In the years following World War II, Tampa Bay's barrier island beaches were transformed from a sparsely populated strip to a booming vacation destination. Following the war's end, fond memories of beachside training exercises amid sand and sea attracted thousands of former G.I.s and their families to the area for vacation. This sudden outbreak of tourism caught the attention of developers, who quickly converted the lonely stretches of beach into a vacationer's paradise, complete with snazzy motels offering the latest amenities. Once home to fishermen and well-to-do winter vacationers, the area's gulf beaches became a popular getaway for newly prosperous middle-class families, anxious to put war-weary years behind them.

The pace of redevelopment has accelerated in recent years along Tampa Bay's gulf beaches, leaving tourists and residents alike in awe. This volume provides a glimpse at the beaches as they were and as they are today, and opens a whole new window to view the development that both enhances and threatens the barrier islands. Author R. Wayne Ayers and photographer Nancy Ayers, residents of Belleair Beach, are actively involved in chronicling and preserving the area's past.

Tampa Bay's Gulf Beaches follows the fascinating development of the beach strip along the Gulf of Mexico, from Pass-a-Grille to Clearwater Beach, from its early settlement in the late 1800s until its blossoming as a tourist haven after World War II. This famous beach strip is the pride of residents and a premier destination for beach lovers worldwide with its miles of white sand and glorious sunsets. History shows that just a century ago the strip was largely a vast wilderness visited primarily by fishermen and a few adventurous bathers and sightseers. Over the years, curiosity gradually gave way to an abiding affinity for these beautiful beaches and towns that sprang up along the shore. Through vintage postcards and photos, a diverse group of people and places are shown as they actually appeared-sportsmen and their "catches;" bathers whose attire evolved from bloomers and formal dress to one-piece bathing suits; the early "swing" and rickety wooden bridges; rustic frame hotels giving way to modern motels; the "downtown" areas of Indian Rocks Beach, Pass-a-Grille, Madeira Beach, and Clearwater Beach; plus casinos, bathhouses, waterslides, a Grand Hotel, and much more.

A guide to fishing the waters off the west coast of Florida from Tampa Bay south.

Clearwater, situated on Florida's Gulf Coast, is a progressive city that is rife with history and known for its breathtaking landscape. The city that has become one of the state's prime destinations was once inhabited by Timucuan, Calusa, and Apalachee tribes. Early settlers called the area that had plentiful fresh springs along its shore Clear Water Harbor from the Native American word "Pocotopaug," and early developers and speculators drew tourists and residents touting Clearwater as a resort community with a comfortable climate. Opportunity and adventure brought many pioneering families, citrus farmers, railroad barons, and land developers to the area. Today, Clearwater is a locality that continues to move forward while preserving its distinct past. Images of America: Clearwater is a unique collection of vintage photographs and facts that brings to life the history of this thriving city. Photographs culled from a variety of sources, including the Clearwater Historical Society and Hillsborough County Public Library's archives, showcase the people, places, and events that have contributed to the history of this special Florida community. Readers can take a visual journey to the unincorporated town of yesteryear to see how James Stevens, "the father of Clearwater;" Rev. C.S. Reynolds; and Henry Plant's grand hotel, the Belleview Biltmore, turned Clearwater into a prosperous city.

The Rough Guide to Florida is the ultimate travel guide with clear maps and detailed coverage of all the best attractions Florida has to offer. Discover the dynamic regions of Florida from the countless theme parks of Disney World, EPCOT, Universal Studios and SeaWorld, to the canals and beaches of Fort Lauderdale, Art deco sites of South Beach and Florida’s expanding Downtown region. Packed with practical advice on what to see and do in Florida this guide provides reliable, up-to-date descriptions of the best hotels in Florida, recommended restaurants and bars in Florida with detailed coverage on a full range of attractions; from day trips to Dry Tortugas Islands to discovering the historic Stranahan House. You’ll find expert tips on exploring Florida’s amazing fishing and boating activities, golf and adventure sports, Florida’s sensational art galleries and museums, all within walking distance of each other, including the Kennedy Space Centre, as well as cultural attractions, shopping and entertainment for all budgets. Navigate all corners of Florida with the clearest maps of any guide. Make the most of your holiday with The Rough Guide to Florida.

In Bioarchaeology of the Florida Gulf Coast, Dale Hutchinson explores the role of human adaptation along the Gulf Coast of Florida and the influence of coastal foraging on several indigenous Florida populations. The Sarasota landmark known as Historic Spanish Point has captured the attention of historians and archaeologists for over 150 years. This picturesque location includes remnants of a prehistoric Indian village and a massive ancient burial mound-- known to archaeologists as the Palmer Site--that is one of the largest mortuary sites uncovered in the southeastern United States. Interpreting the Palmer population (numbering over 400 burials circa 800 A.D.) by analyzing such topics as health and diet, trauma, and demography, Hutchinson provides a unique view of a post-Archaic group of Indians who lived by hunting, collecting, and fishing rather than by agriculture. This book provides new data that support a general absence of agriculture among Florida Gulf Coast populations within the context of great similarities but also substantial differences in nutrition and health. Along the central and southern Florida Gulf Coast, multiple lines of evidence such as site architecture, settlement density and size, changes in ceramic technology, and the diversity of shell and stone tools suggest that this period was one of emerging social and political complexity accompanied by population growth. The comparisons between the Florida Gulf Coast and other coastal regions illuminate our understanding of coastal adaptation, while comparisons with interior populations further stimulate thoughts regarding the process of culture change during the agricultural era. A volume in the Florida Museum of Natural History: Ripley P. Bullen Series