Holmes Beach
Holmes Beach is a small town on Anna Maria Island in the Gulf of Mexico just south of Tampa Bay. Holmes Beach, the largest of Anna Maria Island’s three municipalities, is located between the towns of Bradenton Beach and Anna Maria. It boasts miles of gorgeous white, sandy beaches, emerald Gulf waters, and abundant sunshine.
Holmes Beach is a small, friendly yet charming Old Florida town, with a wonderful all year climate and beautiful sunsets – ideal for your vacation escape!
History:
Sam and Annie Cobb first homesteaded 160 acres on Anna Maria Island in 1896 in the area now called Holmes Beach. John R. Jones and Jose Casanas soon joined the Cobbs. Jones piloted boats running between Tampa and Cuba. Casanas relocated from the Canary Islands in search of mullet fishing grounds. The first island post office was established in 1902 in the home of the Cobbs.
Holmes Beach was named after a developer, Jack Holmes, who arrived on the island after World War II and created a 600-acre community that would later become Holmes Beach.
In 1948, just two years before Holmes Beach was incorporated, Hollywood brought Esther Williams, Peter Lawford, Ricardo Montalban, Jimmy Durante and Cyd Charisse to community to film portions of “On An Island With You”.
When the city was incorporated in 1950, Halsey T. Tichenor served as its first mayor.
Even after a century of development, there are still traces of the earlier settler’s way of life.Many of the old roads have been paved over but most are the same that the settlers forged through a thick jungle to create. But you needn’t worry about rattlesnakes or panthers like they did.
Holmes Beach has a rather short history compared to other places because it’s still relatively new but what it lacks in history, it makes up for in personality. With a population in the region of 5,000 residents – a blend of permanent and seasonal, Holmes Beach is the largest of three island communities on Anna Maria Island. Bordered to the north by the City of Anna Maria and to the south by the city of Bradenton Beach, Holmes Beach boasts three miles of gorgeous white, sandy beaches and an endless amount of turquoise water.
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