Vanishing Culture Project | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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
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
Sue Maddox Vanishing Culture Project

In this interview, Sue Turner Maddox talks about family history, not in the fishing industry.  Her husband had a drive-in in Mulberry.  They divorced and she moved to Cortez in 1965.  Maddox had visited with cousins here before.  She worked at Moore Stone crab and Bell fish Company in order to support her kids.  She got involved in fighting drug problems in Cortez and Bradenton in the 70's with some harrowing results.  She still working at Bell's Fish Company.

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

Mr. Albert Mora discusses his life of fishing around Cortez and the demise of the commercial fishing there.

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

Vernon Mora discusses family history, fishing in Sarasota Bay.  He fished for A.P. Bell and Fulfords, worked on a dredge for a while, had a shrimp boat for a while.

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

Raymond Pringle, Jr. discusses family life, fishing with various others, seine and gill netting.  He expresses bitterness about all the regulations imposed on commercial fishing.

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

Mr. Alcee Taylor talks about his life of fishing, selling and war experiences.

 

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

Topics covered in this interview include: family history, his work at Fulford Fish house, how fish were processed and shipped, before he went to the service and then fishing on various boats and his own.

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

Mr. Earl Taylor talks about his fishing history with others over the years. He quit when he was married and was a cook for a while before he came back to fishing.

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

Mr. Bell, interviewed by Mr. Jepson, talks about fishing in Cortez, stop netting, etc. and as they walk along the docks talking about boats and building. 

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

In this interview, Paul Taylor talks about his family, his fishing life, living in the Ilbion Inn and his views on fishing.  Taylor's father came to Cortez from North Carolina.  

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