| An island off the coast of St. Petersburg, Florida, | | | | frustrated about the limited access to the island. |
| the barrier island community of Treasure Island | | | | The John's Pass Bridge was built in 1927 to |
| proudly boasts some of the most beautiful, white | | | | connect Madeira Beach to the island, but |
| sandy beaches in Florida. Originally inhabited by the | | | | vacationers still experienced difficulty coming from |
| Timucua Indians around 300 CE, the island and its | | | | St. Petersburg. |
| people were nearly destroyed in 1528 by Pánfilo | | | | In 1938 the Treasure Island Causeway was built |
| de Narváez. The area would not see another | | | | to accommodate people traveling from St. |
| human for quite some time. | | | | Petersburg. The causeway provided automobile |
| In the 1800s, Frenchman John Levique, a pirate, | | | | access from the city to the island, which |
| was said to have buried treasure on the | | | | attracted celebrities and other dignitaries including |
| uninhibited land. He would escape to the island | | | | Babe Ruth, who purchased a waterfront vacation |
| several times to hide out from his enemies, | | | | home after his retirement from baseball in 1935. |
| including one night 1848, when Hurricane Gale | | | | Following the end of World War II in 1947, two |
| swept through the island. | | | | more hotels sprouted up along the beach, and |
| Levique awoke to see that the spot of his buried | | | | nearby St. Pete Beach, where the Don Cesar |
| treasure had succumbed to storm surge, with the | | | | Hotel, formerly known as "The Pink Lady," |
| island's north end now separated from it, creating | | | | famously entertained Al Capone, F. Scott |
| a pass. In honor of the man who discovered it, | | | | Fitzgerald, Lou Gehrig, and Franklin D. Roosevelt. |
| the pass became known as "John's Pass." The | | | | In the 1950s, the area saw a residential housing |
| hurricane also split off two separate, small islands | | | | boom, and in 1955 the city of Treasure Island |
| - Isle of Palms and Isle of Capri. | | | | was incorporated. Homes and waterfront |
| Levique's existence and that of the actual | | | | neighborhoods were built on top of dredged |
| treasure is widely disputed, with some saying the | | | | material, which connected Isle of Capri and Isle of |
| 'treasure' was actually an attempt by property | | | | Palms to the main island. |
| owners to attract visitors to the quiet fishing | | | | Because of Treasure Island's strong residential ties |
| village, which at the time, was only accessible by | | | | and quiet beaches, the area today is a premiere |
| boat. Either way, the name "Treasure Island" | | | | year-round vacation destination for families. |
| stuck. | | | | Families can rent either Treasure Island Rental |
| The first hotel; on the island, called the "Coney | | | | Condos or like the Great Bambino did, a |
| Island" was built in 1915 by Whiteford Harrell. Soon | | | | beachfront home. |
| vacationers traveled to the area, but were | | | | |