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.

Interviewee Sort descending Collection Description Interviewer Date of Interview Location of Interview Affiliation
Marvin Carver Vanishing Culture Project

This interview with Marvin Carver covers family, fishing, fish camps and net spreads. He also had a bridge tender's job in Cortez.

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

Orrie Williams' family has been in Cortez since 1905.  His father had fish house and Orrie drove truck for him.  Williams talks about his family in Cortez, the Burton store and the 1921 hurricane. 

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
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
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
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 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
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
Rita Warden Vanishing Culture Project

In this interview, Rita Warden, discusses her family history; they migrated to Florida from Canada.  Though not a Cortez fisherman, Rita's husband was a carpenter and farmer in Michigan.  They wintered in Cortez from 1938 on. She talks about trailer park living and her husband's fishing when here.  Rita's husband did some shrimp netting too.  They are friends with the Guthries, one of whom was a fisherman and bridge tender.

Michael Jepson, Wayne Nield 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