Anna Maria in Manatee County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
The Anna Maria Pier
Photographed By PaulwC3, March 14, 2014
1. The Anna Maria Pier Marker
Inscription.
The Anna Maria Pier. . Built in 1911, the Anna Maria City Pier welcomed visitors and residents to the island city arriving by steamship. The 776-foot-long pier accommodated paddle wheelers such as the Favorite and the Mistletoe prior to the construction of the first bridge from the mainland in 1922. The pier was commissioned by the Anna Maria Beach Company and was the brainchild of “Will” Bean, whose father homesteaded a large tract of land in 1893, and Charles Roser. Roser is credited by some with having developed the recipe (or baking process) for the famous Fig Newton cookie which he sold c. 1898 to the National Biscuit Company, now Nabisco. Bean and Roser built Anna Maria’s first church and bathhouse in 1913 on the Gulf of Mexico, along with cottages for their families and others. In a building barged down from Parrish, the city’s early promoters handed out flashy brochures of a young lady wearing a short dress, high heels, pearls, and holding a fishing pole reading “Anna Maria Beach, Florida’s Famous Year-round Resort.” Some of the island city’s first buildings survive today on Pine Avenue, a heritage area made possible by the construction of the Anna Maria City Pier over 100 years ago.
Built in 1911, the Anna Maria City Pier welcomed visitors and residents to the island city arriving by steamship. The 776-foot-long pier accommodated paddle wheelers such as the Favorite and the Mistletoe prior to the construction of the first bridge from the mainland in 1922. The pier was commissioned by the Anna Maria Beach Company and was the brainchild of “Will” Bean, whose father homesteaded a large tract of land in 1893, and Charles Roser. Roser is credited by some with having developed the recipe (or baking process) for the famous Fig Newton cookie which he sold c. 1898 to the National Biscuit Company, now Nabisco. Bean and Roser built Anna Maria’s first church and bathhouse in 1913 on the Gulf of Mexico, along with cottages for their families and others. In a building barged down from Parrish, the city’s early promoters handed out flashy brochures of a young lady wearing a short dress, high heels, pearls, and holding a fishing pole reading “Anna Maria Beach, Florida’s Famous Year-round Resort.” Some of the island city’s first buildings survive today on Pine Avenue, a heritage area made possible by the construction of the Anna Maria City Pier over 100 years ago.
Erected 2011 by The Anna Maria Island Preservation Trust, Inc. and the Florida Department
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of State. (Marker Number F-708.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1911.
Location. 27° 31.978′ N, 82° 43.915′ W. Marker is in Anna Maria, Florida, in Manatee County. Marker is at the intersection of South Bay Boulevard and Pine Avenue, on the right when traveling west on South Bay Boulevard. Pine Avenue ends at the Anna Maria Pier. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 100 South Bay Boulevard, Anna Maria FL 34216, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on October 23, 2017. It was originally submitted on March 19, 2014, by PaulwC3 of Northern, Virginia. This page has been viewed 589 times since then and 34 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on March 19, 2014, by PaulwC3 of Northern, Virginia. 4, 5. submitted on March 20, 2014, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
