Product Description

Tampa Bayís 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. Ý Through vintage postcards and photos, a diverse group of people and places are shown as they actually appearedósportsmen and their ìcatches;î bathers whose attire evolved from bloomers and formal dress to one-piece bathing suits; the early ìswingî and rickety wooden bridges; rustic frame hotels giving way to modern motels; the ìdowntownî areas of Indian Rocks Beach, Pass-a-Grille, Madeira Beach, and Clearwater Beach; plus casinos, bathhouses, waterslides, a Grand Hotel, and much more. Ý

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1171773 in Books
• Published on: 2002-09-10
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 128 pages

About the Author
Author R. Wayne Ayers is a reporter and feature writer for Tampa Bay Newspapers and serves on the Board of Directors of the Indian Rocks Beach Historical Museum. He culled images from a variety of sources, including his personal collection, the archives of the Pinellas County and Indian Rocks Beach Historical Societies, and the St. Petersburg Museum of History, to create this unique and entertaining ìliving historyî of the Gulf Beaches.