Russ Baltz, a resident of Grand Haven, Michigan, visited his father in St. The changes in 1955 set the stage for what would become a community staple, the Bilmar Hotel. At the time, Treasure Island was considered one of the most well-planned and progressive beach communities in the state. The current government style of using a City Manager reporting to the Mayor and Commissioners was not implemented until 1964 by a majority vote of the city residents. The new owner remains committed to upgrading the existing buildings and not redeveloping the land.īy 1955, the four separate communities of Sunset Beach, Isle of Palms, Isle of Capri, and Sunshine merged to create the City of Treasure Island. Shortly thereafter, Treasure Island became referred to as the “Million Dollar Mile.” The Downey family were the original owners and operators of The Sands until 2017.
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In 1948 the Sands Motel became the first of the turn-of-the-century “modern” motels that are still a part of the landscape today. The bridge finally opened in November 1939. Petersburg owns 500 feet of Treasure Island Beach at 112 th Avenue. Petersburg side, two developers traded the land east of the Central Avenue Causeway for 500 feet of beach front land, and to this day St. The name stuck.Īfter very little development in the 1920s due to no bridge access, several developers attempted to find funds to construct a Central Avenue bridge. Pete Beach today, because the guests were staying at the Coney Island, word quickly spread about Treasure Island. In 1918, in a marketing scheme to increase real estate sales, several property owners secretly buried a couple of wooden chests filled with “hidden treasure” that two Coney Island guests with prior knowledge of the burial location “discovered.” Though the stunt took place on what is St. Whitey and his wife opened the first hotel with 25 guest rooms called the Coney Island. Pierce sold much of the land that was previously bought from the state for $1.25 per acre to Whitey Harrell. Pierce was the first landholder in Treasure Island.
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This same storm also separated Isle of Palms and Isle of Capri from the rest of the barrier island.Īccording to the Treasure Island Historical Society, Thomas F. It was on Saturday, September 25,1848, that an unnamed hurricane created the island by cutting a 200-yard channel to the north, now known as John’s Pass.
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#THUNDERBIRD HOTEL TREASURE ISLAND SERIES#
Petersburg’s Treasure Island had a sudden beginning-and an interesting series of events that led to its fantastical name.