It is interesting how over time, the building and development of bridges has been a controversial subject. Looking back in island history, the residents living on these barrier islands were just glad to get a bridge ... period!

   Historical narrations tells us that H. Walter Fuller, William McAdoo, William L. Straub and the Upham brothers, to name a few, had the vision to foresee the island's potential worth. These men were some of our early pioneers who not only had homes on the beach but had an idea of what this area could become. However, one big problem loomed mightily, no access except by boat... a big factor when talking development of the beach!

(Corey Bridge 1949)

     In 1916, Fuller struck a deal with Pinellas County to build a bridge at the island's north end for $70,000. But it fell through when Fuller went bankrupt. McAdoo acquired the Long Key holdings of Fuller and convinced the County to build a toll bridge. It opened in 1919 and even though its true name was the Pass-a-Grille Bridge, it became more commonly known as the McAdoo Bridge. It crossed the bay landing at 87th Ave., St. Pete Beach. This was the first time visitors had access by vehicle to come and enjoy the white sandy beaches.

    Then in 1927, the County passed legislation that allowed replacement of the wooden McAdoo Bridge with the toll free two-lane bascule Corey Causeway, the Blind Pass Bridge fixed structure and the John's Pass bascule bridge, connecting the island string. Corey Causeway was replaced with its current double bascule span in 1976, and the Blind Pass Bridge after being repaired in 1947, was replaced in 1997.

  After a huge controversy in the early 1960's, the Pinellas Bayway was finally built, providing another vehicle inlet and outlet for growing St. Pete Beach and opening the southern areas of Tierra Verde, Mullet Key, and Ft. DeSoto Park.

    Building bridges enhanced the beach development and with the opening in the 1960's of the Howard Frankland and Courtney Campbell Causeway/Bridges, the roads opened up to all south Pinellas communities.

     Residents and visitors were happy to have easy access to the blue Gulf waters, the pristine white beaches and ample fishing grounds. But slowly wide Boca Ciega Bay became dotted with fills, fingers of pumped sand and small islands of homes and condos. The connecting bridge structures have endured the heavy commercial vehicles, triple visitor traffic in the winter months and endless openings and closings for increased boating. Replacement costs of all the bridges have spiraled, the financial burden mounting as time passes. One wonders if the men who foresaw so much for the island would be boggled to hear the controversy over the Bayway replacement in the 1990's and 2000's? It would probably seem ironic to them to be haggling over a high level or low level bridge when they fought to just get A bridge built! Times change with progress and these pioneers wanted progress too, though maybe not on the scale it has happened.