Island Regional Histories

Walter Hagen teeing off at the Gasparilla Inn Golf Course 1918.

Boca Grande has a rich history, and it is most enjoyable when seen through the eyes of those who’ve lived it. Here are some histories of Boca Grande as told by some of our local characters. Visit the History Center to read, listen or view many other stories, oral histories, history bytes, and informative speaker presentations.

The Good Old Days by Peter Ffolliott

They Is “Us” by Charles F. Blanchard

Legend of Gasparilla the Pirate by André‑Marcel d’Ans

Triumph of Ice Over Salt by Theodore B. VanItallie

Aboriginal Occupation of Gasparilla Island by Robert F. Edic

Ancient Gifts from the Sea by Robin C. Brown

I Wish by Sarah Helen Pouncey Peach