The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1952-11-29
Mark Rhodes
Estate Near
Sur,,rr,erLand Kew
Keeps Him Busy
BY SUSAN McAVoY

east VI hCy WCSL, just Oll SuILlulcT-
land Key is a ten acre island
which has recently been renamed
the Isle of Mark Time.
Mark H. Rhodes. timing device
magnet who invented the parking
meter, the cooking timer, and
timers for switch controls in in
dustry chose this Key for his year.
round lifetime home after canvas
sing the globe by boat, plane and
train to find the perfect place.
81 found it here" said that red
haired acknowledgement.
We had planned to call on Sheriff
Berlin Sawyer who occupies a third
of Howell's Key with his own home.
The Sheriff's cupboard however,
was locked at Johnston's point,
which meant that the Sheriff was
not over at his Island home.
Mrs. Henry Hudgins, Henry Clay,
and John, her boys Skipper Ed.
Gibson and l cruised over from
JohnSton's point in his cruiser the
Mary King, to the Key which is
/ about one mile off Summerland
Key.
AS we neared Isle of Mark Time
we could see the figures of Mr..
and Mrs. Rhodes moving through
their second deck glass enclosed
living room. We had not planned
to stop. Rhodes, however, leaped
out on the bank at the small
! turning basin and motioned vigor-
ously for us to pull in. Ed looked
obviously at the water wondering
if it would be deep enough for the
Mary King which draws two and
one-half feet, and at the size of
the minute turning basin. He
brought her in perfectly while
Rhodes grabbed the lines and made
her fast.
Mrs. Rhodes, an attractive au-
bUrn-haired lady greeted Us as
we stepped off on the Island.
Within the first five minutes .
learned that instead Of spending
harried Weekends at this Island
home, she and Mark Rhodes live
here year round. He has retired
from the prospecting business in
Hartford which produces the Tim.
ing devices which have made
Rhodes Timers household words
Throughout ihe country.
Retired is hardly the word for
Rhodes present status. He has
worked as hard finishing the pour
ed concrete, concrete block two
deck house on his Island as if he
were still directing his 400 en-
ployees in Hartford in the manu-
facture Of Rhodes timers.
Mrs. Rhodes explained her ban
daged finger.
1--WE been putting a new roof
on the house. Don't ever let any
one sell you an aluminium roof.
1t leaks. We have had to put on
an entirely new roof. We hired
man to do it. He came one day
and then didn't show up for
month. We decided to do it our
selves. At least Wen know it's
done right"
So with the materials and tools
Mrs. Rhodes has been climbing
to the fiat roof every day and
roofing her house with a combina.
ton of cheese cloth, cement and
other items. 1t sounded complex
to me, but she assured me that
she had gotten the knack of it.
Rhodes fertile mind Is match.
ed by artisans hands The mag
nificenf cabinet work in the huge
glass isloUsied living room Is ell
The product Of Rhodes iwo years
Of loving labor on his home.
81 planned and dreamed of this
house for Is years" the volatile
inventing genius told me. I'm try.
ing to put into it all the time
savers, space savers that l made
industrially for 20 years.
Rhodes phenomenal success in
the timer business dates back 10
1890 when he started single hand.
ed 10 invent and manufacture his
timers. Today they come in more
Than 100 models and are used IN
thousands Of products. His park
ing meters are in use 10 Key
West and $50 cities Of mis- eovn-
try.
A southerner by birth. Rhodes
headed for the south from New
England when it came time to re-
tire.
81 chartered boats and looked
over land in the Bahamas, in the
West Indies, all over. When I
found this I knew II was what !
wanted"
The living room which occupies
the entire second deck faces the
southeast 50 that on summer days
even. il catches any fugitive
breeze.
The master bedroom Of the house
Is on the ground floor next 10 the
huge l4ooo gallon capacity eistsrn.
All water for the Rhodes establish.
ment comes from the rain supply.
caught On the roof, and stored into
the ciStera.
When we were there Sunday,
RHODES was eeneEs.Gg miniature