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The history of the town dates back to 1867 when the first settlers,
James and Rebecca Barnett and the three children of Mrs. Barnett from a
former marriage settled in the area now known as Gulfport,
Florida.
In 1884 a Mr. Hamilton Disston had great
plans for Gulfport, which
was then known, as Disston
City. He believed that a
railroad would go into Disston
City and consequently he
built a hotel known as the Waldorf Hotel on the shores of Boca
Ciega Bay
as well as a dock, three stores and some houses. Unfortunately, his
dreams came to naught as the railroad went into St.
Petersburg and not to Disston City.
In 1890 another gentleman by the name of Captain John F. Chase
envisaged the possibility of establishing a city where veterans of the
Civil War might want to spend their last days. The name was changed to
"Veteran City,"
although prior to the change the city was known as "Bonafacio." It seems that the post office
officials decided that they did not like the name Disston City.
There was a trolley line originating from St.
Petersburg to Veteran
City in the year 1905. Also
a pier was extended into Boca
Ciega Bay
and there was some prosperity among the inhabitants. The official
incorporation and name change to Gulfport
took place on the 12th of
October 1910.
Today, if you walk along tree lined Beach
Boulevard you will notice beautiful old
buildings and the charm of Florida
before developers took over in various other villages and cities in Florida.
In fact, the only tall buildings you will encounter are the condo
complex of Town Shores
of Gulfport, which in no
way spoils the idyllic atmosphere of the town.
You will also notice two very good restaurants; one called La
Cote Basque, where you can have a meal at a very reasonable price.
It is wise to reserve during the weekend as many of the locals dine
here. Another very interesting place to dine is called Backfin Blue and next door
is the newly renovated Peninsula
Spa which has a first-class bar and the regionally well know Six
Tables gourmet restaurant. The latter is, as the name suggests,
composed of six tables only, and will set you back around $100 per
person for dinner, but is well worth the experience for a special
occasion. Another nearby spot is a bar/restaurant called HT Kanes, which has great local food, at great prices.
All these and more are within 5 minutes walk from the Coach House.
The new pier is another place where you will want to visit
especially in early morning when the sun rises or at sunset. The view
from the pier is spectacular. You may even watch the dolphins from time
to time put on quite a show in Boca
Ciega Bay.
You may also be able to spot the famous pink hotel called the Don
Cesar located at the entrance of Pass-A-Grille-Beach. Incidentally,
many Hollywood movies have been filmed at the
Don Cesar.
If you like fishing, bring along your fishing gear and you are sure
to catch something interesting from the fishing pier. Typical catches
are seatrout, redfish, flounders, snappers
and possibly snook or spanish
mackerel if you get lucky and have a strong line.
Another site you should visit is the Gulfport
Historical Society
Museum which is
opened Monday though Friday from 2pm
to 4pm and 10:00am to Noon
on Saturday.
On the first Friday of every month an artist's gallery walk is
conducted from 6:00pm to 9:00pm. All of the craft and art stores
located on Beach Boulevard
are open where you can browse, shop and help yourself to refreshments,
which often include wine and cheese. A good idea would be to make an
evening of it and dine at one of the restaurants located on Beach
Boulevard or have some ice cream dessert
at the ice cream store located at the end of Beach
Boulevard near the Casino.
Incidentally, the History Museum
is open from 6:00pm to 9:00pm on gallery walk nights.
If you should want to visit for a shorter stay, or simply don't need
all the space of the Coach House, directly across the street is the Sea Breeze Manor,
which is a bed and breakfast having a beautiful view of the bay and
Gulfport Beach.
You can't leave Gulfport
without checking out the Gulfport Casino. This is part of Gulfport
history and a famous landmark, where dances are held several times a
week as well as dance lessons. If you are in the mood for dancing, this
is the place to be. Wednesdays are Swing Dance night and the entry fee
is $6.
City of Gulfport
This link gives you some idea of the City itself.
Gulfport Public
Library
One of the best libraries in the area is the Gulfport Public Library.
If you are in the area drop by and check it out. You can find a wide
assortment of newspapers as well as Internet access. If you happen to
be a member you will be able to borrow not only books but also videos,
tapes and cds.
Other local and current news may be found in the Gulfport Art Village
and the Gulfport Gabber,
or the larger area at the St.
Petersburg Times.
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