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Selling The Dream: The Gulf American Corporation and the Building of Cape Coral, Florida
Gulf American Corporation’s heavy influence on the migration of people to Florida
The Gulf American Corporation played a significant role in the development and urbanization of the state of Florida, especially southwest Florida, during the late 1950s and 1960s. The Miami-based company promoted living in Florida to people residing throughout North America and in several foreign countries. It also enabled people of average incomes to purchase home sites in Florida on an installment basis. As a result, Gulf American had a heavy influence on the migration of people to Florida as early as 1957.
Leonard and Julius J. Rosen of Baltimore, Maryland, founded and controlled the corporation during its 12-year existence from 1957 to 1969. The sale and promotion of Florida real estate was an extension of their marketing style developed in previous years when they sold mail-order cosmetics and other products. Their innovative sales strategies ultimately resulted in conflicts with state and federal regulatory agencies in the mid 1960s over the firm’s aggressive sales methods. The struggle with the state of Florida over regulation, which degenerated into a personal conflict between Governor Claude Kirk and the Rosens, resulted in the Rosens’ selling the business to GAC Corporation of Allentown, Pennsylvania, in 1969. After a series of business setbacks and continuing accusations of misrepresentations by salespeople, GAC declared bankruptcy in 1975 and was eventually resurrected as Avatar Holding, Inc., in 1980.
Gulf American left a mixed legacy to the state of Florida by building several growing cities like Cape Coral and Golden Gate, while at the same time selling worthless underwater swampland near the Everglades. The building of their first development was planned by the company. In that sense, Cape Coral was designed to be the Rosens’ most elaborate sales tool.
Based on 31 personal interviews with former Gulf American Corporation, GAC/Avatar Holding company officials and supplemented by articles from 25 different newspapers, this book provides a comprehensive and fascinating look at the Gulf American Corporation—the largest land sales firm in the United States in the 1960s. In many ways the story of Gulf American is a rags-to-riches tale of Leonard and Julius (Jack) Rosen, complete with intrigue and the fluctuations of fortune that matched the rising tides that covered much of the land they sold.
The Gulf American Corporation played a significant role in the development and urbanization of the state of Florida, especially southwest Florida, during the late 1950s and 1960s. The Miami-based company promoted living in Florida to people residing throughout North America and in several foreign countries. It also enabled people of average incomes to purchase home sites in Florida on an installment basis. As a result, Gulf American had a heavy influence on the migration of people to Florida as early as 1957.
Leonard and Julius J. Rosen of Baltimore, Maryland, founded and controlled the corporation during its 12-year existence from 1957 to 1969. The sale and promotion of Florida real estate was an extension of their marketing style developed in previous years when they sold mail-order cosmetics and other products. Their innovative sales strategies ultimately resulted in conflicts with state and federal regulatory agencies in the mid 1960s over the firm’s aggressive sales methods. The struggle with the state of Florida over regulation, which degenerated into a personal conflict between Governor Claude Kirk and the Rosens, resulted in the Rosens’ selling the business to GAC Corporation of Allentown, Pennsylvania, in 1969. After a series of business setbacks and continuing accusations of misrepresentations by salespeople, GAC declared bankruptcy in 1975 and was eventually resurrected as Avatar Holding, Inc., in 1980.
Gulf American left a mixed legacy to the state of Florida by building several growing cities like Cape Coral and Golden Gate, while at the same time selling worthless underwater swampland near the Everglades. The building of their first development was planned by the company. In that sense, Cape Coral was designed to be the Rosens’ most elaborate sales tool.
Based on 31 personal interviews with former Gulf American Corporation, GAC/Avatar Holding company officials and supplemented by articles from 25 different newspapers, this book provides a comprehensive and fascinating look at the Gulf American Corporation—the largest land sales firm in the United States in the 1960s. In many ways the story of Gulf American is a rags-to-riches tale of Leonard and Julius (Jack) Rosen, complete with intrigue and the fluctuations of fortune that matched the rising tides that covered much of the land they sold.
328 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1993
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May 20, 2025
Let me tell you a story about two men: Jack and Leonard Rosen. They were wide eyed dreamers who took an idea of selling pots and pans on credit installment to eventually doing the same with cosmetics and then finally parleying their salesmanship and financial wherewithal into one of largest land sales businesses in the country.
The time was right. It was the mid 1950’s. The opportunity was in the making and paradise was just opening up to all the post WWII vets looking to visit or move to a place where the sun was eternal and the weather was perfect and eventually make it a place to retire. Whether the Rosens envisioned this to be the case at the time of their inception of Gulf America Properties, Inc was neither here nor there. They just knew that they had to strike why the iron was hot.
The followed in the foot steps of other famous brothers; the Mackles (General Development Corporation) who sold residential land in Miami and eventually Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda on Florida’s west coast (ended in controversial demise).
The Rosens were new to land sales and purchased a small swath of land owned by Ogden Phipps et al (trustee and heir of the Miles family) who had land near west of Fort Myers that was used as a sportsman’s hunting ground. They purchased around 1,300 acres of native Florida land on the western edge of the Caloosahatchee River on a large estuary peninsula (to become Cape Coral) called “Red Fish Point” and the rest was history.
How they created the largest land sale development company was not ingenious by any means, but rather it was done with unbridled fortitude and foresight that eventually created not only tremendous wealth for the Rosen brothers, but also making Florida a wanton destination for people far and wide who wanted to own a slice of paradise. The company’s sales method were persuasive and aggressive to potential buyers along with lavish enticements to assist them in making the decision to purchase.
The method of sales, the development of the land and the Gulf America business dealings were eventually held under great scrutiny and criticism for a multitude of reasons. The unfortunate opinion by many over time believed that they were nothing but “swamp land” salesmen. There may have been some truth in that, but over time those that hung onto their property investment made out quite well many years later. Those that did not wished they still own their land from Gulf America.
The ultimate end of Gulf America was due to many factors and the result of what it did to Florida and other warm weather places in the country are quite visible today. The Rosens left a legacy that has stood the test of time and will continue in perpetuity. Enjoying the sun and sun of Florida is the dream of many who live in areas of the country of weather inclemency. Whether escaping the cold or just a place to retire the Rosen’s wanted everyone to have a chance to experience the same thing. Their job was completed only by selling the dream.
The time was right. It was the mid 1950’s. The opportunity was in the making and paradise was just opening up to all the post WWII vets looking to visit or move to a place where the sun was eternal and the weather was perfect and eventually make it a place to retire. Whether the Rosens envisioned this to be the case at the time of their inception of Gulf America Properties, Inc was neither here nor there. They just knew that they had to strike why the iron was hot.
The followed in the foot steps of other famous brothers; the Mackles (General Development Corporation) who sold residential land in Miami and eventually Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda on Florida’s west coast (ended in controversial demise).
The Rosens were new to land sales and purchased a small swath of land owned by Ogden Phipps et al (trustee and heir of the Miles family) who had land near west of Fort Myers that was used as a sportsman’s hunting ground. They purchased around 1,300 acres of native Florida land on the western edge of the Caloosahatchee River on a large estuary peninsula (to become Cape Coral) called “Red Fish Point” and the rest was history.
How they created the largest land sale development company was not ingenious by any means, but rather it was done with unbridled fortitude and foresight that eventually created not only tremendous wealth for the Rosen brothers, but also making Florida a wanton destination for people far and wide who wanted to own a slice of paradise. The company’s sales method were persuasive and aggressive to potential buyers along with lavish enticements to assist them in making the decision to purchase.
The method of sales, the development of the land and the Gulf America business dealings were eventually held under great scrutiny and criticism for a multitude of reasons. The unfortunate opinion by many over time believed that they were nothing but “swamp land” salesmen. There may have been some truth in that, but over time those that hung onto their property investment made out quite well many years later. Those that did not wished they still own their land from Gulf America.
The ultimate end of Gulf America was due to many factors and the result of what it did to Florida and other warm weather places in the country are quite visible today. The Rosens left a legacy that has stood the test of time and will continue in perpetuity. Enjoying the sun and sun of Florida is the dream of many who live in areas of the country of weather inclemency. Whether escaping the cold or just a place to retire the Rosen’s wanted everyone to have a chance to experience the same thing. Their job was completed only by selling the dream.
Displaying 1 of 1 review