Rattlesnake Point Traditional Cache
palmetto: No response from owner.
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Rattlesnake, Florida
During the late 1930’s, The Interbay peninsula (later a part of Tampa) was so over-run with the Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake that a portion of town came to be known as “Rattlesnake, Florida.
In the area near Gandy Blvd and Westshore, (Everett Street to the south, Fair Oaks to the north, Manhattan Avenue to the east and Old Tampa Bay to the west), was almost entirely comprised of pine and palmetto thickets, which was a perfect habitat for this once common poisonous native Florida snake. Some of the snakes measured 6’ in length and numbered in the thousands.
In 1937, a man from Arcadia, Florida named George End made an industry selling meat from rattlesnakes. He moved to the area of Gandy Blvd. near Bridge Street. There, he opened a canning plant for rattlesnake meat. He later added a novelty shop and a bar.
In 1939, End talked the Federal Government into opening a post office at that location and on April 27th of that year, the “Rattlesnake, Florida” Post Office was established.
End hired courageous souls to collect rattlesnakes from the thickets nearby for his canning business. Soldiers from MacDill Army Air Base came to End’s Bar during the early part of the Second World War.
In 1944, George End died of a rattlesnake bite. One year later, Earl D’Avignon bought the property and converted the structure into an Imperial Gas Station and garage with a bar behind it.
End’s widow, Jennie, married Grover White and built a one-story building housing the “Rattlesnake, Florida” post office just west of the original location. She sold the canning operation, novelty shop to famed Florida reptile showman Ross Allen. She remained the post mistress until her death in 1950.
On June 1, 1954 the “Rattlesnake, Florida” post office was named the “Interbay” post office. That post office was relocated to 3630 Gandy Blvd. It is now located at 4520 Oakeller Street.
The old “Rattlesnake, Florida” post office was removed in 1956 to make way for the second span of the Gandy Bridge.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Ba Enggyrfanxr Ebnq (Glfba Nir.)
Treasures
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