Anna Maria Village
Anna Maria Island, Florida

In search of the Fountain of Youth

Columbus is credited with discovering the New World, but he never found Florida.  That honor belongs to another man on a quest familiar to us all.  In 1513, King Ferdinand of Spain financed Ponce de Leon's search for the Fountain of Youth, a mythical spring reputed to have the powers to cure illness and to give eternal youth.  

On his journey, he discovered Florida on Easter Sunday, naming it "Pascua de Florida" which means "Feast of Flowers".  His bold voyages to the East and West of our state opened the doors of imagination for many Spanish explorers. 

Ana-Maria-Cay soon appeared on charts and galleons filled with conquistadors frequented our shores.  But the wealth they sought eluded them.  In 1561, King Phillip II of Spain reluctantly announced that Spain would no longer pursue expeditions to Florida.  Anna Maria Island was quiet for hundreds of years . . .

When island land was free…and cookies were expensive

In 1892, President Wm. McKinley granted George Emerson Bean a homestead on the north end of our island, making him the first permanent resident.  Soon, Bean’s son teamed up with an investor named Charles Roser. Together, they formed the Anna Maria Beach Company, laid out the streets and started developing the town of Anna Maria.

Roser, it turns out, is better known as the inventor of the Fig Newton. His Kennedy Biscuit Company began producing the cookies in 1891.  In 1898, they joined a national network of bakeries to form the National Biscuit Company, later known as Nabisco.  The stock purchase created a million-dollar windfall for Roser, who joined his father developing real estate in Florida.

The rest, as they say, is history.  Anna Maria Island grew and the towns of Anna Maria, Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach became popular tourist destinations, each with their own unique history.  

Discover Anna Maria Island’s best kept secrets!

Many historical “secrets” are still here in plain sight...if you know where to look!

Bean Point – Experience beautiful sunsets on this private stretch of beach near the home of our first resident, George Bean.

The Anna Maria City Pier - Stroll to the end of the 678-foot pier that has made our island a travel destination for nearly 100 years. 

Roser Community Church & Roser Cottage – In 1913, the island’s first church was inspired by a dream as Charles Roser’s father napped on his front porch.  Today, the non-denominational church still welcomes all visitors to services each Sunday.  Roser’s original real estate office still stands across the street, virtually unchanged since it was built. 

Holmes Beach Hollywood – In 1948, MGM brought Esther Williams, Peter Lawford, Ricardo Montalban, Jimmy Durante, Cyd Charisse, and Xavier Cugat here to firm “On an Island with You”.  In the plot “a beautiful movie star travels to Hawaii and finds romance in this South Seas musical” but we all know the real paradise is Anna Maria Island!