michael Jepson

  • The "Vanishing Culture Project" was a Florida Humanities Council grant to capture the oral histories of longtime residents of Cortez.   The project also produced several stations about the folkways of the fishermen of Cortez that are placed around the village and a mural painted on the side of a prominent fish house in the community.

Displaying 1 - 1 of 25

Page 1 of 25

Interviewee Collection Description Interviewer Date of Interview Location of Interview Affiliation
Thomas "Blue" Fulford Vanishing Culture Project

Commonly known as "Blue", Thomas Fulford talks about his fishing with "Tink" Fulford, fishing on the Anna Dean, growing up in Cortez, 'Hogging' stop netting, feud with gill netters, union formation attempts, net care and conflict with sport fishermen.

 Michael Jepson, Wayne Nield Cortez, FL Florida Humanities Council, Florida Institute of Saltwater Heritage, Florida Maritime Museum
Cortez Grand Old Opry Vanishing Culture Project

Goose Culbreath and members of the Cortez Grand Old Opry play Bluegrass music.  The interview includes both playing and talking about the music.  Other members are Rich Culbreath and Ray Bach.

 Michael Jepson Cortez, FL Florida Humanities Council, Florida Institute of Saltwater Heritage, Florida Maritime Museum
Ralph Fulford Vanishing Culture Project

Ralph Fulford is the son of 'Tink" Fulford, a fisherman, who had the Dixie Fish Co. and later the Fulford Fish Co.  Ralph ran the fish house from 1946 on.  He talks about the processing and operation of a fish house.  Also, he discusses his part in founding the Cortez Historical Society. 

 Michael Jepson, Wayne Nield , Al C. Taylor Cortez, FL Florida Humanities Council, Florida Institute of Saltwater Heritage, Florida Maritime Museum
Tidy Island Museum Tour  Vanishing Culture Project

This recording is of a Tidy Island Museum tour by Goose Culbreath, Alcee Taylor and others, discussing the history of the island, off Cortez, and family outings there.

 Michael Jepson Cortez, FL Florida Humanities Council, Florida Institute of Saltwater Heritage, Florida Maritime Museum
Wanda Fulford Vanishing Culture Project

Wanda Fulford was born on March 23, 1933, in Cortez, Florida, to Elizabeth and James Jones.  James was a commercial fisherman.  The family moved to Englewood then to Stump Pass for a while so her father could fish for Mullet.  Her mother returned to Cortez with the family shortly, leaving James in Stump Pass.  Wanda had a sister and two brothers.  She left school with a year and a half to go to work.  Wanda worked at various jobs.

 Michael Jepson Cortez, FL Florida Humanities Council, Florida Institute of Saltwater Heritage, Florida Maritime Museum
Raymond Stargill Pringle, Sr. Vanishing Culture Project

Raymond Stargell Pringle's family came to Cortez in 1919.  In this interview, he talks about his father and fishing with him as a kid. Later, he became a minister.

 Michael Jepson, Wayne Nield Cortez, FL Florida Humanities Council, Florida Institute of Saltwater Heritage, Florida Maritime Museum
Doris Green Vanishing Culture Project

This interview discusses mostly family history.  She did a lot of Cortez history work.  Green wrote a book, Fog's Comin In, a history of Cortez with many pictures.

 Michael Jepson Cortez, FL Florida Humanities Council, Florida Institute of Saltwater Heritage, Florida Maritime Museum
Raymond S. Pringle, Jr. & Raymond S. Pringle, Sr. Vanishing Culture Project

Oral history interview with father and son, Raymond Stargill Pringle, Jr. and Sr.

 Michael Jepson Cortez, FL Florida Humanities Council, Florida Institute of Saltwater Heritage, Florida Maritime Museum
Raymond Guthrie Vanishing Culture Project

In this interview, Raymond Guthrie discusses his family history and fishing experiences.  He did seine fishing and stop netting. Guthrie talks about animosity from other fishermen.  He fished and did mowing work, and some boat building.
 

 Michael Jepson, Wayne Nield Cortez, FL Florida Humanities Council, Florida Institute of Saltwater Heritage, Florida Maritime Museum
Elizabeth Jones Vanishing Culture Project

Elizabeth Pearson Jones talks about her family history and a 1921 hurricane.

 Michael Jepson Cortez, FL Florida Humanities Council, Florida Institute of Saltwater Heritage, Florida Maritime Museum
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