Since World War II, tourists have flocked to Florida's northwest
Gulf Coast and sun and fun spots at Panama City Beach, Fort Walton
Beach, and Pensacola Beach. Every year those visitors number in the
millions.
For those who long to recall how the vacationland appeared
thirty, forty, or even fifty years ago, Tim Hollis has written
"Florida's Miracle Strip: From Redneck Riviera to Emerald
Coast."
In a style that informs and entertains, Hollis describes the
rise of early developments, such as Long Beach Resort, and major
tourist attractions, such as the Gulfarium and the Miracle Strip
Amusement Park. With heartfelt nostalgia and a dose of
tongue-in-cheek, he reminisces on the motels and tourist cottages;
the restaurants, such as Captain Anderson's and Staff's; the
elaborate miniature golf courses, such as Goofy Golf and its many
imitators. He takes a special delight in recovering the memories of
those quirky businesses that now exist only in faded photographs
and aging postcards, such wacky tourist traps as Castle Dracula,
Petticoat Junction, Tombstone Territory, and the
Snake-A-Torium.
In the book, Hollis examines how this area became known as the
"Miracle Strip," and how the local chambers of commerce got so
tired of that image that the name gradually fell into disuse. The
book is illustrated with a profusion of vintage photos and
advertisements, most of which have not been seen in print since
their original appearances. For the nostalgia lover, the snowbird,
the tourist seeking yesteryear, "Florida's Miracle Strip: From
Redneck Riviera to Emerald Coast" will be a welcome traveling
companion.
Tim Hollis is the author of "Hi There, Boys and Girls America's
Local Children's TV Programs" and "Dixie Before Disney: 100 Years
of Roadside Fun," both from University Press of Mississippi.
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