The sun shown warm on the white, sugar-feeling sand along the blue Gulf of Mexico while the seagulls squawked, the egrets pranced and the pelicans hit the waves with a huge kerplop! The sunsets were spectacular, the sunrises welcomed each dawn with far reaching rays of light and combined together created a feeling of serene peacefulness.

    Does one suppose this was the scene that greeted the old pirate ships when they crept into Boca Ciega Bay seeking refuge from storms? After re-stocking their hulls with fruit, fresh water and smoked fish they had grilled, they reluctantly continued on the quest of whatever mission the pirates sought.

    No need to think otherwise as today we enjoy this same scene on the island of St. Pete Beach (still noted on charts as Long Key) however we, unlike the old pirates have found our treasure right here!

    In the 1800's the south tip of the island was often a haven for local fishermen who plied the bay and Gulf for their catch. In the late 1890's, George Lizotte built a cabin followed by other St. Pete residents seeking the cool breezes off the Gulf waters, the solitude of getting away from a growing city and indulging in their favorite pass time of fishing!

    One can only imagine looking at the old photos of undeveloped land, straggly palms and no sea walls how pristine the island was to these “mainlanders”! Pass-a-Grille area soon became dotted with small cottages, a few hotels, rooming houses and restaurants like Lizotte’s that featured a shore dinner for fifty cents. People would come over the bay on steam boats from downtown St. Pete and Tampa docks and daily trips by all sorts of boats from Gulfport.

    The north end of the island also became a “community” of sorts until the first bridge was built at about 87th Ave. in 1918 by William McAdoo (watch for a future story about this). Pass-a-Grille itself became an incorporated town of 31 blocks in 1911, setting the stage for the future of the island’s development, assessable only by water craft. In coming weeks we’ll trace this growth and tell how the scene viewed by those ol’ rag-tag pirates still exists for residents and visitors to enjoy!