Linked forever to the Pass-A-Grille Beach Community Church, the Gulf Beaches Historical Museum occupies the building that was constructed in 1917 as the first church of Pinellas County’s barrier islands. It served the community as the Pass-a-Grille Community Church until 1959, when the congregation moved to its current larger site at 107 16th Street.
In 1960, Joan Haley bought the “Old Church,” She had been active in preservation all her adult life in Alexandria, VA, and when she was a widow and retired, she moved to Pass-a-Grille and made the building her home for almost 30 years.
Ken Ford, who had become County Museum Director in 1976 and was a good friend of Joan, recalls, “In early 1989, Joan talked to me about her situation with no heirs, and the concern that after her death the property could go to a developer who would convert it to condos. Another friend, attorney Evelyn Cutler, drew up a trust, so when Joan died later that year, it was in place with the stipulation that the property would go to Pinellas County and would always be a museum featuring the history of the Gulf Beaches, or be turned back to the trustees of her estate. In July, 1992, the County took possession of the property.”
At that time, Ford was also director of the county’s Heritage Park in Largo, and his maintenance crew did much of the prep work over the next seven months to get the museum ready to open. At a meeting of the Pinellas County Historical Commission on February 10, 1993, the “Old Church” became the Gulf Beaches Historical Museum and the grand opening was held on March 18, 1993. Ford became responsible for the management of the museum and Barbara Baker Smith became the first Volunteer Coordinator. She trained the first volunteers, with the help of Ellen Babb, then operations manager of Heritage Village. “I spent a lot of time there,” Ford notes, “got the original exhibit cases and was always very involved in the exhibits. In my 10 years of involvement until my retirement in 2001. I loved the little museum because of the real spirit of volunteers who consider it their place; they are so enthusiastic and always very positive, and it is the only county project totally volunteer run.”
Sarah ‘Renee” Roos, Paradise New’s owner, was one of the Museum’s founding volunteers, who, along with the late John Gill, spent the entire first year clearing out the building and preparing for its use as a museum. When the building needed a roof, she helped arrange a fund-raising event on Pass-a-Grille Beach that netted $16,000 in four hours. She also arranged all of the original displays, some of which still stand. Those efforts earned her an honorary membership in the museum for life.
Low-key Anniversary Celebration – Long-time curator Sally Yoder highlighted some key anniversary events. “March 2 at our annual Island Festival at noon there will be a re-dedication of the museum, with brief comments from any local dignitaries on hand. We expect a nice turnout again for the Festival, with more than 25 vendors, historic walks, MD car club cars, guides in costumes. Local cartoonist Bruce Norris will be there to do caricatures; at 10 am St. Pete Shanties music group will perform and at 12:30 the New Horizon Band from Eckerd College will play until closing. On Monday, March 18, the actual anniversary date, the Friends will have a Presentation Dinner at Silas Dent’s to honor volunteers who have dedicated their time and talent to the museum over the past 20 years. There will be a Joan Haley Award, a Jari Mogavero Award and other recognitions. The event is for all Friends of the Museum members, as seating is limited. There will be no speaker, but Nan Colton, local actress and entrepreneur, will be present as Thomas Edison’s second wife, and she will mingle among the guests.”
The 20th Anniversary Committee is chaired by Ken Ford, with members Spencer Lucas, Gladys Joseph, Pat McNally, Sally Yoder, Lance Peterson and Betsy Pheil. Organizing the Original Volunteers Barbara Smith has lived on St. Pete Beach since 1947 when the family moved from Indianapolis, except for a three-year stay in Atlanta. She is a graduate of Sunshine School in 1949 and lived in Pass-a-Grille before the family built their home in Don CeSar Place.
Among highlights from Barbara’s early years as the museum’s first volunteer coordinator: “John Gill, Renee Roos and I cleaned the museum and grounds before the official opening,” she notes, “including holding a flea market to get rid of things we didn’t need to run the Museum and clear space for exhibits … On the opening of the Sunshine School exhibit we had a luncheon with the pioneers and their families at the PAG Yacht Club, now the St. Petersburg Yacht Club … We printed a volunteer newsletter, which had an early history of the Gulf Beaches, birthdays, congratulations and the volunteer schedule … We organized “Hands Across the Bay” with a historical guide and ticket takers to travel by Alvah Schulte’s boat to Gulfport; as the early pioneers came by boat and steamboat to Pass-a-Grille from the Gulfport Casino to Merry Pier … We organized the annual Silas Saunter, using the restaurant bearing his name as our caterer at the museum, which included a historical walk at Pass-a-Grille … I worked closely with Ellen Babb, Curator of Education at Heritage Village, in setting up volunteer schedules, hours, etc.”
Babb adds, “The staff at Heritage Village and Pinellas County has enjoyed a strong working relationship since the Museum first opened. I worked with Barbara to put their volunteer program in place, based on the model that we were using here at Heritage Village. Today, the volunteer program at Gulf Beaches Historical Museum is being looked at as an example for county government. In this time of diminishing financial resources, Gulf Beaches shines as a location where volunteers actually run the site and its many programs”
Museum Exhibits a Priority – Sally Yoder is Curator and Exhibits Coordinator. “When I came on board in late fall of 1993,” she recalls, “Don Ivey, whose father Jim was the noted St. Petersburg Times editorial cartoonist, was the Heritage Village Curator who helped get us started. I got involved because my father had been a Pass-a-Grille councilman before consolidation and I had an interest in island history having been a reporter for the Gulf Beach Journal after growing up in PAG since 1946. “We have several permanent exhibits: Sunshine and Gulf Beaches Elementary School, the PAG Church, Joan Haley, the Don CeSar, WW II, a time-line from 1500 to present, over 17 albums of organizations, pioneer families,
The Tides Hotel, an extensive postcard display, a history of fishing and other local photos and artifacts. “If you want to see what island life was like through the past 100 plus years, visit the Gulf Beaches Historical Museum, learn history, see its pioneers and help keep the island heritage alive. Better yet, become a volunteer. It can be an educational, fun and a rewarding experience. Fall/winter hours are Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm and Sunday from 1 to 4 pm. Handicap accessible / admission free, with a little gift shop inside. Donations are always welcome. A visit to this island treasure will be sure to heighten your knowledge of local history. It is a fun trip for the whole family.”
Spencer Lucas, current President of the Friends, has deep local ties. “I grew up in PAG, left in 1971 and returned in 2000,” he says. “There was so much going on in the area whileI was growing up: The Hurricane Classic boat races, the Sunshine School Fish Frys, the PAG Yacht Club 4th of July Regatta, the Christmas Caroler Barge , the Beach Hotel fire in the 60’s where Paradise Grille now stands, appreciating the public beach, that my great grandfather Warren Webster created, the Little Dutch Bakery, the Beach Theater and Lamb’s Drug store, going down to 8th Avenue to Hubbards/Merry Pier and seeing the boats come in with their catch, the daily 12 o-clock Siren Test for the Volunteer Fire Dept., and enjoying the wonderful precious beach, a history of memories that is immortalized in many of our Museum exhibits.”
“I now appreciate ‘history’ more than ever. It is always interesting, intriguing, and full of surprises. It is a privilege to serve as President for the Friends and volunteer my time to help preserve the past. It is gratifying work because we are all part of History. The dedication of all our volunteers and the generosity of financial support from individuals, to neighborhood associations, the City of SPB, and the County, keep us operating. The Museum is a continuous work in progress and is a priceless asset of our little islands. Come visit, enjoy and get involved with your Museum.”
Author’s Note: Special thanks to Barbara Smith, Sarah Renee Roos, Sally Yoder, Ken Ford, Ellen Babb and Spencer Lucas for their valuable input and assistance. Special thanks to Renee and Peter Roos for their continuing contributions to the Museum of editorial and advertising space in Paradise NEWS.
Story by STEVE TRAIMAN
Photos by Jim Tizzano
Date: March 2013