Langford-Kingston Mansion

A native-born Floridian, Walter G. Langford, was born in Live Oak, Florida in 1873. His father was a prominent doctor in Madison County and Ellaville, Florida, and later became a cattle rancher after marrying his wife, Annie Jane Galloway in Live Oak, where they both set up roots. In Walter’s younger years, his father soon ventured to Fort Myers with an associate purchasing interests in cattle and schooners, where he dabbled in “buying and shipping beef cattle to Key West.”[3]The advent of the Spanish-American War provided a promising opportunity that allowed Langford Sr. and his associate to capitalize on the situation, shipping thousands of cattle head to Cuban markets, as they began to open up as a result of the War. Walter also had an uncle, Taff O. Langford, who operated a saloon in the early years of Fort Myers’s frontier town’s settings. Several other uncles were Fort Myers tax collectors and even a sheriff. Altogether, the Langford Clan were quite involved in the town, and later city, affairs. 

Walter G. Langford is credited with playing an instrumental role in persuading and making a solid case as to why the Atlantic Coast Railroad Line should extend their tracks to the small frontier town of Fort Myers. Had he not done so, it is very possible that Fort Myers would have faded into obscurity, abandoned, or bankrupted by the lack of supplies and visitors. On the contrary, the rail line was extended to the town, and as a result, led to an increase in visitors to the area, expanding the tourism industry, which was based on hospitality, fishing, and convalescence that can be acquired in good taste. Langford is also credited with drawing many northern industrialists and wealthy individuals to town, “persuading many wealthy northerners to buy properties in South Florida, and he was credited with having brought more outside money into this area than any other man in Fort Myers.”[4]Apart from this outstanding contribution to the enhancement and development of the area, Langford also gave the City a sense of beauty and sophistication with the erection of his First National Bank of Fort Myers, for which he served as its president until his death in 1920 at the age of forty-five. Reportedly, the contract of the building was quite the excitement and stirring of the town, as everyone was abuzz as to the new construction, which would be of “granite, steel, marble and brick, [which] cost $50,000 [over $1.4 million in today's money].”[5]According to the architect, Francis J. Kennard of Tampa, he believed the completion of the building would result in the finest bank in the entire State of Florida. The modern amenities were the vault – designed to be fire and burglar proof with proper ventilation - and electrical lights, fans, and call bells that outfitted the grand marble entrance to the bank and teller stations. Additionally, there was another vault that accommodated client’s safety deposit boxes that could be accessed at any time during bank hours without the assistance of tellers of bank personnel overseeing the area. This added convenience is just one of many amenities that provided comfort and luxury to the business. The bank originally operating out of the Tonnelier Building, which had outgrown its space with the amount of business it was conducting. Thus, the need for a new, larger space prompted the project.[6]

Fig. 7: Front elevation that displays the Grecian facade of the First National Bank of Fort Myers. The double doors are flanked by Ionic pillars with stoic bases, a central large triangular pediment crowns the top, as the windows are graced with Roman arches and set behind wrought iron grates. 

Fig. 8: First National Bank of Fort Myers's side elevation looking southeast, exposing the succession of multi-story floor-to-ceiling arched windows.  

On another note, Langford also outbid Harvie E. Heitman in the bid to fund the construction of the then-growing city’s need for a courthouse, a bid that Langford won, furthering the divide between Heitman and himself who were in the midst of a building epidemic. The attempt to outrival the other went to the point of Heitman building a bigger bank literally down the street from Langford’s Grecian temple (See Fig. 7 - 8). By the time of its completion, it was doing business for several years before the Great Depression hit. The bank would flounder and never regain its standing. Furthermore, the death of Walter put an end to his rivalry with his fellow citizen, Heitman – who would pass away just two years later. Langford’s widow sold the Langford Mansion and moved with her daughter. 

The Langford Mansion passed into the hands of George Kingston, inventor of the Kingston carburetor that was an integral mechanical component to Henry Ford’s Model T vehicles. Together, both Ford and Kingston sold millions, earning Kingston a handsome fortune in the process. Originally from Ionia, Michigan, Kingston had always possessed a knack for mechanics. The advent of some of the first automobiles being manufactured in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Kingston “concluded that the fuel mixing valves then used did not have sufficient flexibility to make automobiles practicable and, after long experimenting, developed a mixing device later called the carburetor.”[7] By chance, Kingston showcased his invention at an auto show in New York where Henry Ford caught glimpse. Interested in the invention, Kingston formed a partnership, which led to the establishment of several factories that produced his carburetor in a series of processes, including the Kokomo Brass Works, Kokomo Electrical Company….[which] also produced ignition systems, spark plugs, magnetos and other automobile parts.”[8]By 1928, Kingston sold all his interests and retired to southwest Florida, having purchased the Langford Estate several years prior. He lived there until his death in 1946. He left behind his widow, Mrs. Kingston and a son, Ralph G. Kingston, who would later follow in previous footsteps and become president of the First National Bank, amidst other public official roles.[9]After the deaths of both parents, the Langford-Kingston Mansion was sold to the First United Methodist Church, and in later years, transferred to the City of Fort Myers. The Lee Trust, entrusted with preserving what is left of the historic structures in Lee County, raised $236,000 in order for the City to save the home from demolition.[10]Spanning two years, 2003-2004, the entire structure was moved by the Christel Construction Company across the street to where it now sits on First and Fowler Streets. The Mansion was moved to make way for what was supposed to be a park, and later parking lot, but neither ever came to fruition and the former lot continues to sit empty.[11] In the process, the Mansion did lose its former brick walls that surrounded the entire property. Today, a small portion was saved and stands in front of the residence, which is now run by a non-for-profit and acts as a wedding venue and reception hall for various community events. 

Fig. 9: Portrait of Walter G. Langford in business attire. 

Fig. 10: Harvie Heitman's "new" bank built as a rival to Langford's Grecian templesque bank literally down the street, looking west. 

The stock market crash of 1929 saw to it that the new Heitman Bank would never fully regain its prominence, closing its doors years after opening. The building, despite its modern conveniences and state-of-the-art vault systems never again would employ its use as a bank, and instead would house a menagerie of other businesses, largely consisting of a string of restaurants. Today, it hosts Izzy's Oyster Bar with offices above on the second and third floors.  

Fig. 11: A construction foreman posing in front of the Langford-Kingston Mansion detached from its foundation and inching its way across to the corner of First and Fowler Streets. 

Click on the PDF documents below to download the following: 

- The Langford-Kingston Mansion coloring page

- The Langford-Kingston Mansion worksheet