The History of Anna Maria Island

When you choose to vacation on Anna Maria Island, you’re visiting a gorgeous Gulf barrier island steep in centuries-old history.

Buckle up for a quick look at the history of Anna Maria Island.

The earliest known inhabitants of current day Anna Maria Island were Native American tribes, primarily the Calusa and Timucuan tribes, in 1000 A.D. They fiercely protected their island which they used for fishing and hunting.

In 1521 Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon found and named the island Ana Maria Cay in honor of the Queen of Spain. However, he was not successful in establishing a colony because the Native American tribes drove him away.

In 1539 Hernando de Soto, another Spanish explorer, landed in current day Bradenton. He enslaved the Native Americans and transported them to El Dorado. With the natives removed from the island, settlers began to move to Anna Maria Island.

In 1892 George Emerson Bean was the first permanent resident on the island. He built a home on 160 acres in the city of Anna Maria near the old Rod & Reel Pier. Many years later Bean Point was named after him.

In 1896 Sam and Annie Cobb homesteaded in Holmes Beach. Their daughter, Anna Maria, was the first “non-Native” child born on Anna Maria Island. Bradenton Beach was not formed until 1953.

Bean died in 1898. In the early part of the 20th century his son, George Wilhelm Bean joined forces with a financier named Charles Roser. Roser is credited with inventing the Fig Newton. Together they formed the Anna Maria Beach Company and started to develop the town.

The company built a 678-foot long pier at the end of Pine Avenue in 1911 allowing visitors to come to the island via ship.

In 1913, Charles Roser built the first church on Anna Maria Island, the non-denominational Roser Memorial Community Church. The lighted cross on the steeple served as a beacon for fishermen.

The original ice house built in 1920 located at 402 Pine Avenue now houses the Anna Maria Island Historical Society.

In 1921 – 1922 the original Cortez Bridge was built connecting Bradenton Beach with the Village of Cortez. This wooden bridge allowed visitors to commute easily to the Island via automobiles. It was replaced with a modern concrete structure in the late 1950s.

In 1926 the bridge from Bradenton Beach to Longboat Key was constructed.

In 1927, the open-air Anna Maria City Jail was built to detain islanders who got too rowdy.

Today the Island Community Center stands at the Magnolia Avenue location of the first school on Anna Maria Island built in 1930.

In 1940 the Regina, a molasses tanker, sunk off the coast of Bradenton Beach during a storm. This has created a natural coral reef and favorite scuba diving site.

In 1945 Jack Holmes, a developer, created a 600-acre community in the center of the island.

In 1948 an airstrip was built in Holmes Beach for small planes. This airstrip, closed in 1973, was located where the Holmes Beach Library now stands.

The film “On an Island with You,” starring Esther Williams and Peter Lawford, was partially filmed on the island in 1948.

The City of Holmes Beach was incorporated in 1950. The Anna Maria Island Elementary School was built this same year on Gulf Drive and replaced in 2005 with a multi-million dollar campus.

The City of Bradenton Beach was incorporated in 1952.

In the early 1960s, Seaside Gardens on 63rd Street was built under the direction of Holmes. The first structure was completed in 1962. The five-unit property featured boat docks along the canal and central heat and air.

Founded in 1990, the Anna Maria Island Historical Society preserves the history of Anna Maria Island. The Museum displays artifacts dating back to pre-settlement days, early settlement times, and throughout the 20th century. The Historical Society hosts Anna Maria Island Heritage Day in March.

In 1998 Woody Harrelson and Elizabeth Shue came to the island to film “Palmetto”. At about the same time, Denzel Washington and George Clooney came to the area to film “The Perfect Storm”.

In 2013, Forbes named Anna Maria Island the third prettiest city in the country. In 2015, Condé Nast Traveler named Anna Maria Island one of the top 10 island beaches for perfect sand. In 2024, Travel + Leisure magazine named the island among the 50 Best Places to Travel.

Today, there are nearly 4 million annual visitors to Anna Maria Island.

Until next time…

· izzy