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Back in the 1940s and 50s, McCollum Hall was THE place to be in the Dunbar community. Especially when B.B. King, Louis Armstrong or Duke Ellington came to town. The bands usually played upstairs in the Art Deco-style building on Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard but the music-loving crowds often spilled outside and into the yard affectionately called Buck’s Backyard (named after businessman Clifford “Buck” McCollum Sr.). “A lot of people couldn’t afford to go in,” says artist Shari Shifrin, standing in the grass outside of McCollum Hall. “So they would hang out here all night long, sitting back here with a little fire, checkers, chess and just jam along.” ....
Community centerpiece in Dunbar comes back to life through art Published: February 25, 2021 6:33 PM EST Updated: February 25, 2021 9:23 PM EST Recommended A cultural centerpiece in Dunbar is being restored to its former glory. McCollum Hall has a long history as a staple of the community. It was once a place for entertainment, where everyone of any color was invited, and now it’s coming back to life. You may not look twice at the vacant building along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, just east of downtown Fort Myers, but you can watch it reflourish. It was the place to be in the 1930s and 40s, and rare in the days of segregation. ....