Anna Maria Island facts for kids
Dune by the north of Anna Maria Island
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 Anna Maria Island
Location in the United States
Anna Maria Island
Location in Florida
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| Geography | |
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| Location | Gulf of Mexico |
| Coordinates | 27°30′47″N 82°43′08″W / 27.51306°N 82.71889°W |
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United States
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| State | Florida |
| County | Manatee |
Anna Maria Island is a beautiful barrier island located on the coast of Manatee County, Florida, in the United States. It's like a long, narrow strip of land that protects the mainland from the ocean.
The island has the Gulf of Mexico to its west. To the south, Longboat Pass separates it from Longboat Key. On the east side, you'll find Anna Maria Sound, and to the north is Tampa Bay. Anna Maria Island is about 7 miles (11 km) (11 kilometers) long from north to south.
Contents
Island History: A Look Back
Anna Maria Island was home to the Safety Harbor culture people for many centuries. This was long before Europeans arrived in Florida. Explorers like Narvaez in 1527 and Hernando de Soto in 1539 sailed past the island. They entered Tampa Bay, which is just north of Anna Maria Island.
Early Settlers and Names
The island was first settled in the mid-1800s. A man named Madison Post, who was a Confederate Deputy Marshall and Tampa Mayor, moved there. He named the island after his wife, Maria, and his sister-in-law, Anna. Cuban fishermen were some of the first visitors to the island. Because of this, many early settlers were people who worked on boats.
In 1892, George Emerson Bean became the first person to live on the island permanently. He claimed a large part of the land that is now the City of Anna Maria. After he passed away in 1898, his son, George Wilhelm Bean, took over. He teamed up with Charles Roser, a rich real estate developer from St. Petersburg. They formed the Anna Maria Beach Company. This company helped build streets, sidewalks, houses, and even a water system on the island.
Hollywood Dreams and First Bridge
In 1921, actor Paul Gilmore bought 40 acres (160,000 m2) of land. This area is now Coquina Beach. He wanted to build a film studio called Paul Gilmore’s Oriental Film City, later known as Gil-Mor Isle. Only one movie, The Isle of Destiny, was filmed there. It didn't do well, and Gilmore couldn't get other movies made. Then, the Florida land boom ended, and his dream faded.
The first bridge to connect Anna Maria Island to mainland Florida started being built in the summer of 1921. A big storm destroyed half of it, but construction continued. The bridge was finished in 1922. It crossed the bay to what is now Bridge Street in Bradenton Beach, connecting to the fishing town of Cortez. This bridge made it easier for more people to visit the island.
New Cities on the Island
After World War II, John E. Holmes, Sr. started planning a new community. This community was named Holmes Beach after him. Holmes Beach officially became a city on March 13, 1950. Other names considered were Palm City and Coquina Beach. The next year, on December 21, 1951, Bradenton Beach also became a city.
How Anna Maria Island Got Its Name
There's a story that a Spanish explorer named the place "Ana Maria Cay." He supposedly named it to honor the Virgin Mary and her mother, Ann.
A common myth says that Ponce de León (who died in 1521) named the island. The myth claims he named it after Maria Anna von der Pfalz-Neuburg. She was the queen of Charles II of Spain (born 1661), who supported Ponce de León's trips. However, this is just a myth.
In the past, people said the name differently, like "Anna Mar-EYE-a." But today, most people say "Anna Mar-EE-a."
Island Geography
Amazing Animals
Anna Maria Island is a special place for wildlife. From May to October, sea turtles come ashore to lay their eggs in the sand. It's very important to protect their nests!
The island is also a bird sanctuary, meaning it's a safe home for many birds. You can see:
- Pelicans
- Different types of cranes
- Herons
- Feral parrots
- Sandpipers
- Osprey
- Hawks
- Vultures
- Seagulls
- Crows
- Even a nesting pair of bald eagles!
In the waters around the island, you might spot bottlenose dolphins. They swim in the Intracoastal Waterway, the Gulf, and Bimini Bay. Other beautiful birds like roseate spoonbills, snowy egrets, and wood storks also live here. The marine animals include fish like redfish, snapper, mackerel, black drum, snook, trout, and amberjack.
Nearby Islands
Next to Anna Maria Island, on the bay side, is Key Royale. This island used to be called School Key and had no people living on it until 1960. That's when a bridge was built to connect it to the Holmes Beach part of Anna Maria Island. Now, Key Royale is part of Holmes Beach. Longboat Key is at the very southern tip of Anna Maria Island. It's connected by the Gulf Drive drawbridge. Just east of that bridge is Jewfish Key.
Island Cities
Today, Anna Maria Island is divided into three cities:
- Anna Maria in the north
- Holmes Beach in the middle
- Bradenton Beach in the south
In 2005, these three cities together had about 8,500 people living there. By 2020, the population was around 1,092. Most residents are between 55 and 84 years old.
Island Climate
Anna Maria Island has a warm climate. It's usually sunny and humid, with hot summers.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | July | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average High °F | 72° | 74° | 78° | 83° | 88° | 91° | 92° | 92° | 90° | 85° | 79° | 74° |
| Average Low °F | 50° | 53° | 56° | 61° | 66° | 72° | 73° | 74° | 73° | 66° | 58° | 53° |
| Average Precipitation Inches | 2.1 | 1.7 | 2.6 | 1.9 | 2.6 | 6.7 | 7.4 | 8.6 | 6.8 | 2.3 | 1.4 | 2.1 |
Hurricanes and the Island
Anna Maria Island, like other coastal areas, can be affected by hurricanes. Here are some recent ones:
- 2022 - Hurricane Ian: This storm caused damage in many parts of Florida. Luckily, Anna Maria Island had only minor damage.
- 2021 - Hurricane Elsa: There was some flooding and storm surge, but no serious damage or injuries.
- 2017 - Hurricane Irma: This hurricane caused some damage. The city pier, a popular spot, was destroyed. It took three years and $6.8 million to repair it.
- 2016 - Hurricane Hermine: This storm brought a lot of rain, causing severe flooding and damage to homes.
- 2004 - Hurricane Frances and Jeanne: These two hurricanes happened about a week apart. They caused sand dunes and beaches to erode, but no major buildings were damaged.
Education on the Island
The only school on Anna Maria Island is Anna Maria Elementary School. It's a public school in Manatee County for students from kindergarten to fifth grade. In 2021, about 203 students attended.
There are no middle schools or high schools on the island itself. However, there are options in nearby Manatee County. These include Martha B. King Middle School and Manatee High School in Bradenton, Florida. There are also some private schools in the area.
For higher education, there are no colleges on the island. But State College of Florida - SCF Bradenton is nearby in Manatee County.
Getting Around the Island
The main road that runs north and south on the island is Gulf Drive. It starts at the very south end of the island, near the Longboat Pass Bridge from Longboat Key. Gulf Drive is the only road that goes all the way along the island.
There are two bridges that connect Anna Maria Island to the mainland:
- The Cortez Bridge: This bridge brings State Road 684 into Bradenton Beach from Cortez.
- The Anna Maria Island Bridge: This bridge brings State Road 64 into Holmes Beach from the Palma Sola area of Bradenton.
Anna Maria Island has a free trolley-style bus! It runs north and south along Gulf Drive. This trolley connects to other bus systems in the area. It makes it easy to get around the island and to nearby cities without needing a car. Before 1921, the only way to reach Anna Maria Island was by boat. The original wooden Cortez Bridge was built that year. Parts of it are now used as a fishing pier.
Island Economy: Tourism
Since 2002, tourism has become a very important part of the island's economy. Local and state officials have spent millions of dollars to attract visitors. They use advertising to bring people from all over the country and the world. This has made the island very popular!
However, more visitors also mean more traffic, noise, litter, and parking problems during busy times. Because so many tourists want to visit, many older houses from the 1950s and 1960s are being turned into short-term rental homes. This has caused some debate among local residents.
Anna Maria Island in Media
Anna Maria Island has been featured in movies and music videos!
- In 1948, the movie studio MGM brought famous actors like Esther Williams and Peter Lawford to the island. They filmed parts of the movie “On an Island with You” here.
- The Florida band Shinedown filmed their music video for "Second Chance" on Anna Maria Island.
- The 2016 comedy/drama Monty Comes Back is set on Anna Maria Island. It was written and directed by Thomas John Nudi, who grew up in Bradenton.
- Longtime resident Kathleen Flinn wrote about her family moving to the island in the 1970s in her book, Burnt Toast Makes You Sing Good.
Famous People Connected to the Island
Some notable people have lived on or been connected to Anna Maria Island:
- Wyatt Blassingame, a writer
- Georges Simenon, another writer
- Fred Hutchinson, a former Major League baseball pitcher and manager
- Kathleen Flinn, an author and chef
Images for kids
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Late afternoon at Coquina Beach
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The view from Holmes Beach looking south.
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One view from the Pier Restaurant looking toward the shore.
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Late afternoon on Coquina Beach (Longboat Pass) looking Southwest
See also
In Spanish: Isla Anna María para niños
