Goodland

In Goodland, you start out with history. In the late 1800s, John Roberts named his homestead Good Land Point, which was located on the eastern corner of Marco. Roberts thought the land was good for farming vegetables and fruit trees. According to historical records, the land did not produce many vegetables. He sold the land to Samuel Alexander Pettit, who tried farming but eventually turned to fishing to make a living.  

This explains why the majority of the streets in Goodland are named after fruit trees such as Papaya, Pear, Mango, and Coconut – a historical nod to the original intent by John Roberts to grow fruit trees. 

Artist Marziano Gizzi lives on Pear Street Drive in a relocated Doxsee Cottage. Giz, as he is known around town, is a retired welder from Chicago. The Pear Street location was initially just a garage/studio where he spent a lot of time repurposing and recycling discarded pipes, metal shovels, rebars, old gears, and even car parts into intricate metal creations. Welding is how he joins the metal pieces together before he adds the finishing touches. 

Giz also had another property on 507 Goodland Drive West, which he bought in 2011. This was one of the famous 1910 Doxsee Cottages. In the book written by Elizabeth McDonald Perdichizzi, Interviews with Kappy Kirk and Her Friends, she wrote, “As you drive into Goodland, the road turns right just as you come to Stan’s Idle Hour Restaurant. There are little cottages that had been moved from the Village of Marco. Kappy explained, ‘The houses from Marco were little row houses built around 1910 for people to live who actually worked at the Doxsee Clam Factory. They rented the cottages to workers with families.’ 

In 1967, the Doxsee cottages were relocated to Goodland. A typical cottage had one bedroom and one bath, and when Giz bought a Doxsee Cottage, he did not make many changes except for a new roof, windows, and new paint.  

To lessen his “commute” between the two properties, Giz decided to move his historic Doxsee Cottage from Goodland Drive to the Pear Tree Drive location. This will be the second move for this historic cottage, and with the expertise from Flint and Doyle Structural Movers, they made it happen in one safe move!  

His current garage space has expanded and contains the tools of his trade, such as the welding machine, metal cutters, pliers, hammers, grinders, and drilling equipment, along with safety shields and gloves. 

Giz’s art is not exactly in the “fine art” category, and a few of his creations are displayed in his front and side yard. His collection is also featured at the Naples restaurant, Organically Twisted Vegetarian, with an offbeat vibe. Giz is also a regular exhibitor at Art @ City Hall in Marco.  

Artist Amanda Tessarzik is a potter who discovered Goodland some 23 years ago on a brief visit. Now, she calls this wonderful island home full-time. “Goodland captured my heart, and the local schools captured our values for my three daughters’ education,” said Tessarzik. She added that her family is from upstate New York and “the most treasured parts of Goodland are the people, the warm sunshine, palm trees, and the water. Being from a rural part of New York, I definitely enjoy the social aspects of being a “Goodland Local.” 

Tessarzik discovered ceramics in high school and dabbled in it off and on over the years. In the last three years, she dove back into this hobby and has fallen in love with it all over again. Amanda has taken over the garage as her studio with her potter’s wheel, kiln, and assortment of tools. 

“Living in Goodland, the colors of the waters and the beaches nearby all tend to come through my art,” said Tessarzik. This summer, Tessarzik has been busy working on stocking up on her inventory for the upcoming season. She wants to be able to offer plenty of variety at her home studio in Goodland during the season and also at various local events on Goodland and Marco.