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GULF BEACHES HISTORICAL MUSEUM

115 10th Avenue, St. Pete Beach, Fl 33706 - 727-552-1610

See our collection of

Historic Photographs

(Click the photo to enlarge)

Like looking at old photos? We've got enough to keep you entertained for as long as you want. Here is our "Historic Photos" page.
Click here to Contact Us

In the Gift Shop:

The Museum Friends have a Gift shop inside the Museum. It is stocked with great island history books by local authors - click here to learn about them.

Historic Island Lore, Facts & Misc:

- The Don Cesar Hotel was re-opened in 1975 after being a VA Hospital and Administration Office

- Blind Pass Bridge & John's Pass Bridge were opened in 1938.

- Vina Del Mar became a viable residential island in 1954. Prior, it was known as Mud Key.

-The Sunshine School opened its new building on Pass-a-Grille Way between 23rd and 24 Ave. in 1926 & closed in 1975.

-The Gulf Beaches Elementary School opened in 1950 on Blind Pass Rd and 87th Ave. & closed in 2009.

-Corey Causeway was completed in 1927 replacing
the old McAdoo wooden structure.

-Pass-a-Grille got its first church building in 1917 on 10th Ave. It is now the Gulf Beaches Historical Museum.

-Mail was delivered by boat and sea-plane before any bridges were built.

The Don CeSar Hotel

If you are a beach walker, a boater, a lover of hotels, or just enamored with fascinating buildings, you can't miss the eight-story pink hotel on St. Pete Beach! Read More

Bridges, Bridges and More Bridges

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! Read More

The First Glance of a Pristine Island

The sun shown warm on the white, sugar feeling sand along the blue Gulf of Mexico while the sea gulls 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. Read More...

A First Beach Resort?

As mainlanders found passage by the big ‘ol steamer boats, small skiffs and party boats, to the islands quiet beaches, early pioneers opened rough “hotels” to accommodate their needs. Eight Street (not Ave. back then) quickly became the “main” gathering and eating place, small rooming houses and fishing docks soon became the norm. Read More...

Brick Roads, Bridges & a High Rise!

As the beach islands started to develop, adding small cottages, small businesses and a few permanent dwellers, a former contractor Thomas Rowe, began to build the Don CeSar Hotel in 1925. Read More...

Upcoming Events

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Built in 1917 as the first church on the barrier islands of Tampa Bay, the museum houses a large collection of artifacts and memorabilia of the islands from Egmont Key to Redington Beach. Although owned by Pinellas County, it is completely operated by a local volunteer staff.

Please visit and see, learn and enjoy history.

Open:

Mid Oct - Mid May:

Thursday, Friday, Saturday 10am-4pm

Sunday 1pm-4pm

Mid May - Mid Oct:

Friday & Saturday 10am-4pm

Sunday 1pm-4pm

Can you identify these photos?

Click here to view photos provided to us by the Gulf Beaches Historical Museum. The individuals in these historic photos have yet to be identified and we thought it'd be fun to see if anyone knows who they are! If you do, email us at: history@spb2day.com or use our Contact Us.

Click here to view www.gulfbeachesmuseum.com