William Hamilton Kildow Jr.
 Thomas Monroe Kildow

There were two brothers that attended [KMI], each for two years, from 1915 – 1919/20 and their last name was "Kildow" from Tiffin Ohio. The family was in the tobacco business back during this time period.

The following photographs were purchased from an auction in Ohio and show the school and area during this time period.

Of the origional Eau Gallie school property, only one building (now a home) and a large swimming pool still exist.

Ann Raley Flotte

Eau Gallie
[1915 - 1920 period]
Melbourne-Eau Gallie Florida Historical Collection
Ann Raley Flotte, Melbourne Florida
 [Historian and author of local Melbourne history as well as a collector.]

1910 program of the Eau Gallie Yacht Club.
 (with a mention of a game between Stetson and KMI on their grounds)

  • His friend, Speedy, among the palms.
  • KMI dance card (they attended a dance at the Royal Poinciana Hotel in Palm Beach).
  • Going to Palm Beach on the train.

The pier at the beach in Palm Beach, FL.


Shark caught on Melbourne Beach.


Cadets visiting Oceanus (now Cocoa Beach).
Day trip to the Union Cypress Lumber Mill
Day trip to the Union Cypress Lumber Mill in Deer Park near Holopaw Florida. The mill closed in about 1923. Holopaw is about 20 miles from Melbourne.
Military Park
[click on this picture for a much larger view]


Hotel Du Nil (Hotel of the Nile) in 1895 in the town of Sarno Florida.

The hotel and everything connected with it were abandoned only a few years later due to a lack of anticipated tourists. (The railroad moved on and killed the boom.) The town of Sarno, named by developer John Green, became a ghost town as well.  When Col. Fowler bought it about 1904, he renamed it Military Park and built new cottages and enlarged the present ones here seen in the view.

I interviewed a lady who lives in the only remaining cottage that KMI built and the pool in her yard was the pool the cadets received swimming instruction in. (I had suspected this was this last vestige of KMI and she confirmed it). Sadly, she wants to tear it down.

If you compare this to this old color postcard of the school on your website, you can see the pavilion in both. The postcard also shows cottages to the right of the pavilion which were not part of Green’s original structures. If they had been, you would see them at the top of the 1895 view.
Ann Raley Flotte, Melbourne Florida
 [Historian and author of local Melbourne history as well as a collector.] 2/25/2008

Former DuNil Hotel (KMI barracks)

Standing in front of the barracks (looks like laundry day)
while “Chili shakes a leg to My Old KY Home.”

class room and cadet bed room

Botany class room. .  .

Cadets standing about (called Waiting for Entrapment)

According to writer on photo - “explaining the situation in Eau Gallie??

Cup-o-tea?
FORMATIONS

"Present Arms"

Cadets of The Kentucky Military Institute at St. Augustine Florida on return trip.
FIRE -  Monday/Tusday, 19-20 January 1920

RUNNING FROM THE FIRE!

COTTAGE #11 AFTER THE FIRE

COTTAGE #11 BEGINING TO BURN WITH ALL THE TOWN FOLK AND CADETS WATCHING.
"MY ITEMS MOVED SAFELY AWAY FROM THE CONFLAGRATION." (written on the side of picture)

Tent city - constructed after the fire.
Train back to Louisville


This is a postcard with the Military Park postmark (very rare) dated 1919.
He is describing the view on the right showing (Highland Ave) leading to downtown Eau Gallie.
 


KMI Menu Page Kentucky Military Institute
www.kmialumni.org
Send e-mail to: kmimail@kmialumni.org

Copyright © All rights reserved.

 KMI Menu Page