Sanders Beach Community Association

Sanders Beach Community Association

A Historical Neighborhood

Maxent Tract

Presently just the name of a taxing district in the City of Pensacola, Maxent Tract derives its name from French ancestors of the early 1700s. Gilbert Antoine de St. Maxent was born in Lorraine, France in 1724, the “de” indicating a person of some wealth, respect, class, or position. He married Elizabeth la Roche in New Orleans in August 31, 1749. Their fourth child, Maximillion Francois, born April 22, 1761, became Spanish Governor of West Florida. He was a source of great aggravation to Florida Governor Claiborne when Louisiana became a US territory, and he is our historical link in Maxent Tract, Sanders Beach, Pensacola, Florida.

In 1816 Ferdinand VII, King of Spain, granted 264 acres of land in Escambia County, Florida to Francisco Maxmiliano. Congress recognized and confirmed the grant in 1823, making de St. Maxent the first owner of record of what was first called the Casa Blanca Tract. de St. Maxent did not occupy the land after Spain ceded territory to the US, and neither did any of his nine children. Eventually a lawsuit for title worked its way through the courts all the way to the Supreme Court to determine whether the property was improperly seized in settlement of a debt, eventually settled in favor of the heirs of de St. Maxent.

In 1867 those heirs, Cuban residents all, executed deeds of trust on the property to J. M. Justiniani, who in turn deeded it jointly to William Fisher, W. J. VanKirk, L. E. Thompson and W. A. Blount. Fisher conveyed a part of the property to W. S. Keyser. A large portion of the remainder became the Maxent Land Company.

In 1889 James Michael Muldon worked as a clerk with the W. S. Keyser and Company lumber and timber exporting firm in Pensacola. In 1904 when the firm was reorganized as the Keyser-Muldon Company; Muldon became its Secretary/Treasurer.
Muldon inherited a piece of property from William S. Keyser upon which he built a spacious waterfront home in the early 1900s. That home is presently owned by the Pensacola Yacht Club at the mouth of Bayou Chico on Cypress Street in Sanders Beach.

Copyright 2003 by Nancy Neiger
1400 cypress St., Pensacola, FL 32501

Sanders Beach Park

In 1908 Pensacola Mayor Calvin C. Goodman requested a donation of two blocks of land from the Maxent Land Company “for public parks to be beautified by the city”. That land was set aside and the City of Pensacola eventually developed a recreational park along the northern shore of Pensacola Bay. Development was strongly and persistently championed by the man whose name it would eventually bear - City Commissioner Frank Dent Sanders. Sanders was born August 26, 1867 in Eufaula, Barbour County, Alabama. His mother’s family roots reach to Rhineland, western Germany, near the Moselle valley.

In 1893 Frank moved to Pensacolaand married Ida Anastasia Ducal Christie. Early in his career Frank served as special police officer, Deputy Marshal, City Marshal and Chief of Police (1913-1914). While Deputy Marshal he assumed the duties of Chief Deputy under Sheriff George E. Smith, who was his brother-in-law. In June, 1917 Frank was elected a City of Pensacola Commissioner, reelected in 1920 and 1923. His public service career included service as Mayor of Pensacola (1919-1921), Commissioner of Finance and Revenue, Commissioner of Streets and Public Works, and Police and Fire Commissioner. During the years of his public service he encouraged the development of a recreational park in the western area of Pensacola, which eventually came to bear his name, Sanders Beach Park.


The Hurricane of 1926 was especially damaging to the entire northern shore of Pensacola Bay. It wreaked havoc on port facilities, then much more extensive than what exists in 2003. When post-hurricane rebuilding took place the City built a new park slightly farther west, on the tiny strip of beach that remained. Completed in 1928, there was an outdoor movie screen with seating that showed movies every Saturday. The original open-air pavilion was the location of many navy and other weekend dances. Many times Navy bands provided the music, but some bigger names also came, including Tommy Dorsey, Jimmy Dorsey, and Benny Goodman, to provide the swing and jitterbug tunes for dancers on what was called the best hardwood dance floor in the South.

Just before 1950 the City enclosed the pavilion fondly called “the Den”, which remained an afternoon and weekend teenage congregation spot. In 1995 Hurricanes Erin and Opal took a heavy toll on the park close on the heels of extensive renovations completed by the City in 1992. In 1997 The park was battered by hurricane Danny and Georges, and again in 2002, by Isidore and Lili. City discussions to repair and/or rebuild were ongoing in 2004 when the wrath of Hurricane Ivan totally destroyed the park’s two small wood piers and connecting boardwalk, and damaged the community center beyond repair. The city demolished the Den in late 2004, promising the surrounding neighborhood community it would rebuild, “bigger and better, more special than before”.

Copyright 2003 by Nancy Neiger
1400 Cypress St., Pensacola, FL 32501

Perdido Wharf

An unmistakable 1800s landmark of the north shore of Pensacola Bay near Sanders Beach was the Perdido Wharf. The wharf, described in greater detail by Thomas W. Moody in his 1992 book Here Comes Frisco, extended 2,600 feet out into Pensacola Bay and ended with a Y-shaped split into two separate docks. The easternmost dock was known as the Main Wharf, and the western dock was Robinson Wharf. At the peak of its use it could berth and load or unload at least thirteen cargo vessels each at least one hundred feet in length.

The Wharf was the Pensacola loading terminus of the Pensacola and Perdido Railroad, chartered originally in 1864. Construction was begun in 1869, and when completed in 1873 the railroad connected Pensacola’s world export docks with the lumber mills of Millview, about ten miles to the west, as well as some in eastern Alabama.

Perdido Wharf was severely damaged by hurricanes in 1896, 1906, 1916, and 1926. In 1906 two vessels, the Lilla and the Lena were tossed about so severely that they were driven through the wharves by the winds and wave action. It was repaired after all but the 1926 storm. Since the peak of the lumber boom had passed a few years earlier. Rebuilding was considered an unwise business investment.

The stubby earthen remains still extend into the bay behind the present day facilities of Williams Seafood, remembered by and referred to by many residents who grew up in the neighborhoods as The Rockpile.

Copyright 2003 by Nancy Neiger
1400 Cypress St., Pensacola, FL 32501