Tommie Barfield: The Woman Who Put Marco Island On The Map

By Janina Birtolo Photography Courtesy of Marco Island Historical Society

The premise sounds like something out of a fairytale: a girl from a poor family, who never got beyond third grade in school, grows up to become a queen. Yet that, in essence, is the true story of Tommie Camilla Stephens Barfield, who became known as the "Queen of Marco Island." The title is, of course, honorary. But it is also certainly deserved. More than anyone, Barfield worked hard all her life to put Marco Island—and Collier County—on the map. In fact, if it had not been for her determination and tenacity, Collier County might have taken decades longer to come into existence.

"Tommie Barfield is my heroine," says Betsy Perdichizzi, a founding member of the Marco Island Historical Society and author of books about Barfield and about Marco’s early history. "When I first came to the island in 1989, I became interested in the pioneers. Every time I turned around (while researching), she was there. I don’t think she ever lost an argument. She just kept coming back, wearing people down with her persistence."

Born in Cordele, Georgia, in 1888, Barfield began her trek to Marco in 1897, when her father decided he wanted to become a hunter and trapper in Florida. The family settled first in Inverness but soon moved to Homosassa. After two years, they hit the road again, stopping in Fort Myers before moving to Punta Rassa. Eventually, in 1901, her father bought a sloop and sailed with the family to Marco Island—to plant sweet potatoes for a season.

The 13-year-old Barfield, however, was apparently tired of the continual moving and liked her new surroundings. When, after just a few years, her father expressed his desire to move again, the teenager reportedly told him, "Papa, you can go if you want to, but Momma and the children are staying here." That may well have been the first evidence of Barfield’s persistent personality. The family did stay, and her father took a job delivering mail for the island’s new postmaster, James Barfield. Five years later, James Barfield and Tommie married. She was 18. He was 36.

Despite the age difference, the two seem to have been well suited. Both were supremely community-minded (James Barfield eventually served as a Collier County commissioner) and both shared visions of great growth and development for Marco Island. At the time, there were no real roads on the island and the only way to reach it was by boat. So Tommie Barfield designated designated herself as Marco Island’s spokeswoman and regularly made the trek to Fort Myers to lobby the Lee County commissioners for roads and schools. (Lee County included all of Collier at the time.) "She was eventually successful," Perdichizzi reports. "She got the first road built on the condition that she fill in the low spots herself. Then she lobbied for another road that would run to the shoreline. That one she ended up building herself.

"Next, she began lobbying for a ferry to the island," Perdichizzi continues. "She missed the final meeting, and the commissioners gave the contract for the ferry to someone else. She got them out of bed in order to get it back!"

Barfield’s efforts—and her winning ways— caught the attention of Barron G. Collier as he planned the building of the Tamiami Trail. Believing that the project would proceed more smoothly if the area involved was no longer part of Lee County, he came to Barfield to enlist her support. Convinced by his plans for development in the region, she agreed to become his champion and traveled to Tallahassee to present his petition for a new county.

Many in Lee County were dead set against the idea—and apparently were not above using any means to maintain the status quo. "Twenty-four men from the opposition showed up and they pulled a dirty trick," Perdichizzi reports. "They said they had a telegram from 25 island residents opposing the new county. Barfield proved the telegram was faulty." The petition was granted in 1923, and Collier— with fewer than 1,000 residents—became the state’s newest county.

Barfield was equally determined to bring education to Marco’s youngsters. When the island had only a few scattered elementary schools, she bought a house in Fort Myers so youngsters would have a place to live while they finished high school there. With the founding of Collier County, she was appointed the first Superintendent of Schools and then served for 20 years on the Board of Public Instruction.

According to her niece, Kappy Kirk, who still lives in Goodland, Barfield took responsibility for hiring teachers even before she held official positions. One of her requirements was that each teacher knew how to play at least one musical instrument and that music be a part of the curriculum. "And when she found that the schoolchildren needed a hot lunch, she got the community to help fix up an old army barrack to use to make and serve hot lunches," Perdichizzi adds. Today, the Tommie Barfield Elementary School on Marco Island, stands as a testament to her commitment to education.

Although the Great Depression delayed Barfield’s dreams of a developed Marco Island, she never stopped pushing for improvements or lending a helping hand. By the time of her death in 1950, she had touched the lives of countless people and shaped the course of Southwest Florida’s history. The Queen of Marco Island may not have come from a royal lineage, but she certainly ruled.

For more information on Tommie Barfield and the history of Marco Island, read Betsy Perdichizzi’s books, A Girl Called Tommie, Queen of Marco Island and Island Voices, They Came to Marco Island.

For insight into the development of Naples, tune into Untold Stories: The History of Naples, Part II. The program is scheduled to air on WGCU Public Media at 8:30 p.m. on May 25, at 6:30 p.m. on May 26 and at 11 p.m. on May 27. Please check your local listings to verify dates and times, or visit www.wgcu.org.

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