Port Royal FL History
There are not many of the older Port Royal homes left today, many of which have been replaced with larger, more modern construction. However, there are still a few dating back to the early period of Port Royal. Many of these have been purchased with an eye to replacement, but if you're looking for something that dates to when Port Royal was in its youth, you can still find beautiful, renovated homes that hark back to the late 50s, the 60s and the early 70s. These homes go back to the beginnings of Port Royal's history, more about which you can read below the listings.
Read more about Port Royal history or explore listings for Port Royal homes built prior to 1980. View sought-after listings for Naples historic beach cottages.
Port Royal Older Homes for Sale
| All Listings | Over $1,000,000 |
Two Extra Large Dividable Lots In Port Royal Totaling...
- Price:
- $9,300,000
- City:
- Naples
- Beds:
- 4
- Baths:
- 4½
- Type:
- Residential
- MLS® #:
- 212004228
- Provider:
- Downing Frye Realty Inc.
Two Extra Large Dividable Lots In Port Royal Totaling 62,118 Square Feet, Both Eligible For Port Royal...
Fabulous Entry To The Foyer Of This Home Which Has...
- Price:
- $8,900,000
- City:
- Naples
- Beds:
- 6
- Baths:
- 12½
- Type:
- Residential
- MLS® #:
- 210010324
- Provider:
- Prudential Florida Realty
Fabulous Entry To The Foyer Of This Home Which Has Three Separate And Distinct Guest Or Service Quarters....
H.6274 - This Property Is Situated On Prestigious Gordon...
- Price:
- $7,900,000
- City:
- Naples
- Beds:
- 6
- Baths:
- 6
- Type:
- Residential
- MLS® #:
- 212000392
- Provider:
- John R. Wood Realtors
H.6274 - This Property Is Situated On Prestigious Gordon Drive Among Many Significant Beachfront Estates...
Hurry To One Of The Few Remaining Oversized Locations...
- Price:
- $6,499,000
- City:
- Naples
- Beds:
- 4
- Baths:
- 4
- Type:
- Residential
- MLS® #:
- 211509955
- Provider:
- White Sands Realty, Llc
Hurry To One Of The Few Remaining Oversized Locations In "port Royal". Boasting 185 Feet On The Water!...
H.3557 - **port Royal Area** Enjoy Quiet Tranquil Views...
- Price:
- $3,950,000
- City:
- Naples
- Beds:
- 3
- Baths:
- 2
- Type:
- Residential
- MLS® #:
- 208032614
- Provider:
- John R. Wood Realtors
H.3557 - **port Royal Area** Enjoy Quiet Tranquil Views Of Champney Bay Including Great Dockage With...
Beautiful Sunsets Await! This Home Has Highly Desired...
- Price:
- $3,895,000
- City:
- Naples
- Beds:
- 3
- Baths:
- 3½
- Type:
- Residential
- MLS® #:
- 212014787
- Provider:
- Downing Frye Realty Inc.
Beautiful Sunsets Await! This Home Has Highly Desired Sw Exposure & Is Located On Wide Water By! Immediate...
Fantastic Location And Beautiful Grounds Enhance The...
- Price:
- $3,685,000
- City:
- Naples
- Beds:
- 3
- Baths:
- 2½
- Type:
- Residential
- MLS® #:
- 212016823
- Provider:
- Premier Sotheby's International Realty
Fantastic Location And Beautiful Grounds Enhance The Views From This Classic Port Royal Home. Utilize...
The Perfect Location For The Boater And Those Seeking...
- Price:
- $3,575,000
- City:
- Naples
- Beds:
- 3
- Baths:
- 4
- Type:
- Residential
- MLS® #:
- 211514723
- Provider:
- Premier Sotheby's International Realty
The Perfect Location For The Boater And Those Seeking Gracious Waterfront Living Within A Stately Setting....
Port Royal FL: The Dream
The brainchild of John Glen Sample, Port Royal was originally a “useless” mangrove swamp that the retired advertising executive started buying up in 1938. Today’s real estate purchasers might shake their heads incredulously at the price he paid: $13,700. Even when adjusted for today’s dollar, it still amounts to little more than $200,000.
Sample was no stranger to success; his advertising agency in Chicago developed the radio soap opera, the incredibly popular precursor to today’s soaps and drama shows. Miami Herald reporter Nixon Smiley wrote that Sample told him, “My ambition is to make Port Royal the finest place in the world to live. And I believe I’m succeeding.” However, this was after he was making a name for Port Royal in America. In the beginning, Port Royal had to be wrested from the wild Florida coastline.
Work Begins
An intensive dredge-and-fill project ensued, turning the tangled mangrove forest into peninsulas surrounding deep canals that provided easy access for pleasure craft up to and including luxury yachts. The swamp was tamed with fill provided by the dredging and shaped the strips of land into graceful, sinuous forms suitable for building high-quality homes upon.
Port Royal Tight Standards
Sample’s dream community was to want for nothing to make it attractive to the most discriminating buyer. Howard Major, one of the premier architects in the country at the time, was commissioned to design Port Royal and make it into the tasteful, sophisticated sanctuary that Sample envisioned. A standard for home and property appearance was set, to preserve the neighborhood atmosphere. (According to one resident, Sample was moved to make some bylaw revisions after she requested that her home have only 1 bedroom!)
Port Royal’s name and the names of its streets reflect Sample’s fascination with Florida history, especially with the pirates that used to shelter in its coves. “Port Royal” comes from the Jamaican city, which was one of the focal points of piracy in the 1600s. Street names like “Galleon Drive”, “Rum Row” and “Kingstown Crescent (from another famous Jamaican port)” also point to piratical allusions.
In 1952, 4 homes were offered for sale to “acceptable purchasers at exact cost,” as a Collier County News advertisement declared. “Acceptable” was not a pretty figure of speech; Sample interviewed each prospective buyer personally and the word was that he rejected those who, by their manners, conversation or dress, did not fit the image of the ideal Port Royal resident.
Port Royal Club
It would have been hard to see this community as anything less than upscale when touring it in Sample’s Silver Cloud Rolls-Royce or the Privateer IV, his 70-foot yacht. In 1959, Sample financed the $1 million Port Royal Beach Club. The club was the center of the community, known for its apple pie and for its tennis courts, where residents of Port Royal would often play doubles or singles with some of the most illustrious citizens of the country.
Port Royal Today
Has Sample's ambitions been realized in today's Port Royal? Times have changed, of course, and Port Royal with them, but not too much. Many of today's residents are appreciating the newer, modern homes that show Mediterranean accents, modern styling or the classic "cottage" look, as well as expanded space for friends, family and business associates.
The Club, too, has been updated to meet the changing times with grace and efficiency. However, the original mood of this unique Florida community is still unchanged, with a background of taste, luxury and refinement to make home ownership enjoyable to all who are fortunate enough to live within its bounds.
Port Royal & Naples Communities
Contact the professionals at GCIP at (239) 434-2558 for more information about Port Royal real estate.
