Beach Cottage

Beach Cottage. Built: Circa 1939 Moved: 1997. , A Cottage Industry , This simple dwelling, built a shell's throw from the Gulf of Mexico in the Lone Palm Beach subdivision, was part of a settlement that became Madeira Beach. It was typical of coastal cottages built during the 1930s. Communities sprang up from Indian Rocks Beach south to Pass-o-Grille. While St. Petersburg and Clearwater had a cosmopolitan flair with high-end hotels that attracted affluent vacationers from the North, these cottages near the beach appealed to those seeking more modest prices. , Shifting Tides , A decade after construction of this beach house, drivers along the two lane Gulf Boulevard could see a chain of small wood and masonry homes near this cottage. Beaches grew in popularity. Settlements incorporated and established utilities and community services. These enticed developers to build large homes to meet demands of newcomers. Small hotels sprang up along the coast in southern Pinellas County through the 1950s with modern décor, swimming pools and other amenities for vacationing families from the North. Quaint cottages like this became a haven for budget conscious retirees and vacationers. , From Ships to Suntans , At the turn of the century, many fishing and shipping vessels worked along the Pinellas waterways. Bridge construction beginning in the early 1900s connected the mainland to the barrier islands so people could come and go. And they did --in large numbers. Many "city folk' from Pinellas and Hillsborough counties purchased land and built vacation cottages. Others invested in the beaches with an eye toward a growing tourism market by building cottages for seasonal residents.