About us
ABOUT PARADISE FOUND
Serving Great-Tasting Food & Entertainment!
The Paradise Found is a historic, landmark waterfront restaurant and bar providing superb dining and refreshments with panoramic views of the Marco River and Goodland Bay from the outside decks or inside the newly renovated air-conditioned building.
Offering live entertainment , an amazing view and exquisite service.
EXPERIENCE
The History
The Marco Lodge originally was the family home of the family of Capt. W. D. (Bill) Collier, who built it in an old Marco townsite at the north end of the island. His grandfather, William Thomas Collier, was the first man to settle on Marco Island. This Collier family is not related to Barron G. Collier, the New York advertising man who came here and developed Collier County.
Captian Bill’s home, according to a daughter, Mrs. Emma Collier Hudson, was erected in 1888 and contained but five rooms. Later, as the family increased, the roof was raised and a second floor was added. Through the years it was a private home until it became the property of the Barfields. Still as the property of Mrs. Tommie C. Barfield, it became a commercial inn known as the White House. In 1949 it was being operated as the Marco Lodge by Mrs. Marge Wine. Alex Tasetano, a native of Italy, came to Marco from Miami that year, primarily to rebuild the old Barfield home at Caxambas, met Marge, married her and then helped manage the lodge. The Ruppert family, then owner of the property, had development plans which did not include the Lodge. So Alex and Marge moved it to the present site in January, 1965.
Source https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3877&context=flstud_pub
