The Island Hotel history

Originally created as a site for thoroughbred and harness racing in 1866, Wheeling Island has grown, thanks to the introduction of a full-service hotel and banquet center, restaurants, video lottery terminals, table games and other amenities.

In 1867, the great botanist, naturalist, and conservationist John Muir completed his thousand-mile walk from Louisville, Kentucky, to Cedar Key.

In 1896, a devastating hurricane struck Cedar Key.

Francis Hale, one of the two original owners, died in 1910.

After an intermediate owner, it was acquired in 1915 by Simon Feinberg, a businessman with properties in Gainesville, Ocala, Lake Butter, and Dunnellon.

Feinberg died at the hotel on May 11th, 1919, under somewhat mysterious circumstances.

The railroad stopped running to Cedar Key in 1932.

In 1948, the Gibbs arranged with artist Helen Tooker to spruce up the bar in return for room and board.

Wheeling Downs thrived for years until a cold day in 1962 when a fire ravaged the property.

Since 1966, the Ramada was an iconic symbol on the Panhandle of Florida, where friends and family enjoyed time together.

Sanders had first visited the Island Hotel in 1971 when Bessie Gibbs owned it.

In 1973, Bessie Gibbs sold the Island Hotel to Charles and Shirley English ending perhaps the most famous era in the history of the building.

He sold the hotel to Marcia Rogers in 1980.

Delaware North purchased the property in 1988 and helped guide it through even further expansion.

He said he loved the bar because the ‘first naked woman he had ever seen was when he peeked around the bar door as a child and saw the painting of the bare breasted mermaid on Neptune’s lap’. The new bar, complete with a Cedar Key cedar top, was formally opened on Valentine’s Day 1992.

Dawn Fisher and Tony Cousins came to Florida from England to investigate the possibility of purchasing a hotel/motel in the St Petersburg area at the end of January, 1996.

October 21st 1999 The new windows were finally installed by the end of June this year and made a huge difference to our air conditioning bills and to the noise from outside.

On October 16, 2001, Marylou and Bill acquired the hotel and are now onsite and managing it.

At the beginning of November 2002, Dawn and Tony Cousins were appointed by the court as Receivers.