Last summer I made a phone call to Admiral Farragut Academy and explained that I write articles about the Jungle neighborhood and I wanted to take a picture of the moon rock. I was expecting to be turned down ‒ I had heard that outsiders were not welcome on campus unless they were parents of prospective cadets. To my surprise, I was told to come over any time and check in at the front desk.
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The Jungle Hotel opened in 1926 and was sold to Admiral Farragut Academy in 1944.
Keystone Stereograph - Library of Congress |
I entered through the Park Street entrance by mistake and couldn't find anyone around (school was not in session). I feared security would stop me at any minute and ‒ since this is a military preparatory school ‒ I worried about ending up in the brig, but I found my way to the cafeteria where a nice lady made a phone call and soon a guide appeared from the admissions building.
My guide, Jordan, led me to the moon rock display and I took a few pictures, thinking that was the end of a successful visit.
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| Only twelve men have walked on the moon, two of them are graduates of Admiral Farragut Academy ‒ Alan Shepard and Charles Duke. There are only two locations in Florida with a moon rock on display - Kennedy Space Center and Admiral Farragut Academy. |
Looking to my left I noticed an area that was at one time the Jungle Country Club Hotel lobby. It was pristine and ship-shape (remember, this is a naval academy now) ‒ it felt as if I had gone back in time to 1926 when the hotel opened.
I asked if I could take more pictures. "Not a problem," I was told.
Pictured: The Jungle Country Club Hotel lobby
"One of ten large hotels built in St. Petersburg during the Florida Boom era, the Jungle Country Club Hotel was unique in that it was the first of three hotels constructed on the western portion of the Pinellas Peninsula. This setting allowed the hotel to offer a variety of recreational activities that were not readily available at downtown hotels."[1]
In the lobby, there were several columns with the Jungle logo carved into each of four sides of the capital.
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| Jungle Country Club hotel logo |
"The hotel was designed by New York architect Henry Taylor in the Mediterranean Revival style of architecture. Taylor also designed the Vinoy Park Hotel, St. Mary's Church, the Florida Theater (now demolished), and the Jungle Prado. The two- and three-story structure forms a rectangular block around a central courtyard. Two canted wings project from the west facade, opening like arms to Boca Ciega Bay. These wings, three stories in height, spring from asymmetrical towers, the north tower being most prominent. The building was constructed of steel and hollow clay tile with the exterior walls finished in a textured stucco. The roof is covered with a multi-chromatic random mixture of red, brown and beige barrel clay roofing tiles. The main entry to the hotel faced south onto 5th Avenue and is identified through a two-story sopraporta, which features classical detailing capped by four urns."[1]
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| Two-story sopraporta at the main entrance |
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| French doors with arched transoms in the lobby overlook the courtyard. |
Vintage postcard of Jungle Hotel courtyard featuring a ground level pool and fountain and colorful Spanish-themed sun umbrellas.
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| Corner of the courtyard today at Admiral Farragut Academy. |
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| Decorative designs adorn the rafters, original wrought iron lamps hang from ceiling. |
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| A Solomonic column with a Florida-themed capital on exterior doors. |
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| Another picture of the courtyard. |
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| A Jungle Hotel room, now a dorm room for cadets. The hotel had 100 rooms, each with a private bath. |
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| Hotel room internal hallway, bath on left. |
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| Bathroom (2019). |
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| Hallway with room entrances on each side. All rooms face outside. |
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| View of yacht basin and Boca Ciega Bay from a second floor room. |
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| Deck overlooking Golf Creek. |
What had started as an opportunity to view a moon rock at Admiral Farragut Academy, ended with a rare glimpse inside the Jungle Hotel ‒ the most important and historic structure in our Jungle neighborhood. Thanks again to my very gracious guide, Jordan.
[1] City of St. Petersburg Historic Register HPC #92-01, Designated September 1994
