George Gandy
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George Sheppard "Dad" Gandy (October 20, 1851Burnett, p. 5. – November 25, 1946Hartzell 2002, p. 70.) was an American business executive and
developer Developer may refer to: Computers * Software developer, a person or organization who develop programs/applications * Video game developer, a person or business involved in video game development, the process of designing and creating games * Web d ...
, best known for constructing the original
Gandy Bridge Gandy Bridge is the southernmost bridge spanning Old Tampa Bay from St. Petersburg, Florida to Tampa, Florida. The original 1924 span was dismantled in 1975. The second bridge, constructed in 1956 was used for vehicular traffic until 1997, ...
, the first bridge to span the
Tampa Bay Tampa Bay is a large natural harbor and shallow estuary connected to the Gulf of Mexico on the west-central coast of Florida, comprising Hillsborough Bay, McKay Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Middle Tampa Bay, and Lower Tampa Bay. The largest freshwater in ...
in Florida. He is also known for developing numerous buildings and transportation lines in
Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
and
St. Petersburg, Florida St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 258,308, making it the fifth-most populous city in Florida and the second-largest city in the Tampa Bay Area, after Tampa. It is the ...
.


Philadelphia

Gandy was born in the Tuckahoe section of
Upper Township, New Jersey Upper Township is a large township in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 12,373, reflecting an increase of ...
. His father was a ship
captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
.Hartzell 2002, p. 68. Gandy dropped out of
grammar school A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching Latin, but more recently an academically oriented secondary school ...
and made money writing wedding invitations. The family moved to
Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
and, at age 16, Gandy earned $4 per week working as an office boy at Henry Disston & Sons. After 11 years, Gandy climbed to a top position with Disston launching his impressive career. He married Henry Disston's daughter, Mary, who died at the age of 26 in 1876. Disston Memorial Church, on Tyson Avenue, in Philadelphia's Tacony section, is named for Mary. In 1882, he became
secretary A secretary, administrative professional, administrative assistant, executive assistant, administrative officer, administrative support specialist, clerk, military assistant, management assistant, office secretary, or personal assistant is a w ...
and
treasurer A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The significant core functions of a corporate treasurer include cash and liquidity management, risk management, and corporate finance. Government The treasury o ...
of Frankford and Southwark Railway Company.Grismer. At age 35, Gandy began suffering from a heart condition which lasted the rest of his life and was occasionally aggravated by his business dealings.Hartzell 2002, p. 69. He worked as an executive for several companies in Philadelphia, building more than 200 residences and the People's Theatre. Gandy's passion however was transportation and, by the end of the 19th century, he had built of trolley lines in Philadelphia. In the 1890s, he spearheaded efforts to connect
Willow Grove Park Willow Grove Park was an amusement park located in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania (the part which is in Abington Township), United States, that operated for eighty years from 1896 until the 1975 season. It was generally an alternative to the Woods ...
to Philadelphia, making the park a popular attraction.


St. Petersburg

In 1903, Gandy followed fellow Philadelphian trolley entrepreneur,
F. A. Davis Frank Allston Davis (September 8, 1850Hartzell, p. 51. – January 2, 1917Hartzell, p. 55) was a publishing executive who founded the F. A. Davis Company in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After moving to the Tampa Bay Area, he introduced electr ...
, to
St. Petersburg, Florida St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 258,308, making it the fifth-most populous city in Florida and the second-largest city in the Tampa Bay Area, after Tampa. It is the ...
, leading several of Davis's companies including St. Petersburg's trolley system. Gandy and Davis eventually parted ways and Gandy settled permanently in St. Petersburg with his wife and five children in 1912. That year, he purchased land downtown and built La Plaza Theatre and office buildings. The plaza was criticized by many as "Gandy's
White Elephant A white elephant is a possession that its owner cannot dispose of, and whose cost, particularly that of maintenance, is out of proportion to its usefulness. In modern usage, it is a metaphor used to describe an object, construction project, sch ...
" but it soon made hefty profits and silenced the critics.Burnett, p. 6. The $150,000 theatre drew such attractions as
John Philip Sousa John Philip Sousa ( ; November 6, 1854 – March 6, 1932) was an American composer and conductor of the late Romantic era known primarily for American military marches. He is known as "The March King" or the "American March King", to dist ...
's band and the controversial landmark film ''
The Birth of a Nation ''The Birth of a Nation'', originally called ''The Clansman'', is a 1915 American silent epic drama film directed by D. W. Griffith and starring Lillian Gish. The screenplay is adapted from Thomas Dixon Jr.'s 1905 novel and play ''The Cla ...
''. In 1910, Gandy began discussion with fellow entrepreneur H. Walter Fuller regarding the best route for a bridge across
Old Tampa Bay Tampa Bay is a large natural harbor and shallow estuary connected to the Gulf of Mexico on the west-central coast of Florida, comprising Hillsborough Bay, McKay Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Middle Tampa Bay, and Lower Tampa Bay. The largest freshwater in ...
. Gandy formed a company called the Gandy Bridge Company and, in 1915, decided on a final route. Gandy and Fuller were partners until Fuller sold his share for $500 after declaring
bankruptcy Bankruptcy is a legal process through which people or other entities who cannot repay debts to creditors may seek relief from some or all of their debts. In most jurisdictions, bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor ...
in 1918.Hartzell 2006, p. 73. Within a few years, he had obtained
right-of-way Right of way is the legal right, established by grant from a landowner or long usage (i.e. by prescription), to pass along a specific route through property belonging to another. A similar ''right of access'' also exists on land held by a gov ...
at either end of the bridge but needed to garner support for the rights over the bay itself.Burnett, pp. 6-7. After obtaining the backing of numerous local businessmen as well as both
U.S. Senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...
Duncan U. Fletcher Duncan Upshaw Fletcher (January 6, 1859June 17, 1936) was an American lawyer and politician of the Democratic Party. Senator Fletcher was the longest-serving U.S. Senator in Florida's history. He also served two terms as Mayor of Jacksonville an ...
and
U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...
Herbert J. Drane Herbert Jackson Drane (June 20, 1863 – August 11, 1947) was a U.S. Representative from Florida. Born in Franklin, Kentucky, Drane attended the public schools of Louisville, Kentucky, and Brevards Academy at Franklin, Kentucky. He moved to ...
, Gandy's plans were finally approved by the Department of War on February 11, 1918.Burnett, pp. 6-7. Financing for the bridge stalled, however, due in part to Gandy's refusal to spend his own considerable savings.Burnett, p. 7. In September 1922, Gandy hired a team to sell
stock In finance, stock (also capital stock) consists of all the shares by which ownership of a corporation or company is divided.Longman Business English Dictionary: "stock - ''especially AmE'' one of the shares into which ownership of a company ...
in the bridge and, after $2 million was raised in only 122 days, construction began in 1923.Burnett, p. 8. When
Florida Governor The governor of Florida is the head of government of the state of Florida and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Florida ...
Cary A. Hardee ceremonially opened the bridge on November 20, 1924, it was the longest over-water highway in the world. At the dedication, Gandy's entire speech was four words: "The bridge is built!"Gandy Bridge 1930
at the historic photos section of the Florida Department of Transportation web site.


Late life and legacy

Despite his heart condition, Gandy lived another 22 years after his bridge was completed. He lost his sight while in his 80s but continued being
chauffeur A chauffeur is a person employed to drive a passenger motor vehicle, especially a luxury vehicle such as a large sedan or limousine. Originally, such drivers were often personal employees of the vehicle owner, but this has changed to speciali ...
ed to his office. Gandy died at age 95 and was interred at Royal Palm South Cemetery in St. Petersburg.George S Gandy
at
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.
Gandy's legacy was continued by his son, George S. Gandy, Jr., who founded the famous St. Petersburg-Habana Sailboat Race, which was discontinued in 1959 upon the rise of Cuban dictator
Fidel Castro Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (; ; 13 August 1926 – 25 November 2016) was a Cuban revolutionary and politician who was the leader of Cuba from 1959 to 2008, serving as the prime minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976 and president from 1976 to 200 ...
. The race will be revived in 2017 after the newly reunited
Cuban-American relations Cuban Americans ( es, cubanoestadounidenses or ''cubanoamericanos'') are Americans who trace their cultural heritage to Cuba regardless of phenotype or ethnic origin. The word may refer to someone born in the United States of Cuban descent or t ...
. Gandy's La Plaza Theatre was acquired by Florida State Theaters in 1948 and demolished in 1957.Deese p. 87. The Gandy Bridge was replaced in 1956, expanded in 1976, and expanded again in 1996. A non-automobile section of the bridge has been left intact as "The Friendship Trail Bridge," part of the
Pinellas Trail The Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail is a rail trail in Pinellas County, Florida. It stretches from Tarpon Springs in the north to St. Petersburg in the south, passing through the towns of Palm Harbor, Dunedin, Belleair, Clearwater, Largo, Seminole, ...
. The area in
Pinellas County Pinellas County (, ) is a county located on the west central coast of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 959,107. The county is part of the Tampa–St. Petersburg– Clearwater, Florida Metropolitan Statistical ...
where the Gandy Bridge connects is now a
census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, such ...
called
Gandy, Florida Gandy is an unincorporated community and former census-designated place (CDP) in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. The population was 2,031 at the 2000 census. It is named after George Gandy and the Gandy Bridge which connects the area to ...
. The roads leading to either end of the bridge, including part of State Road 694 in Pinellas County, are called Gandy Boulevard. In
Tampa Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and the seat of Hillsborough County ...
, a neighborhood bounded to the north by Gandy Boulevard has been designated Gandy-Sun Bay South.


Notes


References

* * * * *Grismer, Karl H
''He Laughed at the Word ‘Impossible’''
Educational Technology Clearinghouse,
University of South Florida The University of South Florida (USF) is a public research university with its main campus located in Tampa, Florida, and other campuses in St. Petersburg and Sarasota. It is one of 12 members of the State University System of Florida. USF is ...


External links


George Gandy Papers
at th
University of South Florida
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gandy, George 1851 births 1946 deaths People from Upper Township, New Jersey American real estate businesspeople American bridge engineers Businesspeople from Philadelphia People from St. Petersburg, Florida Engineers from Pennsylvania Engineers from New Jersey