Pine Castle Pioneer Days, 1974

The Belle Isle

The new City of Belle Isle came into being in 1924 as a protest movement. A handful of people held a meeting at Thompson Gregg's pavilion on Pleasure Island to form their own city government. This was to keep from being annexed by either Pine Castle or Orlando.

By ballot vote of more than two thirds of those present, the name "Belle Isle" was chosen. Area oldtimers declare that the name means "beautiful island.". Mr. C.H. Hoffner was elected the first mayor.

In the early years, the area did not amount to much more than open cattle range where the Hoffner cattle grazed, plus a scattering of houses. Hoffner Road was a sand trail, and there were rice paddies where the bridge now crosses Hoffner Road. Snakes, wildcats, and wild grapes were plentiful.

There were many resorts around the shores of Lake Conway in those years. "Pleasure Beach," the "Brown Cow," and "Curry's" (later called "Baker's") were three of the best known. There was a small, rustic tea room in 1924, located on what is now Oak Island Road.

The city grew slowly. For the first several years, the council met in various private homes. Then, between 1928 and 1954, the council was inactive. No records were kept.

Some time after 1958 the council, now reactivated, began to meet at the yacht club on Lake Conway. Then in 1970 Mr. John D. Holloway, a former mayor, deeded land for a new city hall. Completed in January of 1972, it was named "Dexter Hall" in memory of Mr. Ross T. Dexter, the first mayor to pass away while in office.

Belle Isle, like so many other small towns, had some stormy times. At one point, one of the mayors became so enraged at the city council that he threatened to thrown all the city papers and documents into the lake!

As more and more people moved into the area in the 1950s, Belle Isle began to grown, annexing many of the new subdivisions. Today, the various sections which comprise the city are: Pleasure Island, Venetian Gardens, Belle Isle Estates, Lynnwood Shores, Daetwyler Shores, Conway Shores, and Nela Isle. Nela Isle, once known as Porter's Island, was homesteaded by the Partin family. Nela gets its name from the Northern Electric Light Association.

Today, Belle Isle is a beautiful residential community of some 2,800 people. The city completely encompasses the shores of Big Lake Conway. In June, they celebrated their fiftieth anniversary with a big community get-together.