The Honorable R.B. "Chips" Shore Courthouse Grounds

R.B. "Chips" Shore, a native of Manatee County, Florida, served as Manatee County Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller for 38 years from 1977 to 2015. He valued the outdoor environment that made the community unique and believed residents needed a sense of place and belonging, which could be restored through historic preservation and planting appropriate native plants. He sought to recreate that sense of place by preserving the Historic Courthouse, built in 1913. His daughter, Cindy Shore, proposed restoring the native environment around the courthouse, volunteered her knowledge and time to devise a plan, and helped find partners for the project. Together, they created a park-like setting that allows visitors to the courthouse and downtown Bradenton, including many who would never be able to travel to a park or woods, to experience the natural environment. The landscaping was completed in 2014, and at that time a time capsule was buried nearby to be opened in 2114. In 2015, the courthouse grounds were renamed in honor of the Shores.

Bradenton, Florida · United States