Cortez in Manatee County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
The Burton/Bratton Store
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La Tienda de Burton/Bratton
Photographed by McGhiever, April 3, 2026
1. The Burton/Bratton Store / La Tienda de Burton/Bratton Marker
Settlers from North Carolina arrived in this area in the late 1800s and began to create a waterfront community. Two families, the Brattons and the Burtons, played important roles in the development of Cortez. The Bratton family built a dock so boats with supplies could tie up conveniently. They donated land for the first church and dug the first freshwater well. They also operated a general store and post office on the dock. Mrs. Bratton became the postmaster in 1896.
The general store had a living area upstairs. With the addition of several guest rooms, it became the Bratton Hotel and later was renamed the Albion Inn. In 1902, the Brattons rented the general store to Jesse Burton, who also became the postmaster. Eventually, Bratton's Dock included not only the Albion Inn and attached Burton Store, but also a fish house, hardware and grocery stores, pool room, soda fountain, barbershop, and machine shop. With the growing businesses and boat traffic, the area became a community center.
The oldest known photo of the Burton Store and Bratton Dock, date unknown. Photo courtesy of Cortez Village Historical Society.
Los colonos de Carolina del Norte llegaron a esta área a fines del siglo XIX y comenzaron a crear una comunidad frente al mar. Dos familias, los Bratton y los Burton, jugaron un papel importante en el desarrollo de Cortez. La familia Bratton contruyó un muelle para que los barcos con suministros pudieran amarrar cómodamente. Además donaron terrenos para la primera iglesia y cavaron el primer pozo de agua dulce. También operaban un almacén general y una oficina de correos en el muelle. La Sra. Bratton se convirtió en la directora de correos en 1896.
El almacén general tenía una sala de estar en el piso de arriba. Con la adición de varias habitaciones, se convirtió en el Hotel Bratton y luego pasó a llamarse Albion Inn. En 1902, los Bratton alquilaron la tienda a Jesse Burton, quien también se convirtió en el administrador de correos. Finalmente, Bratton's Dock incluyó no solo Albion Inn y el almacén Burton adjunta, sino también una casa de pescado, ferreterías, tiendas de comestibles, sala de billar, fuente de soda, peluquería y tienda de máquinas. Con el credimiento de los negocios y el tráfico de barcos, el área se convirtió en un centro comunitario.
In 1974, the US Coast Guard bought the building to serve as a station, but soon realized the structure was not ideal against hurricane-strength winds. Cortezians rallied to save the historic landmark, but fundraising was only able to save the Burton Store. In 2006, the building was moved to the Florida Maritime Museum. During its history, the building experienced multiple renovations and weather damage, so much of the structure has been rebuilt. The updated exterior is similar to that of the 1896 store.
Today, the first floor is used for Folk School classes and other programming, while the second story is collections storage. Still called the Burton or Bratton Store, this landmark remains a community centerpiece for Cortez residents.
3. The original structure, built on pilings out over the water, had to be partially rebuilt after the hurricane of 1921. Fill dirt was added to the seaward side of the building so that a small strip of land protected the hotel from the sea. Photo courtesy of Manatee County Public Library System Digital Collection.
En 1910, los Bratton vendieron Albion Inn a las hermanas Cheatham. Aunque el hotel mantuvo su nombre, los lugareños continuaron refiriéndose a "Bratton's Dock" y "Burton Store". La posada volvió a cambiar de dueño antes de que fuera adquirida por una joven pareja llamada Joe y Bessie Guthrie. Lo modernizaron ampliamente y durante casi treinta años, Albion fue un centro de vida comunitaria. Cuando un huracán devastó a Cortez en 1921, el Inn fue uno de los pocos edificios que quedaron en pie. Los Guthries vendieron el hotel a fines de la década de 1940 y, aunque los propietarios posteriores hicieron cambios para atraer huéspedes, el apogeo había terminado.
En 1974, la Guardia Costera de los Estados Unidos compró el edificio para que sirviera como estación, pero pronto se dio cuenta de que la estructura no era ideal para los vientos huracanados. Los cortés se unieron para salvar el hito histórico, pero la recaudación de fondos solo pudo salvar la tienda Burton. En 2006, el edificio se trasladó al Museum Marítimo de Florida. Durante su historia, el edificio experimentó múltiples renovaciones y daños cuasados per el clima, por lo que gran parte de la estructura he sido reconstruida. El exterior actualizado es similar al de la tienda de 1896.
Hoy en día, el primer piso se usa para las clases de Folk School y otra programación, meintras que el segundo piso es el almacenamiento de colecciones. Aún llamado Burton o Bratton Store, este hito sigue siendo una pieza central de la comunidad para los residentes de Cortez.
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Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1896.
Location. 27° 28.052′ N, 82° 40.82′ W. Marker is in Cortez, Florida, in Manatee County. It can be reached from 119th Street W. south of Cortez Road W. (Florida Highway 684), on the left when traveling south. The marker is on the grounds of the Florida Maritime Museum, at the corner of the building just east of the parking lot. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4415 119th Street W, Cortez FL 34215, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on Florida’s Gulf Coast and on Tampa Bay. It is also in the American South and on the Gulf Coast. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At
Photographed by McGhiever, April 3, 2026
2. The Burton/Bratton Store and Marker at the Florida Maritime Museum
Credits. This page was last revised on August 9, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 9, 2026, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota. This page has been viewed 6 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 9, 2026, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
