11090 Ridge Ave - "Walton Hall"
The FEC Railway's former Walton passenger and freight depot
BUILT ~ 1894-1900 / Relocated ~ 1910-1920
Property of St. Lucie County
Administered by
Parks & Recreation Department
Department of Leisure Services


15 April 1954 - Lot 10 Block 2 of the B.S. Harris Subdivision
        Aquired by St. Lucie County
        from THE ELKOWALEN CLUB - A Florida Corporation
        Ref. Quit Claim Deed / Indenture recorded in DB 190 pg 419
        (filed  19 April 1954 - Clerk's file number 33907)
         /s/ by Edyth P. Ankeny, President and Jennie S. Saylor Roenbeck, Sec'y/Treasurer

03 July 1930 -  Lot 10 Block 2 of the B.S, Harris Subdivision
            Aquired by THE ELKOWALEN CLUB - A Corporation
            FromWilliam M Ehrhart & Annie E Ehrhart, his wife
              and Fidelis G. Sharp & Frances M. Sharp, his wife
            Ref. Quit Claim Deed Recorded in DB 82 Pg 40
              (filed 29 July 1930)
 
I believe the name "ELKOWALEN" is likely a contraction combination of ELKO a community name just North of  Midway Rd (even tho the Elko community lands wer not platted until 1947), WALTON for the Walton Community just North of Walton Rd. and EDEN The community name for the area North of the St. Lucie / Martin County line.  It's also interesting to Note though that the FEC RR Depot  at Midway Rd. was noted on all of the early FEC maps I've seen as the White City Depot.
       


--- Prior to 03 July 1930 ---???--- My title search is still "in progress", I have found no legal record associated with "The Walton Country Club" ---

05 April 1913 survey and subdivision Plat Recorded PB 3 Pg 5
        The B.S. Harris  (Blanche S. Harris) Subdivision
                of a portion of Lot 1 Sec 32 Twp 36S Rge 41E   (<---)       
             and a portion of Lot 2 Sec 32 Twp 36S Rge 41E
This property is identified as Lot 10 Block 2 of this Subdivision - It is also noted as being "The Walton Country Club" Property

20 March 1894 - the FEC Railway opened the section of rail between Ft. Pierce and West Palm Beach after arriving in Ft. pierce in January 1894.  I have not yet determined when the Walton Depot Building was constructed, but believe it to have been in the period 1894 - 1900, and believe  it may have been relocated prior to the platting the Walton Subdivision in 1913 with it's notation for the property where it's currently located as being the property, or location of,  "The Walton Country Club" as well as being designated as Lot 10 Block 2 of the Walton Subdivision.  This would have been after the freezes of the early 1900's and the decline of pineapple farming in the area due to the combined effect of these freezes and the extension of the FEC From Miami to Key West, the "KWE Line" (aka "Flaglers Folly"), and the further Flagler Steamship connections to Nassau, The Bahamas and Havanna, Cuba which opened up the Pineapple Market to cheaper "pines" from the islands - shipped North over the FEC RR  (see 1915 Map).

A Recently obtained Document,  The Savannas Park Management Plan, contained discussions concerning the the decline of the pineapple industry which may "date" the Walton Depots disposition by the FEC into the 1920's.