Baby, It’s Cold Outside

Winter 2015 is going to be one to remember. Even in Florida, the temperatures are below normal with wind making it feel even colder. But no one is complaining!  When I docent at the Anna Maria Historical Society, I mention the weather, and the response always is, “It’s not as cold as back home.” 

I enjoy sharing information with visitors on the early history of the island.  I tell them how in the mid-1800s George Emerson Bean came from Eastern Connecticut to the Tampa Bay region, and then by boat across the bay to this seven mile island.  Mr. Bean received a 160 acre land grant, so he brought his family to the island in 1893 as the first settlers. He lived only another four years, so his son carried on with the development of the Island. He hooked up with Charles Roser who came to the island in the early 1900s with the million dollars he was paid for his Fig Newton recipe.

The famous Anna Maria City Pier, built in 1911, brought day trippers from Tampa to the Island for a day at the beach.

A bridge from the mainland was built in early 1920s, bringing more people, businesses, and then residents.

I tell people that as a child riding with my parents we would drive by Spring Lake located in the middle of the island and how I wondered how that could be.  Now houses and mangroves crowd around the lake, so visitors have no idea it is there.

Visitors are interested to learn there was a small airport on the island, built to bring in the Hollywood actors (including Peter Lawford and Esther Williams) and film crews to make the film, On An Island With You.

What brings the men in is the historical society’s exhibit on the Boys of Summer.  A number of baseball players from various teams had small homes on the Island.  My family’s snowbird duplex was located across the road from the family of Cincinnati Reds’ manager Fred Hutchinson. 

The historical society has interns working on archiving their collection. There are renovation plans in the works so that more of the collection can be exhibited. In the meantime, the collection is being put online for easy access.

The AMIHS board and docents are to be commended for their hard work in keeping the history of this island available.

Mystery Monday – Message in a Bottle – Was it Suicide?

Since we arrived in Florida two weeks ago the Gulf has been angry.  After a mild two months, the weather has turned cold and windy – March came in like a lion.  When the Gulf is angry it doesn’t give up many seashells, so I have not been successful in finding many sand dollars this year. 

But early one morning last week the water was calm and shells were plentiful. As I strolled along keeping an eagle eye out for those elusive sand dollars I came upon a small bottle that held a blue note. I picked up the bottle and noticed the wax seal had two small holes that had allowed water to leak through making the printing difficult to read. I brought the bottle home and we tried our best to carefully wedge the cork out, preserving it intact, but it was just too tight. My husband finally got the corkscrew and we pulled it out that way.  We let the paper dry and was then able to read the message. 

The next question is what do you do with it? There are no last names, dates, geographic locations mentioned. It is a real note or a hoax?  Maybe we will never know.  I decided to put it on my blog on the off chance someone, somewhere might recognize the names and/or situation.  Was it illness? Was it suicide?  Again, a mystery.  Here is what the message in the bottle said:

“Jano – My hero, my sailor, my husband, my daddy to our kids.

Today would have been 22 years marriage; 27 years together. You were my best friend and I can hardly breathe without you. The kids have grown so much in the past two years.  We lost everything when we lost you. I couldn’t save you; I was too late this time.  I’m sorry I couldn’t save you. I’m doing my best to raise them without you. I’m so afraid. I miss my gentle giant, my body guard, and my lover, best friend. Lisa wanted you to walk her down the aisle. T.J. was wanting you to be there when he graduated – you promised the kids. Believe God musta really loved their Daddy to take him home on Christmas. No more pain for you. I love you forever and I will do my best for all your kids. I love you 4 ever, Lulu.”

Those Places Thursday - Anna Maria Island

Anna Maria Island Gulf Beach

Located at the southern tip of Tampa Bay, Anna Maria Island has a rich history. First settled in the 1890s by George Emerson Bean, the Island has transformed itself over the years serving as home for the many residents and a home-away-from-home for winter folks.  

75th Street beach circa 1950s

I remember in the mid-1950s, there were few houses, few businesses, and a spring fed lake that could be seen as you drove along Palm Drive.  But then more houses were built; single family homes and duplexes. My family purchased a duplex located on the 100 block of 75^th street.  For three months each winter my grandparents lived in one side, and we lived in the other.  Families could afford to live on the Island and a school was built to accommodate the children.  Winter residents were welcomed because they brought an influx of funds to support the local shops, restaurants, and churches.

Agard and Nunn Winter Home on 75th Street Holmes Beach, FL

Due to intervention by the federal government in the 1970s it was mandated that new construction had to have living areas one floor above ground. This created an unfortunate adjustment in the architecture on the Island. Houses on stilts appeared. 

Then developers got creative and greedy; they bought up the residences, tore them down and because many of the lots were zoned “duplex,” they got away with building two three-story houses, connected underground, where one once stood.

Now the cities of Anna Maria and Holmes Beach are challenged with stopping this out of control high-density building. I applaud the Island residents who are standing up against further development and doing their best to maintain the integrity of this beautiful Island. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAhgcJ99UmE

The Anna Maria Historical Society (http://www.amihs.org/) has a wealth of information and artifacts. They, too, are trying desperately to preserve the beauty of Anna Maria.  And when the museum director asked me if I had photos of our 1950s duplex, I realized that we are now part of Anna Maria’s history! 

52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy - Timmy Bear and Ginny Doll

This is a difficult topic, because I had a number of favorite toys. I loved to play dolls, and had many in which I lined up on chairs with small tables and taught them school.  I spent hours playing with my metal dollhouse, and then paper dolls were all the rage.  But I over the years two special toys are still with me.

When I was six years old I had my tonsils out.  After the surgery my throat was so sore! I couldn’t talk and didn’t even appreciate the Ginger Ale and ice cream I was allowed to eat.  The day after my surgery, my parents arrived with a Gund Teddy Bear. He was black with pink around his face and chest. His eyes opened and closed. I remember being so happy to receive this bear, and so frustrated that I couldn’t say, “Thank You” out loud to my parents. But they knew I had tried. I named that bear Timmy and he is still with me today, showing much wear from much love over the years.  It wasn’t too long ago that my mother told me the story behind Timmy.  She and my father were walking through Kresge’s Department Store in Ithaca, NY that morning and saw these Teddy Bears displayed.  Looking at the price tag my mother said she thought they were just too expensive; my father said he was getting one for me anyway.  Timmy was always my favorite and I dressed him up just like my dolls.

Timmy and I
75th Street Duplex
Anna Maria Island, Florida

 And then about fifth grade Ginny dolls were all the rage. I was given one with a couple of outfits. My blond haired Ginny had leg and arm joints that moved, and she was so much fun to dress up in her various outfits. At that time new outfits were $1.25 on up. My mother felt this was too much money to spend so she made a number of Ginny’s outfits out of scrap material. Mom commented that it was easier to make a dress for herself than one for Ginny since the pattern was so tiny.  A year later Ginny was joined by her long-legged sister, Jill.  I still have these two dolls and most of their outfits. A few years ago my sister was kind enough to purchase for me a real honest to goodness Ginny trunk in which I could keep my favorite doll and her wardrobe.