The Sand Man and Shifting Sands A Short History of John’s Pass By Jim Schnur
HERITAGE VILLAGE
Noel Mitchell hoped to gain golden profits from the silver sands along Johns Pass.
Rhode Island native Noel Mitchell made his early fortune selling saltwater taffy. He arrived in St. Petersburg by 1904 and soon became one of the Sunshine City’s greatest boosters. Branding himself the “Sand Man,” he vigorously promoted his real estate developments. Learning that St. Petersburg planned to extend its Central Avenue trolley line toward the Jungle area, Mitchell marketed tracts there in early 1912, more than a year before streetcar service began in December 1913. That same month, the city agreed to add brick pavement along Central Avenue west to Boca Ciega Bay, as well as along the dirt
path today called Park Street. In December 1913, boats started ferrying passengers between the Jungle streetcar line’s terminus at the suspected Narváez landing site and the south side of Johns Pass. Earlier that year, H. Walter Fuller had purchased much of what is now Treasure Island for $800. Albert B. Archibald and others planned a new development named “Gulf Beach” south of Johns Pass in January 1914. The Sand Man’s Beach Mitchell wanted his share of the action. He reached out to George
K.F.M., KFMM.D. MD • 727-300-0933 info@kfmmd.com KAREN KARENMONROE, MONROE M.D. 401 33rd St N., #F #F • St. Petersburg 33713 karenformarijuana.com “...we will help you through the entire process.” No fee if you do not qualify.
10
Roberts, who in 1912 had homesteaded on Olive Island, sandy lands on the north side of Johns Pass. Roberts built a dock and dwelling on the otherwise uninhabited island. Mitchell bought 138 acres from Roberts on February 18, 1914. His proposed Mitchell’s Beach extended from the mouth of Johns Pass northward to 140th Avenue in present-day Madeira Beach. Crews built a hotel and installed sidewalks and a sea wall at Johns Pass. Calling himself “the undisputed sand slinger of Pinellas County,” Mitchell aggressively marketed his latest development by purchasing full-page ads. Boats regularly ran from both the Jungle and Gulfport Casino to Johns Pass. Although no bridges connected the mainland to the lower Gulf Beaches, people could catch a trolley in downtown St. Petersburg, board a ferry at the Jungle, and enjoy a stroll along Johns Pass in under an hour. Operators charged 20¢ for the round-trip boat ride. In April 1914, Mitchell contemplated building a bridge between
theGabber.com | January 6, 2021 - January 12, 2022
