In August 1877, after lying idle for more than 20 years, Dorotea Hernandez Walker, daughter of Joseph Hernandez, purchaed Mala Compra Plantation. However, due to excessive debts left behind by her father, the heirs were forced to sell portions of the property. In 1900, only 40 acres of the original 900 acres of improved land, as owned in 1850, remained.
By late 1923, most of the former Mala Compra Plantaion was owned by Ed and Lillian Johnson and Claude Varn.In 1926, the Johnsons and their associates transferred legal title to this property to a corporation called "Hernandez Estates, Incorporated". The corporation planned the development of various roads and sub-divided the property into individual lots. These events took place just as the Florida Real Estate Boom began to collapse. As a result, in 1927, plans for the development came to a halt.
Years later, on May 4, 1946, Lillian Johnson, now widowed, received the Flagler County Board of County Commissioners' approval to develop "Jose Park" Subdivision, which includes the Bings Landing County Park property.
By 1962, Merdic LeRoy "Bing" Shows and his wife Geraldine were the owners of the property officially known as Bings Towncienda Motel and Fishing Resort (locally known as Bings Fish Camp). The Landing and Towncienda Motel were a great resting place for tourists and used by many as a year-round residence and camping area.
One old survey of Bings Fish Camp shows that this area, at one time, had 2 motel buildings, a mobile home w/porch (which has recently been removed), a bath house, dog kennel, pavilion building, laundry/bath house, office/snack bar and 2 docks.
In 1979, following the death of "Bing", his widow, Geraldine Shows sold the property to Charles Yant and John Hesseldenz, who maintained this area until the time of the County's purchase, on June 22, 1989, using Land Acquisition Committee funds, in the amount of $1,000,000.
As far as our records indicate, Charles Yant and his wife lived in the mobile home until the time of purchase by Flagler County.
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