This has been a long while in coming, in no small part due to the slightly overwhelming number of individuals and organizations that provided me with critical insight, documents, photos and support throughout the process of writing Oldest Tampa Bay. With each book I write, it seems the list of those deserving mention grows, while the space in which I have to thank them does not. So I thought to use this blog to try and name as many of those as I can – almost inevitably there will be some person or persons who very much deserve a thank you and find themselves missing from this list. For any such omission(s), I apologize in advance.
To begin with, The Hillsborough, Pinellas, Manatee and Sarasota library systems, TampaPix, and Florida Memory (the State Library and Archives of Florida) were all absolutely essential for research and photos. Just as indispensable was the input I received from the Tampa Bay History Center, Nevin Sitler and Rui Farias at the St. Petersburg Museum of History, everyone at the Clearwater Historical Society, the Dunedin History Museum, Susan Carter and Melissa Sullebarger at the Henry B. Plant Museum, Monica Drake, Sandy Bozeman and everyone at Heritage Village and the Pinellas County Historical Society, Robert Austin and everyone at the Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center, Krystal Miner and Rachel DesRosier at Manatee Village Historical Park, and Catherine Wilkins and Bob Grunow at the Gulf Beaches Historical Museum.
A great many local businesses, organizations, families and individuals also generously shared their time, stories and photos with me. This includes Doris DuBose, Pastor Alan Harris and the committee at Beulah Baptist Church, Rob Feierstadt of Blue Devil Tatoo, “Jungle John” Paner, Vasile Faklis, Dan Hayman, Carl L Zielonka, DDS, Jason Alessi and everyone at Alessi Bakery, Jenny Noell at Treasure Island Fun Center, Doug Morgan, Bob at Bahi Hut, Aaron Virgin, CEO of Save Our Seabirds, Inc., Jim Brady and family, Joseph Vars at the Belleview Inn, Gil Bakshi, Kelly Fairchild at The Circus Arts Conservatory, Cathy Salustri, Brandy Stark, PhD,Bob Feckner and Allan Hurd at the Blueberry Patch, Mike Kush at Lake Como Co-op, Inc., Phillip Cacciatore, J.C. Newman Historian and Museum Curator Holden Rasmussen, Jennifer Tyson at Sunken Gardens, Don Taylor, Cherie Jacobs at Tampa Electric, Nina Acevedo, Ward J. Friszolowski at Harvard Jolly Architecture, Brian Schaefer, Paul Zitzer and everyone at Skatepark of Tampa, Scott Fairbairn at Tampa Yacht & Country Club, Florida State Historical Marker Program Director Michael Hart, and Nainan Desai at the Hindu Temple of Florida. James Crouch at Hillsbrough County Parks and Recreation deserves an extra special mention for helping me identify the oldest dog parks in the county (no doubt one of the stranger questions he’s been asked). Similarly, Richard Fifer shared with me rare first-hand experience and photos from the early days of the phosphate mining industry.
I cannot adequately express my thanks to all of the fellow authors, writers and historians who came to my aid in many ways on multiple occasions. Craig Pittman reminded me that Centro Asturiano de Tampa has a theater, Josh McMorrow-Hernandez very kindly reviewed an early draft and made several suggestions which considerably improved the work. Local food guru Andrew Huse answered several of my questions, as did Kristen Hare (and even though I haven’t definitively figured out the area’s oldest Chinese restaurant, I had many very good meals in the course of my search).
Reedy Press could not have been more supportive through the process, even when it looked like my efforts might go off the rails. Josh and Barbara very patiently talked me off the literary ledge, Jill and Jennifer worked through more edits with me than any of us probably expected, and Alex, Kaitlyn and Mischelle have done an extraordinary job of getting the book in stores and in the news. A better relationship with a publisher I could not hope to find.
Then there are all the friends and family (both work and blood relations), who have been there for me time and time again. Gary Silber, Jacob Gehl, Bobby Conway, Jason Ewing, Larry Hayward, Barry Mac, Andy Tschudy, Tom and Candy, Debbie and Howard, Andy and Bob, David and Myrna, Ali, Jeremy Seth and Adam, Jon, Jeff, Jenna, Barbara and Jon, My Tiger Dust friends, my Grant Thornton family, my Your Signature Resume colleagues, Mike, Krista, Rochelle and everyone at the Jolley Trolley and anyone else left unnamed here – you known who you are and what you mean to me.
Saved for last is unquestionably the one most deserving of thanks – my wife, Jennifer Weiner, without whom I would be at best eloquent but dysfunctional. Your love and support is without measure or comparison, and I appreciate it always. Tinker Bell the Shih Tzu, our fearless protector, has also earned a mention here for helping me stay mostly sane these last few books and years.
